Golf swing practice system with virtual divot generation

Abstract

A golf practice mat includes an impact sensor disposed in a vicinity bounding the location of where a golf ball would be placed for striking. The golf practice mat may also include, for example, a “crosshair” target imprint that is disposed on a golf club impact sensor portion of the practice surface and indicates the point/line of contact that the club face should hit the ground after the ball has been struck with the club head in a descending blow. A microcontroller receives and analyzes the output of the impact sensor and generates a display/output message that is coupled to a display that is, for example, embodied on the golf practice mat to provide user shot-related feedback. The display may indicate, for example, the user's golf club, the estimated distance the ball will travel depending upon the impact data analyzed, the club chosen by the user, input backswing data and/or a three-dimensional simulation of the resulting golf stroke.

1 . A golf swing practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club having a golf club head for generating feedback relating to the direction of a golf shot that would have resulted from the practice swing comprising:
 a practice mat surface, for use by a user practicing a golf swing having an assumed golf ball position-related image embodied thereon to identify an assumed golf ball position;   said practice mat also having an initial contact target image embodied thereon to provide a target for the club head to initially contact the practice mat to simulate striking the beginning of an area where a desirable divot would have been made on a golf course fairway after ball contact if an actual golf ball had been placed at said assumed golf ball position;   a golf club head practice mat impact assembly operatively coupled to said practice mat surface to visually indicate points at which the club head initially made contact with the practice mat relative to said target to thereby provide feedback relating to the direction a golf ball, disposed at said assumed golf ball position, would have traveled if struck by the golf club head during the practice swing.   
     
     
         2 . A golf swing practice mat apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said golf club practice mat impact assembly includes an array of sensors being operable to generate golf club head position-related data, said golf club head practice mat position-related data being generated during a practice swing of said golf club and being generated independent of whether the golf club head is striking a golf ball, a storage device for storing said golf club head position-related data; and a processor operatively coupled to said array of sensors and said storage device, said processor being operable using said golf club head position-related data to determine the position of the golf club head relative to said target, said processor being configured to project the type of golf shot that would have resulted if a golf ball, positioned proximate to said target, were to have been struck during said practice swing, and an output mechanism operatively coupled to said processor for indicating the type of golf shot that would have resulted from a golf ball being struck by said user from said assumed golf ball position during said practice swing. 
     
     
         3 . A golf swing practice mat apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said golf club head practice mat impact assembly includes a contour changing material operatively coupled to said practice mat surface to provide at least a temporary visual indication of initial club head strike points and the nature of a resulting divot had the practice swing been performed on a golf fairway. 
     
     
         4 . A golf swing practice mat apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said golf practice mat surface has foot position imprints embodied thereon.