What Could Make Your Time at the Driving Range More Interesting? How About Universal Product Codes on the Balls and an Automated Scoring System
Put practicality aside for a minute and think of how much fun a driving range could be if it looked like the one drawn below.
The drawing comes from USPN 5439224 titled “Driving Range with Automated Scoring System.” The patent describes the invention as:
A golf range comprising a series of independent targets, each of which consists of a sloped area located at a different distance from a multiplicity of tee stands. The range is also equipped with a scoring system that uses Universal Product Codes on each ball, optical scanners located at each target, and a programmed computer to identify each ball passing through the target and to record pertinent information and statistics to provide golfers with a record of the number and length of shots taken. The computer is also programmed to provide a comparison of information from previous sessions for a particular golfer or other golfers. In another embodiment, the invention also comprises a multilevel vertical target for driver shots located at a fixed distance from each tee stand, wherein each level includes a receiving net and a gutter connected to the system of pipes for the return of the balls.
Check out these additional drawings.
How difficult would it be to put UPC’s on golf balls?