Golf Trainer Device

This invention relates to the golf trainer device and, more particularly, to such a device which is foldable and portable.

Basic to the present invention is construction of that device such that it can be folded together and set up again in a simple manner, providing the golf player with an opportunity when the device is set up, to aim his drive on the ball as if he were out on the course. The solution provided by the present invention is indicated by the features provided in the appended claims.

One embodiment is illustrated in the attached FIGURE.

The frame of the golf trainer device consists of two rectangular frame sections 1a-1b-1c, 2a-2b, 3a-3b-3c, 4a-4b and 5a-5b-5c, 6a-6b, 7a-7b-7c, 8a-8b, arranged in a vertical, upright position, vertical tubing 2a-2b and 6a-6b being connected while permitting vertical tubing 4a-4b and 8a-8b to be kept such a distance apart that the horizontal cross section of said arrangement is v-shaped. The vertical tubing sections 2a-2b and 6a-6b are connected by means of four transverse pins 9, 10, 11, 12. Rings 13 are pushed over the individual tubing pieces of the two rectangular frame sections, to permit suspension of the net. Having a large number of rings 13 ensures that the netting predominately assumes the v-shape of the frame. This net consists of two three-cornered net sections 14 and 15 filling the two v-shaped areas that emerge as two frame sections are pulled apart forming a wedge, and two rectangular net sections 16 and 17 completely filling the two rectangular frame sections. The three-cornered net sections 14 and 15 as well as the rectangular net sections 16 and 17 are sewn together along the outlines of the respective tubing sections thus forming a sack that tapers in the direction of vertical tubing sections 2a-2b and 6a-6b. Inserted to be in an upright, vertical position inside of the sack is the intercepting piece 18, cross hatched in the drawing, said piece extending in a direction symmetrical to the connected tubing sections 2a-2b and 6a-6b and joining the two three-cornered net sections 14 and 15 by being attached to the rectangular net sections 16 and 17. The intercepting piece 18 is manufactured of particularly hard wearing plastic fabric because it has to withstand the entire impact of a striking golf ball. In contrast thereto, the three-cornered net sections 14 and 15 and the rectangular net sections 16 and 17 can be made of lighter weight plastic fabric that transmits light so that the inside of the trainer device is always well lighted by daylight.

So that a golf ball caught by intercepting piece 18 will automatically be immediately released by the trainer device, the bottom three-cornered net section 15 is positioned such that it progressively slants downward as it extends from the inside toward the outside. Gravity would then immediately propel an intercepted ball out of the trainer device by means of the bottom three-cornered net section 15.

To prevent a golf ball from being driven underneath the bottom three-cornered section 15, that section is provided with an apron 19 extending to the ground, said apron attached to the bottom three-cornered net section 15 and extending toward the front and downward at an angle more steep than that of said three-cornered net section 15. A golf ball hitting apron 19 is prevented from getting beneath the bottom three-cornered net section 15. Optionally, the front edge of apron 19 can be fastened to the ground.

In order to provide the entire structure in its v-shaped formation with the stability needed, horizontal tubing sections 1a-1b-1c and 5a-5b-5c are provided with connecting rods 20 and 21 reaching across the outside of the three-cornered net sections 14 and 15. The two rods 20 and 21 are removably attached to the respective horizontal tubing sections by means of tensioning pieces 22, 23 and 24, 25. This permits removal of rods 20 and 21 after the tensioning pieces 22, 23 and 24, 25 are released, and folding up the two rectangular frame sections. The net can be removed from rings 13 beforehand, for example, by means of snap hooks and eyes etc. For this operation pins 9, 10, 11 and 12 are removed. The entire arrangement can be folded up still more by pulling the vertical tubing sections as well as the horizontal tubing sections apart. As the FIGURE shows, the horizontal and vertical tubing sections consist of pieces of tubing that fit one into the other in known fashion, for which purpose each tubing section is provided with a taper plug 26 that fits into the opening of the continuation piece of the tubing.