Acushnet Company

Paul F Sullivan

William Gobush

Francis deS Lynch

Hoyt C Hottel, Jr

Randall W Moore

Robert A Brown

John W Jepson

Norman O Fonteneau

Steven L Haas

Raymond G Pelletier

A trajectory calculator receiving data indicating initial values of golf ball flight angle, velocity and spin, calculates the apparent elevation and deflection angles at which the golf ball would be seen by an observer at the launch point. An optical object projector projects an image representing the golf ball on a screen. The size of the image decreases with time to yield the apparent perspective size decrease with range. An optional exerciser console enables input of changeable environmental quantities.

Golf ball trajectory presentation system

A video data acquisition system takes at least two snapshot views of selected points on a golf ball in the immediate post-launch time period. Analog video data are converted to digital data for analysis in an external system. A trigger generator, of a type well known in the art, senses the existence of a certain set of conditions associated with the launch of the golf ball and thereupon generates a set of precisely timed impulses which trigger the following sequence of events:

Monitoring system for measuring kinematic data of golf balls

A measurement system obtains and stores digital data on the positions of golf club and significant human body parts during a golf club swing. An interactive display allows later display of the measured performance for use in instruction or review. A coordinate transformer allows the viewing of a displayed simulated golfer from any aspect and at variable speeds and stop action. A generator such as an alphanumeric or graphic generator displays suggested display options, graphics, informative labels, and alphanumeric tabular data. Permanent copies of any displayed picture can be made for later home study.

Apparatus and method for analyzing a golf swing and displaying results

Electro-optical sensors measure the location of a plurality of spots on the surface of a golf club head or a golf ball at a minimum of two precisely spaced points in time. The two time points for the club head are just prior to impact with the golf ball. The two time points for the golf ball are just after impact by the club head. From the apparent displacements of the plurality of spots between measurements, the apparatus determines in substantially real time the velocity of the club head or ball and the spin about orthogonal axes.

Golf club impact and golf ball launching monitoring system

A photographic projection screen formed of separate parallel filaments having a center-to-center spacing equal to their diameters allows a projectile to be driven through it with minimal disturbance to image projected upon it.

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Acushnet, MA, United States of America

Paul F Sullivan