US 200402097.01A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0209701 A1 Finkel (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 21, 2004 (54) BIODEGRADABLE, SHORT-RANGE (60) Provisional application No. 60/262,481, filed on Jan. PRACTICE GOLF BALLS 18, 2001. (76) Inventor: Robert A. Finkel, Duluth, GA (US) Publication Classification Correspondence Address: (51) Int. Cl." ........................... A63B 69/36; A63B 37/00 ALSTON & BIRD LLP (52) U.S. Cl. ............................................ 473,280; 473/351 BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA (57) ABSTRACT 101 SOUTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000 CHARLOTTE, NC 28280-4000 (US) A Short-range golf ball made of one or more of a variety of materials in Such a manner that upon exposure to natural (21) Appl. No.: 10/843,825 weather conditions (Such as ultraViolet Solar radiation, dew, rain, wind, or dirt), the golf ball material will quickly (22) Filed: May 11, 2004 oxidize, degrade, disintegrate, melt or otherwise decompose to leave products harmless to, or beneficial to, the natural environment. Such breakdown products should be non-toxic Related U.S. Application Data to animals and plants and should not contaminate water Supplies, Soil or other parts of the ecological System. The (63) Continuation of application No. 09/886,226, filed on Short-range golfball preferably has a maximum range of leSS Jun. 21, 2001, now abandoned. than 100 yards. Patent Application Publication Oct. 21, 2004 Sheet 2 of 6 US 2004/0209701 A1 FIG. 2A FIG. 2B Patent Application Publication Oct. 21, 2004 Sheet 3 of 6 US 2004/0209701 A1 30 FIG. 3A FIG. 3B Patent Application Publication Oct. 21, 2004 Sheet 4 of 6 US 2004/0209701 A1 40 FIG. 4A FIG. 4B Patent Application Publication Oct. 21, 2004 Sheet 5 of 6 US 2004/0209701 A1 F.G. 5A FIGSB Patent Application Publication Oct. 21, 2004 Sheet 6 of 6 US 2004/0209701 A1 6d 221 1G. 6 O 75 R 1G. F. US 2004/0209701 A1 Oct. 21, 2004 BIODEGRADABLE, SHORT-RANGE PRACTICE have been hit. Manually retrieving the balls would be GOLF BALLS possible, but extremely time consuming. 0008. At least one reduced-range golfball (the “Cayman” CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED golf ball) has been developed for use in playing golf on APPLICATION Shortened golf courses. Such golf courses are generally 0001) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi located in areas, Such as the Cayman Islands, were land is sional Application Serial No. 60/262,481, filed Jan. 18, very Scarce or expensive. Such reduced-range golf balls are 2001. designed to have essentially the same flight characteristics as a standard golf ball, but to travel approximately 50% of the FIELD OF THE INVENTION distance of a Standard golf ball. Thus, it is estimated that the average golfer would generally hit a reduced-range golf ball 0002 This invention relates to golf balls for use in between about 40 and 150 yards. The maximum range of practicing one's golf SWing. these reduced-range golf balls is estimated to be generally BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION around 175 yards. 0009. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,552, which is 0.003 Golfers often desire to practice their golf Swing. directed to a reduced-range golf ball, reduced-range golf One way to practice one's golf Swing is to actually play a balls are generally the same size as a Standard golf ball (i.e., round of golf on a golf course. However, during game play, 1.68 inches in diameter) and have the same general flight after a golfer Swings and hits a golf ball, he must travel to characteristics as a Standard golf ball. However, to minimize the place where the golf ball landed before Swinging and their maximum range, these golf balls are typically lighter hitting the golf ball again. As a result, during a two to four than Standard golf balls. Thus, for example, the reduced hour round of golf, a golfer typically only Swings and hits a range golf ball described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,552 has a golf ball 70 to 120 times (depending largely on the skill of diameter of approximately 1.68 inches, but weighs only the golfer). between 15 and 35 grams (about 32% to 78% of the weight 0004 Golfers may also practice their golf Swing on a of a standard golf ball). professional driving range. At Such a driving range, golfers 0010. The advantage of reduced-range golf balls is that can rent buckets of “practice balls’, which are generally the they allow a golfer to drive a golf ball using a full Swing same size and weight as Standard golf balls. That is, these while playing relatively short holes. Because these golf balls golf balls are typically about 1.68 inches in diameter and are engineered to have the same general flight characteristics weigh approximately 45 grams. Golfers practice their Swing as Standard golf ball (aside from range), these golf balls give by hitting the practice golf balls, in Succession, into a large a golfer essentially the same feedback regarding their Swing open field that usually contains mock golf greens, distance as they would receive while playing with a regulation golf indicators, and targets. The balls are then collected (usually ball. That is, the golfer can estimate how far a Standard golf by a modified tractor) for reuse by other golfers. ball would travel when hit in the same way as the practice 0005 Practicing golf on a driving range has several golf ball, and the golfer can see whether a given Swing advantages. First, it allows golfers to practice Swing would result in a hook, a Slice, or a Straight shot. mechanics (such as keeping one's head down and not 0011 AS noted above, although reduced-range golf balls Snapping one's wrists while Swinging the golf club) in a are designed to travel shorter distances than Standard golf controlled environment where the golfer can focus his balls, these reduced-range golf balls Still have a significantly energy on completing Several Swings in Succession, without long maximum range. For example, as noted above, the having to locate and recover a golf ball between Swings. In reduced-range golf ball described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,552 addition, because practice golf balls generally have similar is estimated to have a maximum range of about 175 yards, performance characteristics as Standard golf balls, golfers which is about 50% of the range of a standard golf ball. can see how far a standard golf ball would travel when hit Accordingly, a plot of land of at least approximately 150 in a certain manner. In addition, golfers can use practice golf Square yards would be desirable to practice hitting this golf balls to ascertain the general flight characteristics that a ball ball with a full Swing. In addition, because it would be will have when hit in a certain way. For example, a golfer extremely time consuming to manually retrieve a large may determine that, when Striking a ball in a certain way, the number of golf balls over this relatively large area of land ball will rise quickly and Slice to the right. (and because reduced-range golf balls are not biodegradable 0006 For background purposes, an average golfer gen and are relatively expensive) Some Sort of mechanical ball erally hits a standard golf ball between 70 and 250 yards. retrieval System (Such as a modified tractor) would be The maximum range of a Standard golf ball is generally desirable to retrieve the balls after a practice Session. between 250 and 350 yards. 0012. In Some settings, Such as driving ranges on cruise 0007 One disadvantage of practicing a golf Swing using ships, golfers practice their Swing using buckets of relatively Standard practice golf balls is that these balls travel quite far inexpensive golf balls (hereinafter referred to as “Cruise when Struck with a proper Swing using long clubs. Such as Ship” golf balls) that are designed to have the same size, Woods and low irons. Thus, practicing with a Standard weight, and flight characteristics (including maximum practice golf ball generally requires a large amount of land. range) as a standard golf ball, but that are also configured to In addition, because Standard practice balls travel Such a decompose after prolonged contact with water. One Such long way when Struck with a full Swing, Some form of golf ball is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,149 to Kane. machine-assisted ball retrieval (Such as retrieval by a ball 0013 “Cruise ship' practice golf balls are advantageous retrieval tractor) is desirable to collect the balls after they because, unlike Standard practice balls, they do not require US 2004/0209701 A1 Oct. 21, 2004 retrieval. Rather, they merely dissolve over time due to ship” golf ball would be dangerous. This is due to the fact prolonged exposure to a large amount of water. However, as that, if a golfer were to mistakenly hit one of these golf balls was the case with Standard practice balls and reduced-range beyond the boundaries of his yard, the golf ball could golf balls Such as the “Cayman' golf ball, a significant potentially injure nearby people or pets, or damage neigh amount of Space (at least 250 Square yards) is required to boring homes, cars, or landscape. In addition, because practice one's golf Swing using these “cruise ship' practice Standard practice balls and reduced-range golf balls are balls. typically expensive (and do not decompose on their own), 0.014. In addition, because “cruise ship” golf balls are and because “cruise ship” golf balls are relatively dense (and approximately the Same Size and weight as Standard golf therefore presumably would require a Substantial amount of balls, they contain relatively densely-packed water-Soluble time to dissolve under normal back-yard conditions), a material.