Mr. Analyst, the mechanical golfer
In 1966, Golfcraft of Escondido, California debuted a robot golfer whose job was to test new golf clubs and balls. They held a contest to name him, and after receiving over 1500 entries decided to call him "Mr. Analyst."
More details from the Long Beach Press-Telegram (Aug 21 1966):
Glasson was granted patent no. 3,373,612 for his invention. His patent drawings show a non-humanized version of his machine.
More details from the Long Beach Press-Telegram (Aug 21 1966):
The perfect golfer is Mr. Analyst, a robot whose job it is to scientifically test and analyze new designs and materials for golfing clubs. He works for Golfcraft, a manufacturing firm based in Escondido.
The robot is the answer to all those who have ever left a course in disgust, muttering something about that not being a fit game for man or beast.
Mr. Analyst is the product of the tinkering of William J. Glasson, a golfer who also has concluded, from time to time, that it was a game fit not for man or beast.
Glasson started toying with his mechanical monster while trying to figure out scientifically how to lower his five handicap on the links. At the time he had graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was working on the Falcon missile.
"The monster was still a crude thing then," Glasson reminisces, "mounted on a wooden tripod. And I had to crank it manually to get it to work. At first it would only hit the ball about 125 yards. But, after making several modifications and adjustments it started belting it 200 yards and I got excited about its possibilities."
At a recent demonstration, the robot showed graphically how it has been improved by socking balls one after another in low, screaming trajectories to a distance of 400 yards on the fly. Even that isn't the most amazing aspect of its skills. Its accuracy at this distance is what is truly amazing. All the balls landed within a circle only 15 feet in diameter.
The robot is the answer to all those who have ever left a course in disgust, muttering something about that not being a fit game for man or beast.
Mr. Analyst is the product of the tinkering of William J. Glasson, a golfer who also has concluded, from time to time, that it was a game fit not for man or beast.
Glasson started toying with his mechanical monster while trying to figure out scientifically how to lower his five handicap on the links. At the time he had graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was working on the Falcon missile.
"The monster was still a crude thing then," Glasson reminisces, "mounted on a wooden tripod. And I had to crank it manually to get it to work. At first it would only hit the ball about 125 yards. But, after making several modifications and adjustments it started belting it 200 yards and I got excited about its possibilities."
At a recent demonstration, the robot showed graphically how it has been improved by socking balls one after another in low, screaming trajectories to a distance of 400 yards on the fly. Even that isn't the most amazing aspect of its skills. Its accuracy at this distance is what is truly amazing. All the balls landed within a circle only 15 feet in diameter.
image source: Offbeat Golf (1998) by Bob Loeffelbein
Glasson was granted patent no. 3,373,612 for his invention. His patent drawings show a non-humanized version of his machine.
Comments
They were in Escondido and the paper that wrote it up was in Long Beach and not San Diego ?
Posted by F.U.D. in Stockholm on 05/27/24 at 09:38 AM
Sounds fake to me. I don’t believe a machine or robot could do that.
Posted by Judy on 05/27/24 at 02:22 PM
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Category: Robots | Patents | Golf | 1960s