Spotlight Golf

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blake
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Spotlight Golf

Post by blake »

Has anyone any info on a machine called "Spotlight Golf" made around 1937 by The Spotlight Golf Co. It's a two part machine, one part is about 6ft tall and has a screen with a golf course painted on it (I have this half); the other half according to the patent details is a box with a golf ball on a cord hanging out of one side (this half I don't have) which plugs into the main part. To find the whereabouts of a box would be great (could I be that lucky?) but any pic's or info would be a great help. Many thanks. Blake.
ahjs
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Re: Golf Machine anyone seen one of these?

Post by ahjs »

Yes I inspected one today. It has the cabinet, the floor unit, cables, course rolls, a box of golf balls, etc. It is missing the tee-off pad and the net. Dated to 1936. Appears to be in good condition and very little used. I have sighted only the short reference card, rather damaged. Please supply what info you have.

Any manual (user or repair) would be extra nice. Arthur.
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gameswat
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Re: Golf Machine anyone seen one of these?

Post by gameswat »

Interesting looking "Simulator" game. I first saw one on Antiques Roadshow years ago. And then came across another in the USA for sale on eBay I seem to remember? Please post up some photos of the mechanism if you can.
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coppinpr
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Re: Golf Machine anyone seen one of these?

Post by coppinpr »

I remember using one installed in a pub near the Thames in Kingston, Surrey in the 1960s. In 1971 they replaced it with a modern version using photo slides and a touch sensitive screen. This later version could also be found in the King Alfred Centre by the sea at Brighton.
pennymachines
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Re: Golf Machine anyone seen one of these?

Post by pennymachines »

I saw a machine matching Blake's description at Bonhams, Knowle some years ago.
I think the golf course was painted on a long belt of canvas. It wasn't in working order and I believe it was called "St Andrews Golf". I wondered at the time if it was made specifically for that famous club. As the game involved swinging a real club at the ball, it would have required plenty of space around it and seemed more suited to a golf clubhouse than an arcade.
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gameswat
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by gameswat »

If my memory of the game is correct there was a light globe behind the belt that moved around showing where the ball landed? And did the belt move so you could play different holes? !PUZZLED! Or did the light only move side to side for X axis, and the belt moved forwards for Y axis?? I hoped I've confused the hell out of not just myself. :burp:
ahjs
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by ahjs »

In response to these posts, yes, yes and yes.
  • The Spotlight Golf machine was fully digital. The ball direction and travel was digitized by a Floor Unit and sent to the Display Unit.
    The expected ball landing was indicated by a light (one per player). It moved up and down (to accommodate distance) and side to side. The belt did not move until wound on manually to another hole.
    The courses are on belts of paper with a fabric backing, now much deteriorated. St Andrews is probably there but among the twelve rolls I looked at the only identification was a number. I have not looked for St Andrews, and it certainly was not the only course.
I am still looking for info re the manuals or the patent. Please help.

If you want to see the Spotlight Golf Machine go look at http://www.ausgolfmuseum.com/media/. I am working on a Preliminary Report on its operation.

Arthur
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Golf Museum_Spotlight Golf_2012_Crerar_DSC_0925.jpg
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gameswat
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by gameswat »

Arthur, thank you! Very nice machine you have there and great to see it's in OZ! Looks quite cutting edge for the day. Just wondering about the sensors used to read the holes in the side of those maps. I'm guessing light? And amazing that you still have the spare parts. Don't think I've ever seen well printed boxes like that holding spare parts for any machine.
ahjs
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by ahjs »

Gameswat

No, the sensors are not light-responsive, but metal wheels about 10 mm dia with mechanical and (I assume) electrical contact. There are four each side of the course scroll, set out as 1(gap)3. There are no light sensors and no valves, but there is a fair amount of relay logic. Obviously it predates transistors. Seems to run on 6V ac (for the lights) and 8V dc (for the relays) though not yet powered up. I checked the lights with batteries. I doubt the integrity of the high voltage transformer insulation and the selenium rectifier, as well as the electrolytic capacitor rated at 10V, so we'll take it slowly.

The machine uses standard car and torch technology of the time in the lamps, and relays that look like the telephone technology of the time (as well as the power supply). But, I say again, it was pretty sophisticated for 1930s.

Arthur

PS I haven't ever played golf!
oneswitch500
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by oneswitch500 »

Just seen this on today's Antiques Roadshow. Remarkable machine. Possibly the first computer based electronic game from 1936.

The colour photos below from Bloxwich Golf Club, with the machine on its way to St. Andrews Golf Museum.

12188112_710341639100180_4634401010039493098_o.jpg


12034267_710341562433521_7016209594899058822_o.jpg


10672208-3x4-700x933.jpg



Wonder if anyone has a video of this working. Amazing thing.
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treefrog
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by treefrog »

Yes I saw that, cost the price of a nice new motorbike, I know which I would have preferred. .....certainly for the man who has everything. :lol:
pennymachines
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by pennymachines »

Interesting to see another one though. Must have been very expensive, and dangerous and impractical to operate outside a controlled environment. How many golf clubhouses would devote half a room to this thing?
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arrgee
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by arrgee »

Amazing machine, found this interesting video:

cait001
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by cait001 »

AMAZING to see all this.
oneswitch500
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by oneswitch500 »

arrgee wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:47 am Amazing machine, found this interesting video:
Fantastic find. I was really hoping they'd show it working, but perhaps, too precious to them to risk damaging it.
geofflove
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by geofflove »

Likewise. I want to see it working!
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arrgee
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by arrgee »

Have not yet found a video, but this paper written in 2013 by Arthur is very interesting
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coppinpr
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by coppinpr »

cost the price of a nice new motorbike
at a cost of 30 Guineas and the average national yearly wage of £153 this was a seriously expensive piece of kit. ( the equivalent of £7,158 today compared to the annual wage today), I'm guessing this was really only sold to golf clubs, some very well-off individuals must have bought them but in the main, it feels like a club activity to me. It actually had a memory :o all be it only 6 bits so definitely an early computer.
cait001
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Re: Spotlight Golf

Post by cait001 »

arrgee wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:59 pm Have not yet found a video, but this paper written in 2013 by Arthur is very interesting
Oh thank you! This is invaluable.
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