AU739627B2

AU739627B2 - Golf practising apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU739627B2
Application number: AU88342/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Vilo Niumeitolu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-07
Filing date: 1998-10-06
Publication date: 2001-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-06
Also published as: AU8834298A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT SName of Applicant: VILO NIUMEITOLU Actual Inventor: VILO NIUMEITOLU Address for Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 772, Adelaide, SA 5001 Invention Title: GOLF PRACTISING APPARATUS Details of Associated Provisional Application No PO9634 dated 7th October 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- method of performing it known to me:- This invention relates to a golf practicing apparatus.

It is known to attach a golf ball to one end of a tether with the other end of the tether being secured to the ground. A golfer then practices hitting the golf ball the travel of which is limited by the length of the tether. Accordingly the golfer may practice in relatively confined spaces and does not need to walk considerable distances to retrieve the golf ball. In practical circumstances, even with an inelastic tether the golf ball will rebound at great velocity generally towards the golfer. In some circumstances the golf ball will rebound directly for the golfer who if unable to take evasive action may suffer considerable injuries from being hit by the golf ball.

A further problem with known tethered golf ball arrangements is that should the tether break when the golf ball reaches the end of the tether then the golf ball may have considerable velocity and be of considerable risk to other persons and property.

It is an object of this invention to provide a golf practicing apparatus to obviate Or minimise at least one of the aforementioned problems, or at least provide the public :15 with a useful choice.

The invention may be said to reside, not necessarily in the broadest or only form, in a golf practicing apparatus having a flexible inelastic tether with spaced first and second ends, the flexible tether having a golf ball attached to the first end and a fixing means at the second end adapted to facilitate fastening the second end to the ground, and the 20 mass of the tether being such as to counter balance the golf ball so that upon reaching the end of the tether, the rebound of the golf ball is limited by the mass of the tether.

S In one form the tether has two parts loosely joined one to the other proximal the golf ball. A first of the parts incorporates the first end of the tether and is a length of rope, a second of the parts incorporates the second end of the tether and is a length of webbing, an end of the second part distal the second end is folded over and fastened upon itself to form a loop to which an end of the first part distal the first end is loosely but securely tied thereby forming a flexible joint between the first and second parts.

In a further form proximal the golf ball a weight of higher density than the material of the rest of the tether is located thereby localising the majority of the mass of the total tether to the portion of the tether where the weight is located. Preferably, the weight portion of the tether is within 500 mm of the golf ball. As one form, lead is impregnated into the tether at the location of the weight. In another form the webbing portion is folded over itself to form a closed cavity in which the weight being for xample a piece of lead or iron rod is placed.

When a golf ball is struck by a golf club considerable energy is imparted to the golf ball. As the golf ball flies the counterbalancing weight of the tether may double the mass of the golf ball and tether combination so reducing the energy and velocity of the golf ball dramatically. Upon reaching the end of the tether the golf ball will tend to rebound and the counter balancing weight of the tether, travelling in the opposite direction to the rebounding golf ball, counter acts the flight of the golf ball leading to the ball losing energy dramatically and so reducing the extent of any rebound. In practice and this varies with the counter balancing weight, the golf ball will tend to rebound only a small way and with only small velocity thereby substantially reducing risk of injury to the golfer.

In a further aspect the invention may be said to reside, again not necessarily in the only or broadest form, in a golf practicing apparatus as just described in combination with a ground engaging restraining means adapted for securing the tether to the ground. A 9.

metal peg of suitable length and gauge may be used as the ground engaging restraining S• 15 means but other forms may be preferred as desired including as examples permanent ground fixings and sufficiently heavy ground resting anchors which may take the form g of a large bucket filled with sand.

To assist in the understanding of the invention preferred embodiments will now be *ooo• described with reference to the accompanying drawings: 9999 20 Figure 1 is a sketch of the first embodiment; and 9 9.

Figure 2 is a sketch of the second embodiment.

4It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are schematic in style and may illustrate features out of scale for ease of understanding. The drawings will be referred to collectively excepting where specific features of individual embodiments are discussed. Throughout the drawings the same reference numeral will be used to refer to the same feature.

The golf practicing apparatus has a flexible inelastic tether with spaced first (3) and second ends. The flexible tether has a golf ball attached to the first end.

The second end has a fixing means to facilitate fastening the first end to the ground.

The mass of the tether is such as to counter balance the golf ball so to limit the rebound of the golf ball when struck. Because the rebound of the golf ball is limited the chance of injury to a golfer practicing golf with the apparatus is greatly reducing.

The mass of the tether is equal or greater than the mass of the golf ball. A golf ball weighs about 45 grams and so the mass of the tether is equal or greater than 45 grams.

The length of the tether is between 3 and 5 m long but can be any suitable length as desired. Obviously very short lengths are not desirable.

In the first embodiment the tether comprises a length of rope with a sudden thinning of its diameter (at 7) proximal the golf ball. The golf ball has a holed drilled through it and the thin end of the rope is threaded through the hole and securely knotted to retain the golf ball to the tether. The thinning of the rope effects a joint between the thin portion and the thick portion about which the golf ball can readily pivot.

At the other end to the tether the fixing means is a ferrule (10) securely attached to the rope using known techniques. This ferrule provides an eye through which a ground engaging peg (11) is past and pushed into the ground The peg is of suitable length and gauge to secure the second end of the tether to the ground.

The rope may be nylon and 20 mm thick at its thickest. Other suitable materials can be used and it has been found that 10 to 25 mm rope thickness work well. Too thick a rope

C

may undesirably lessen the flexibility of the rope and increase the cost of manufacture.

go 15 In the second embodiment the tether has two parts (13 and 14) loosely joined (at one to the other proximal the golf ball. Part (13) incorporates the first end of the tether and is a length of rope about 200 mm long and 6 mm thick. This rope is threaded through a hole in the golf ball and knotted securely to retain the golf ball to the tether.

oo 2 The other part (14) incorporates the second end of the tether and is a length of nylon 20 webbing 5 m long and approximately 20 mm wide by 1 mm thick. The end part (14) distal the second end is folded over and fastened by stitching upon itself to form a loop.

Into this loop the end of part (13) distal the first end is loosely but securely tied thereby forming a flexible joint (16) between the parts. This loose joint allows the golf ball to readily pivot about the joint.

The second end is folded over and secured to itself by stitching thereby forming a loop adapted for receiving a ground engagable peg. The peg may be as previously described.

In the second embodiment the tether includes a weight (17) of higher density than the material of the rest of the tether thereby localising the majority of the mass of the total tether to the weight portion of the tether. Preferably, the weight portion of the tether is within 500 mm of the golf ball. The weight may be a length of lead or iron rod inserted into closed cavity formed by folding the webbing over itself and stitching fast.

To use the golf practicing apparatus, the tether is laid out upon the ground. A suitable peg is threaded through the loop in the second end and pressed deeply into the ground.

72 en the golf ball may be struck from behind or in line with the peg. Due to the counter balancing weight of the tether the golf ball does not rebound greatly or with great force.

It will be appreciated that other forms of the invention may be conceived by a skilled addressee. As examples the weight may be a link between two sections of the tether that are attached to different sides of the link, or the tether may be of material that is absorbable and the weight is a portion of the tether impregnated with a dense material such as lead. These and other variations will fall within the spirit of the invention disclosed herein.

For the purposes of this specification the word "flexible" means "able to bend without breaking" and the word "inelastic" means "not able to be substantially extended beyond its full length".

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Claims

1. A golf practicing apparatus having a flexible inelastic tether with spaced first and second ends, the flexible tether having a golf ball attached to the first end and a fixing means at the second end adapted to facilitate fastening the second end to the ground, and the mass of the tether being such as to counter balance the golf ball so that upon reaching the end of the tether, the rebound of the golf ball is limited by the mass of the tether.

2. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the mass of the tether is equal or greater than the mass of the golf ball.

3. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the mass of the tether is equal S or greater than 45 grams.

4. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tether comprises a length of rope.

5. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the rope has a sudden thinning 15 of its diameter proximal the golf ball.

6. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 3 inclusive wherein the tether has two parts loosely joined one to the other proximal the golf ball.

7. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 6 wherein a first of the parts incorporates the first end of the tether and is a length of rope, a second of the parts incorporates the S 20 second end of the tether and is a length of webbing, an end of the second part distal the :i second end is folded over and fastened upon itself to form a loop to which an end of the first part distal the first end is loosely but securely tied thereby forming a flexible joint between the first and second parts.

8. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the second end is folded over and secured to itself thereby forming a loop adapted for receiving a ground engagable peg.

9. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tether includes at a location within the tether a weight of higher density than the material of the rest of the tether adapted thereby to localise the majority of the mass of the total tether to the location of the weight. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the weight is a link between ~S ections of the tether that are attached to different sides of the link.

11. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the tether is absorbable and the weight is a portion of the tether impregnated with a dense material.

12. A golf practicing apparatus as in either claims 7 or 8 where in the webbing portion is folded over itself to form a closed cavity in which a weight of higher density than the material of the rest of the tether thereby localising the majority of the mass of the total tether to the weight portion of the tether.

13. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of claims 9 to 12 inclusive wherein the weight is proximal to the golf ball.

14. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the weight is within 500 mm of the golf ball.

15. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tether is between 3 and 5 metres long. 0 S16. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims in combination o, with a ground engaging restraining means adapted for securing the tether to the ground. *r 6

17. A golf practicing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S ••0 VILO NIUMEITULO ByDated this 16th day of August 2001Attorneys, o0•0 o. 20 VILO NIUMEITULO By his Patent Attorneys, A. P. T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys