AU8834298A

AU8834298A - Golf practising apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU8834298A
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: 1999-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-06
Also published as: AU739627B2

Description

A4 Pit)W/) II Repitiiuni 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Parenuts Acr 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATIOJN

FOR A STAND)ARD PATrENT

ORIGINAL

Narne of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: invention Title: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT VIL() NIUMEITOLU VILO NIUMEiITOLU A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 772. Adelaide, SA 5001 GOLF PRACTISING APPARATUS Details of Associated Provisional Application No P09634 dated 7th October 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- "31 This invention relates to a golf practicing apparatus.

It is known to attach a golf hall to one end of a tether with the other end of the tether being secuted 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 hall will rebound at great velocity generally towards the golter. 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 hall 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 gilf practicing apparatus to obviate or minimise at least one of the aforementioned problems, or at least provide the public 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 mass of the tether being such as to counter balance the golf ball so being adapted to limit the rebound of the golf ball when struck.

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. 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 example a piece of lead or iron rod is placed.

When a golf hall is struck by a oolf club considerable energy is imparted to thile golf ball.

As th olf ball flies the counter halancine weight of the tethir any double the mass of the olf hball and tether combination so I-reducing the energy and velocity of the 'olf hall dramatically. Upon ricaching the end of the tetherthe golf all lwill tend to rebound and the counter balancing weight 01 the tether, travellin in te Opposite dilrectionll to the rebounding golf ball. counter acts the flight of the golf ball leading to tile ball losing enerov dramatically and so reducing the extent of any rebound. In praclice and this varies with the counter halancing weight. the golf ball will tend to rehound only a small way and with only small velocity thereby substantitally dtucing risk of injury to the golfer.

In a furthe aspect the i vention imay be said to reside, again not necessarily inll thile only or broadest form, in a goll'f practicing apparatus as just described in combination with a ground engaging rstraining means adapted for securing the tether t the ground. A metal peg of suitable length and gau'ge may be used as the 0ground L'engaging restra:nillng means hut other forms may he prefened as desired including as examples permanent g1round 15 fixin-s and sufficiently heavy ground resting anchors which may take the form of a large bucket filled with sand.

To assist in the understanding of the invention preferred embodiments will now be described with re ference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sketch of the lirst embodiment: and Figure 2 is a sketch of the second embodiment.

It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings a schematic illn style illand may illustrate features out of scale for ease of understanding. The drawings will be referred to collectively excepting whe specific features of individual embodiments are discussed.

Throughout the drawings the same reference numeral will be used to refer to the same feature.

A The golf practicing apparatus has a flexible inelastic cltether with spaced first and second ends. The flexible tether has a golf ball attached to the lirst 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 30 grams and preferably equal or greater than 45 grams.

UCI The length of the tether is between 3 and 5 m long bUt c0n be any suitable length as desired. Obviously very short lengths are not desirable.

In the lirst embodiment the tether comprises a length 1'of rope with a sudden thinning of its diameter (at 7) proximal the golf hall. The goltl ball has a holed dilled 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 ot the rope effects ajoint between the thin portion IS(8) and the thick portion about which the golf ball can readily pivot.

At the other end to the tether the fixing means is a 'erlule (10) securely' attached to the rope usin- known techniques. This ferrule provides in eye through which a ,round engaging lpeg (II is past and pushed into the !-ground The peg is of suitable length and -auce 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 he used and it has been found that 10 to 25 tmm rope thickness work well. Too thick a rope may tundesirably leCssen the flexibility of the rope and increase the cost of manufacture.

In the second embodiment the tether has two parts (13 and 14) looselyCI joinelld (at 15) one to the other proximal the golf ball. Part (13) incorporates the first end of the tether and is a Slength of rope about 2(W1 mm long and 6 mm thick. This rope is threaded through11 a hole in the golf ball and knod securely to retain the golf hall to the tether. The other part (14) incorporates the second end of the tether and is a length of nylon webbingi 5 i long nlld approximately 20 mm wide by I 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 lirst end is loosely but securely tied thereby forming a IFlexible 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.

ZIn 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. 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. Then 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.

kj Nwill be apPI 'ite(d (h'M oU*the. lorms ol, th1e inveiuioli mlay be conceived a skilled addressee. As eXaMPles the weight may be a link betw.'en twoV sections of thle ter it are attached to ditferen! sides of thle link or. tile tether mlay be of materCLial that is absorbable and tile weight is a portionfl 1th Itnipe gte With I es material such as lead.

14 5 These and other variations will tall withinl thle spirit of the invention disclosed herili.

Claims

2. A golf practicing apparatus ain claim I 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 I wherein the mass of the tether is equal or greater than 30 grams.
4. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim I wherein the mass of the tether is equal or greater than 45 grams. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tether Scomprises a length of rope.
6. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the rope has a sudden thinning of its diameter proximal the golf ball.
7. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of claims I to 4 inclusive wherein the tether has two parts loosely joined one to the other proximal the golf ball.
8. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 7 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 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.
9. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the second end is folded over and secured to itself thereby forming a loop adapted for receiving a ground engagable peg. 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. 7
11. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the weight is a link between two sections of th tether that are attached to different sides of the link.
12. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the tether is absorbable and the weight is a portion of the tether impregnated with a dense material.
13. A golf practicing apparatus as in either claims 8 or 9 where in the webbing portion is folded over itself to forn 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 mas of the total tether to the weight portion of the tether.
14. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of claims 10 to 13 inclusive wherein the weight is proximal to the golf ball. tI,, 15. A golf practicing apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the weight is within 500 mm of I ~the golf ball.
16. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tether is between 3 and 5 metres long. 15 17. A golf practicing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims in combination with a ground engaging restraining means adapted for securing the tether to the ground. S1i 8. A golf practicing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 6th day of October 1998 VILO NIUMEITOLU By his Patent Attorneys, A. P. T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys