GB2128485A

GB2128485A - Golf accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2128485A
Application number: GB08328004A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William James Carruthers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-23
Filing date: 1983-10-19
Publication date: 1984-05-02
Also published as: GB8328004D0; GB2128485B

Abstract

A golf club 10 is apertured to provide a socket 9 within which a pitch-mark repairing tool 1 engages, the arrangement being such that the tool is releasably but firmly held within the socket, e.g. by magnetic attraction or by a friction clip. A position marker 7 may be releasably retained in the tool 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Golf accessory This invention relates to a golf accessory.

When greens on a golf course are soft, particularly during wet weather, the force with which golf balls land on them often causes indentations which can adversely affect the line of a putt. It has therefore been proposed to provide golf accessories in the form of pronged tools for repairing such pitch-mark indentations by levering the indented surface upwards. Such tools, however, add to the array of articles carried in a golfer's pocket, and the prongs can pierce the lining of the pocket.

A further accessory which has- become an important part of a golfer's equipment is a ball marker in the form of a disc from the centre of one face of which protrudes a leg for penetrating the grass. The marker is used when the player's ball is to be lifted from the green for cleaning or for clearing the line of another player's putt; the leg of the marker is pushed into the grass so that the disc portion lies on the surface of the green adjacent the ball, which can then be lifted and subsequently replaced in the same position.

As with the repairing tool, the leg of the ball marker can cause holes in a golfer's pocket, and can also be awkward to find in the pocket since a golfer generally keeps a supply of golf tees and other articles in his pocket along with the marker.

In an attempt to make the bail marker more accessible it has previously been proposed to provide the marker in the form of a stud which has a bulbous leg which is engageable with a complementary metal socket stitched onto a golf giove. The socket has a spring-loaded clip to retain the bulbous leg. This arrangement is not entirely satisfactory, since not all golfers wear a glove when playing, and the leg of the marker is necessarily very short and does not penetrate the ground to a significant extent; it therefore tends to lie on the surface of the green and can be accidentally moved.

According to the present invention there is provided in combination a golf club and a pitchmark repairing tool wherein the golf club is apertured to provide a socket within which the pitch-mark repairing tool engages, the arrangement being such that the tool is releasably but firmly held within the socket.

The golf club is preferably a putter, so that the repairing tool is available when the golfer steps onto the green. The socket is preferably formed in an end face of the grip portion of the club.

Preferably also the socket in the golf club has a lining of wear-resistant material to prevent damage to the golf club by frequent removal and replacement of the repairing tool.

The repairing tool may itself be provided with a socket for receiving releasably but firmly a golf ball marker. For this purpose the socket may extend from an end portion of the tool for receiving a leg portion of the ball marker. A lining of friction material may be provided in the socket of the repairing tool so that the marker is held therein by friction. Alternatively, the marker may be held magneticaily, as may the repairing tool in the socket of the golf club.

Either or both of the linings in the sockets may have a split wall to give it resilience, thereby to "grip" the repairing tool or ball marker when inserted in the socket.

The repairing tool may have one or more tapering prongs.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of an end portion of a combination of a golf club and pitch-mark repairer of this invention; Fig. 2 is an exptoded perspective view corresponding to Fig. 1; Figs. 3(a) and (b) are respectively a side and plan view of a ball marker for use with the equipment of this invention; Figs. 4(a), (b) and (c) are respectively a front, side and plan view of a pitch-mark repairer for use with the marker of Fig. 3; Figs. 5(a) and (b) are respectively a side and plan view of a magnet for use in the repairer of Fig. 4; Figs. 6(a) and (b) are respectively a side and plan view of a sleeve for fitment within a golf club to receive the repairer of Fig. 4;; Fig. 7 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing an alternative assembly of the combination; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the end face of a golf club grip in an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 9 is a sectional side view corresponding to Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a pitch-mark repairing tool for use in this embodiment of the invention is in the form of an elongate body 1 having two opposed flat faces 2 which taper in width to a point 3. An upper part 4 of the body is cylindrical and has its free end face formed as a disc 5. The body 1 is made of plastics material or metal and its upper part 4 has a hole in which is fixed a magnet 6. The magnet 6, upper body part 4 and disc 5 are correspondingly apertured to receive a central leg of a golf ball marker 7. The leg is of steel so as to be retained in the aperture by attraction of the magnet 6.

A cylindrical sleeve 8 with a flanged upper end is disposed within a socket 9 in the end of a putter golf club grip 10 so that the flange abuts the end face of the grip 10, and the body 1 of the repairing tool slides within the sleeve 8 to fit as shown in Fig. 1. The sleeve 8 is of spring steel and thus the body 1 is retained in it by attraction of the magnet 6.

During play, the marker 7 can be withdrawn for use from the aperture against the action of the magnet 6 on the leg of the marker, or the repairing tool can be removed by withdrawing the body 1 from the sleeve 8, against the action of the magnet 6 on the sleeve 8, for repair of a spike mark or ball indentation on the green.

Thus the article is easily accessible for use, and is generally used in conjunction with a putter, this being the most likely club being used when the pitch-mark repairer or ball marker is required.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the corresponding parts have been numbered as in Figs. 1 and 2. In this alternative embodiment of the invention, however, the magnet 6 is cylindrical and is fixed within a cylindrical recess in the end face of the body 1. The magnet 6 is therefore not exposed at the sides.

The sleeve 8 is in the form of a split cylinder of spring metal which is slightly undersize as compared with the diameter of the body 1 so that when the body 1 is pushed into the sleeve 8 the sleeve expands and holds the body in place by friction.

The use of the accessory in the embodiment of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 shows the sleeve 8 in more detail, and it can be seen that its side wall is split longitudinally at 11. The sleeve 8 is normally of slightly greater outside diameter than the inside diameter of the socket 9 of the golf club grip 10, so that on insertion of the sleeve 8 within the socket 9 the split 11 cioses to reduce the sleeve's diameter, and the spring steel of the sleeve 8 tends to push the sleeve wall outwardly against the socket 9 wall, thereby retaining the sleeve within the socket by friction.

In Fig. 7 the arrangement is generally similar to that of Fig. 1, but the magnet 6 is omitted. The repairing tool body 1 has a socket 12 of greater diameter than that of Fig. 1, the socket 12 receiving a tapered cylindrical plastics insert 1 3 which is split along its side wall. The insert 1 3 can either be glued within the socket 1 2 or held within it by friction. The ball marker 7 is firmly but releasably held in the insert 1 3 by friction and in this case the marker 7 can have a non-metallic leg.

In an alternative (not shown) the tapered insert can be replaced by a cylindrical magnet fitting within the socket 12, when the marker 7 leg is of steel.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the golf club grip 10 has a plastics cap portion 1 5 bonded to it, the cap 1 5 being recessed in its end face to receive the end disc 5 of the repairing tool and the head of the ball marker 7, thus providing a neat and unobtrusive finish for the grip. This also is useful in protecting the marker and repairing tool from damage or removal when the golf club is held in a golf bag, or being removed from the bag. The cap 1 5 has a cut-away portion 14 through which a player can gain access with his thumbnail to remove either the repairing tool or the ball marker.

The cap 1 5 is located in the grip 10 by means of a split collar 1 6 which fits within the socket 9, and the internal diameter of the collar 16 is slightly less than the outside diameter of the body 1 of the repairing tool.

The embodiments of the invention described and illustrated above provide an easily-accessible combination of a ball marker and a pitch-mark repairer on a putter, so that both of these accessories are available for use when the player walks onto a green.

Claims

1. In combination a golf club and a pitch-mark repairing tool wherein the golf club is apertured to provide a socket within which the pitch-mark repairing tool engages, the arrangement being such that the tool is releasably but firmly held within the socket.

2. A combination according to Claim 1, wherein the golf club is apertured to provide the socket in the end face of its grip portion.

3. A combination according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the socket has a lining of wear-resistant material.

4. A combination according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the pitch-mark repairing tool has an apertured end face, the aperture having disposed therein a leg of a golf ball marker so that the marker is held firmly but releasably in the aperture.

5. A combination according to Claim 4, wherein the repairing tool has a lining of friction material within its aperture.

6. A combination according to Claim 4, wherein the repairing tool has a sleeve within its aperture to receive the leg of the marker, the material of the sleeve and the leg being selected to provide magnetic attraction between them.

7. A combination according to Claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein an end cap is secured to the end face of the grip portion, the cap and grip portion being correspondingly apertured to receive the repairing tool, and the cap has a recessed outer face such that the repairing tool and ball marker do not protrude beyond the cap.

8. A combination according to Claim 7, wherein a side wall of the end cap is apertured for access to the repairing tool and the ball marker within the recess.

9. In combination a golf club and a pitch-mark repairer, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.