GB2261824A

GB2261824A - Golfing accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2261824A
Application number: GB9224142A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Richard Grimble
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-21
Filing date: 1992-11-18
Publication date: 1993-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-18
Also published as: GB9224142D0; GB2261824B; GB9124700D0

Abstract

A device for making or starting a hole in a tee to receive a golf tee peg, comprises a handle portion 2 from which a substantially flat blade 4 portion extends, the blade portion tapering from a broad base at the handle portion to a narrow tip at its end remote from the handle portion. Twisting the blade after insertion allows the hole to be enlarged a sufficient and controlled amount to accommodate the tee when the ground is hard. A protective cover 6 and tee peg holders may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

GOLFING ACCESSORY This invention relates to golfing accessories.

One of the problems golfers experience during prolonged dry periods, is the difficulty of sticking their tee into the green. Tees are not strong, being cheaply made from plastic materials so that it does not matter greatly if they are lost when teeing off. The lack of strength contributes to the difficulty in inserting the tee in the green when that has hardened due to a lack of water. The tee is not ideally proportioned for insertion either, it normally being necessary to hold its stem between two fingers and apply pressure to its top with the thumb.

Against this background, the invention provides a device for making or starting a hole in a green to receive a golf tee, comprising a handle portion from which a substantially flat blade portion extends, the blade portion tapering from a broad base at the handle portion to a narrow tip at its end remote from the handle portion.

In use the taper and flatness of the blade facilitate pushing it into the green. The handle portion can be much larger than the top of a tee, since it is not required to function as a tee, with the result that pressure can be more easily applied. Once the blade has been inserted in the green, it is twisted slightly to open up the hole and, again, the handle can be large enough to facilitate this action. Twisting the blade opens up the hole sufficiently to receive the tee even in very hard ground. The tapered flat blade may be easily inserted in ground so hard that it would be difficult to insert a round spike of sufficient diameter to accommodate the tee. The hole produced by merely pushing the blade into the green would not necessarily be wide enough to accommodate the tee in hard ground, however.Twisting the blade allows the hole to be enlarged a sufficient and controlled amount to accommodate the tee.

Naturally, the blade must not I too short or the hole it makes will still not accommodate a tee conveniently, nor must it be too long or the device w-l be unnecessarily cumbersome.

To this end, the blade is preferably from 4 to 10 cm long, more preferably approximately 6 to 9 cm long, and most preferably approximately 7 cm long.

In order to further facilitate insertion of the device the blade preferably tapers to a point, not necessarily sharp.

For best effect, the taper is neither too steep nor too shallow. The angle included between the sides of the tapered blade is preferably in the range approximately 10 to 30 degrees, most preferably approximately 20 degrees.

In a preferred example, the handle portion and the blade portion are conveniently made integrally from sheet metal. In that form the handle portion preferably comprises a disc from which the blade portion extends.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an elevation of the device from a direction at right angles to Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevation, similar to Figure 1, but showing the device in a case; and Figure 4 is an elevation from the other side of the device shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the device has a handle portion 2 and a blade portion 4 made integrally in 16 gauge sheet steel or bronze. The device may be chromium plated.

The handle 2 is generally disc shaped of a diameter about 6 cm (2.5 inches) diameter, being thus sufficiently large to hold conveniently and to allow pressure to be applied when inserting the blade in the green. Generally, the width of the handle will be from 4 cm to 8 cm and more preferably from 5 cm to 7 cm.

The blade 4 extends from the handle tapering to a narrow tip, preferably a point as shown. The blade is approximately 7 cm long and the angle "A" included between the sides of the taper is about 20 degrees.

The device can be carried with a player's tees in a tee holder.

The dimensions of the blade facilitate its insertion into the green even when that is very hard. Twisting the blade to a greater or lesser extent allows the hole to be opened up to an extent suitable to receive the stem of the tee in the prevailing circumstances. Thus it may be necessary to open the hole up further when the ground is very hard, than would be necessary when the ground is less hard. The width of the handle, in a direction transverse to the blade, is sufficient to facilitate twisting the blade even when the ground is very hard.

Referring to Figure 3, the device is improved in several respects by a cover 6 which may be made of a flexible and preferably soft plastics material or leather, for example. The cover has the same general shape as the blade and handle of the device but at each end has a pouch 8, 14 one to receive the handle and the other to receive the tip of the blade.

The pouch 8 gives the handle greater thickness so reducing the pressure applied to the user's hand when the blade is being inserted in a green or twisted. Resilient material reduces the pressure further and makes the device more comfortable to use.

The pouch 14 protects the tip of the blade so preventing it from causing unintentional damage, which it may otherwise do even when not completely sharp. To prepare the device for use, the cover need not be removed completely, but can be slipped off the tip of the blade leaving the handle in the pouch 6.

A chain or nylon loop 12 facilitates keeping the device on a bag hook. The loop passes through a hole 10 through both the handle and the cover, so preventing them from becoming separated.

Referring to Figure 4, there can be seen pairs of slits 16 cut in that part of the cover which lies along the blade. The slits are intended to receive tee gs 18 as shown. That part of the cover which lies over the handle may incorporate a club or town insignia 20, members initials, etc

Claims

1. A device for making or starting a hole in a green to receive a golf tee, comprising a handle portion from which a substantially flat blade portion extends, the blade portion tapering from a broad base at the handle portion to a narrow tip at its end remote from the handle portion.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade is approximately from 4 to 10 cm long.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the blade is approximately 6 to 9 cm long.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the blade is approximately 7 cm long.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blade tapers to a point.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the angle included between the sides of the tapered blade is in the range approximately 10 to 30 degrees.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the included angle is approximately 20 degrees.

8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle portion and the blade portion are made integrally from sheet metal.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the handle portion comprises a disc from which the blade portion extends.

10. A device for making or starting a hole in a green to receive a golf tee, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.