GB2386076A

GB2386076A - Golf tee

Info

Publication number: GB2386076A
Application number: GB0200290A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Michael John St
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-08
Filing date: 2002-01-08
Publication date: 2003-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-08
Also published as: GB2386076B; GB0200290D0

Abstract

A golf tee 10 comprises a ground contacting supporting base 12 with a central round hole to accommodate a pillar 11 that is able to rotate within the central hole of the said surrounding base 12. The rotatable pillar 11 has incorporated flexible support means 14 upstanding from the pillar 11 and adapted to support a golf ball (not shown) spaced from the pillar 11. The flexible support means 14 are deformable such that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use is struck by a golf club deformation of the flexible support means can take place with any additional force being absorbed by the rotatable pillar 11 in the supporting base 12. The height of the golf tee in use in a golf mat can be adjusted by placing the appropriate spacer disc 33 over the rotatable pillar 11 and on top of the supporting base 12.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to golf tees.

It is well known that a golf ball can be hit more effectively if it is raised from the ground and for this purpose golf tees have long been used by golf players when playing the game of golf or when practising in practise or training areas. Most practise golf tees in current production are made from a variety of materials including moulded plastics and rubber. The one piece practise golf tee comprises a round flat base with a hollow pillar, the said pillar having a concave surface in which to support a golf ball. The practise golf tee pillar has a variety of heights and sizes and the flat base can be placed directly on the ground or positioned in the hole of an all weather golf mat.

When a supported golf ball placed on a practise tee is struck by a golf club used by a golf player the supporting hollow pillar of the practise tee deforms and because of the continual deformation of the said pillar by the golf club and the launch of the golf ball wears the hollow pillar quickly, which then does break and needs to be replaced regularly.

In addition the commonly used practise golf tee with a hollow pillar concave surface for supporting a golf ball, when a golf ball is struck by a golf club, has in most instances a tendency for the ball to slide or move during point of launch in a way that is untrue to the flight of the golf ball, mainly because of the two different convex and concave shapes and manufactured material of the golf ball and the golf tee.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention IS to provide golf tees employed mainly by golfers In training, practise areas and in golf all weather mats, which are less prone to break and in addition to minimise any tangential tendency to the flight of the golf ball when Impact against a golf ball is effected during a golf stroke by a golf player than by prior art golf tees. The golf tee presented has Incorporated a flexible golf ball support means and the said flexible golf support means being extended from a pillar, the said pillar being able to rotate within a ground contacting supporting base. The golf tee height can also be adjusted by utilising spacer discs for or by the golf player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly the present invention provides a golf tee comprising a ground contacting supporting base with a central hole to accommodate a pillar that is able to rotate within the said surrounding base, the rotatable pillar having incorporated a flexible support means upstanding from the pillar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the pillar, the flexible support means being deformable such that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use IS struck by a golf club deformation of the flexible support means can take place when struck by the said golf club with any additional force being absorbed by the rotatable pillar in the supporting base. The height of the golf tee when employed in the hole of an all weather golf mat can be adjusted by or for the golf player by placing the appropriate spacer disc over

the rotatable pillar and on top of the supporting base before the golf player practise commences The golf tee presented would have a ground contacting supporting base with a central hole for placement of a pillar with flexible golf ball support means able to rotate within the said supporting base, central hole.

Various configurations for the ground contacting supporting base are envisaged, circular with a flat top and bottom with chamfered edges would be preferred, however, other shapes may be used. The material for construction would preferably be moulded plastic or nylon, however other materials could be employed, the central hole would be preferably circular to allow ease of the pillar with the integrated flexible golf ball support means to freely rotate.

The pillar would be upward and inwardly tapered in preferred embodiments, however the said pillar could also be parallel, or any other functional shape.

The rotatable pillar would be preferably circular in shape and in some instances hollow to enable moisture to escape. The base end of the pillar being of a diameter larger than the said hole of the supporting base. The material for construction would be preferably synthetic rubber, however other materials could be employed.

As regards the flexible support means, this must have sufficient rigidity to support a golf ball weight and hold it at the desired spacing from the rotatable pillar while being sufficiently deformable to deflect the forces on it when a golf ball is struck by a golf club and to also impart kinetic impact forces to the rotatable pillar.

The support means could preferably comprise a crown of finger like elements of, for example in synthetic rubber material Such elements may have uniform or tapered longitudinal sections and may be formed integrally with the rotatable pillar and may even be provided as an insert which is releasably engageable with the said pillar, so that it can, for example, be replaced when worn, through multiple employment In other preferred embodiments of the invention the golf ball support means could also comprise a plurality of fibre elements upstanding from the rotatable pillar.

Furthermore fibres may be set directly In the rotatable pillar In a single group or In several groups arranged In a circle or in several concentric circles.

The free edges or tips of the plurality of fibres may be substantially coplanar and may possible be bent over to provide the supporting surface for the golf ball, preferably, however, the edges or tips lie on a curved surface which IS concave towards the golf ball to be supported. The plurality of fibres may be substantially parallel and vertical in the position of use of the golf tee or may splay outwardly from the centre The overall height of the golf tee embodiments of the invention could be of the same order of magnitude as that of conventional practise golf tees, heights of the flexible support means from the rotatable pillar in the order of 10mm to 30mm would for example, be general. In addition, In some instances, the combined height of the rotatable pillar and the flexible support means can be adjusted by an appropriate spacer disc which could be placed over the flexible support means and the rotatable pillar resting on

the supporting base before placement into the accommodating hole of the all weather golf mat to allow individual height control for and by the golf player In preferred embodiments of the golf tee presented the spacer would be disc shaped with a central hole larger enough to allow the pillar to freely rotate. The preferred material for manufacture would be nylon, however in other instances any other suitable material could be utilised.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Two embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front/side elevational view of the golf tee according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front/side axial-sectional view of the golf tee according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is plan axial-sectional view of the golf tee supporting base according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a front/side axial-sectional view of the golf tee pillar with deformable fingers according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a front/side elevational view of the golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 IS a front/side axial-sectional view of the golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention Figure 7 is a plan view of the golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention Figure 8 is a front/side elevational view of the golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention with a height control spacer disc Figure 9 is plan view of the golf tee height control spacer disc according to the second embodiment of the invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, a golf tee is shown generally indicated 10 The golf tee 10 has a cylindrical rotating pillar 11 supported freely in a supporting base 12 which can rest on the ground The rotatable pillar 11, at its upper end, carries a coaxial ring of upwardlyprojecting finger-like laminar support elements 14 which are formed as a separate unit from the pillar 11 and attached to it in any suitable manner. They may for example, be formed on an auxiliary support disc which is glued to or snap engaged (not shown) with the rotatable pillar 11.

With regards to Figure 2 of the drawings, the support elements 14 of Figure 1 are shown spaced from one another by gaps 15. The separate elements 14 may also be cut from an annular wall or may be moulded as a unit, separately and fixed (not shown) to the rotatable pillar 11.

The supporting base 12 is shown as being separate to the rotatable pillar 11 and finger-like laminar elements 14.

With reference to Figure 3, the supporting base 12 is shown separately in axial-sectional front side view, and with reference to Figure 4 the rotatable pillar 11 is shown separately with intergrated finger-like laminar support elements 14 With reference to Figures 5,6, and 7 of the drawings, a second embodiment of the golf tee is shown which differs from Figure 1 essentially only in that the flexible support means are a plurality of fibres similar features are indicated by the same reference numerals increased by 10.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, a golf tee is shown generally indicated 20. The golf tee has a cylindrical rotating pillar 21 supported freely in a supporting base 22 which can rest on the ground.

The rotatable pillar 21 at its upper end, carries a circle of upwardlyprojecting groups of bundles of parallel fibres 24 which are set in the pillar 21, however they may for example, be formed in an auxiliary support cap which is glued to or snap engaged (not shown) with the rotatable pillar 21.

With reference to Figure 6, the golf tee 20 is shown in axial-sectional front/side view indicating the separate support base 22 to the rotatable pillar 21 and showing the support fibres 24 forced or glued into position in the holes 26 accommodating at the top of the pillar 21. A moisture escape hole 27 is centrally placed through the rotatable pillar 21.

Figure 7 shows the second embodiment of the golf tee In plan view indicating the supporting base 22, the rotatable pillar 21 and the grouped circular settings of the plurality of fibres 24 and the gap between the fibres 25 arranged at the top of the pillar 21 to support a golf ball (not shown) A moisture escape hole 27 IS centrally placed through the rotatable pillar 21 With reference to Figure 8 and 9 of the drawings of the second embodiment of the golf tee is shown which has included, although not restricted, to this embodiment alone, a spacer height control disc means. Similar features are indicated by the same reference numerals Increased by 10 In Figure 8 the golf tee 30 flexible support fibres 34, the rotatable pillar 31 and the supporting base 32 are indicated as In Figure 5. In addition is shown a spacer disc 33 with diameter and width sizes variable and manufactured from suitable materials With reference to Figure 9 an example of the spacer disc IS shown in plan view separate to any golf tee already described herein

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A golf tee comprising a ground contacting supporting base with a central hole to accommodate a pillar that is able to rotate within the said central hole in the supporting base, the rotatable pillar having incorporated a flexible support means upstanding from the pillar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the pillar, the flexible support means being deformable such that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use is struck by a golf club, deformation of the flexible support means can take place when struck by the said golf club with any additional force being absorbed by the rotatable pillar in the supporting base, the height of the golf tee when employed in the hole of an all weather golf mat can be adjusted by or for the golf player by placing the appropriate spacer disc over the rotatable pillar and on to the top surface of the supporting base
2. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the ground contacting supporting base will be circular, however other suitable shapes and designs may be used.
3. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 2, in which the ground contacting supporting base, will preferably have a flat top and bottom with chamfered edges however other suitable shapes and designs to facilitate the effect, could be used.
4. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 2, in which the material for construction of the ground contacting supporting base would preferably be moulded plastic or nylon, however other materials could be employed.

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5. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, m which the rotatable pillar is able to rotate within the central hole of the surrounding supporting base, and the said rotatable pillar's upper surface, has incorporated a flexible support means upstanding from the pillar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the pillar.
6. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 5, in which the incorporated flexible support means, are preferably a plurality of synthetic plastic finger-like laminar support elements being arranged in a circle or several concentric circles
7. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 6, in which the said incorporated flexible support means, may be substantially parallel and vertical or splayed outwardly from the centre and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the rotatable pillar.
8. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 6 and 7, in which the said flexible support means, being synthetic plastic finger-like laminar elements may be formed integrally with the rotatable pillar or may be provided as an insert that is releasably engageable with the said pillar so that it can be replaced if required.
9. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 6,7, and 8, in which the synthetic plastic finger-like laminar elements may have uniform or tapered longitudinal sections.
10. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 7 and 8, in which the edges or tips of the said individual elements lie on a curved surface which is concave towards the golf ball to be supported.

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11. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 1,5, 6,7, 8,9, and 10 in which the said flexible support means upstanding from the pillar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the pillar are a plurality of fibres.
12. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the height of the golf tee when employed in the hole of an all weather golf mat can be adjusted by or for the golf player by placing the appropriate spacer disc over the rotatable pillar on top of the supporting base, the said spacer disc being circular with a central hole, however other shapes and designs may be used.
13. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 12, in which the spacer disc has preferably have a flat top and bottom with chamfered edges however other suitable shapes and designs to facilitate the effect, could be used.
14. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 12, in which the material for construction of the spacer disc will preferably be moulded plastic or nylon, however other materials could be employed.
15. A golf tee substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.