GB2412071A

GB2412071A - Golf club holder

Info

Publication number: GB2412071A
Application number: GB0425723A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Rydzynski; Lloyd Trevor Rydzynski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-21
Filing date: 2004-11-23
Publication date: 2005-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-23
Also published as: GB0418746D0; US20080264881A1; GB0425723D0; CN101048207A; GB2412071B

Abstract

Golf club holder 1 comprises body 2 which attaches to frame member 7 of a golf cart or trolley 8, the body 2 having a passageway 3 which receives and retains the shaft of a golf club, e.g. putter 5. Body 2 may be elongate having main portion 2a, in which the passageway is formed, and base portion 2b integral with, parallel to, and spaced apart from main portion 2a. Passageway 3 may be tubular, and base portion 2b may have ends 9c, 9d which extend beyond passageway 3 such that the body may be bound to frame member 7 using adhesive tape. Alternatively, slots 9a, 9b may be provided for straps 10a, 10b which secure the body to frame member 7. Passageway 3 may have a longitudinal slot providing an opening (4, fig. 3) through which the narrow end 5a of a tapered putter shaft 5b can pass, in order that the putter may slide down the passageway and be held by a wider end 5c of the shaft. Body 2 may have an external groove, e.g. V-shaped groove 6, which provides a seat for frame member 7. The holder may be formed from a moulded plastics material.

Description

1 2412071 Golf club holder.

This invention relates to golf equipment and more especially it relates to holders for golf clubs and putters in particular.

Most conventional putters have a somewhat shorter shaft than others golf clubs and consequently when carried in a golf bag they tend to slip down out of sight which can make them difficult to find when required. Additionally since putters are probably the most used club in the bag, it is irksome to cover the club head after each usage with a protective hood and since modern putters have quite heavy heads, unless they are covered they can damage other clubs in the bag.

In view of the foregoing problems it is known to store the putter separately from other clubs. For example tubes have been proposed either within the bag or attached to the bag but these are not very convenient to use because club insertion and removal can be problematic and tubes do not allow free air circulation for the putter to dry when stored after use in damp playing conditions. It is also known to provide a holder which is adapted to be clipped to or otherwise attached to the club bag either internally or externally of the bag. However, bag clips are also less than ideal because they tend to swivel about unless securely attached to the bag, but in this latter case secure attachment may damage a golf bag because golf bags are generally not designed to receive such attachments.

Additionally, with storage tubes and bag clips, since the putter is stored near the bag opening there are still potential problems with the putter knocking against and possibly damaging other clubs, due mainly to the size and weight of most modern putters.

It is an object of this invention to provide a club holder more especially but not exclusively for a golf putter, in use of which the afore mentioned problems are obviated at least in part.

According to the present invention a golf club holder comprises a body having a club-receiving passageway extending therethrough, through which passageway in use, a club shaft can pass so as to be retained within the passageway, the said body being adapted for attachment to a frame member of a golf cart or trolley by attachment means.

The body may be elongate and comprise a main portion in which the passageway is formed and an integral base portion which extends parallel with the passageway and which is spaced apart therefrom.

The passageway may be generally tubular.

The passageway may be slotted longitudinally from end to end to provide a somewhat narrower neck opening, through which in use, a narrow end of a tapered club shaft can pass to slip down so as to be retained within the passageway by a wider end of the said shaft.

The base portion may have end portions which extend beyond the passageway at each end thereof whereby the body is adapted for attachment to a frame member of a golf cart or trolley in use, by adhesive tape used to bind the ends tightly to the frame member.

The adaptation of the body may alternatively or additionally comprise slots in the body which extend transversely of the passageway and which serve to receive plastics straps or the like for securing the club holder to a frame member of a golf cart or trolley.

The adaptation of the body may alternatively or additionally comprise But external grove in the base portion which extends substantially parallel with the said passageway to provide a seat for a frame member of a golf cart or trolley, into which in use the frame member is received so as to be positively located.

The grove may be V shaped so as to receive and positively locate a frame member of rectangular or circular cross-section.

Although any generally upwardly extending frame member of a golf cart or trolley may lend itself to the attachment thereto of the putter holder, it is especially contemplated that the holder would in use be secured to a golf cart handle or handle extension member.

The putter holder may be made from moulded plastics material.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1, is a plan view of a putter holder, Figure 2, is a side view of the putter holder shown in Figure 1, Figure 3, is an end view of the putter holder shown in Figures 1, Figure 4, is perspective view of the putter holder shown in Figure 1 and, Figure 5 is a perspective view of a golf cart to which a putter holder is fitted.

Referring now to the drawings, a putter holder 1, comprises an elongate body;2, having a main portion 2a, and an integral base portion 2b, the base portion 2b, being spaced apart from the main portion by a middle portion 2c, in which is formed a central aperture 2d, which extends through the middle portion and which is provided to facilitate manufacture of the putter holder 1, by a plastics moulding process. A club receiving passageway 3, is provided in the main portion 2a which extends longitudinally therethrough. The passageway 3, is slotted longitudinally from end to end to provide a somewhat narrower neck opening 4, through which in use, a narrow end 5a of a putter 5, having a tapered putter shaft 5b, can pass to slip down so as to be retained within the passageway 3, by a wider end 5c of the said shaft 5b, as shown in Figure 5. By providing an elongate body 2, the passageway 3, is arranged to be long enough to provide a secure seat for a club so that it cannot move about therein.

Although in the embodiment of the invention as just before described the passageway 3, is slotted thereby to enable a putter or other club to be easily placed therein, it is contemplated that in an alternative embodiment of the invention the passageway may not be slotted and simply comprise an open ended tube into which a club shaft may be inserted so as to drop down to be retained therein by a portion of its shaft which is of greater diameter than the passageway, or by the club head.

However, it will be readily appreciated that this alternative embodiment is not nearly so convenient.

The base portion 2b, of the body 2, is formed with a V shaped grove G. which extends from end to end parallel with the passageway 3. The grove 6, thus enables the holder 1, to be positively located against a handle 7, of a golf cart or trolley 8, as shown in Figure 5. In order to facilitate attachment of the putter holder 1, to the handle 7, of the golf cart or trolley 8, the base portion 2b, of the body 2, is provided with a pair of spaced apart slots 9a, 9b, in opposite ends 9c, 9d, of the body 2, which extend therethrough to accommodate a pair of plastics straps lOa, lob, as shown in Figure 5, which are used to attach the holder 1, to the handle 7.

Although in this embodiment of the invention the straps lOa, lob, are used for attachment of the putter holder 1, to the handle 7, any other means of attachment may additionally or alternatively be used. For example the ends 9c, 9d, which extend beyond the passageway 3, at each end thereof comprise an adaptation of the body which enable it to be secured to the handle 7, by means of adhesive tape. Additionally or alternatively July convenient form of clamp, screw, or rivet fixing may be used.

Use of the putter holder 1, as herein described thus enables the putter 5, to be stored conveniently ready for immediate use on the cart or trolley 8, with its heavy head 5d, positioned well away from other clubs which would normally be stored in a golf bag 11, which is attached to and supported by the cart or trolley 8.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made to the putter holder as herein described without departing from the scope of the invention and for example the holder 1, may be made of any suitable material and fixed by any suitable means such as screw clamps to the handle 7. It will also be appreciated that although the club holder herein described is eminently suitable for supporting a putter, it may alternatively be used for other clubs.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A golf club holder comprising a body having a club-receiving passageway extending therethrough, through which passageway in use, a club shaft can pass so as to be retained within the passageway, the said body being adapted for attachment to a frame member of a golf cart car trolley by attachment means.

2. A golf club holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is elongate and comprises a main portion in which the passageway is formed and an integral base portion which extends parallel with the passageway and which is spaced apart therefrom.

3. A golf club holder as claimed in Claim 1, or Claim 2, wherein the passageway is generally tubular.

4. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the passageway is slotted longitudinally from end to end to provide a somewhat narrower neck opening, through which in use, a narrow end of a tapered club shaft can pass to slip down so as to be retained within the passageway by a wider end of the said shaft.

5. A golf club holder as claimed in any of Claims 2, to 4, wherein the base portion has ends which extend beyond the passageway at each end thereof whereby the body is adapted for attachment to a frame member of a golf cart or trolley in use, by adhesive tape used to bind the ends tightly to the frame member.

6. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The adaptation of the body comprises slots in the body which extend transversely of the passageway and which serve to receive plastics straps or the like for securing the club holder to a frame member of a golf cart or trolley.

7. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adaptation of the body comprises an external grove which extends substantially parallel with the said passageway to provide a seat for a frame member of a golf cart or trolley, into which in use the frame member is received so as to be positively located.

8. A golf club holder as claimed in Claims 7, wherein he grove is 'V' shaped so as to receive and positively locate a frame member of rectangular or circular cross-section.

9. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim fabricated from moulded plastics material.

10. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim and a golf cart or trolley having a generally upstanding frame member or handle to which the said holder is attached.

10. A golf club holder substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A golf cart car trolley having fitted thereto a golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim. l

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS.

1. A golf club holder for attachment to an upstanding frame member or handle of a golf cart or trolley, comprising a body hailing a main portion in which a club receiving passageway is formed, which passageway is slotted longitudinally frown end to end to provide a somewhat narrower neck opening through which in use a narrow end of a tapered club shaft can pass to slip down so as to be retained handle uppermost within the passageway by a wider end of the said shaft, and a base portion spaced apart from the passageway which extends parallel with the passageway, and attachment means arranged to extend transversely of the base portion for effecting attachment as aforesaid so that in use a club is retained within the passageway in an upstanding position.

2. A golf club holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is elongate and comprises a main portion in which the passageway is formed and an integral base portion which extends parallel with the passageway and which is spaced apart therefrom so that a club when retained within the passageway is spaced apart from a golf cart or trolley to which the said holder is attached.

3. A golf club holder as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the base portion is spaced from the passageway by a distance corresponding to at least twice the width of the passageway.

4. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base portion comprises ends which extend beyond the passageway at each end thereof, the attachment means being operative to secure the ends to a golf cart or trolley to which the said holder is attached. q

5. A golf club holder as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the ends comprise slots which extend transversely of the passageway and which serve to receive plastics straps or the like for securing the club holder to a frame member or handle of a golf cart or trolley.

6. A golf club holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base portion comprises an external groove which extends substantially parallel with the said passageway to provide a seat for a frame member or handle of a golf cart or trolley, into which groove the frane member or handle is in use received so as to be positively located.

7. A golf club holder as claimed in Clahns 6, wherein the groove is 'V' shaped so as to receive and positively locate a frame member or handle of rectangular or circular cross-section.

8. A golf club holder as claimed in ally preceding claim fabricated from moulded plastics material.

9. A golf club holder substantially as herein described wit reference to the accompanying drawings.