WO2003097179A1

WO2003097179A1 - Golf tee placement apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2003097179A1
Application number: PCT/CA2002/000749
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Emery
Original assignee: Werbac International Corporation
Priority date: 2002-05-22
Filing date: 2002-05-22
Publication date: 2003-11-27
Also published as: AU2002302250A1

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for consistently placing the ball mounting portion of a golf tee at a variably selectable height above the ground, comprising: a backing member (12); a plurality of golf tee positioning devices (16), each comprising a unitary body member having a ground engaging surface (44) and a blind cavity (26) extending inwardly of said surface, said cavity (26) adapted to releasably receive a golf tee; and means (14a, 14b, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56) for releasably securing said plurality of golf tee positioning devices to said backing member.

Description

GOLF TEE PLACEMENT APPARATUS

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to golfing accessories. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus for placing golf tees at a consistent but variably selectable distance in the ground so that the height above ground is consistent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION hi the game of golf, it is well known that a player is permitted to use a golf tee at certain stages of the game for elevating the golf ball a certain distance off the ground. Normally, a golfer merely pushes the pointed end of the tee into the ground and visually and "by feel" gauges the height of the tee. However, it is desirable for game consistency for a golfer to set the golf tee at predetermined distance into the ground to ensure proper height placement of the golf ball. This will ensure that the golf ball is consistently at the same height above the ground and that the ball is hit at the right spot with the golf club to obtain maximum trajectory flight of the golf ball.

It is equally desirable for a golfer to have a choice as to the height at which he or she wishes to place the tee in the ground. Factors, which might come into play when determining what height a tee should be placed, include personal preference, skill of the golfer, type of club being used to hit the ball and ground conditions such as dryness of the ground or amount of vegetation on the ground.

There are a number of patents that teach devices to set a golf tee at one or more predetermined heights within the ground. Exemplary patents include U.S.

Patent No. 2,606,764 issued to Mason, U.S. Patent 2,801,852 issued to Hottle, U.S.

Patent 2,950,110 issued to Slotta et al, U.S. Patent No. 3,333,848 issued to Budzinski, U.S. Patent No. 3,540,727 issued to Hoe, U.S. Patent No. 3,658,331 issued to Driscoll. U.S. Patent 3,671,037 issued to Murdock, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 4,142,719 issued to Blood, U.S. Patent No. 4,896,883 issued to Wagenknecht, and U.S. Patent No. 5,634,862 issued to Gamache.

Many of the aforementioned patents teach golf tee setting devices comprised of many individual parts that they are relatively expensive to make. Others have been designed such that they are inconvenient to remove from the golf tee after the tee has been set. Still others are difficult to adjust and therefore of reduced benefit to the golfer.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a simple, inexpensive apparatus for placing golf tees at a consistent but variably selectable distance in the ground thus giving a golfer a choice as to the consistent height of the golf ball when positioned on the golf tee. The present apparatus is portable, lightweight and capable of being attached to a golfer's golf bag, golf cart, or the like.

Broadly stated, the present invention is an apparatus for consistently placing the ball mounting portion of a golf tee at a variably selectable height above the ground, comprising: a backing member; a plurality of golf tee positioning devices, each comprising a unitary body member having a ground engaging surface and a blind cavity extending inwardly of said surface, said cavity adapted to releasably receive a golf tee; and means for releasably securing said plurality of golf tee positioning devices to said backing member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of golf tee positioning devices are provided, each having a blind cavity that extends inwardly to a different depth with respect to each other. Therefore, a golfer can pick the particular golf tee positioning device best suited for a particular set of circumstances such as club type used, condition of the ground, skill of the golfer and so forth, and consistently set the golf ball mounting surface of his or her golf tee to the desired height above the ground in accordance with the selected golf tee positioning device. It is preferred that the golf tee positioning devices have a means of quickly visually distinguishing the resultant height which the tee will be placed, such as "high", "medium" and "low", and/or additional designation or ranges in between, but this is not necessary. Even in the absence of such visual means, a golfer may still closely inspect each golf positioning device, which will be open at one end thereof to permit free insertion and removal of the golf tee, and be able to determine which golf tee positioning device will result in tee placement of the desired height.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the backing member having the various golf tee positioning devices removably attached thereto further comprises means for attaching the apparatus to a golf bag or a golf bag push cart for easy access and to prevent loss.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the backing member has a display portion for displaying promotional material such as a company's name or logo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood having reference to the accompanying drawings depicting non-limiting particular embodiments of the inventor, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section view taken along plane A-A of Figure 1;

Figures 3 a and 3b are cross-sectional views taken along planes X-X or Y-Y, respectively, of Figure 1 showing two individual golf tee positioning devices having different cavity sizes;

Figures 4a and 4b are cross-sectional pictorial views of a golf tee positioning device in operation;

Figures 5a and 5b are each a pictorial view of an alternate embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus of the present invention;

Figures 6a and 6b are each a pictorial view of a further alternate embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus of the present invention; and

Figures 7a and 7b are each a pictorial view of still further alternate embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Figure 1, the illustrated golf tee placement apparatus 10 in one embodiment of the present invention includes a backing member 12 having a plurality of pairs of grasping projections or pinch tabs, 14a and 14b. The pinch tabs 14a and 14b operate to releasably attach a plurality of golf tee positioning devices 16, each having a blind cavity 26 (see Figure 3) of a different depth, to backing member 12. Backing member 12 may be formed of any suitable material, for example, wood, cardboard, plastic, or the like.

Backing member 12 may, in a preferred embodiment, possess a fastening means for fastening the golf tee placement apparatus 10 to a golf bag or the like. One such fastening means is shown in Figure 1 as a loop strap 18, which is attached to one end 19 of backing member 12. Loop strap 18 has a tab 20 at one end that fits into a "T" hole 22 in backing member 12. Other, alternative means of fastening the backing member 12 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention to a golf bag or the like are contemplated, such as a removable, closable strap or chain or the like (not shown) which can be threaded through the "T" hole 22.

An end view of the golf tee placement apparatus 10 is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 illustrates how the pair of pinch tabs 14a and 14b releasably grasp the golf tee positioning device 16. The pinch tabs 14a and 14b are formed of a resiliently deformable material, such as a styrene plastic or the like, so that the golf tee positioning device 16 readily and easily removed from the backing member 12 and the golf tee positioning device 16 can be readily and easily replaced back on the backing member 12 when the golfer is done using it. Figures 3 a and 3b illustrate cross sections of two individual golf tee positioning devices 16. Each golf tee positioning device 16 is preferably formed of one piece from a material such as wood, metal, plastic or the like, and preferable an injection-molded plastic due to the non-corrosive characteristics and ability to separately colour code or individually mark each individual golf tee positioning device in accordance with the height at which such individual golf tee positioning device sets a respective tee (see Figures 4a and 4b). The golf tee positioning device 16 can be any shape but preferably of a substantially cylindrical shape.

As may be seen most clearly from Figures 3a and 3b, each golf tee positioning device 16 has a blind cavity 26, said blind cavity 26 having a preferably flat ceiling 28. It is also anticipated that a partial ceiling could be used as well (not shown). The dimensions of the blind cavity 26 are such that a variety of different shapes and sizes of golf tees which exist in the marketplace today can be readily accommodated. The blind cavity 26 is preferably cylindrical, however, it would also operate if square- shaped, triangular, or the like.

It can be seen from Figures 3 a and 3b that the length of the blind cavity 26 may vary between individual golf tee positioning devices 10 attached to the backing member 12, thereby giving a golfer a choice of depth in which a golf tee can be inserted into the ground. Each golf tee positioning device 16 which form part of the apparatus 10 of the present invention further comprise a lower end or a ground engaging surface 44 which contacts the ground when in use.

The apparatus 10 is sized to be easily carried in a golfer's pocket, or it can be easily attached to a golfer's golf bag or the like (not shown), in the manner earlier described so that it doesn't get lost.

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate a single individual golf tee positioning device 16 in operation in the ground 36. Golf tee 30 is easily inserted inside the blind cavity 26 of the golf tee positioning device 16 so that head 40 of golf tee 30 when inserted in said blind cavity may be positioned so as to abut ceiling 28.

The manner of operation of the golf tee positioning device of apparatus 10 will now be described. Golf tee 30 is inserted in cavity 26. Thereafter golf tee 30 and golf tee positioning device 16 can be grasped at the same time for use. Point 42 of golf tee 30 is positioned so as to engage ground 36 and a golfer then applies downward pressure to the golf tee positioning device 16, thereby pushing golf tee 30 into the ground 36 until ground engaging surface 44 of the golf tee positioning device 16 produces firm resistance. Upon feeling this resistance, the golfer knows that the golf tee 30 has been fully set in the ground 36 at the proper height. The golf tee setting device 16 is easily removed by simply lifting it off the golf tee 30. As shown in Figure 4b a golf ball 38 can then be placed on the golf tee 30 at the desired height from the ground 36.

Figures 5a and 5b show an alternative embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus 10 of the present invention wherein the securing means for securing each individual golf tee positioning device 16 to backing member 12 comprises a hook 46 attached to the golf tee positioning device 16, and an eye 48 positioned on the backing member 12.

Figures 6a and 6b show another embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus 10 of the present invention wherein the securing means for securing each individual golf tee positioning device 16 to backing member 12 comprises a sleeve member 60 positioned on backing member 12 for receiving a golf tee positioning device 16 therewith. The golf tee positioning device 16 is held in sleeve member 60 as a result of ridge portion 52 protruding outwardly from sides 17 of the golf tee positioning device 16.

Figures 7a and 7b show yet another embodiment of the golf tee placement apparatus 10 of the present invention. In this embodiment, each golf tee positioning device 16 is equipped with a snap member 56 and bacldng member 12 is equipped with a plurality of corresponding indent means 54 in which the snap member 56 connectively engages. Many other means for releasably securing golf tee positioning devices 16 to the backing member 12 can be used but are not shown in the figures hereto. For example, a hook and loop (Nelcro) securing means could also be used.

There are various changes and modifications which may be made to the invention comprised of as would be apparent to those skills in the art. However, these changes or modifications are included in the teaching of the disclosure, and it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

I claim:

1. An apparatus for consistently placing a golf ball supporting surface of a golf tee at a variably selectable height above the ground, comprising: (a) a backing member;

(b) a plurality of golf tee positioning devices, each comprising a unitary body member having a ground engaging surface and a blind cavity extending inwardly of said surface, said blind cavity adapted to releasably receive a golf tee; and (c) means for releasably securing said plurality of golf tee positioning devices to said backing member.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blind cavity extends inwardly to a different depth with respect to each of said plurality of golf tee positioning devices.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said backing member comprises a relatively thin, substantially planar member.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing comprises a pair of grasping projections positioned on said backing member.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing comprises a pair of grasping projections positioned on said backing member, each adapted to releasably graspingly engage a corresponding golf tee positioning device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing comprises a hook and an eye.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing comprises a sleeve member positioned on said backing member.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for releasably securing further comprises a ridge protruding outwardly from a side of said golf tee positioning device.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing comprises a snap member and an indent means

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said backing member further comprises means for fastening said backing member to another object.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said fastening means comprises a releasable loop means.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said object is a golf bag.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said object is a golf bag.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said backing means further comprises a display portion for displaying promotional material.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of golf tee positioning devices further comprises means for visually distinguishing the different depths of said blind cavity.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means for visually distinguishing the different depths of said blind cavity comprises a numeral.