WO1997005929A1

WO1997005929A1 - A golfing aid

Info

Publication number: WO1997005929A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001833
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philip Conway Robbins; Charles James Gooda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-08-07
Filing date: 1996-07-30
Publication date: 1997-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1998-02-07
Also published as: GB2318520B; GB9802470D0; GB9601975D0; GB2318520A; GB2304055A; AU6624196A

Abstract

This invention relates to a golfing aid (201) and, more particularly, a golfing aid for placing and picking up a tee and golf ball. The golfing aid comprises an elongate head (202) with an abutment (208) that extends transversely and in use upwards from one side of the head. A prong with two tines (207) projects fixedly from the base of the abutment and curves to present a concave surface to support a golf ball or a tee between the tines. The abutment holds a golf ball on the prong when the prong is angled upwards. The tines may also have a recess with part-spherical surfaces to positively seat a golf ball or a tee.

Description

A Gol f ing Aid

This invention relates to a golfing aid and, more particularly, to a golfing aid for placing a ball and tee onto and into the ground, picking up the tee after striking a ball, placing a ball marker on the ground, picking up a golf ball from the ground, picking up the ball marker, repairing pitch marks, and retrieving and replacing divots .

When playing golf a golfer must frequently bend down to the ground to pick up a golf ball, mark the position of a golf ball on a green or other playing surface, place a tee into the ground, retrieve a tee, and repair pitch marks and divots in a playing surface. This can be a painful process for older, arthritic or partially disabled golfers .

It is an object of the present invention to provide a golfing aid which enables at least some of these processes to be performed without the need for excessive bending by the golfer.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a golfing aid for manipulating a golf ball or tee, comprising an elongate head with an abutment that extends transversely and in use upwards from one side of the head and a prong with two tines that projects fixedly from the base of the abutment and which curves to present a concave surface to support a golf ball or a tee between the tines, in which the abutment holds a golf ball on the prong when the prong is angled upwards. The golf ball will most usually be a regulation golf ball. The abutment may be a flange standing proud of the elongate head, or may be a step in the surface of the head. The tines will define a channel therebetween which is wide enough for the shaft of the tee to pass through, but narrow enough so that the head of the tee is retained by the tines along at least a portion of the tines .

Such a channel may also be wide enough to provide at least some retaining effect for a golf ball held between the tines. However, the tines preferably have faces which are angled towards each other to present a groove which is concave transverse to the length of the tines in order to help support a golf ball along at least a portion of the length of the tines. Preferably the tines are angled more steeply towards each other near the abutment than at the tips of the tines.

The groove and abutment together preferably form a hollow to hold the ball when the tines are angled upwards.

The tines may alternatively or additionally have one or more recesses with part-spherical surfaces to positively seat a golf ball or a tee at a point along the length of the tines.

The lower surfaces of the tines may present in use a convex surface for repairing pitch marks in a golfing green or other playing surface. A user may push the tips of the tines into the ground underneath the dimple of a pitch mark to lever up the ground. Then the tines may be removed from the ground so that the convex under side of the tines may be pressed into or run along the surface of the playing surface to flatten out any residual dimple and associated rim in the surface caused by a golf ball striking the playing surface. The convex surface may advantageously have a radius of curvature comparable with the curvature of the dimple or of the rim in the turf so that the tines may be projected underneath the pitch mark and so that pressure exerted by the convex surface on the playing surface s concentrated m the area of the pitch mark Ideally, the radius of curvature of the convex surface is between 50 mm and 200 mm.

Each tme may have a transverse cross section with a generally constant thickness, and so the radius curvature of the tines and of the concave surface for holding a ball or tee may be nearly the same .

In order to avoid a potential safety hazard, the tips of the tines should not be too sharp. Preferably, the tips of the tines are flat and rounded, yet still sharp enough to push into the playing surface in order to repair pitch marks and also to impale and retrieve golf divots.

In order to make it easier to scoop up a golf ball lying on the ground, the tines may be parallel or diverge from one another at a shallow angle of up to 20° towards the tips of the tines. For the same reason, the faces of the above-mentioned groove may also be less angled towards each other towards the tips.

Preferably, the tines are mirror images of each other, defined about a plane through the centre of the prong.

The abutment may present a concave surface towards a golf oall held on the prong to help retain the ball on the prong when the prong s angled upwards, for example after scooping up a ball. The concave surface of the abutment may advantageously be part-spherical n order to match the curve of a golf ball

Ideally, the concave surface of the abutment terminates at two corners which pro ect up and laterally away from the oase of the abutment This arrangement allows the user to see the ends of the tines so that he or she may more easily perform tasks such as pitch mark repairing and picking up the ball. This configuration also helps to lower the weight of the golfing aid while at the same time providing the maximum contact angle between the abutment and the ball.

In use, the elongate head projects from a shaft at least 600 mm long so that the head may be manipulated at ground level without the need for a golfer to bend down. The shaft may be similar in size and construction to that of a golfing iron, with a rubber grip at the end remote from the head.

Ideally, the shaft is in line with the head so that the head forms an extension at the end of the shaft.

The head will normally have a connecting section for connecting the shaft with the head. The connection may be permanent and made by welding or gluing the head to the shaft, or alternatively the head may be removably fixable to the shaft, for example by means of a screw thread.

The invention will now be further described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a golfing aid according to the invention, with a first embodiment of an elongate head at one end, and a shaft with a hand grip at the other end;

Figure 2 is a side view of the golfing aid of Figure

1;

Figure 3 is a top view of the head of Figure Figure 4 is a side view of the head of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-section view of the head along the line V-V of Figure 3 ,

Figure 6 is a cross-section of the head along the line VI-VI of Figure 3, showing a golf ball phantom;

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the head along the line VII-VII of Figure 3, showing a golf ball phantom;

Figure 8 is a top view of an elongate head according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a cross-section view of the head along the line IX-IX of Figure 8;

Figure 10 s a side view of the head of Figure 8, holding a golf ball and tee;

Figure 11 is a top view of an elongate head according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is a side view of the head of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a side v ew of the head of Figure 11, shown attached to a shaft and holding a footed tee and golf ball prior to placement on the ground,

Figure 14 is a side view of the head, tee and golf ball of Figure 13 during placement of the ball and tee on the σround,

Figure 15 is a side view of the head of Figure 11, shown attached to a shaft and holding a three-footed tee and golf ball prior to placement on the ground;

Figure 16 is a side view of the head, tee and golf ball of Figure 15 during placement of the ball and three-footed tee on the ground;

Figure 17 is a top view of the head and three-footed tee of Figures 15 and 16, showing how the three- footed tee may be retrieved from the ground;

Figure 18 is a top view of an elongate head according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 19 is a side view of the elongate head of Figure 18.

Figures 1 and 2 show a golfing aid 1 with a stainless steel elongate head 2 at one end to which is attached a chromed steel shaft 3 and which has a rubber hand grip 4 at the other end. The shaft and hand grip are similar to that used for a golfing iron. The golfing aid illustrated has a total length of 865 mm. The head is 110 mm long, but may be between 50 mm and 150 mm long.

Referring now also to Figures 3 and 4, the end of the head has a prong 5 which consists of two tines 6,7 and a base section 17 where the tines come together. The prong extends forwards of the base of an abutment 8. The abutment is approximately midway along the length of the head, and projects upwards from the head 2.

The prong, however could equivalently consist of just the two tines and no base section. In this case, the tines would not be joined together except at the abutment. The tines 6,7 taper apart towards the tip of the head at an angle of approximately 5° to 10°. A channel 9 between the tines therefore opens out to a mouth 10 and tapers down to a narrow neck 11 at the base of the tines. The distance between the tips of the tines 6,7 at the mouth 10 is 8 mm but may be between 6 mm and 20 mm.

The tines are illustrated joined together, but the narrow neck 11 could extend as far back as the abutment 8.

The tines 6,7 curve upwards towards their tips to present a generally concave upward facing surface 14. The curve has a radius of 80 mm. This radius may be within the range of 50 mm to 200 mm. The abutment 8 also has a concave curve on its forward facing surface 15. The two concave surfaces 14,15 are directed generally towards each other so that although the tines extend generally perpendicularly from the base of the abutment, the tines and the abutment have mid and end portions which lie on planes which are at an acute angle to each other.

The head 2 of Figures 3 and 4 is shown prior to connection of the shaft 3 to the head. The head has a tubular connecting portion 12 with a circular aperture 13 leading to a cylindrical sleeve (not shown) for receiving the end of a shaft. The fit between the shaft and the head may be an interference fit, particularly if the head is to be bonded to the head, for example by an epoxy resin. Alternatively, the shaft and the head may have matching screw threads.

The shape of the head, abutment, and particularly the tines, is illustrated in more detail in Figures 5,6 and

Figure 5 shows the back side 18 of the abutment 8. The abutment terminates in two corners 21,22 that extend upwards and away from the prong 5. Between the abutment corners 21,22, the abutment has a lower central edge 23.

Figure 6 shows that tines 6,7 are angled so that the upward facing concave surface 14 is also concave transverse to the length of the tines . This taper between two tines forms a groove with concave walls that conform to the shape of a golf ball . This helps retain the ball between the tines. However, as shown in Figure 7, towards the end of the head the tines are not angled inwards and the endmost upward facing surface 16 of the tines are parallel. This helps the tips of the tines get under a golf ball which is lying on the ground.

Figures 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the elongate head 102. This differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the tines which, in addition to the inward taper of the upward facing surface 14 of the tines 106,107 has a part-spherical recess 30 approximately midway along the tines. The radius of the sphere defining the part- spherical recess 30 is in the region of 20 mm. The recess 30 is therefore dimensioned to positively seat a regulation sized golf ball, that is a ball having a radius of at least 21.34 mm and generally less than 25 mm. At its widest point where the recess 30 meets the upward facing concave surface 14, the recess is 14 mm across.

As shown in Figure 10, the abutment 8 is angled slightly towards the tines 106,107 by an angle a which is preferably at least 90° as measured from the central axis of the connecting portion 12. The maximum value of angle a is in the region of 135°. The upper edge of the abutment between the abutment corners 21,22 and through the central lower part of the edge 23 is curved with a radius of approximately 22 mm to correspond to the curvature of a regulation sized golf ball 40 when seated in the recess 30. The location of the recess 30 and the position of the abutment corners 21,22 is such that a regulation sized golf ball 40 seated in the recess 30 will also be supported by the abutment corners 21,22 when the elongate head 102 is about level or above horizontal.

When the golf ball is supported in this way, a golf tee 53, with a pointed stem 54 and a ball receiving tee head 52 for supporting the ball, may be placed between the ball 40 and the tines 106,107. The underside of the tee head 52 will then be wedged between the ball 40 and the upwardly facing surface 14 of the tines. The ball 40 and tee 53 are held securely enough to keep the two together while the elongate head is generally level. A hand may then be placed behind the abutment 8 and ball 40 to keep the ball and tee engaged while the shaft 3 (not shown in Figure 10) is manipulated to push the pointed stem 54 of the tee into the ground (not shown) . The ball and tee may then be removed from the tines and abutment. Although the golfer has to bend over during this operation, the shaft offers some support, and the pressure of pushing the ball and inserting tee into the ground is taken mainly by the abutment .

It is envisaged that if the angle a were small, say 45° or 60°, then the abutment corners 21,22 would not support a ball 40 seated in the recess 30. In such cases, the ball abuts the main face 24 of the abutment 8. A part- spherical recess, similar to the recess 30 in the tines 106,107 may be formed in the surface 24 to improve the seating of the ball 40.

Figures 11 and 12 show a third embodiment of the elongate head 2C2 with just such a recess 50 in the main face of the abutment 8. Surfaces in Ficrures 11 and 12 are shaded to help illustrate the angles of the surfaces. The tines 206,207 do not have the recess 30, but rather a smaller recess 51 m the front half of the tines suitable for holding the underside of a tee head, and as will be described below.

The tines 206, 207, the abutment recess 50, and the area between the tines and the abutment at the base of the tines 210 forms a hollow 211 to hold the ball when the tines are angled upwards.

The hollow 211 is preferably formed with more steeply curving sides than the corresponding area surrounding the recess 30 of Figure 8 and 9. Although the positive engagement with a ball provided by such a recess 30 has the advantage of holding a ball more securely if the golfing aid is moved about suddenly, the ball is not released gradually from the recess 30 once the tines are angled downwards, and may roll out along the ground. In contrast, the third embodiment illustrated Figures 11 and 12 provides the advantage of a more controllable release since the ball gradually leaves the hollow to travel along the tines as the tines are angled downwards.

Figures 13 and 14 show the third embodiment of the elongate head 202 when attached to the shaft 3 and used as a golfing aid 201 to place a golf ball 60 and footed tee 70 on a teeing surface 100. The footed tee has a base 72 and a tee head 73 for supporting the golf ball. The base and tee head are connected by a stem 71.

The ball 60 is first placed on the tines 206,207 when the golfing aid is approximately level, as shown m Figure 13. In tnis position, the ball is m contact with the abutment 208 The stem 71 of the footed tee 70 is then inserted into the mouth 10 of the tines 206,207 until the tee head 73 slides under the ball to engage with the recess 51. Once the tee is in this position, the ball is prevented from rolling forwards off the tines as long as it remains seated on the tee head.

The tee 70 does not, however, wedge the ball 60 back against the abutment 208. When the elongate head is level, only the rearmost edge of the tee head 73, that is, the edge nearest the abutment, contacts the ball. The forward edge of the tee head remains clear of the ball with a gap 75 between the tee head and the ball.

The shaft 3 of the golfing aid 201 may then be angled downwards towards the teeing surface 100, as illustrated in Figure 14 until the footed tee 70 comes to rest on the teeing surface. As the angle of the elongate head 202 drops by about 30°, the ball 60 moves away from the abutment 208 and will tip forwards to engage fully with the tee head 73, leaving a slight clearance between the abutment and the ball.

The shaft of the golfing aid may then be rotated down whilst dropping the elongate head 202 slightly, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 14, until both the abutment 208 and the tines 206,207 are fully clear of the footed tee, whereupon the golfing aid may be withdrawn from the tee. The stem of the tee will come freely out from the channel between the tines because the spacing between the tines is greater than the tee stem diameter, except at the neck 11 where the tines come together.

The golfing aid may pick up and move the ball and tee, for example if the lie of the ball on the ground is unsatisfactory, by reversing the operation described above for placing the ball and tee on the ground. After the ball has been played, the tee may, of course be picked up in a similar manner.

Figures 15 to 17 show the third embodiment of the elongate head 202 when attached to the shaft 3 and used as a golfing aid 201 to place a golf ball 90 and footed tee 80 on a grassed teeing surface 100. The footed tee has three legs 81,82,83 and a circular tee head 84 for supporting the golf ball. The legs are spaced equidistantly around the periphery of the head, and spread outwards from the head along circular arcs traversing roughly 90°.

The ball 90 is first placed on the tines 206,207 when the golfing aid is approximately level, as shown in Figure 15. In this position, the ball is in contact with the abutment 208. One of the legs 82 of the three-footed tee 80 is then inserted into the mouth 10 of the tines 206,207 until the tee head 84 slides over the tines and under the ball. Once the tee is in this position, the ball is prevented from rolling forwards off the tines as long as it remains seated on the tee head.

The shaft 3 of the golfing aid 201 may then be angled downwards towards the teeing surface 100, as illustrated in Figure 16 until the footed tee 80 comes to rest on the teeing surface.

As the angle of the elongate head 202 drops by about 30°, the ball 90 does not move significantly away from the abutment 208. Therefore, the golfing aid 201 must be removed by lowering to the ground, then pulling the golfing aid away from the golf ball and three-footed tee in a generally horizontal motion, as shown in phantom in Figure 16. The foot 82 of the tee will come freely out from the channel between the tines because the spacing between the tines is greater than the width of the foot, except at the neck ll where the tines come together. The golfing aid may pick up and move the ball and tee, for example if the lie of the ball on the ground is unsatisfactory, by reversing the operation described above for placing the ball and tee on the ground. After the ball has been played, the tee may, of course be picked up a similar manner, as shown m Figure 17.

A fourth embodiment of the elongate head 302 is illustrated n Figures 18 and 19 This has a tee recess 351 m the forward half of the tines 306,307 and differs from the preceding embodiments in that the abutment 308 and tines 306,307 are all longer. The abutment 308 has an overhang 313 with a concave inner surface 350 which together with the tines 206,207 forms an approximately part-spherical hollow with a radius of between 20 mm and 30 mm. In use, a ball (not shown) is seated in the hollow and a pointed tee (not shown) is inserted in the tee recess 351 between the ball and the tines. Although the fit is close, the tee does not wedge the ball tightly against the concave inner surface of the overhang, and some clearance remains behind the ball and the overhang.

The golfer may then raise the shaft (not shown) of the golfing aid towards vertical and place the point of the tee on the teeing surface. The golfing aid may then be pressed downwards to that the ball contacts with the abutment which then drives the ball and hence the tee into the ground. The separation or contact between the tips of the tines and ground may then be used to provide some feedback to the golfer so that he can avoid over-driving the tee into the ground.

The clearance between the ball and the overhang may then permit the elongate head to be rotated back to disengage the ball and tee from the abutment and tines All four embodiments of the invention may be used to perform various functions, described m more detaii below.

To pick up a ball from the ground, the tips of the tines of the golfing aid are placed underneath the ball and the golfing aid is tilted backwards along the curve of the tines such that the ball rolls along the tines towards the abutment. The ball is then lifted from the ground and is removed from the golfing aid without the need for bending down. Whilst the ball is being lifted, the additional support provided by the upper corners of the abutment prevents the ball falling from the golfing aid.

A tee may be picked up by placing the tines of the golfing aid either side of the stem of the tee. The golfing aid is then lifted. The ball receiving end of the tee is prevented from passing through the tines since it is wider than the gap between the tines .

A ball marker (a small flat usually circular object) is placed onto the ground by placing the marker on the tines of the golfing aid, then sliding marker from the golfing aid into a position adjacent the ball to be marked. The ball is then picked up using the golfing aid as discussed above.

A ball marker is picked up by placing the tines 6 under the marker and lifting the golfing aid.

The golfing aid may repair a pitch mark m the green or other playing surface the following manner. The ends of the tines are pushed into the ground to an appropriate degree and with a twisting or a levering action or a combination of movements the dent m the pitch mark is lifted. Then any remaining dent or surrounding rim can be ironed out and flattened by pressing and running tne convex under side of the tines across the pitch mark.

The abutment also performs another useful function which is to act as a stop to prevent the golfing aid from going too far into the ground when pressure is placed on the golfing aid. Thus, a golfer may use the golfing aid as a walking stick to support his own weight, for example when crossing uneven or sloping terrain or when teeing up by hand. A golfer may also spear the tip of the tines into the ground to temporarily stand the golfing aid whilst taking a shot. The tines are so shaped that such an impalement of the ground will not damage the playing surface,- on pulling out the tines, holes made in the surface will all but close up.

The golfing aid may also be used to retrieve and replace golf divots. Tines with generally flat cross-sections are less likely to tear a golf divot when the divot is lifted back into place. The abutment also prevents divots from becoming impaled on the shaft.

Because the elongate head of the golfing aid has no moving parts and no small crevices, any dirt that collects on the head, for example from divots, may be readily wiped away.

The tines are not, however, suitable for pulling out a ball from a cup after holing out. Therefore the grip on the opposite end of the golfing aid has preferably the standard dimensions for a golfing grip so that one of several makes of elastic rubber cup can then be placed on this end and be used in a well known manner to retrieve a golf ball after holing out.

One variant of the golfing aid, not illustrated in the drawings, is suitable for placing a ball on a what are known as tripod tees and pyramid tees. These tees rest on the surface of the ground and have an approximately conical or three-sided pyramidal shape, with a tee support platform atop of the tee, and either without distinct legs or with legs that do not have sufficient gaps therebetween to engage with the tines . The way to place a golf ball on such a tee is to first drop the tee onto the ground, and then gently roll the ball off the ends of the tines onto the tee support platform. In order to make this easier, the mouth between the tines can be made wider than the embodiments illustrated, to about 18 mm. A golf ball will then be made to roll towards the ends of the tines, and seat on the support platform before the ball rolls off the ends of the tines. The golfing aid head may then be lowered slightly and withdrawn from under the ball.

A golfing aid as described herein fulfils many functions in the game of golf, has no moving parts, and may be easily operated by disabled or elderly golfers to avoid the need to bend down to the ground.

The use of a standard shaft for a golfing iron helps to minimise material and tooling costs. Although the golfing aid has been described and illustrated as comprising two pieces, the elongate head and the shaft, the golfing aid could be manufactured as an integral moulding, for example in a glass reinforced plastic or carbon fibre composite.

Claims

1. A golfing aid for manipulating a golf ball or tee, comprising an elongate head with an abutment that extends transversely and in use upwards from one side of the head and a prong with two tines that projects fixedly from the base of the abutment and which curves to present a concave surface to support a golf ball or a tee between the tines, in which the abutment holds a golf ball on the prong when the prong is angled upwards .

2. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 1, in which the tines have faces which are angled towards each other to present a groove to support a golf ball along at least a portion of the tines.

3. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 2, in which the tines are angled more steeply towards each other near the abutment than at the tips of the tines.

4. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tines have a recess with part-spherical surfaces to positively seat a golf ball or a tee at a point along the length of the tines.

5. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the lower surfaces of the tines present in use a convex surface for smoothing pitch marks in a golfing green.

6. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tines are curved with a radius of curvature between 50 mm and 200 mm.

7. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tips of the tines are flat and rounded for impaling golf divots.

8. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tines are parallel or diverge from one another at an angle of up to 20° .

9. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tines are mirror images of each other.

10. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the abutment presents a concave surface towards a golf ball held on the prong to help retain the ball on the prong when the prong is angled upwards .

11. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 10, in which the concave surface of the abutment is part-spherical .

12. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, in which the concave surface of the abutment terminates at two corners which project up and laterally away from the base of the abutment .

13. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elongate head projects from a shaft at least 600 mm long so that the head may be manipulated at ground level without the need for a golfer to bend down.

14. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 13, in which the shaft is in line with the head.

15. A golfing aid as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, in which the head has a connecting section for connecting the shaft with the head.

16. A golfing aid as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 14, in which the head is removably fixable to the shaft.

17. A golfing aid substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.