The present invention relates generally to a golf ball and tee setting apparatus and particularly to such an apparatus which allows the setting of a golf tee into the ground and setting the golf ball on top thereof without the user having to bend over at the waist.
Presently, it is necessary for a golfer to bend at the waist or knees in order to insert a golf tee into the ground and place a golf ball on the tee. Many people enjoy the sport of golf despite having various physical limitations so that the process of teeing up the ball can cause severe physical pain to some golfers, such as elderly golfers or golfers with back or knee problems. For some handicapped golfers, the task of teeing a golf ball is not only difficult but may be impossible.
The present invention provides an apparatus in which an elderly or handicapped golfer with back problems can place a tee into the ground and set a golf ball on top of the tee from a standing position. A number of different types of golf ball and tee placing devices have been provided in the past. The prior art Smith et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,737 shows a golf ball and tee setting device and method which facilitates the setting of a tee into the ground with a ball on top of it without causing the user to bend over at the waist. The Armstrong U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,198 and the Kopfle U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,947 disclose golf ball and tee combinations in which the ball holding mechanism is biased in an upward and open position. They require the user to forcibly hold a trigger or knob to retain the ball and tee combination during a golf ball and tee setting. The Setecka, U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,946, shows a portable adjustable tee and ball positioning device for pressing golf ball tees into the ground at desired positions and to the desired depth and height without the user bending over to manually mount the tee into the ground. The Erickson, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,117 teaches another golf ball and tee placing device in which the golfer may handle a golf ball without having to bend over. The Keller U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,432 is a golf tee and ball setter for non-stooping placement of golf balls and golf tees on site. The Ahner U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,279 is another golf ball tee setting device for setting a golf tee into the ground. The Tobias U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,646 is yet another golf ball tee and placement device as is the Geishert, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,178.
In my prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/454,639 for a Golf ball & Tee Setter Apparatus, a golf ball and tee setting apparatus has an integrated and coordinated golf tee having an elongated bore therethrough which is held onto a prong and allows the golf tee to be set into the ground at a predetermined depth and then allows the other end of the apparatus to place a golf ball on the tee without the golfer to have to bend over.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which:
A golf ball and tee setting apparatus allows a tee to be set in the ground and a golf ball placed thereon without the golfer having to bend over. The golf ball and tee setting apparatus has an elongated shaft having two end portions and a ball supporting member on one end portion of a shaft and a bore in the other end of the elongated shaft. The golf tee has two end portions and a golf ball support surface on one end portion and a generally elongated earth inserting prong on the other end portion. The golf tee has a collar between the end portions thereof and has a generally cylindrical tee holding member on one side of the collar shaped to fit into the elongated shaft elongated bore for releasably holding the golf tee in the elongated bore. The tee can be placed in the elongated bore in the shaft and held therein by the tee-holding member and inserted into the ground by a standing golfer. The golfer can then lift the shaft from the tee and use the ball supporting member on the one end of the shaft to place the ball on the tee. The elongated shaft has a tee lifting tool on the one end which can be used for removing the tee from the earth once the golf ball has been hit. The tee holding member can be of a resilient polymer or the like for press fitting into the bore in the shaft.
Referring to the drawings,
The golfer 11 in
The golf ball and golf tee setter 10, as seen in
The tee 18, as more clearly seen in
Referring to
In
Turning to
The tee support member 48 is inserted in the end 14 of the shaft 10 into the bore 25 for placing the tee 40 into the earth. Thus, the golf tee portion 41 is inserted into the tee holding member 48, slot 50 where it is removably held in a vertical position while the combined golf tee 40 is inserted into the end of the shaft 14 and held by the golf tee holding member 48 while the golf tee is inserted into the ground. The object of the two part tee 40 is to have a light top 41. This is for the golfer who is looking for low resistance when hitting the ball and to help pick a height for the tee. The golfer can do this by cutting shaft 41 to a desired height.
It should be clear at this time that a golf ball and tee setter has been provided which works in conjunction with a matching golf tee. This allows for a golf ball and tee setter of reduced complexity and reduced cost and allows a handicapped or older golfer to play the sport of golf without having to bend over.
However, the present invention is not to be considered limited to the forms shown which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/454,639, filed Jun. 19, 2006 for a Golf ball & Tee Setter Apparatus now abandoned.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1890388 | Kramlik | Dec 1932 | A |
2083175 | Werner | Jun 1937 | A |
2606764 | Mason | Aug 1952 | A |
2609198 | Armstrong | Sep 1952 | A |
2793862 | O'Brien | May 1957 | A |
3889946 | Setecka | Jun 1975 | A |
4466650 | Roedel | Aug 1984 | A |
4951947 | Kopfle | Aug 1990 | A |
4969646 | Tobias | Nov 1990 | A |
5037150 | Vecchi | Aug 1991 | A |
5085431 | McGuire | Feb 1992 | A |
5165744 | Vogrin | Nov 1992 | A |
5306000 | Comella | Apr 1994 | A |
5330178 | Geishert, Sr. | Jul 1994 | A |
5494279 | Ahner | Feb 1996 | A |
5540432 | Keller | Jul 1996 | A |
5718646 | Brewer | Feb 1998 | A |
5759117 | Erickson, Jr. | Jun 1998 | A |
6843737 | Smith et al. | Jan 2005 | B1 |
7422530 | Olaveson | Sep 2008 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20070293354 A1 | Dec 2007 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11454639 | Jun 2006 | US |
Child | 11705083 | US |