Patent Application
20140274434
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to golf flags in general, and more particularly to a system for rapidly replacing the flag on a golf flagstick.
In the game of golf, players seek to hit a ball into a hole defined by a cup embedded in the ground on a manicured lawn or putting green. Each hole is marked by an upstanding flagstick which is removably mounted with respect to the cup. The flagstick may be provided with a wind sensitive flag which is mounted to the flagstick for free rotation. Not only does the flag indicate to the golfer where the hole is located, the orientation of the flag can help the golfer judge the prevailing winds, which will affect the travel of the ball. Because the golfer is driving his ball towards the green from many yards away, the prominent flag can also give information about the configuration of the green, namely the placement of the cup within the green. Different flag designs, for example different colors, can indicate to the golfer the placement of the hole on the green. In one conventional system, a red flag indicates placement towards the front of the green, blue towards the back of the green, and white indicates a hole in the middle of the green. During the course of the golfing season, a hole on a particular green is regularly filled in and a new hole created at a different location, to prevent excessive wear at one region of the green.
A conventional golf flag assembly comprises a fabric rectangle sewn to enclose a plastic flag tube, which has a narrow plastic protruding flange. The fabric rectangle defines a loose flag which extends outwardly from the tube and surrounds the flange. The flanged tube then freely rotates on the flagstick, allowing the flag to be blown about the flagstick by the wind, helping to indicate wind direction to the golfer. The flag tube receives the flagstick therethrough. An acorn cap or similar element is screwed on to a threaded extension of the flagstick which extends above the flag. When it is time to replace a flag, for example due to wear or for repositioning of the cup, the cap is unthreaded, the old flag lifted off the flagstick, and a new flag is slipped over the flagstick. The cap is then screwed in place to retain the flag and still allow for free rotation of the flag on the flagstick.
In my U.S. Pat. No. D489,291, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, I disclosed a golf flag having a stiff plastic flexboard enclosed within a fabric flag sleeve. The flexboard is received within a channel defined between two thin flanges which extend from a plastic tube. The fabric which surrounds the flexboard may be imprinted with a commercial message, allowing the golf flag assembly to be used as an advertising medium on a golf course.
Replacing conventional golf flags when the hole is moved on the green requires a time-consuming process, and also requires an inventory of golf flag assemblies in multiple colors. When sponsored golf flag assemblies, the inventory demands become even greater, as the custom imprinted message flags must be constructed in each of the requisite colors.
What is needed is a golf flag assembly and replacement system which minimizes replacement time and inventory.
The golf flag assembly of this invention facilitates the rapid and economical replacement of golf flags to indicate the varying position of a flagstick with respect to a golf green. The golf flag assembly has a flag tube element with a radially extending stiff flange which extends from the tube wall. A flexible sleeve extends around the flag tube element to overlie the tube wall and the flange, and has an exterior margin with a first part of a two part hook and loop fastener positioned thereon. A flexible loose flag has an inner margin with a strip of the second part of the two part hook and loop fastener. The loose flag is releasably connected to the flag tube element on the sleeve, permitting it to be rapidly removed and replaced with another loose flag of different appearance indicating a different position of the flagstick on the green.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf flag assembly which allows the rapid replacement of a flag with another flag of different appearance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of rapidly replacing golf flags.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf flag assembly which allows the maintenance of a reduced inventory of flags by golf course management.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring more particularly to
A flexible loose flag 58 is made up of a single sheet of flexible fabric material, for example a durable nylon mesh material. The edges of the sheet are turned back and sewn to the sheet to form a hem on all four sides of the rectangular sheet. The flexible loose flag 58 will typically be about 14×20 inches.
The loose flag 58 has an inner margin 60 to which is sewn a strip of loop material 62 of a two part hook and loop fastener, such as VELCRO® fastener manufactured by Velcro USA Inc. A mating strip of hook material 64 of the two part fastener is sewn to an outer margin 66 of the flexible sleeve to overlie portions of the flange. The loose flag is thereby releasably connected to the flexible sleeve attached to the flag tube element.
The flag assembly 20 receives the shaft 42 of a flagstick 44 through the bottom hole 28, and then through the axial opening 26. A narrow diameter threaded element 46 located on the top of the flagstick shaft 42 protrudes through the top hole 30. A nut or acorn fastener 48 is then threadedly engaged with the threaded element 46 to retain the flag assembly 20 on the flagstick 44. The threaded element 46 and fastener 48 are preferably selected such that it is not possible to overtighten the fastener so much as to prevent the flag tube from freely rotating on the shaft 42. It is desirable that the flag assembly be able to turn freely on the shaft to allow the flag to indicate the direction of the wind. The flagstick 44 is received within a cup 52 placed within a hole 50 cut into the grassy turf 54 of the golf green 56.
An alternative embodiment golf flag assembly 68 is shown in
The prior art device 74 has a sleeve 86 which extends around the tube element 22 and which encloses the stiff sheet 84. The sleeve 86 may be formed of any suitable flexible material, for example a durable nylon mesh. The construction of the sleeve 86 may comprise a single extended rectangle of material folded over, with a double seam at top and bottom and at the exterior margin 88 of the sleeve. The sleeve 86 retains a generally rectangular shape due to the internal stiffening provided by the sheet 84. Hence the indicia 72 remains readable and does not collapse like a loose flag when the wind dies down. The prior art device 74 has a loose flag 90, about 12×16 inches, which is fixed, such as by sewn stitching, to the exterior margin 88 of the sleeve.
The alternative embodiment golf flag assembly 68 of the present invention, shown in
The golf flag assemblies 20, 68, of this invention enable a speedy change out of different loose flags when dictated by the turf maintenance requirements of the course, while minimizing the inventory of complete golf flag assemblies a course needs to retain on hand—both of which features contribute to reduced cost.
Consider the practical method of use of the devices of this invention. When at appointed times or as circumstances warrant, the holes on the golf course's greens are relocated, a technician will dig a new hole, install a cup, and move the flag stick from the old hole to the new hole. Should the hole have been moved to a different part of the green, for example from a front part of the green to a rear part, it will be necessary to change the appearance of the loose flag. It is not necessary for the technician to remove the fastener 48 to replace the entire golf flag assembly. Instead the loose flag is separated at the two part fastener and removed from its attachment to the sleeve and the flag tube element, and a different loose flag having a different appearance—for example a different overall color—is attached in its place and attached with the two part fastener, as a fastener of the same type is provided on the replacement loose flag. The removed loose flag may be installed at another location on the course, or may be returned to inventory.
It should be noted that although the two part fastener is described as a hook and loop fastener, other appropriate releasable two part fasteners may be used, for example: a button and button hole fastener, a zipper fastener, a magnetic and ferromagnetic material fastener, and a snap fastener.
It is preferable that the flag tube element be received within a fabric sleeve, and that the loose flag be attached to the sleeve, to maintain an appearance similar to a traditional golf flag assembly, however the loose flag may be attached with two part fastener directly to the flag tube element.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.
