Patent Application
20140259292
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf equipment. More specifically, it relates to cleaning apparatus for cleaning golf clubs during play.
2. Description of the Related Art
American golfers play nearly 500 million rounds of golf each year. Most modern golf courses incorporate a variety of terrains, including grass, dirt, and sand. As a result, the average golfer's clubs naturally accumulate dirt and other particulate matter throughout a round of golf. When a round is played following rainy weather or before morning dew has evaporated, a golfer's clubs accumulate dirt and mud at an even more rapid rate. Small rocks may also become lodged in the grooves of a club face. As a result, golfers frequently need to clean the faces of their golf clubs during play.
Existing cleaning apparatus include various types of towels and brushes that inconveniently require a golfer to use both hands when cleaning a club. More importantly, they require a golfer to break his or her golf stance. Often times, a golfer will not realize that a club is dirty until the golfer has already approached the ball, taken the time to assume a golf stance, and stared down the shaft of the club towards the face.
Because golfers must assume a precise golf stance on a consistent basis in order to achieve success, many golfers invest up to a full minute or more entering their golf stance and setting up their swing. After having made such an investment, having to break a golf stance, walk over to a towel or brush, clean the face of the club, reassume a golf stance, and refocus on the ball can be frustrating for many golfers. Not only is such a routine time-consuming, but it also forces a golfer to break his or her rhythm. Even more problematic is the fact that a towel or brush may not be readily available at certain holes. In those cases, the golfer is forced to choose between striking the ball with a dirty club face and ruining his or her clothes by using them as a makeshift wiping surface. Because golf is a sport of precise angles, having dirt, mud, or even small rocks lodged in the grooves of the club face negatively impacts the manner in which the club strikes the ball. As a result, a dirty club face can turn a potentially great shot into a disappointing shank. In short, golfers need an improved cleaning device that allows them to a clean golf club without having to break their golfing stance.
The cleaning apparatus of the present invention provides for improved portability of and accessibility to a golf club cleaning apparatus during a round of golf. In some embodiments, the present invention may be integrated directly into a pair of golf pants to form a specialized garment. In other embodiments, the present invention may constitute a stand-alone patch that may be quickly added to or removed from an existing pair of golf pants. The cleaning apparatus is disposed on at least one leg member of a pair of golf pants. For example, the cleaning apparatus may be disposed just below the knee-level area on the left leg member of a pair of golf pants worn by a right-handed golfer. Equipped with the cleaning apparatus, the golfer may properly clean his or her club face without having to break a golf stance. Namely, the golfer need only use one hand to reach the club face over to his or her extended leg and wipe the club on the cleaning apparatus. As a result, the golfer may maintain a constant rhythm and avoid having to break his or her golf stance to go locate a towel or brush.
A one-handed cleaning apparatus for cleaning golf clubs during play is provided. The cleaning apparatus of the present invention provides for improved portability of and accessibility to a golf club cleaning apparatus during a round of golf. In some embodiments, the present invention may be integrated directly into a pair of golf pants to form a specialized garment. In other embodiments, the present invention may constitute a stand-alone patch that may be quickly added to or removed from an existing pair of golf pants. The cleaning apparatus is disposed on at least one leg member of a pair of golf pants. For example, the cleaning apparatus may be disposed just below the knee-level area on the left leg member of a pair of golf pants worn by a right-handed golfer. Equipped with the cleaning apparatus, the golfer may properly clean his or her club face without having to break a golf stance. Namely, the golfer need only use one hand to reach the club face over to his or her extended leg and wipe the club on the cleaning apparatus. As a result, the golfer may maintain his or her rhythm and avoid having to break his or her golf stance to go find a towel or brush.
Each leg member 120 may be made from a first material and may extend from waistband 110 to ankle-level area 160. Golf pants 100 may also include a patch 170 of a second material disposed on at least one of leg members 120. The second material may be coarser than the first material, or the second material may be more porous than the first material. The second material may be capable of providing a cleaning or scrubbing service without sacrificing the overall lightweight pants design that most golfers prefer. In various embodiments, the first material may include cotton, polyester, spandex, or any other suitable material known in the art, while the second material may include burlap, canvas, corduroy, wool, cellulose, foamed plastic, steel wool, velcro, or any other suitable cleaning material known in the art.
Patch 170 may be disposed on either or both of leg members 120 depending on the needs of the particular golfer using pants 100. For example, a right handed golfer will likely prefer that patch 170 be disposed on the leg member 120 oriented to his or her left while the golfer is wearing pants 100. A left handed golfer, on the other hand, will likely prefer to have patch 170 disposed on the leg member 120 oriented to his or her right. Either location places patch 170 on the golfer's forward leg. As a result, the golfer need only bring the face of club forward to reach his or her front leg. Some golfers may prefer to pull the club close to their bodies while cleaning the club. In such cases, patch 170 may be disposed on the opposite leg member 170. In some embodiments, patch 170 may be disposed on both leg members 120. Having patch 170 disposed on both leg members 170 not only allows a pair of pants to suit either a right-handed or left-handed golfer, but it also provides twice as much cleaning surface. Having multiple patches 170 is especially beneficial when playing on muddy or otherwise particularly dirty courses.
In operation, a golfer need only use a single hand to wipe a club face on cleaning apparatus 100. Accordingly, the present invention allows a golfer to properly clean a club without having to break his or her golf stance, go search for a towel or brush, utilize two hands to clean the club using the towel or brush, and reassume the golf stance. In doing so, the present invention spares golfers from a variety of disadvantages presented by towels, brushes, and other golf club cleaning apparatus known in the art. For example, golfers are less likely to become frustrated by dirty clubs when they need not break their rhythm or waste time assuming, breaking, and then reassuming their golf stances to clean the clubs. Additionally, golfers may be less likely to misplace cleaning apparatus 100 because it is disposed on the very pair of pants that travels with them.
In some embodiments, patch 210 may also include a sponsor logo 220. Sponsor logo 220 may be embroidered, painted, screen printed, or impressed into patch 210 using any other suitable method known in the art. Cleaning apparatus 200 may be smaller and more transportable than a normal golf towel or brush. As a result, a golfer may carry numerous cleaning apparatuses along during a single round of play. For example, a golfer may wish to display a first logo-embroidered cleaning apparatus 230 during the first half of a round in accordance with a first sponsorship agreement. The golfer may then wish to display a second logo-embroidered cleaning apparatus 240 during the second half of a round in accordance with a second sponsorship agreement. Because various embodiments of the present invention may be removed and replaced at will, they may also be replaced to provide a new cleaning surface during muddy or otherwise particularly dirty playing conditions.
Additionally, cleaning apparatus 200 may be utilized on garments other than existing golf pants. For example, for golfers that prefer to wear golf shorts over golf pants, cleaning apparatus 200 may be applied to the top of a golf shoe or even an ankle sock.
In operation, a golfer need only use a single hand to wipe a club face on cleaning apparatus 200. Accordingly, the present invention allows a golfer to properly clean a club without having to break his or her golf stance, go search for a towel or brush, utilize two hands to clean the club using the towel or brush, and reassume the golf stance. In doing so, the present invention spares golfers from a variety of disadvantages presented by towels, brushes, and other golf club cleaning apparatus known in the art. For example, golfers are less likely to become frustrated by dirty clubs when they need not break their rhythm or waste time assuming, breaking, and then reassuming their golf stances to clean the clubs. Additionally, golfers may be less likely to misplace cleaning apparatus 200 because when it has been applied to the very pants that travel around with them.
The foregoing detailed description of the technology herein has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the technology and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the technology in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the technology be defined by the claims appended hereto.
