Golf tool for use with a golf club

Abstract

The golf tool is for use with a golf club having a ball striking club head mounted to an elongated shaft, with a portion of the shaft having a hand grip secured about a portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft and including an aperture in the shaft in the portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft. The golf tool is adapted to closely fit at least partially within the aperture and includes a cylindrical housing member, a prong member, and a prong locking means. The golf tool can be used as a golf green repair apparatus for repairing divots on a golf green with the prong member and to support the golf club in an upright position by penetrating the ground with the prong member.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/592,031, filed Jul. 28, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to golf tools, and more specifically to a golf tool that is attached to the shaft of a golf club and can be used to repair divots and support the club in an upright position in the ground.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] When a golf ball lands on a green, it often causes a divot in the golf green, with a raised edge portion extending at least partially around the divot created by the ball. These divots can be encountered by subsequent golfers and can caused putted balls to be deflected from their desired paths. Therefore, golfing etiquette requires the player who created the divot to repair the green.

[0006] A common method employed to repair such ball marks on the green is for the golfer to use a two-pronged fork, commonly called a "ball mark tool", to dig into the ground surface surrounding the divot and pry the earth near the surface inwardly toward the area of the divot. With this method, the golfer must kneel down or bend down far enough to reach the surface of the putting green and must often apply substantial force to the tool to repair the divot, making it a more physically exerting process.

[0007] Additionally, it is common for a golfer to carry two or more clubs to the location of a shot in order to avoid returning to their bag to obtain the clubs needed to make subsequent shots. For example, a golfer chipping from just off the green may take both his wedge and a putter to the shot location so that, after he has chipped onto the green, he can proceed to his putt with his putter already in hand. However, these additional clubs must be laid on the ground when not in use and require one to bend over and pick it up once it is time to move on.

[0008] What is needed is a golfing tool that can be attached to the shaft of any golf club that allows the user to repair divot marks on greens without bending over or kneeling down. In addition, the tool should allow the golfer to place the club in the ground in an upright position when the club is not in use.

[0009] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a golf tool for use with a golf club solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The golf tool of the present invention is for use with a golf club having a ball striking club head mounted to an elongated shaft, with a portion of the shaft having a hand grip secured about a portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft and including an aperture in the shaft in the portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft.

[0011] The tool includes a cylindrical housing member, a prong member, and a prong locking means. The cylindrical housing member is adapted to fit closely inside the aperture located within the shaft of the golf club. The cylindrical housing member is inserted in the shaft such that a portion of it extends beyond the opposite end of the shaft, this portion containing an elongated slot in the cylindrical housing member. The cylindrical housing member may have two or more different outside diameters, each different outside diameter corresponding to a standard aperture size found in a standard sized shaft The prong member is secured within the cylindrical housing member allowing extension of the prong member through the elongated slot such that the prong member extends from the opposite end of the shaft. The prong locking device is for securing the prong member within the elongated slot in the cylindrical housing member in an operable position. The prong locking means can be a fastener secured through the cylindrical housing member and the prong member normal to the elongated slot. The cylindrical member can be provided with a cavity for closely receiving the fastener and the prong member can have hole through which the fastener passes, facilitating the securing of the prong member to the cylindrical housing member.

[0012] The golf tool can be used as a golf green repair apparatus for repairing divots on a golf green with the prong member and to support the golf club in an upright position by penetrating the ground with the prong member.

[0013] These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf tool attached to the shaft of a golf club according to the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a golf tool for use with a golf club according to the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is top view of a cylindrical housing member for a golf tool for use with a golf club according to the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a side view of a cylindrical housing member for a golf tool for use with a golf club according to the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a side view of a prong member for a golf tool for use with a golf club according to the present invention.

[0019] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The present invention is a golf tool for use with a golf club, designated generally as 10 in the drawings.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, golf tool 10 includes cylindrical housing member 20, prong member 30, and prong locking means 40. Golf tool 10 is adapted to attach to any standard golf club having a ball striking club head 12, an elongated shaft 14, and a hand grip 16 secured about a portion of shaft 14 at an end opposite club head 12. Golf tool 10 is attached to the golf club at this opposite end through hand grip 16 and into shaft 14.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows prong cylindrical housing member 20, prong member 30, and prong locking means 40. Cylindrical housing member 20 is designed to fit closely within aperture 18 in the end of the golf club shaft through hand grip 16. Cylindrical housing member may have one or more outer diameters for fitting the aperture. In the preferred embodiment, cylindrical housing member 20 has four different outer diameters, first outer diameter 90, second outer diameter 92, third outer diameter 94, and fourth outer diameter 96. Outer diameters 90, 92, 94, and 96 allow one tool to be used on a variety of different sized standard golf club shafts with different sized apertures 18. In this manner, cylindrical housing member 20 can be press fit into aperture 18 creating a tight connection that will prevent the tool from jarring loose from the golf club.

[0023] Cylindrical housing member 20 is also provided with an elongated slot 22 in a wall thereof. Elongated slot 22 is designed to receive prong member 30 in a close fit manner. In the preferred embodiment, prong member 30 is a two-pronged fork resembling a standard golf divot repair tool. Prong member 30 is secured to cylindrical housing member 20 with the use of prong locking means 40. Prong locking means 40 is secured through the cylindrical housing member 20 and prong member 30 normal to elongated slot 22. Prong locking means 40 can any type of fastener including, but not limited to, a pin, bolt, or screw. In the preferred embodiment, prong locking means 40 is a self-tapping screw.

[0024] To more easily accommodate fastener 40, the preferred embodiment includes a cavity 24 within cylindrical housing member 20 and a hole 32 within prong member 30. With prong member 30 in the engaged and operable position within elongated slot 22 in cylindrical housing member 20, hole 32 is aligned with cavity 24, allowing fastener 40 to pass through and hold the tool firmly in place.

[0025] FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 show cylindrical housing member 20 and prong member 30. Cylindrical housing member 20 may be provided with varying outer diameters 90, 92, 94, and 96 for accommodating a variety of golf club shaft sizes with varying aperture sizes. Golf club shafts generally come in four standard sizes or diameters, yielding the possibility that when the aperture is created in the shaft for receiving the tool, there will also be four different sized apertures. Outside diameters 90, 92, 94, and 96 allow cylindrical housing member 20 to be press fit into any of these golf club shafts, providing a tool that is universal.

[0026] Elongated slot 22 is provided in cylindrical housing member 20 for receiving prong member 30. Cavity 24 passes through cylindrical housing member 20 and is normal to elongated slot 22. When prong member 30 is in an operable position within cylindrical housing member 20, hole 32 is aligned with cavity 24. Cavity 24 is designed to completely receive prong locking means 40 (not shown).

[0027] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. In combination with a golf club having a ball striking club head mounted to an elongated shaft and a portion of the shaft having a hand grip secured about a portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft and including an aperture in the shaft in the portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft, a golf tool, comprising: a cylindrical housing member secured within the aperture in the shaft and extending a distance beyond the opposite end of the shaft, the cylindrical housing member including an elongated slot in a wall thereof; a prong member secured within the cylindrical housing member allowing extension of the prong member through the elongated slot such that the prong member extends from the opposite end of the shaft; and a prong locking means for securing the prong member within the elongated slot in the cylindrical housing member in an operable position.

2. The golf tool according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing member is provided with two or more different outside diameters, each different outside diameter corresponding to a standard aperture size found in a standard sized shaft.

3. The golf tool according to claim 1, wherein the prong locking means is a fastener secured through the cylindrical housing member and the prong member normal to the elongated slot.

4. The golf tool according to claim 3, wherein the cylindrical housing member is provided with a cavity for closely receiving the fastener.

5. The golf tool according to claim 4, wherein the prong member is provided with a hole through which the fastener passes.

6. The golf tool according to claim 5, wherein the fastener is a self-tapping screw.

7. The golf tool according to claim 1, wherein the golf tool is used as a golf green repair apparatus for repairing divots on a golf green with the prong member.

8. The golf tool according to claim 1, wherein the golf tool is used to support the golf club in an upright position by penetrating the ground with the prong member.

9. In combination with a golf club having a ball striking club head mounted to an elongated shaft and a portion of the shaft having a hand grip secured about a portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft and including an aperture in the shaft in the portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft, a golf tool, comprising: a cylindrical housing member secured within the aperture in the shaft and extending a distance beyond the opposite end of the shaft, the cylindrical housing having two or more different outside diameters, each different outside diameter corresponding to a standard aperture size found in a standard sized shaft, the cylindrical housing member including an elongated slot in a wall thereof; a prong member secured within the cylindrical housing member allowing extension of the prong member through the elongated slot such that the prong member extends from the opposite end of the shaft; and a prong locking means for securing the prong member within the elongated slot in the cylindrical housing member in an operable position, the prong locking means being a fastener secured through the cylindrical housing member and the prong member normal to the elongated slot.

10. The golf tool according to claim 9, wherein the cylindrical housing member is provided with a cavity for closely receiving the fastener.

11. The golf tool according to claim 10, wherein the prong member is provided with a hole through which the fastener passes.

12. The golf tool according to claim 11, wherein the fastener is a self-tapping screw.

13. The golf tool according to claim 9, wherein the golf tool is used as a golf green repair apparatus for repairing divots on a golf green with the prong member.

14. The golf tool according to claim 9, wherein the golf tool is used to support the golf club in an upright position by penetrating the ground with the prong member.

15. In combination with a golf club having a ball striking club head mounted to an elongated shaft and a portion of the shaft having a hand grip secured about a portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft and including an aperture in the shaft in the portion of the shaft adjacent to an opposite end of the shaft, a golf tool, comprising: a cylindrical housing member secured within the aperture in the shaft and extending a distance beyond the opposite end of the shaft, the cylindrical housing having two or more different outside diameters, each different outside diameter corresponding to a standard aperture size found in a standard sized shaft, the cylindrical housing member including an elongated slot in a wall thereof, the cylindrical housing member including a cavity there through, the cavity being normal to the elongated slot; a prong member secured within the cylindrical housing member allowing extension of the prong member through the elongated slot such that the prong member extends from the opposite end of the shaft, the prong member having a hole there through, the hole being in alignment with the cavity through the cylindrical housing member; and a prong locking means for securing the prong member within the elongated slot in the cylindrical housing member in an operable position, the prong locking means being a fastener, the fastener fitting closely within the cavity in the cylindrical housing member and passing through the hole in the prong member.

16. The golf tool according to claim 15, wherein the fastener is a self-tapping screw.

17. The golf tool according to claim 15, wherein the golf tool is used as a golf green repair apparatus for repairing divots on a golf green with the prong member.

18. The golf tool according to claim 15, wherein the golf tool is used to support the golf club in an upright position by penetrating the ground with the prong member.