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Golf tee support apparatus

Golf tee support apparatus description/claims

The present invention relates generally to golf accessories, and more particularly to a golf tee support apparatus for providing protection for golf tees.

The popularity of golf has skyrocketed in the past 20 years. In addition to golf clubs and golf balls a golfer needs a number of golf accessories including golf tees. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a golf tee 10 comprises a main stem 12 with a pointed end 14 which is pushed into the ground to support the golf tee and a fluted head 16 for supporting a golf ball. Golf tees are generally constructed out of wood and are subject to breaking when struck by a golf club. The section of the golf tee 10 that is most prone to breaking is the main stem 12, since the main stem 12 is much thinner than the fluted head 16.

As a result, the typical golfer must purchase a large number of golf tees over the course of a year. In addition to the cost of buying golf tees, there are other environment concerns regarding the use of golf tees. First, considering the number of people who play golf, millions of wooden golf tees must be manufactured each year. Furthermore, many golfers do not bother to pick up their golf tees when they break. As a result, broken golf tees litter every golf course and driving range.

Thus, there is a need for an apparatus to help protect golf tees from breaking thereby reducing the number of tees which need to be purchased as well as providing an apparatus which makes it possible to reuse broken tees.

It is therefore a feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a golf tee support apparatus for helping to protect golf tees from breaking and for providing a way to continue to use some golf tees which have broken.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a golf tee support apparatus for protecting a golf tee is disclosed. The golf tee apparatus comprises a partially hollow sleeve having a closed first end and an open second end. The first end is pointed and adapted for being inserted into the ground during use and the second end is open and adapted for receiving a golf tee wherein at least part of the golf tee is inserted through the second opening and into said hollow sleeve. At least one raised ridge on an inside surface of said hollow sleeve provides a frictional force on part of the golf tee to hold the tee in a desired position when the tee is at least partially inserted into the hollow sleeve.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a golf tee support apparatus for protecting a golf tee is disclosed. The golf tee apparatus comprises a partially hollow sleeve having a closed first end and an open second end. The first end is pointed and adapted for being inserted into the ground during use and the second end is open and adapted for receiving a golf tee wherein at least part of the golf tee is inserted through the second opening and into said hollow sleeve. The inside surface of the partially hollow sleeve is tapered from said second end to the first end, wherein the inside surface of the hollow sleeve apply a frictional force on at least part of a golf tee when a golf tee is inserted into the hollow sleeve.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a known golf tee;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of a golf tee support apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a golf tee inserted into the golf tee support apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a golf tee support apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a golf tee support apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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