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Magnetic golf ball collecting device

Magnetic golf ball collecting device description/claims

The present invention relates to a device for collecting golf balls and relates particularly to a magnetic golf ball collecting device that permits a golfer to easily pick up a golf ball without having to bend over or straining their knees and back.

Golf is already a very popular recreational sport for many people, and its popularity will continue to increase as the number of retirees in wealthy countries increases. However, for many golfers having to repeatedly bend down to pick up the ball after a putt, or to retrieve a ball when the ball has landed in shrubs, bushes, sand or water, can become a major ordeal as it places considerable strain on their knees and back. This is especially a problem with the elderly, people with arthritis, those with back injuries, those who have had joint replacements (hip or knee) and those with some other sort of restriction in movement.

Prior art devices exist which consist of a pliable plastic tube having an inside diameter slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball, which when pressed down hard on a golf ball grips the ball. Other devices comprise a soft rubber suction cup which functions in a similar manner. Such prior art devices can be attached to the end of a shaft, for example, to the grip of a golf club, so that the device can be used to collect a ball from ground level without bending down. Although such devices generally function in an acceptable manner, they tend to be somewhat bulky and can be difficult to attach to and/or remove from the grip of the golf club. Because the attachment of the device relies on friction or a screw-thread connection, considerable force may be required to attach or remove the device.

The present invention was developed with a view to providing a golf ball collecting device that can be easily attached to and removed from the end of a shaft, such as the grip of a golf club, without the application of undue force.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a magnetic golf ball collecting device comprised of a rubber cup with a magnet attached on the underside of the outer surface of the rubber cup.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a magnetic golf ball collecting device comprising a cup adapted to successfully hold a golf ball therein, the cup incorporating some magnetic material to enable the device to be attached by magnetic force to the end of an elongate object, wherein the elongate object with the device attached thereto can be used to retrieve a golf ball from ground level without having to bend down.

Preferably said magnetic material comprises a first metal disc which is attached to a rear face of the cup. Preferably said elongate object is a golf club, and the golf club handle is provided with some magnetic material in connection therewith. Preferably the magnetic material provided in connection with the handle comprises a second metal disc which is attached to the top end of the handle grip. Preferably said first and second metal discs are both magnets, which are attached to the cup and the grip respectively with opposite poles facing outwards, so that when the first and second metal discs are brought into close proximity they attract each other and the device is held on the grip by magnetic attraction.

Advantageously, the golf club collecting device may further comprise a golf ball marker, also made from magnetic material, for marking the location of a golf ball on a putting green when the ball is removed to permit other players to putt. Preferably said golf ball marker comprises a third metal disc which can also be attached to the handle of the golf club by magnetic attraction, and which can be placed on the green or picked up from the green without bending down using the golf club. Preferably said third metal disc is also a magnet which can be held on the handle grip between the first and second discs.

Preferably the golf ball collecting device may further comprise an accessory comprising a clip adapted to slide onto a belt or the edge of a bag and having some magnetic material incorporated therein, wherein the cup and/or the marker can be attached to the accessory by magnetic force. Preferably said clip is made of resilient material and comprises a substantially planar member in a U-shaped configuration, having a gap between facing surfaces of a size to accommodate the thickness of a belt or fabric snugly therein. Preferably at least of one of said facing surfaces is provided with one or more protrusions adapted to grip the belt or fabric between the facing surfaces.

Preferably said cup comprises a substantially hemispherical concave surface having an inner diameter similar in size to the outer diameter of a golf ball. Preferably said cup further comprises an annular protrusion extending inwards around the circumference of the cup and adapted to grip the outer surface of the golf ball. Preferably said cup is made from a suitable resilient material and is shaped to hold a golf ball therein by friction between the annular protrusion and the surface of the golf ball. Alternatively, the annular protrusion is made from a suitable resilient material and the golf ball is held in the cup by friction between the annular protrusion and the surface of the golf ball.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf accessory in the form of a clip adapted to slide onto a belt or the edge of a bag and having some magnetic material incorporated therein, wherein a cup and/or a marker incorporating some magnetic material can be attached to the accessory by magnetic force, the cup being adapted to successfully hold a golf ball therein.

Preferably the clip is made of resilient material and comprises a substantially planar member in a U-shaped configuration, having a gap between facing surfaces of a size to accommodate the thickness of a belt or fabric snugly therein.

Preferably at least of one of said facing surfaces is provided with one or more protrusions adapted to grip the belt or fabric between the facing surfaces.

Throughout this specification the term “magnetic material” will be understood to refer to any suitable material having the properties of a magnet, or capable of being attracted by, or acquiring the properties of, a magnet.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Likewise the word “preferably” or variations such as “preferred”, will be understood to imply that a stated integer or group of integers is desirable but not essential to the working of the invention.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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