Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PLASTIC GOLP TEE
Thi~ invention relates to a golf tee and, in
particular, to a golf tee which is durable, attractive,
easily visible, pleasant to the touch, provides a surface
for personal writing or advertising and which unexpectedly
enables the striker of the golf ball to hit it farther than
an identical ball hit in an identical way from a wooden tee.
Golf tees are well known. They are usually made from
wood but have also been prepared from plastic, rubber and
metal. Generally, they are formed from a single piece of
material and have a very small upper concaved surface for
supporting the ball and a very thin tapered shank pinpointed
at the base for penetrating the ground in the tee box.
Wooden golf tees are easily bro~en and/or lost. It is
estimated that 3-5 wooden tees are bro~en or lost in e~-er~
18 hole round of golf.
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This exi ting condition results in cluttering the golf
cours~ in the vicinity of the teeing area. There has been
very little con~ideration paid to improving this negative
situation which can also contribute to damage to mowers. For
a number of reasons, very little attention has been paid to
providing attractive, durable golf tees that do not break
easily and yet are easily seen from a reasonable distance.
There hae also been very little regard paid to having one's
personalized printed golf tees or golf tees containing
advertisements, other than one line of small type imprinted
on the stem of a wooden tee and which is barely readable.~In
many instances, it would be desirable to have golf tees that
are attractive, durable, and large and bright enough to be
easily seen at a reasonable distance. In many other
instances, it would be preferable to have personalized golf
tees containing one's name or other personal marking or to
have an advertisement thereon. Also, it would be imperative
that a golf tee possessing the above qualities would perform
just as effectively as conventional golf tees. It would be
important likewise that the use of such a golf tee would not
violate the rules of Golf promulgated by the United States
Golf Association (USGA).
Thus, a need exists for golf tees that are attractive,
durable, briqht and large enough to be easil~ seen wi'hin a
reasonable distance, and of such structure that a design,
name, personal marking or advertisement can be placed
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thereon. Such golf tee~ must be at least a~ effective as
conventional golf tees muRt be and not violate the Rules of
golf. It i8 to ~uch golf tees that the instant invention is
directed.
Accordingly, it is a principle object of the present
invention to provide golf tees which cause les~ friction to
the ball when leaving the tee, enabling it to be hit farther
than from a wooden tee.
It is another object of the present invention to
provide golf tees which give better directional control.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide golf tees which are extremely durable and are
clearly visible over greater distances.
It is another further object of the present invention
to provide golf tees having an attractive modern, aero-
dynamic design.
It is another further object of the present invention
to provide golf tees which will minimize damage to the
clubhead face.
It is another further object of the present invention
to provide golf tees which feel good to the touch of the
user similar to lucky stones, steel balls, etc.
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It is another further object of the preqent invention
to provide golf tees which can be useful in many other
situations on the golf course.
The present invention provides
a glossy, bright golf tee made of high impact
plastic, such as high density polyethylene, comprising a
triangular shaped head with its front apex pointing towards
the target and having a slightly concaved area to hold the
ball causing lesq friction to the ball, a sword shaped shaft
wide enough for writingQ, printing-q or markings thereon
and having its front edge sharpened in order to move forward
in the ground, the upper rear of the shaft joining with the
rear side of the rectangular head forming a solid impact
area, the bottom of the shaft having a sharpened point for
easy insertion in the properly prepared tee box areas, and
smooth tapering areas for less resistance upon insertion.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will
become apparent upon referring to the detailed description
of the specific embodiment which follows, taken in conjunction
with the drawings.
In the accompanying drawinqs:
FIG.1 is a side view of the golf tee.
FIG 2. is a front view of the golf tee.
FIG 3. is a rear view of the golf tee.
FIG 4. is a top view of the golf tee.
FIG 5. is a cross sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.
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FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the
invention. FIG.1 depicts a side view of golf tee 10 which is
about three inches high and can be formed from a high impact
molded plastic such as high density polyethylene. Shown in
FIG.1 is the triangular head 12 including side apron 14,
flat rear side 16 and apex 18. Shaft 20 resembles a sword
and has a large flat surface 22, sharpened curved front 24
having three notches 26 progressing upwardly from about one
and one half inch from the bottom and being about one half
an inch apart. The uppermost surface 28 of shaft 22 tapers
upwardly joining side apron 14 of triangular head 12. Ridge
line 30 crests at the juncture of tapering rear shoulder 32
and flat surface 22 of the shaft.The upper rear section 34
of shaft 20 forms a relatively flat surface with the flat
rear side 16 of the triangular head. Progressing downwardly
along a sharpened rear blade the golf tee forms a sharpened
point 36 at the bottom of the tee. Cavity 38 is shown
located in the triangular head.
FIG 2. illustrates a front view of the golf tee showing
the pointed base 36, sharpened front edge 24, notches 26,
apex 18 and ball cavity 38. The sharpened bottom allows the
tee to be inserted easily into a teeing ground which has
~een properly prepared. Notches 26 help to identify the
height of the tee after insertion into the ground. When
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inserted to the lowe~t notch the tee i9 about one and one-
half inches above the ground and when inserted to the
highest notch the tee i9 about one half inch above the
ground. Sharpened front edge 24 provides for the tee to be
easily moved forward through the ground upon impact from the
player's club. The small and shallow cavity 38 permits the
ball to be placed thereon without hazard of ball rolling off
the Tee before being struck by the club. Apex 18 is pointed
in the direction of the target to remind players of the
direction of the flight of the ball. Small and shallow ball
cavity largely eliminates friction to flight of ball when
struck by club adding distance to the flight.
A rear view of the golf tee is depicted in FIG 3.
illustrating pointed base 36, rear shoulder or blade 32,
upper rear shaft 34, rear flat side 16 of triangular head 12
and small ball cavity 38. The narrow rear shoulder or blade
32 assists in allowing the tee to be moved forward through
the ground upon impact with the club and also permits an
increased flat surface for shaft surface 22. The upper rear
shaft surface 34 and triangular head rearside 16 form a
solid impact area for striking with the club head. The
smallness of ball cavity 38,having diameter of about 0.3
inch or less and a depth of about 0.06 inch or less, results
in less friction to the ball ~0, shown in place. The
clubhead speed not only transfers directly to the ball in
compressing it, but through the tee also compressing it,
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then to the ball in milliseconds giving the clubhead mass a
powerful one-two punch thus creating a mighty launching pad,
with a forward and upward thrust to the ball for greater
distance and lift than from a wooden tee.
A top view of the triangular head surface 12 is
depicted on FIG 4. The triangular head is about 13/16 inch
from the center point of the rear side to the front apex,
and about 11/16 inch at its widest point. FIG 5. shows a
cros~ section through lines 5-5 of FIG 1. indicating the
wide sloping flat surface 22 and the narrow sloping shoulder
32 of shaft 20.
The golf-tee of the present invention solves many
problems associated with conventional tees which are either
broken or lost or just left by thoughtless golfers after
stri~ing the ball and remain on the golf course to litter
the ground and damage grounds~eeping mowing equipment.
The follo~ing advantages are obtained by using the
present golf tee.
The smaller ball cavity causes less friction to the
ball enabling it to be hit farther, Energy created by the
clubhead speed in compressing the ball not only transfers
directl~ to the ball but also through the tee to the ball
giving the clubhead mass a powerful one-two punch for
greater distance and lift. It gives better directional
control because of minimal friction of the ball ca~ity ~lus
arroh direction hhich gi~es golf~r a mental and
psychological advantage in hitting the ~all straighter to
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the target. It produce~ a good solid feeling when hitting
the ball. It i8 virtually indestructible and unloseable and
consequently no littering or mowing equipment damage. It
float~ in water which i5 especially important in courses
with many water holes, It will not mar or damage the
clubhead face becau~e of its soft plaqtic construction. It
will not prick a person's thigh when carried in one's
pocket. It feels good to the finger' 8 touch much like lucky
stone~; Chinese steel balls, etc. It is an ideal greens tool
for pecking ball and qpike marks, and then smoothing them
with its broad blade. It i9 good for cleaning spikes, shoes,
soles and clubhead grooves without scratching as metal tools
may do. It is an excellent resting tool for supporting club
grips on wet or damp greens or fairways thereby keeping them
dry. It is less expensive over a period of time than all
other tees because of its proven longevity.
In recent tests conducted at New York University's
Physics Department, it was shown conclusively that a ball
struck from the present golf tee will travel farther than an
identical ball struc~ in an identical way from a wooden tee.
It is suggested that the reason for this is that there
appears to be two contributions to the force of the ball.
The first force is from the club to the ball and a second
force on the ball which arises from the rapid compression
and subsequent expansion of the tee. This second force,
which is non-e~istant when a wooden tee is used, adds to the
first force and increases ~he maqnitude of the resultant
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force on the ball. This second force probably increases the
vertical component of the total force, giving rise to
increased lift of the ball.
Further, it will be apparent to those skilled in the
art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings
that additional modifications and/or changes of the
disclosed embodiments may be made without departure from the
invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that the
foregoing description and accompanying drawings are
illustrative of preferred embodiments only, not limiting,
and that the true spirit and scope of the present invention
be determined by reference to the appended claims.
