Apparatus for placing and retrieving golf balls and tees

• US 6,348,017 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrick D. Yates
• Original Assignee: Patrick D. Yates
• Inventors: Yates, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/666,887
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 473/284, 473/286, 473/386, 294/19.1, 294/19.2
• US Class Current: 473/386
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/0037 Devices for inserting or extracting tees

Abstract

Apparatus for placing and retrieving golf balls and tees includes a support block forming a recess to receive a tee top. Attached to converging surfaces of the support block are a tee impact plate used to pound a tee into the ground and a golf ball retainer including two arms having spaced ends and defining a recess for holding and carrying a golf ball. In addition, the support block supports a tubular-shaped retainer having an outwardly flared flange at one end thereof, the pick-up member being used to pick-up tees and the flange also serving to retain a golf ball in position between the arms of the golf ball retainer.

Claims

1. Apparatus for placing and retrieving golf balls and tees, said apparatus being of unitary construction and comprising, in combination:

a support block having a front block end and a rear block end and opposed sides, said support block including a plurality of block outer surfaces including a substantially planar first block outer surface and a substantially planar second block outer surface, said first block outer surface and said second block outer surface defining an angle therebetween and converging at said front block end, said support block defining a recess extending inwardly from at least one of said opposed sides for receiving the top end of a tee, and an opening in said first block outer surface communicating with said recess for accommodating the body of a tee when the top end of the tee is in said recess, a tee impact plate mounted on the second block outer surface for pounding a tee into the ground, a golf ball retainer including a pair of golf ball pick-up and retention arms attached to said support block extending from said support block and projecting outwardly away from one of the opposed sides, said golf ball pick-up and retention arms defining a recess for receiving a golf ball and being positioned away from one another a distance less than the diameter of a golf ball, and an elongated handle attached to said support block and extending in a direction away from the rear block end.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a portion of said golf ball retainer is secured between said tee impact plate and said support block.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 additionally comprising a tee pick-up member supported by said support block, said tee pick-up member defining a pick-up member opening for receiving a tee and for retaining the tee after pick-up thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said tee pick-up member comprises a tubular member having spaced open ends.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said tubular member is connected to one of said golf ball pick-up and retention arms and extends laterally relative to one of the sides of said support block and is spaced from said support block.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a projection is formed on said tubular member adjacent to the open end thereof furthest from said support block, said projection engageable by a golf ball received in said recess to resist movement of the golf ball out of said recess.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said projection comprises a flange in the form of a truncated cone extending outwardly from the open end of said tubular member furthest from said support block, said flange diverging in the direction away from said support block.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said opening comprises a slot, said apparatus additionally comprising a reinforcement plate attached to said support block and partially surrounding said slot.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first block outer surface and said second block outer surface form a point at said front block end.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support block is formed of wood and wherein said tee impact plate is formed of metal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first block outer surface and said second block outer surface define an angle of about forty-five degrees therebetween.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said handle extends from the rear block end along a line substantially bisecting the angle defined by said first block outer surface and said second block outer surface.