Patent ID: 6165082
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A semi-automatic device for teeing golf balls comprising:a playing surface mat comprising a simulated grass surface adhered to a foam rubber backing having two equal sized holes penetrating through said grass surface and foam rubber backing;a rigid U-shaped conduit having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the said holes comprising two vertical runs of equal height and a horizontal run, with one vertical run connected to each end of the horizontal run and with the distance between the vertical centerlines of said conduit being equal to the distance between the centers of the two holes in the playing surface mat, the height of each vertical run being such that the distance between the top of the vertical run and the bottom of the horizontal run is equal to the thickness of the foam rubber backing, said conduit being embedded in said foam rubber backing such that the tops of the vertical runs of the conduit are substantially flush with the top of the foam rubber backing and the bottom of the horizontal run of the conduit is flush with the bottom of the foam rubber backing, and such that the vertical runs directly communicate with the two holes in the playing surface mat so as to create a continuous pathway between the two holes by means of said conduit;a semi-rigid rod positioned within said conduit having a diameter that is slightly less than the inside diameter of the conduit and having a length that exceeds the linear length of the conduit by the desired height that the rod is to extend above the playing surface mat and having such stiffness properties that the rod sidably moves within said conduit when force is applied to either end of the rod and the rod maintains its position within the conduit when force is removed from either end of the rod, and such that the extended section of the rod above the playing surface remains vertical and sufficiently stable to support a golf ball upon its extended end; andtwo concave pedestals formed at each end of the rod.