Patent ID: 6939239
Filing Date: 2005-09-06
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A protective apparatus for attachment to a golf flagstick, comprising: a substantially rigid generally circular body encompassing a golf flagstick and attached to the flagstick through a means for attachment, the circular body formed by joining first and second substantially rigid generally semicircular bodies about the flagstick; the first and second semicircular bodies each having a semicircular outside edge defining a composite generally circular outside edge disposed about the flagstick at a point along the length of the flagstick chosen to align the composite outside edge with an inner surface of a cylindrical golf-hole cup when the flagstick is positioned within the golf-hole cup, said composite outside edge having an edge radius less than an inner surface radius of the golf-hole cup; the first semicircular body having a first semicircular upper rim and the second semicircular body having a second semicircular upper rim, the first and second semicircular upper rims defining a composite protective structure circular upper rim, the composite upper rim defining a circular flagstick aperture about the flagstick; the first and second semicircular bodies each having a semi-conical downwardly oriented upper surface for defining a composite protective structure top surface having a generally downward conical shape defined between the composite upper rim and the composite circular outside edge, with the composite upper rim located higher along the flagstick relative to the outside edge; and a means for connecting the first semicircular body to the second semicircular body; wherein flexion of the flagstick positioned within the golf-hole cup generally horizontally causes contact of the composite outside edge with the golf-hole cup, said protective structure thereby preventing further deflection of the flagstick into contact with the golf-hole cup or a rim of a putting surface encompassing the golf-hole cup and disposed above an upper rim of the golf-hole cup.