Abstract:
A golf glove including a tab which spans a slit on a back portion of the glove has a removable ball marker connected to the tab. A top surface of a ball marker is substantially flush with a ridge on the tab. A rubber insert having a hole therein receives a back surface of the ball marker within a recessed portion defined within the ridge. A socket is located within the hole of the rubber insert to receive a prong which is connected to the back surface of the ball marker.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to golf gloves, and more particularly golf gloves with a removable ball marker attached thereto. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Golf gloves of various designs have been manufactured for many years. Most golf gloves have a slit or spacing between two sections extending along the back of the glove and thus along the back of a user&#39;s hand which allows the user the ability to insert his or her hand into the golf glove with the fingers in the finger portions of the glove by spreading or opening the slit. Once the fingers are in position, the glove is then tightened about the user&#39;s hand by pulling the two sections together and securing the glove such as by a connecting tab extending between the sections across the slit. The tab is usually sewn to one section at one side of the slit and may utilize a hooks and loops connection, with one of the hooks or loops connected to the tab and the other connected to the glove at the section at the other side of the slit. Accordingly, the tab may be pulled to close the slit and the connection made between the sections to secure the glove to fit about the user&#39;s hand. 
     A number of years ago, golf glove manufacturers began to provide removable ball markers attached to the golf glove. These removable markers operate in a similar as “snap” connectors in clothing. The glove is equipped with the female connection portion, or socket, and the marker has a cooperating male fitting, or stud, on its back. The female connector is almost always located at the base of the glove near the wrist of the user and is usually located close to the slit and on the side of the slit where the tab is sewn to the glove near the wrist of the user at the small finger side of the glove. This position for some golfers may be somewhat awkward. 
     Moreover, in the traditional snap construction, a prong member is placed within the glove and the barbs extend through the glove. The socket member is then placed on top of the barbs and pressure is applied to secure the prong to the socket. The socket remains extending a distance beyond the outside surface of the glove. Accordingly, when the stud member is connected to the socket member, it also extends a distance beyond the exterior glove surface along with the connected ball marker. Because the ball marker extends in an unprotected manner with its bottom surface exposed above an exterior surface of the glove, it may get snagged on clothing or other items. This could result in a number of problems for the golfer including the possible inadvertent and unknowing loss of the ball marker. 
     Although the prior art locating of ball markers on gloves has a number of advantages, improvements can still be made. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a golf glove with a detachable ball marker which is on the connecting tab and may be protected in an advantageous configuration. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a ball marker which resists inadvertent detachment from the glove. 
     Accordingly, a golf glove including a tab has a removable ball marker connected thereto. A top surface of a ball marker preferably is substantially flush with a ridge on the tab. A rubber insert having a hole therein receives a back surface of the ball marker within a recess defined within the ridge. A socket is located within the hole of the rubber insert to receive a prong which is connected to the back of the ball marker. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a glove constructed in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a back elevational view of the glove of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the tab shown in FIG. 2 with the detachable ball marker removed; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along line A—A of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a ball marker removed from the glove of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 is the cross sectional view of FIG. 4 with the ball marker connected to the tab. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show the preferred embodiment of a golf glove  10  having a covering  11  with four fingers  12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , thumb  20 , a palm portion  22  and a back portion  24 . Although complete fingers  12 , 14 , 16 , 18  and thumb  20  are illustrated, fingertips, or other portions of the digits could be exposed through openings  26  or otherwise. Additionally, the illustrated golf glove  10  has been constructed in a Gunn cut fashion. Other golf glove construction techniques could also be utilized. 
     Regardless of the style of golf glove utilized, the golf glove  10  includes a back portion  24  which connects to the palm portion  22  and is opposite to the palm portion  22 , extending along a back of a golfer&#39;s hand when worn. The back portion  24  usually has a slit  28  which separates a first back section  30  from a second back section  32 . Although the slit  28  is illustrated centered on the back portion  24 , this need not necessarily be the case. The slit  28  could even begin on the palm portion  22  and extend to the back portion  24 . Other designs may include elastic webbing between the first and second back sections  30 , 32  or otherwise allow for the displacement of the first and second back sections  30 , 32  relative to one another so that the slit  28  may not be present in all golf glove designs. 
     When utilized, the edges of the slit  28  are typically spread apart to allow the golfer to put the golf glove  10  on his or her hand as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. After putting the golf glove  10  on the hand, the first back section  30  is brought towards the second back section  32 . This may be done by pulling on tab  34 . This provides a “fit” of the golf glove  10  about the golfer&#39;s wrist  36 , and hand, as illustrated. The tab  34  is illustrated connected to the first back section  30  by being sewn to the first back section  30 . Of course there are other techniques known in the art that can be utilized to connect the first back section  30  and the tab  34 . 
     The tab  34  has an exterior surface  38  shown in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  and an interior surface  40  shown in FIG.  4 . The tab  34  also has a first connector portion  42  shown in FIG. 4 which cooperates with second connector portion  44  shown in FIG. 2 on the second back section  32 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the connector portions  42 , 44  are loops and hooks, respectively. The hooks and loops connection is commonly utilized to provide a detachable, and then reattachable connection for golf glove tabs. Other first and second connector portions  42 , 44  known in the art may also be utilized. 
     FIG. 2 shows a ball marker  46  connected to the tab  34  of the golf glove  10 , while FIGS. 3 and 4 show the tab  34  with the ball marker  46  removed. Referring primarily to FIGS. 3 and 4, the exterior surface  38  of the tab  34  has a ridge  48  which is located a distance above, or beyond, a first recessed portion  50 , or well. Preferably, the ridge  48  surrounds the recessed portion  50  as illustrated. Ridge walls  52  extend from the ridge  48  into the recessed portion  50 . An insert  54 , such as rubber insert illustrated, provides a resting surface  56  for receiving the ball marker  46  when it is connected to the golf glove  10 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a ball marker  46  having an upper surface  58 , the lower surface  60  is obscured from view in FIG. 5 but is visible in FIG.  6 . The upper surface  58  has been stamped or embossed with a bar  62  which is representative of a design, logo, trademark, name or indicia which may be provided on a ball marker  46 . The bar  62  may be raised to extend a distance above the upper surface  58  of the ball marker  46 , level with or recessed a distance below the upper surface  58 . A rim  64  may also extend a distance above or below the upper surface  58  of the ball marker  46 . Aside surface  66  is shown extending at least partially around a perimeter of the ball marker  46 . 
     A stud  68  extends from the lower surface  60  of the ball marker  46 . The stud  68  may be integrally formed with the ball marker  48 , or may be connected to the lower surface  60 . The stud  68  is a third connector portion which at least assists in retaining the ball marker  48  connected to the golf glove  10 . Other third connector portions could include the side surface  66  contacting the ridge wall  52 , or any other connection technique known in the art that would allow for detachment and subsequent reattachment, including magnets or other connector portions. 
     The third connector portion, illustrated as stud  68 , preferably cooperate with fourth connector portion, illustrated as socket  70  in FIGS.  3 , 4 , and  6 . The socket  70  is retained in position utilizing prong member  72  as is known in the art. Other fourth connector portions which cooperate with the third connector portion including magnets or other devices could be utilized. In that case, the insert  54  may be a magnet and function as the fourth connector portion. 
     The insert  54  preferably includes a second recessed portion  74 , illustrated as a hole in the insert  54 . This allows the resting surface  56  to be at, or above the fourth connector portion, or socket  70 , illustrated. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the lower surface  60  of the ball marker can rest against the resting surface  56  when the third and fourth connector portions are connected. Additionally, the lower surface  60  of the ball marker  46  is located below the ridge  48 . The upper surface of the ball marker  46  is also preferably located at or below the ridge  48 . Furthermore, the bar  62 , or the tallest portion of the ball marker  62 , whichever is taller, is shown in FIG. 6 as being located at or below the ridge  48  when the ball marker  46  is connected to the tab  34 . By locating the lower surface  60  below the ridge  48 , it is less likely that the ball marker  46  may be snagged inadvertently and lost. By locating the upper surface  58  at or below the ridge  48 , there is even less of an opportunity to inadvertently disconnect the ball marker  46  from the glove  10 . 
     The side surface  66  of the ball marker  46  preferably abuts, adjoins, or is at least located close, to the ridge wall  52 . Very little, if any of the insert  54  is preferably visible. This construction has been found to provide a professional configuration. Accordingly, the perimeter of the ball marker  46  is proximate to a perimeter of the ridge  48 . 
     By utilizing standard third and fourth connector portions are utilized, such as studs  68  and sockets  70 , i.e., male and female couplers, ball markers  46  may be sold independently of the golf gloves  10 . This would provide the opportunity for “custom” gloves to be sold at a fraction of the costs of having small runs of custom gloves. A standard glove may be made, and the ball markers may be custom made to provide a custom product. The ball markers  46  are preferably on the order of about one inch so that an identifiable representation may be provided on the upper surface  58  and/or the bar  62 , if utilized. 
     While the invention has been described above with respect to certain embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Numerous alternations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.