Abstract:
A golf club carrier which attaches either to a garment, or to a belt, worn by the golfer. The device secures a limited number of clubs, typically 3-4 near the waist of the golfer. The attachment means is rotatably attached to the golf club carrier such that when the golfer kneels down to retrieve a ball, or prepare for the next shot, the golf clubs will pivot backwards such that the club handles do not come in contact with the ground. The golf club carrier is attachable to the golfer&#39;s garment, or belt, such that the clubs which are not being used are positioned out of the swing path of the golfer so that the golfer can swing the club without interference from the clubs which are not being used

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates in general to a golf club carrier, and more particularly, it relates to golf club carrier capable of holding a limited number of clubs and being attached to an individual&#39;s garment. 
         [0003]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0004]    When playing golf, many golfers prefer to use electric carts during play. While the carts greatly reduce the effort required to play a round of golf, they are also subject to restrictions on many golf courses. In particular, when the golfer drives the ball onto the fairway, the golfer will typically have to use short irons to reach the green. However, depending on ground conditions on the fairway, the course may restrict the use of powered vehicles such as golf carts in certain areas. As a result, carts are typically driven along cart paths to the closest point on the golf cart path to the ball which lies in the fairway. At that point, the golfers will carry the necessary club or clubs to the ball in the middle of the fairway. Depending on the location of the ball on the fairway, the golfer will typically carry anywhere from one to three clubs. Typically, a middle iron, a short iron, and a putter. 
         [0005]    In addition to the inconvenience associated with carrying multiple clubs, there are other disadvantages to this practice. In particular, the clubs which are not being used for typically laid on the ground while the golfer uses the selected club to hit the golf ball. As a result, the clubs may get dirty which requires work on the golfers&#39; to clean them. More important, golfers frequently forget a club on the fairway which results in the disruption to their game when they have to retrieve it, and/or the loss of the club. It would be desirable to a way to avoid the foregoing problems, which are caused by carrying multiple clubs manually, during the normal course of play. 
         [0006]    One attempt to address this problem has been the development of small handheld club carriers. These handheld club carriers typically attached to a conventional golf bag. They are designed to hold a small number of clubs for use on the fairway. When the golfer is preparing to advance the ball in the fairway, the golfer would detach the club carrier and carry it to the middle of the fairway. While making it more difficult to lose a club, these carriers typically lay on the ground while the golfer is addressing the ball. As a result the same problems associated with dirt occur when using these small handheld carriers. In addition, in the golfer is preparing to walk out to the golf ball on the fairway, the golfer has to stop and select a needed clubs, and then insert them into the carrier. It would be desirable to have a way to quickly select the clubs which are needed, to carry them to the fairway, but to also carry them in such a fashion as to keep the club head clean for later use. 
         [0007]    Other carriers have been designed to allow them to offer to place clubs in a standing position. However, these devices use the clubs themselves as links to support the device, which results in either the club head or the club handle becoming dirty or wet. 
         [0008]    Still other carriers have been designed to be carried by a strap secured to the golfer&#39;s shoulder. However, while these devices keep the clubs clean, they also create a significant disadvantage because they interfere with the golfers swing. As a result, the golfer has a more convenient method of carrying clubs, but the club carrier itself makes the golfer play poorer. 
         [0009]    Yet another attempt to keep clubs off the ground has been the development of clips which attach to the club, and which provide a spike in this press into the ground to secure the club and a generally vertical position. These devices typically support only a single club. Therefore, they cannot address all situations where a player may take more than two clubs at a time. Further, a spike used by the device cannot always be used. In particular, most golf courses have fairly rigid rules about what can be done when playing on the green. The use of spikes to hold up golf clubs on a green would be unacceptable to most golf courses to do the damage they would cause to the green. 
         [0010]    While the prior art has attempted to provide a convenient way to carry multiple clubs from a golf cart to the fairway, it has failed to provide a simple and convenient method of carrying clubs do you fairway which allows the golfer to avoid losing clubs, to keep the clubs away from ground contact and thereby keep them clean, and to keep the clubs in a convenient and easy to reach place without interfering with the golfer&#39;s swing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    This invention provides a golf club carrier which attaches either to a garment, or to a belt, worn by the golfer. The golfer club carrier has attachment means to secure a limited number of clubs, typically 3-4 near the waist of the golfer. The attachment means is rotatably attached to the golf club carrier such that when the golfer kneels down to retrieve a ball, or prepare for the next shot, the golf clubs will pivot backwards such that the club handles do not come in contact with the ground. The golf club carrier further attaches to the golfer&#39;s garment, or belt, such that the clubs which are not being used are positioned out of the swing path of the golfer so that the golfer can swing the club without interference from the clubs which are not being used. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is designed to slide under the belt of the golfer, or can be inserted inside the waistband of the golfer&#39;s slacks. It has a substantially vertical section which rests adjacent the body of the golfer, and a substantially horizontal extension to which the golf clubs are secured. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1A . 
           [0014]      FIG. 1C  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates optional golf club gripping surfaces. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1D  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates the golf club carrier with several golf clubs attached. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1E  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates the golf club carrier with a golf club attached. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a front view of an alternative preferred embodiment of a golf club carrier with rotating golf club holders. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates the golf club carrier secured to a garment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2C  is a top transparent view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates the golf club holders rotatably secured to the golf club carrier. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2D  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates a golf club attached to a golf club holder on the golf club carrier. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2E  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates several golf clubs attached to golf club holders in the golf club carrier. The golf club holders are rotated at an angle to prevent the golf club handles from contacting the ground. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier. This embodiment illustrates golf club holders with alternative structures, and which are secured to the golf club carrier via carriage bolts. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier which secures to a golfer&#39;s belt. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club holder used with the golf club carrier. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5C  is a top view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club holder illustrated in  FIG. 5B . 
           [0027]      FIG. 5D  is a bottom view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-C . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0028]    Prior to a discussion of the figures, an overview of the invention will be presented. The invention provides inconveniently attachable golf club carrier which secures to the belt or waistband of a golfer. The golf club carrier is designed to assist the golfer on the golfer is hitting a ball from the fairway. The device allows the golfer to select a limited number of clubs and to attach them to golf club holders on the side of the golf club carrier. When the golfer reaches the golf ball, the desired club is snapped out of a golf club holder. The other clubs are positioned away from the ground to keep them clean, and also positioned such that they do not interfere with the golfer&#39;s swing. 
         [0029]    The device provides several advantages for golfer. In particular it avoids all the work associated with keeping the clubs clean. In the prior art, clubs usually wind up on the ground where they become wet or dirty. By keeping the clubs away from the ground, the inconvenience of cleaning them is eliminated. More important, golfers often forget to pick up a club when they are carrying several clubs to the middle of the fairway. Losing a club is not only aggravating to the golfer, it can also be very expensive depending on the type of club. The golf club carrier provided herein reduces this risk because the golfer never lays the clubs on the ground. They are always attached to the golf club carrier when not in use. 
         [0030]    While positioning a golf club carrier on the belt or waistband of the golfer, the golf clubs are held out of the swing path of the golfer. As a result, they do not interfere with the golfer&#39;s game. This is a substantial advantage over prior art devices whose weight and size would not allow a normal golf swing. 
         [0031]    Another advantage provided by the invention is the provision of rotatable golf club holders. Because the golf club holders are rotatable, they allow the golf clubs to be swung out of the way when a golfer kneels down to repair damage to the fairway surface or to pick up a golf ball. 
         [0032]    Having discussed the invention in general, we turn now to a detailed discussion of the drawings. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1 . This embodiment uses a substantially vertical panel  2  which is designed to lie adjacent to the golfer&#39;s body. The vertical panel  2  is designed to slide under the belt of the golfer, or can be inserted inside the waistband of the golfer&#39;s slacks. In addition, it has a substantially horizontal extension  3  to which golf clubs  6 - 8  (illustrated below in regard to  FIG. 1D ) may be secured. Also shown are golf club slots  4 . When a golf club  6 - 8  is secured to the golf club holder  1 , its shaft  9  (illustrated below in regard to  FIG. 1D ) is inserted into golf club slot  4 . 
         [0034]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that the golf club carrier  1  can be fabricated from any suitable material, such as metal, plastics, wood, etc. The only requirement is that the material used a suitable for its task. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . This figure further illustrates the vertical panel  2  and the horizontal extension  3 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 1C  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . this figure shows the horizontal extension  3  and further illustrates the golf club slots  4  which are designed to accept the shafts  9  of the golf clubs  6 - 8 . 
         [0037]    This figure also illustrates optional golf club gripping surfaces  5 . Preferably, optional golf club gripping surfaces  5  provide an anti-slip surface to secure the golf clubs  6 - 8  in the golf club carrier  1 . As discussed above, the golf club carrier  1  can be fabricated from any suitable material. In the case where golf club carrier  1  is fabricated from a rubberized material, golf club gripping surfaces  5  would be unnecessary because the horizontal extension  3  itself would provide a suitable non-slip surface. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1D  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates the golf club carrier with several golf clubs attached. 
         [0039]      FIG. 1E  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates the golf club carrier  1  with golf clubs  6 - 8  attached. 
         [0040]    While the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-E  has the simplest structure, it should be noted that it also provides limited rotational motion for golf clubs  6 - 8 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 1E  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . This figure also illustrates the golf club carrier  1  with golf clubs  6 - 8  attached. In addition, this figure illustrates the vertical panel  2  of the golf club carrier  1  inserted under the belt  10  of the golfer. For ease of illustration, the golf club carrier  1  is shown attached to a golfer&#39;s belt. However, but those skilled in the art will recognize that it can just as easily be slipped under the waistband of the golfer&#39;s slacks. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2A  is a front view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  with rotatable golf club holders  12 . In addition to vertical panel  2 , this view also illustrates a second vertical panel  11  which is designed to provide an attachment point for rotatable golf club holders  12 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates the golf club carrier  1  secured to a golfer&#39;s belt  10 . As noted above, vertical panel to could just as easily have been secured to the waistband of the golfer slacks. 
         [0044]    Also shown in this figure is the attachment mechanism  13  which extends through an aperture in second vertical panel  11  and secures rotatable golf club holder  12  to second vertical panel  11 . This embodiment uses a dovetail structure for secure rotatable golf club holder  12  to the second vertical panel  11  of golf club carrier  1 . However, those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable method of attaching golf club holders and  12  to golf club carrier  1  can be used so long as it allows golf club holders  12  to rotate. 
         [0045]      FIG. 2C  is a top transparent view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates the golf club holders  12  rotatably secured to the second vertical panel  11  of golf club carrier  1 . It should also be noted that rotatable golf club holders  12  are preferably fabricated from a pliant material which will not scratch or damage the golf club shaft  1 , and which has sufficient flexibility to allow the golf club shaft  9  to be snapped into place. 
         [0046]      FIG. 2D  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates a golf club  6  attached to a golf club holder  12  on the second vertical panel  11  golf club carrier  1 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 2E  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2A . This view illustrates several golf clubs  6 - 8  attached to golf club holders  12  in the golf club carrier  1 . The golf club holders  12  are shown rotated at an angle to prevent the golf club handles from contacting the ground when the golfer kneels down to pick up a golf ball, etc. Due to the ability to rotate the golf club holders  12 , the golfer can kneel down without dragging the golf club handles on the ground. 
         [0048]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1 . This embodiment illustrates golf club holders  15  with alternative attachment structures. In particular, the golf club holders  15  are secured to the golf club carrier  1  via carriage bolts  16  and nuts  17  that are threaded onto threaded section  14  of carriage bolts  16 . This figure further illustrates that there are a variety of structures which can be used to provide a rotatable golf club holder  12 ,  15 , etc. For example, a rivet attachment means can be used as well as the attachment means illustrated herein. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  which secures to a golfer&#39;s belt  10 . This embodiment uses a belt loop  18  through into which it the golfer&#39;s belt  10  is inserted. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1 . As shown in this figure, the second vertical extension  11  has three apertures  19 . The apertures  19  are used as attachment points for snap-on club holders  20 . As was the case with the previous embodiments, the number of apertures is a design choice and can vary. In use, vertical panel  2  is attached to the golfer&#39;s waistband or belt in the usual manner. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club holder  20  used with the golf club carrier  1 . In this embodiment the golf club holder  20  has a cylindrical body  21  with an open channel  22  extending lengthwise through the cylindrical body  21 . The cylindrical body also has a cutout  23  which extends the length of the cylinder. The cutout  23  is sized such that a club can be inserted into it where it will be retained in channel  22 . Preferably, the cylindrical body  21  is fabricated from flexible or pliant material which will flex on the golf club shaft  9  is pressed through the cutout  23 . Once the golf club shaft  9  has entered channel  22 , the cylindrical body  21  will flex back to its normal position where it will retain the golf club shaft  9  in place. 
         [0052]    Also shown in this figure is slotted ball  24  which is extends from cylindrical body  21  via shaft  25 . Slotted ball  24  is intended to be inserted into an aperture  19 . The diameter of slotted ball  24  is slightly larger than aperture  19 . However, the slotted structure of slotted ball  24  allows it to be compressed when pressed into aperture  19  such that it will snap into place and be securely retained. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the slotted ball structure described herein will allow the slotted ball  24  to be compressed. However, it is also possible to fabricate the ball from material that is sufficiently pliant to allow a non-slotted ball to be pressed through aperture  19 . The only requirement is that once slotted ball  24 , or an alternative non-slotted ball, is pressed through aperture  19 , the ball will secure the golf club holder  20  to the second vertical extension  11 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 5C  is a top view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club holder  20  illustrated in  FIG. 5B . In this figure, the channel  22  and cutout  23  are clearly shown. In addition, shaft  25  is shown connecting slotted ball  24  with cylindrical body  21 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 5D  is a bottom view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the golf club carrier  1  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-C . This figure illustrates golf club holders  20  after they have been inserted through apertures  19  in second vertical extension  11 . Shaft  25  has a diameter smaller than aperture  19  which will allow it to freely rotate on slotted ball  24  has been inserted through aperture  19 . This embodiment provides several advantages. It is less complex, and can be fabricated with a minimum amount of components. 
         [0055]    For ease of discussion, the foregoing embodiments were used to describe the features and advantages of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that golf club carrier  1  can be implemented using a variety of design choices. It is only important that the golf club carrier  1  can be safely secured to the golfer, at the golf club  6 - 8  can preferably be rotated for the convenience of the golfer, that the golf clubs  6 - 8  can be held away from the ground to keep them clean, and that the golf clubs  6 - 8  secured to the golf club carrier  1  do not interfere with the golfer&#39;s swing. 
         [0056]    In addition, the foregoing specification and used an example of a golf club carrier  1  which was capable of carrying up to three clubs. However, the number of clubs can vary. The device may be designed to hold as few as two clubs, or more clubs, perhaps as many as four. Anywhere from 2-4 clubs would be typical of almost any golf situation addressed by this invention. Further, for ease of illustration the device was shown with a relatively flat planar structure. However, in practice the device can be curved to conform to the curvature of a golfer&#39;s body for the purpose of providing additional comfort. 
         [0057]    While specific embodiments have been discussed to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations in the embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, materials used to fabricate the golf club carrier  1  can vary, design choices related to the rotation mechanism of the device can vary, the shape and size can vary to suit design objectives, etc. Therefore, the invention shall be limited solely to the scope of the claims.