Abstract:
A golf tee toss system for deciding the order of play in a game of golf. The golf tee toss device is grasped by a protruding edge and tossed to the ground. The numerals located on the surface of the golf tee toss device indicate the order in which the golfers will tee off to start a round of golf. The golf tee toss device can be used over and over for different rounds of golf. The indicium on the golf tee toss device can be in a plurality of designs to promote collection of the golf tee toss device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to the field of golf accessories and more specifically relates to a device for determining the order of play. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Golf is a club and ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf is one of the few ball games that do not require a standardized playing area. The game is played on a course with an arranged progression of either nine or 18 holes. Each hole on the course must contain a tee box to start from, and a putting green containing the actual cup. There are other standard forms of terrain in between, such as the fairway, rough, and hazards, but each hole on a course is unique in its specific layout and arrangement. Golf is played for the lowest number of strokes by an individual, known as stroke play, or the lowest score on the most individual holes in a complete round by an individual or team, known as match play. Stroke play is the most commonly seen format at all levels. A tee is typically used to determine in which order the players will tee off. A suitable solution is desired. 
         [0006]    Several attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0151950 to Paul Buckley; 2016/0071440 to Laura Ann Hibbert; 2009/0108524 to Alvin Baylis; 2010/0295248 to Roy Krause et al.; U.S. Pat No. 1,579,341 to Jay K. Allen; U.S. Pat No. 7,793,445 to Lonnie L. Lawrence; U.S. Pat No. 2,836,911 to Charles Priesmeyer; U.S. Pat No. 3,697,237 to Richard Seiz; U.S. Pat No. 5,470,077 to Wilfred G. Brewster; and U.S. Pat No. 8,648,710 to Daniel V. LaRue. This art is representative of golf accessories. However, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. 
         [0007]    Preferably, a golf tee toss system should provide a device for determining the order of play and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable golf tee toss system to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known golf accessories art, the present invention provides a novel golf tee toss system. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide a device for determining the order of play without using a handful of golf tees. 
         [0009]    A golf tee toss system is disclosed herein, in a preferred embodiment, comprising: a golf tee toss device comprising a front surface comprising an outside circle, an inside circle, a first-small-circle, a second-small-circle, a third-small-circle, a fourth-small-circle, indicium, a thickness, and a periphery comprising; a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, a right edge, and a back surface comprising a smooth finish. The golf tee toss system comprises the golf tee toss device. The golf tee toss device is defined by the front surface, the thickness, the periphery, and the back surface for determining an order of play in a golf game. The front surface comprises the outside circle, the inside circle, the first-small-circle, the second-small-circle, the third-small-circle, the fourth-small-circle, and the indicium used to select the order of play in a golf game. The thickness is defined by the front surface and the back surface. 
         [0010]    The periphery is defined by the top quadrant, the bottom quadrant, the left quadrant, and the right quadrant. The back surface comprises the smooth finish for ease of rotating when tossed to ground to select the order of play in a golf game, and the golf tee toss system is tossed to ground before a round of golf to select the order of play in a golf game. The front surface comprises top of the golf tee toss device useful for selecting the order of play in a golf game. The outside circle defines relative placement of the first-small-circle, the second-small-circle, the third-small-circle, and the fourth-small-circle. The inside circle further defines placement of the first-small-circle, the second-small-circle, the third-small- circle, and the fourth-small-circle. The first-small-circle, second-small-circle, third-small-circle, and fourth-small-circle protrude beyond the edge useful for gripping and tossing the golf tee toss device. Relationally speaking the first-small-circle opposes the second-small-circle, and the third-small-circle opposes the fourth-small-circle. 
         [0011]    The indicium comprises numerals useful for selecting the order of play in the golf game. The thickness comprises exactly five millimeters in certain preferred embodiments and more than five millimeters or less than five millimeters in alternate embodiments. The golf tee toss device comprises a span of one hundred and twelve millimeters in preferred versions. The back surface comprises second indicium useful for selecting the order of play in the golf game. 
         [0012]    A golf tee toss system kit is also disclosed herein, including the golf tee toss device, and a set of user instructions. 
         [0013]    A method of using a golf tee toss system is also disclosed herein comprising the steps of: grasping a golf tee toss device; throwing the golf tee toss device; reading indicium to determine order of play; and picking up the golf tee toss device from a ground surface. The method may further comprise the step of placing the golf tee toss device into a pocket/bag. 
         [0014]    The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a golf tee toss device. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, golf tee toss system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating a golf tee toss system during an ‘in-use’ condition showing a pair of golfers tossing the golf tee toss device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the golf tee toss during an ‘in-use’ condition showing a pair of golfers tossing the golf tee toss device, and the golf tee toss device landing on the ground to indicate order of play in a game of golf according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the golf tee toss system showing several circles configured into a golf tee toss device according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the golf tee toss system showing the numerated indicium which indicates the order of play for a golf game once tossed to the ground according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of use for the golf tee toss system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
           [0021]    The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to golf accessories and more particularly to a golf tee toss system as used to improve the way in which the order of play in a golf game is selected. 
         [0023]    Generally speaking, a player tosses a tee a few times to determine the order in which players tee off. The tee toss is thrown one time which then will denote the order of the golf group. Every round of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. A round typically consists of  18  holes that are played in the order determined by the course layout. Each hole is played once in the round on a standard course of  18  holes; on a nine-hole course, players may play a short game playing each hole once, or a full round by playing each hole twice. Not only are the holes played in a specific order, the order the golfers play in is also pertinent. 
         [0024]    Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in  FIG. 1 , golf tee toss system  100  comprising: golf tee toss device  110  comprising front surface  112  comprising outside circle  114 , inside circle  116 , first-small-circle  118 , second-small-circle  120 , third-small-circle  122 , fourth-small-circle  124 , indicium  126 , and thickness  128 . Periphery  130  comprising top edge  132 , bottom edge  134 , left edge  136 , right edge  138 , back surface  142  comprising a smooth finish. Golf tee toss system  100  comprises golf tee toss device  110 , wherein golf tee toss device  110  is defined by front surface  112 , thickness  128 , periphery  130 , and back surface  142  for determining an order of play in a golf game. 
         [0025]    Front surface  112  comprises the top of golf tee toss device  110  useful for selecting the order of play in the golf game. Front surface  112  comprises outside circle  114 , inside circle  116 , first-small-circle  118 , second-small-circle  120 , third-small-circle  112 , fourth- small-circle  124 , and indicium  126  are used to select the order of play in the golf game. Outside circle  114  defines placement of first-small-circle  118 , second-small-circle  120 , third-small-circle  122 , and fourth-small-circle  124 , and wherein inside circle  116  further defines placement of first-small-circle  118 , second-small-circle  120 , third-small-circle  122 , and fourth-small-circle  124 . First-small-circle  118  protrudes beyond top edge  132  useful for gripping and tossing golf tee toss device  110 . Second-small-circle  120  protrudes beyond bottom edge  134  useful for gripping and tossing golf tee toss device  110 . Third-small-circle  122  protrudes beyond left edge  136  useful for gripping and tossing golf tee toss device  110 . Fourth-small-circle  124  protrudes beyond right edge  138  useful for gripping and tossing golf tee toss device  110 . First-small-circle  118  opposes second-small-circle  120 , and wherein third-small-circle  122  opposes fourth-small-circle  124 . 
         [0026]    Thickness  128  is defined by front surface  112  and back surface  142 . Thickness  128  may comprise exactly five millimeters. Periphery  130  is defined by top quadrant  144 , bottom quadrant  146 , left quadrant  148 , and right quadrant  152 . Back surface  142  comprises the smooth finish for ease of rotating when tossed to ground  154  to select the order of play in the golf game. Indicium  126  comprises numerals  156  useful for selecting the order of play in the golf game. Back surface  142  comprises second indicium  158  useful for selecting the order of play in the golf game. Golf tee toss system  100  is tossed to a ground  154  surface before a round of golf to select the order of play in the golf game. 
         [0027]    Golf tee toss system  100  may be sold as kit  440  comprising the following parts: at least one golf tee toss device; and at least one set of user instructions. The kit has instructions such that functional relationships are detailed in relation to the structure of the invention (such that the invention can be used, maintained, or the like in a preferred manner). Golf tee toss system  100  may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of applications. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other kit contents or arrangements such as, for example, including more or less components, customized parts, different color combinations, parts may be sold separately, etc., may be sufficient. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 5  showing flowchart  550  illustrating method of use  500  for golf tee toss system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-4 . As shown, method of use  500  may comprise the steps of: step one  501 , grasping a golf tee toss device; step two  502 , throwing the golf tee toss device; step three  503 , reading indicium to determine order of play; step four  504 , picking up the golf tee toss device from a ground surface; and step five  505 , placing the golf tee toss device into a pocket/bag. 
         [0029]    It should be noted that step  505  is an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use  500  are illustrated using dotted lines in  FIG. 5  so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method of use  500 . 
         [0030]    It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient. 
         [0031]    The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.