Accessory holder for golf bag

A device for attachment to a golf bag and for holding golf accessory articles, such as a score card, pencil, golf tees and the like, including a first clip member having opposed legs integrally joined at an end thereof, one of the legs defining a spring element for frictionally mounting the first clip member over an edge of the golf bag, wherein the legs of the first clip member engage inner and outer surfaces of the golf bag to securely mount the device in place thereon. A second clip member is integrally joined to the first clip member and includes an inner leg that is connected to a leg of the first clip member and is disposed in substantially face-to-face relation therewith but is pivotal relative thereto for accommodating a score card in removable relation between. The second clip member includes another leg that is integrally joined to the inner leg of the second clip member by an upper curved portion, the last named leg of the second clip member having an outer portion that normally is urged into engaging relation with the adjacent surface of the inner leg of the second clip member, openings being formed in the upper curved portion that joins the legs of the second clip member for receiving other accessory articles therein, such as a pencil and golf tee.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an accessory holder for a golf bag and 
more particularly includes a device for attachment to a golf bag for 
holding golf accessory articles, such as a score card, pencil, golf tees 
and the like. 
In playing golf, accessories such as the score card, pencil and tees, in 
the absence of the use of a motorized cart, are normally carried by the 
golfer on the person and usually in his pocket. Such use is not always 
desirable because the points of the pencil and golf tees make the carrying 
of these accessories in the user's pockets awkward and difficult to remove 
from the user's pocket when needed. Further, the score card as carried by 
the user, unless folded to a more compact condition, cannot be carried in 
the user's pocket; and when the score card is folded, entering the scores 
on the folded lines sometimes obscures the numeral as entered. In those 
circumstances, when the user either carries his own bag or pulls a hand 
cart, it is more desirable to carry the accessory articles on the bag 
itself so that they are always readily available for use. 
Prior to the instant invention, some efforts have been made to attach 
accessory holders to golf bags or on the body of the person; and examples 
of this type of accessory holder are illustrated in the PREVIDI, U.S. Pat. 
No. 2,682,981; KLOTZ, U.S. Pat. No.2,802,250; JACOBSON et al, U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,830,415; and KLINE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,310. The devices as 
illustrated in these aforesaid patents, which represent the best prior art 
known to applicant relative to the subject invention, fail to provide a 
device that is practical for the purpose intended, as will be set forth 
hereinafter. 
The patent to KLINE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,310, which is the closest prior 
art of which applicant aware, is somewhat similar to applicant's accessory 
holder but does not provide as convenient access to the pencil and tees as 
mounted on the holder. Further, the KLINE golf clip as illustrated is 
deficient in the manner in which the clip is mounted on the upper edge of 
a golf bag and is easily dislodged therefrom, when, for example, the user 
carries his bag and places the bag on the ground prior to a shot to be 
taken. The other patents referred to above which show accessory holders 
are also deficient in the manner of use thereof; and although the patent 
to KLOTZ, U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,250, does show an implement holder as 
mounted on the upper edge of a golf bag, the holder is not effective for 
retaining a score card in position nor in mounting the holder in secure 
position on the upper edge of the golf bag. The remaining patents show 
holders that are mounted on the person and only serve to hinder the swing 
of the golfer and are defective for this reason. 
As will be described hereinafter, applicant has developed a unique 
accessory holder for mounting on a golf bag that provides for secure 
attachment of the holder to the golf bag and also insures that the 
accessory articles are securely retained thereon for removal as required. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The device as provided by the subject invention is conveniently attachable 
to a golf bag and retains golf accessory articles, such as a score card, 
pencil, golf tees and the like, in secure but easily removable position 
for convenient access to the user. The device comprises a first clip 
member having adjacent opposed legs that are integrally joined at an end 
thereof by a curved portion of predetermined radius. One of the legs has a 
free end that is normally urged toward the adjacent leg in engaging 
relation therewith and defines a spring element. The first clip member is 
insertable over an edge of the golf bag, wherein the one leg is urged into 
firm engaging relation with an interior surface of the golf bag, and the 
adjacent leg firmly engages an outer surface of the golf bag, wherein the 
device is securely mounted in place on the bag. A second clip member is 
integrally joined to the first clip member and includes an inner leg that 
is joined to the second leg of the first clip member by a bent end of 
reduced radius relative to the radius of the curved portion, wherein the 
joined legs of the clip members are normally disposed in face-to-face 
relation but are pivotally movable relative to each other. A score card is 
conveniently and removably retained between the joined legs when the 
device is mounted in place on the golf bag. An outer leg is integrally 
joined to the inner leg of the second clip member by a second curved 
portion that has a radius of curvature similar to the radius of curvature 
of the first named curved portion, the outer leg of the second clip member 
normally extending at an angle relative to the inner leg thereof, wherein 
the end of the outer leg that is opposite to the second name curved 
portion is urged into engagement with an adjacent portion of the inner 
leg, and at least on opening being formed in the second named curved 
portion for receiving a pencil therein. The portion of the pencil that 
extends through the opening engages the adjacent surfaces of the inner and 
outer legs of the second clip member in frictional contact therewith, and 
is thereby retained in removable position in the opening for easy access 
to the portion thereof that is located above the opening, whereby the 
pencil is removed as required for use. In the form of the invention as 
disclosed, additional openings are also formed in the second named curved 
portion for inserting golf tees therein, both the pencil and golf tees 
having exposed portions facing upwardly that provide for easy and simple 
access thereto by the user when they are to be removed from their stored 
positions for use. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device 
for simple and secure attachment to a golf bag for holding golf accessory 
articles and that includes integrally joined clip members that not only 
provide for the firm attachment of the device to the golf bag but also are 
constructed and arranged for retaining accessory articles, such as a score 
card, pencil, golf tees and the like, in a convenient position for easy 
removal and use. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become 
apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection 
with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 
as embodied in the subject invention is illustrated and is generally 
indicated at 10. The device 10 is preferably usable with a golf bag, an 
upper portion of which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is generally 
indicated at 12. The golf bag 12 includes a body 14 that terminates at the 
upper end in a beaded edge 16. Normally locate in the golf bag 12 as 
illustrated in FIG. 1 are conventional golf clubs 18. 
Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the device 10 is illustrated in detail 
and includes a first clip member generally indicated at 20 to which a 
second clip member generally indicated at 22 is integrally joined. The 
device 10 as defined y the clip members 20 and 22 is preferably formed of 
any suitable plastic material that is bendable to a desired configuration. 
In this connection, the clip members 20 and 22 of the device 10 are formed 
in a one-piece construction from a single piece of plastic material that 
has been bent to the configuration as shown. 
Formed as part of the clip member 20 is a first leg 24 that is 
interconnected to a second leg 26 and spaced therefrom by an upper curved 
portion 28. The upper curved portion 28 is formed with a predetermined 
radius of curvature that enables the clip member 20 to be securely mounted 
over the beaded edge 16 of the golf bag 12. As shown more clearly in FIG. 
3, the first leg 24 is normally inclined relative to the second leg 26, 
the lowermost portion of the first leg 24 engaging the lowermost portion 
of the second leg 26 and being urged to the engaging position by the 
spring tension exerted thereon through the upper curved portion 28. Thus, 
the first leg 24 is yieldably movable relative to the second leg 26 when 
the clip portion 20 is mounted over the beaded edge 12 wherein the first 
leg 24 exerts frictional pressure on the interior surface of the golf bag 
with which it engages as mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 4, the interior 
surface of the second leg 26 firmly engages the exterior surface of the 
body 14 of the golf bag and cooperates with the first leg 24 to locate the 
device in firm position on the uppermost portion of the body 14 of the 
golf bag. 
The second clip member 22 is defined by an inner leg 30 that is 
interconnected to an outer leg 32 through an upper curved portion 34, the 
radius of curvature of which is substantially the same as that of the 
upper curved portion 28. As will be hereinafter described, the radius of 
curvatuure of the upper curved portion 34 provides a sufficient surface 
area for the location of openings therein, the purpose of which will also 
be set forth hereinafter. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner leg 30 is 
integrally joined to the second leg 26 of the first clip member 20 through 
a lower bent portion 36 that has a radius of curvature that is dimensioned 
to locate the inner leg 30 in substantially engaging relation with respect 
to the second leg 26. The outer leg 32 is also angled relative to the 
inner leg 30 and is normally urged into engaging relation therewith at the 
bottommost ends thereof by the spring action as exerted by the upper 
curved portion 34. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, both the first leg 24 and the 
outer leg 32 are normally inclined toward each other for engagement with 
their adjacent legs 26 and 30. The tension in the inner leg 30 relative t 
the second leg 26 as exerted by the lower bent portion 36 enables a score 
card indicated at 37 to be removably retained in secure position between 
the legs 26 and 30, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the outer leg 32 of the clip member 22 is formed with a 
reduced neck portion 38 that is connected directly to the upper curved 
portion 34, an enlarged portion 40 being formed as an integral extension 
of the neck portion 38. The enlarged portion 40 can be formed in any 
specific configuration as desired; although, as illustrated, the enlarged 
portion 40 is formed in a generally circular configuration, wherein the 
additional surface area as defined thereby enables appropriate indicia, 
such as advertising or other descriptive material, to be imprinted 
thereon. 
As also illustrated more clearly in FIG. 2, the upper curved portion 34 of 
the second clip member 22 has a central opening 42 formed therein that is 
dimensioned to receive a conventional golf pencil 44, the golf pencil as 
shown in FIG. 4 extending through the opening 42 and being retained in 
place between the legs 30 and 32. It is seen that as the pencil 44 is 
inserted through the opening 42 in the upper portion 34, the body of the 
pencil forces the outer leg 32 outwardly, the outer leg 32 exerting 
frictional contact on the pencil body to firmly secure the pencil within 
the opening 42 between the legs 30 and 32. Since the pencil 44 is slidably 
received between the legs 30 and 32, it is easily withdrawn from the 
inserted position for use as desired. 
Also formed in the upper curved portion 34 of the second clip member 22 on 
opposite sides of the opening 42 are openings 46 each of which has a 
diameter somewhat less than that of the opening 42 and being dimensioned 
to receive the shank of a golf tee 48 therein. It is seen that the golf 
tees are inserted into the openings 46 up to the tee heads and are thereby 
securely retained in frictional engagement in the holes 46 for withdrawal 
therefrom as needed for use. 
In use of the device 10, the first clip member 20 is mounted over the upper 
edge 16 of the body 14 of the golf bag as illustrated, the first leg 24 of 
the clip member 20 cooperating with the second leg 26 thereof to firmly 
retain the device 10 in fixed position on the uppermost portion of the 
golf bag 12. With the device 10 mounted in place, the score card 37 is 
urged between the second leg 26 of the clip member 20 and inner leg 30 of 
the second clip member 22, the second and inner legs cooperating in such a 
manner so that when the score card 37 is inserted therebetween, frictional 
contact is exerted against the score card surfaces to retain it in firm, 
fixed position therein. However, because of the resiliency of he legs 26 
and 30 relative to each other as determined by the lower curved portion 
36, the score card 37 can be easily removed from the position as shown in 
FIG. 1 for entering scores thereon. With the device 10 as mounted in 
place, it is also convenient to locate the pencil 44 in the opening 42 of 
the upper curved portion 34 of the second clip member 22, the pencil 44 
urging the outer leg 32 outwardly so as to retain the pencil in firm 
position between the inner and outer legs of the clip member 22. As 
described hereinabove, the tees 48 are further mounted in place within the 
openings 46 for withdrawal for use as desired. 
While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure 
embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art 
that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive 
concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein 
shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the 
appended claims.