GOLF BALL RETRIEVING PUTTER GRIP ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE

A golf ball retrieving putter grip assembly allowing a person to utilize a grip of their putter to retrieve a golf ball includes a tube and a golf ball engagement member, which of which comprise a resiliently bendable material. The tube defines a cylindrical interior space into which a shaft of a putter is insertable to frictionally attach the shaft to the tube. The golf ball engagement member comprises a cup, which can reversibly attach to a golf ball, and a socket, which is attached to a bottom of the cup. An upper section of the tube is circumferentially smaller than a lower section of the tube and thus is insertable into the socket, whereupon a first coupler attached to the upper section engages a second coupler attached to the socket to removably attach the golf ball engagement member to the tube.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to golf ball retrieving devices and more particularly pertains to a new golf ball retrieving device allowing a person to utilize a grip of their putter to retrieve a golf ball and thereby forgo having to bend over to pick up a golf ball.

The prior art relates to golf ball retrieving devices which deviate from combined grip and ball retrievers to render such devices compliant with PGA Tour requirements.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tube and a golf ball engagement member, which comprise a resiliently bendable material. The tube has a lower end, which is open, an upper end, which is closed, and defines a cylindrical interior space, which is configured to receive a shaft of a putter that is inserted through the lower end so that the shaft is frictionally attached to the tube. An upper section of the tube adjacent to the upper end is circumferentially smaller than a lower section of the tube. A first coupler is attached to the upper section. The golf ball engagement member comprises a cup, which is configured to reversibly attach to a golf ball, and a socket, which is attached to and which extends from a bottom of the cup. The socket is sized complementarily to the upper section of the tube so that the upper section is selectively insertable into the socket. A second coupler, which is attached to and positioned in the socket, is complementary to the first coupler so that the second coupler engages the first coupler upon insertion of the upper section into the socket to removably attach the golf ball engagement member to the tube.

Another embodiment of the disclosure includes a golf ball retrieving putter grip system, which comprises a putter along with a tube and a golf ball engagement member, as per the disclosure above. The tube and the golf ball engagement member are comprised of a resiliently bendable material. The tube has a lower end and an upper end, which are open and closes, respectively. A shaft of the putter is positioned in the cylindrical interior space so that the shaft is frictionally attached to the tube. The upper section of the tube is selectively insertable into the socket with the first coupler engaging the second coupler to removably attach the golf ball engagement member to the tube.

Yet another embodiment of the disclosure includes a method of retrieving a golf ball from a golf ball cup entailing provision a golf ball retrieving putter grip assembly, according to the disclosure above. Steps of the method include inserting a shaft of a putter through the lower end of the tube into the cylindrical interior space so that the shaft is frictionally attached to the tube. The tube is thereafter used in a conventional manner as a grip for the putter, putting a golf ball into a golf ball cup, inserting the upper section of the tube into the socket, inverting the putter, positioning the cup, pressing downwardly on the cup to reversibly attach the cup to the golf ball, rotating the putter longitudinally, and applying pressure on the golf ball lateral to the top of the cup to cause the cup to deform and to release the golf ball.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS.1through7, the golf ball retrieving putter grip assembly10generally comprises a tube12and a golf ball engagement member14, both of which comprise a resiliently bendable material. Any conventional material used for golf club grips may be utilized for the resiliently bendable material and is typically a rubber material. The tube12has a lower end16, which is open, an upper end18, which is closed, and defines a cylindrical interior space20. The cylindrical interior space20, which has a diameter of about 1.40 cm, is configured to receive a shaft22of a putter24that is inserted through the lower end16so that the shaft22is frictionally attached to the tube12. The tube12thus forms the grip of the putter24. While the tube12could be attached to shafts of other golf clubs, it is anticipated to be most useful with putters24as golf ball retrieval typically is performed after completing a hole.

An upper section26of the tube12adjacent to the upper end18is circumferentially smaller than a lower section28of the tube12. The lower section28may comprise an inner layer30and an outer layer32, as is shown inFIG.6, with the outer layer32comprising fabric. A first coupler34is attached to the upper section26. The first coupler34comprises a plurality of annular grooves36extending into the upper section26. The plurality of annular grooves36may comprise two annular grooves36, which are positioned singly proximate to an upper limit38and a lower limit40of the upper section26, as is shown inFIGS.4and6. The plurality of annular grooves36also may comprise three or more annular grooves36.

The golf ball engagement member14comprises a cup42, which is configured to reversibly attach to a golf ball (not shown), and a socket44, which is attached to and which extends from a bottom46of the cup42. The cup42has a depth of between 2.03 cm and 2.16 cm. A top48of the cup42has a diameter of between 6.94 cm and 4.09 cm. A lip50is attached to the top48of the cup42and extends inwardly over an opening52of the cup42for a distance of between 0.38 mm and 0.89 mm. The socket44is sized complementarily to the upper section26of the tube12so that the upper section26is selectively insertable into the socket44. A second coupler54, which is attached to and positioned in the socket44, is complementary to the first coupler34. The second coupler54engages the first coupler34upon insertion of the upper section26into the socket44to removably attach the golf ball engagement member14to the tube12.

The second coupler54comprises a plurality of protrusions56, with each protrusion56being attached to and extending from an inward surface58of the socket44. The protrusion56is insertable into a respective annular groove36upon insertion of the upper section26into the socket44. Each protrusion56of the plurality of protrusions56may comprise an annular ring60, or protuberances of other shapes, such as, but not limited to, nubs, arcs, or the like. The present invention also anticipates the first coupler34and the second coupler54comprising other coupling means, such as, but not limited to, internal and external threading, magnets, or the like.

The golf ball engagement member14has a lower outer perimeter62that is sized complementarily to an outer circumference64of the tube12. The golf ball engagement member14has an outer surface66that flares outwardly from the lower outer perimeter62and toward the top48of the cup42. This shaping of the golf ball engagement member14provides a smooth transition from the tube12to the golf ball engagement member14and facilitates putting with the golf ball engagement member14attached to the tube12, when such a configuration is permitted by the rules of play.

A first channel68extends axially through the upper end18of the tube12and a second channel70extends axially through the bottom46of the cup42. The second channel70is aligned with the first channel68upon attachment of the golf ball engagement member14to the tube12. The second channel70and the first channel68thus are configured for selective insertion of a threaded fastener (not shown) as a means to affix the golf ball engagement member14to the tube12in a more permanent manner.

The present invention also anticipates a golf ball retrieving putter grip system72, which comprises a putter24, a tube12, and a golf ball engagement member14. The tube12and the golf ball engagement member14are comprised of a resiliently bendable material. The tube12has a lower end16and an upper end18, which are open and closed, respectively. The tube12defines a cylindrical interior space20in which is positioned a shaft22of the putter24is so that the shaft22is frictionally attached to the tube12. A first coupler34is attached to an upper section26of the tube12adjacent to the upper end18. The upper section26is circumferentially smaller than a lower section28of the tube12.

The golf ball engagement member14of the golf ball retrieving putter grip system72comprises a cup42, which is configured to reversibly attach to a golf ball, and a socket44, which is attached to and which extends from a bottom46of the cup42. The socket44is sized complementarily to the upper section26of the tube12so that the upper section26is selectively insertable into the socket44. A second coupler54is attached to and is positioned in the socket44. The second coupler54is complementary to the first coupler34so that the second coupler54engages the first coupler34upon insertion of the upper section26into the socket44to removably attach the golf ball engagement member14to the tube12.

In use, the golf ball retrieving putter grip assembly10enables a method of retrieving a golf ball from a golf ball cup74. The method74comprises providing a golf ball retrieving putter grip assembly10, according to the specification above. A first step76of the method74is inserting a shaft22of a putter24through the lower end16of the tube12into the cylindrical interior space20so that the shaft22is frictionally attached to the tube12. The tube12is thereafter used in a conventional manner as a grip for the putter24. A second step78of the method74is putting a golf ball into a golf ball cup (not shown).

Upon completing a hole, a user may elect to retrieve the golf ball without bending over. A third step80of the method74thus is inserting the upper section26of the tube12into the socket44so that the second coupler54engages the first coupler34to removably attach the golf ball engagement member14to the tube12. A fourth step82of the method74is inverting the putter24. A fifth step84of the method74is positioning the cup42of the golf ball engagement member14over the golf ball. A sixth step86of the method74is pressing downwardly on the cup42using the putter24to reversibly attach the cup42to the golf ball. The cup42frictionally engages the golf ball to allow the golf ball to be lifted from the golf ball cup. The lip50facilitates the gripping of the golf ball with the cup42. A seventh step88of the method74is rotating the putter24longitudinally. An eight step90of the method74is applying pressure on the golf ball laterally to the top48of the cup42to cause the cup42to deform and to release the golf ball. Thus, the golf ball can be retrieved without a need to bend over and grasp the golf ball by hand.