Abstract:
A golf tee that allows the golfer to put a golf ball on the tee without having to lean over is disclosed. The golf tee has at least three legs and is resilient. The golf tee may also have four legs and a web member extending between the legs of the golf tee. A method for putting a golf ball on the tee is also disclosed.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a golf tee, and more particularly, a golf tee that is flexible and one on which a golfer can place a golf ball by rolling the golf ball up on it with a golf club.  
           [0002]    There are several prior art golf tees, however, the majority of those golf tees require that the golfer bend over to put a golf ball on the tee. Those that potentially allow the golfer to put a golf ball on the tee have only one path by which the golfer can get the golf ball on the tee. Additionally, the prior art tees cup the ball, potentially taking distance from the golf shots and increasing the wear to the tee, requiring that the tees be replaced more frequently.  
           [0003]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a golf tee and method for putting a golf ball on a golf tee that substantially obviates one or more of the problems and disadvantages in the prior art. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the apparatus and process particularly pointed out in the written description and claims, as well as the appended drawings.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is directed to a golf tee including a base, a shaft connected to the base, a top portion connected to the shaft, the top portion further comprising at least three legs connected to the shaft and a web member extending between the at least three legs, the web member being independent from the shaft.  
           [0005]    In yet another aspect, the invention is directed to a resilient golf tee including a base, a shaft connected to the base, at least three legs connected to the shaft, and a web member extending between the at least three legs.  
           [0006]    In another aspect, the invention is directed to a resilient golf tee including an enlarged base, a shaft connected to the base, and at least three legs connected to the shaft.  
           [0007]    In another aspect, the invention provides a method of putting a golf ball on a golf tee, the golf tee having a top portion with at least three legs and a web member extending between the at least three legs, the method including providing the golf ball, aligning the golf ball between two of the three legs, and using a golf club to push the golf ball against the web member between the two legs causing the golf ball to roll up over the web member and rest on the three legs.  
           [0008]    In yet another aspect, the invention provides for a method of putting a golf ball on a golf tee, the golf tee having an enlarged base, a shaft connected to the base, and a top portion with connected to the shaft and having at least three legs, the method including providing the golf ball, aligning the golf ball between two of the three legs, and using a golf club to push the golf ball against the tee between two of the at least three legs causing the golf ball to roll up over the web member and rest on the three legs.  
           [0009]    It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.  
           [0010]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification. The drawings illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective of one embodiment of a golf tee according to the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front view of the golf tee in FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a top view of the golf tee in FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the golf tee of FIG. 3 along the line  4 - 4  and illustrating a golf mat that may be used with the golf tee;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the golf tee of FIG. 2 along the line  5 - 5 ;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a perspective of another embodiment of a golf tee according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a perspective of a third embodiment of a golf tee according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 illustrates a golf ball placed in preparation to be rolled on to the golf tee of FIG. 1 with the golf ball and mat in phantom;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 illustrates the golf ball (in phantom) moving up the web member between two legs of the golf tee and shortly before coming to rest on the golf tee; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 illustrates a golf ball in phantom on the golf tee of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    A golf tee  10  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The golf tee  10  preferably has an enlarged base  12  from which a shaft  14  extends. The shaft  14  is divided into an upper portion  16  and a lower portion  18 . See also FIG. 2. The upper portion  16  preferably has upper shaft extensions  20 , with slots  22  between the shaft extensions  20 . The upper shaft extensions  20  and the slots  22  allow the golf tee  10  to flex and deform during play and installation, which is described in more detail below.  
         [0022]    Golf tee  10  also has a top portion  26  on which the golf ball sits. The top portion  26  includes three legs  28  which are connected to the upper shaft extensions  20  by ribs or gussets  30 . FIG. 3. The top portion  26  also has a web member  32  that extends between the legs  28 . In the illustrated embodiment, the top portion  26  has three web members  32  connecting the three legs  28 . The web member  32  is not directly attached to the shaft  14 , but to the legs  28 . The top portion  26  can be deformed to fit through a hole  34  in a practice mat  36 , as seen in FIG. 4. The top portion  26  is pushed together and pushed through the hole  34  in the bottom of the mat  36 , where the base  12  engages the bottom of the mat  36 . The shaft  14  extends at least through the mat  36  as shown in FIG. 4, but may extend further (either by a longer shaft  14  or a thinner mat  36 ) so that there is a gap  38  that may be larger than the one shown.  
         [0023]    The slots  22  and upper shaft extensions  20 , along with the web members  32  cooperate to allow the top portion to be collapsed to fit within the hole  34 , but also maintain the integrity of the golf tee  10 . The web members  32  assist in providing stability to the legs  28  and the shaft  14 , including the upper shaft portion  16 . As shown in FIG. 10, the golf ball (shown in phantom) is supported only by a small portion of the legs  28 . The web member  32  assists in not allowing the legs  28  to flare outward so that the ball falls within the legs  28 . If this were to happen, it would be more difficult to hit the ball from within the legs, the golf tee would be subject to more abuse and would not last as long. If the legs  28  were not flexible at all, then the ball may not stay on the tee and fall off. It should be noted, however, that if the legs  28  of the golf tee were of a sufficient thickness or stiffness (depending on the material), the web member  32  would not be necessary and still allow the appropriate amount of flexing of the legs.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a golf tee  40  according to the present invention. As with the first embodiment, the golf tee  40  has a base  42 , a shaft  44 , and legs  46 . In this embodiment, the shaft  44  has a lower portion  48 , and an upper portion  50  with three shaft extensions  52  and corresponding slots  53 . This golf tee  40  is also capable of being collapsed to fit through a golf mat as with the previous embodiment. In fact, this embodiment of a golf tee  40  does not need a lower portion  48  if so desired and the shaft  44  could be three separate shaft extensions  52 , which is also applicable to golf tee  10  above. The legs  46  of golf tee  40  are shown to be cylindrical with a blunt end  54 . However, the legs  46  could be configured similar to legs  28 , i.e., have a taper at the end. In this embodiment, a web member is not necessary due to the strength and thickness of the legs  46 . Again, a web member could be used is so desired.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of a golf tee  60  according to the present invention. Golf tee  60  is similar to golf tee  40  in that it has a base  62 , a shaft  64 , and four legs  64 , rather than three legs. The shaft  66  also has a lower portion  68  and an upper portion  70  with four (rather than three legs  64 ). Again, no web member is present in this embodiment although one could be added.  
         [0026]    The golf tees  10 , 40 , 60  are preferably made from a resilient material such as an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material may be natural rubber, synthetic rubber, flexible polyurethane, flexible PVC, thermoplastic elastomers, and latex. The thickness of the legs and the existence of the web members  32  depend on the materials and their resilience and stiffness. As shown in FIG. 10, the legs may flare out slightly to ensure that the golf ball stays in the tee when it is pushed on, during adverse conditions such as high wind, when mounted on an incline, etc. However, the ball should not sink too far down into the tee so that the legs get between the club face and the ball. If the legs  28  are tapered as shown in FIG. 1, then the legs need not even flex at all since the ball will rest on the inside of the legs.  
         [0027]    In order to put a ball on the golf tees  10 , 40 , 60 , the golfer rolls a ball (shown in phantom in FIG. 8) between two of the legs  28  and against the web member  32 . The golfer then continues to exert pressure against the ball and it will roll up the web member  32  and along and between the legs  28 . See FIG. 9. The legs  28  may part slightly from the pressure and weight of the ball as shown in FIG. 9. The ball with then come to rest on the top of the legs  28 . Similarly for the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the golf ball, not shown, will be aligned between two of the three or four legs  46 , 64  and as it is pushed toward the tee, it will ride up the legs and may slightly even part the legs, depending on the type and characteristics of the material used. The golf ball with then settle in on the legs  46 , 64 . Again, Applicants have found that the ball will remain at rest on the legs  46 , 64  and will not continue over the golf tee to fall off when a resilient material is used.  
         [0028]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the golf tee of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.