Abstract:
A putter used for playing the game of golf has a putter body formed with a vertical opening sized to engage the diametric circumference of a golf ball to permit the golf ball to be elevated by the putter. The putter body is sized to permit insertion into the cup formed in the surface of the green to engage a golf ball at the bottom of the cup for removal therefrom. The putter body is also formed with a magnetic ball marker retriever positioned along a peripheral edge of the putter body to permit the magnetic attraction of a ball marker for elevation thereof from the surface of the green. The putter permits a golf ball to be elevated and a ball marker to be placed on the surface of the green, as well as be retrieved from the surface of the green without requiring the player to bend over.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims domestic priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/501,342, filed Sep. 9, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a golf putter, and, more specifically, to a putter having the ability to retrieve a golf ball from the bottom of the cup in the green. 
   Of the golf clubs available to a golfer, the putter has been a club to which a great deal of attention has been directed. Putting typically accounts for almost half of the strokes made by a golfer in completing a round of golf. Accordingly, considerable attention has been directed to improvements in reducing the number of putts a golfer must make to place the golf ball into the hole formed into the green. Putters have evolved in shape and style over the years. One of the most recent improvements that are commercially available is the “two ball” putter in which the top surface of the putter is elongated in the direction of normal movement during utilization to accommodate a pair of aligned images of golf balls in order to visually facilitate the proper alignment of the actual golf ball to be directed to the hole. 
   Putters have also been used as instructional aids. One known version available over the Internet is a putter with an elongated body, extending in the direction of the normal stroke of the putter during utilization that will accommodate a vertical opening that extends through the entire body of the putter. This opening is slightly larger than the nominal diameter of the golf ball so that the ball is free to roll along the ground within the opening as the putter is moved along the surface of the green. By this process, the putting stroke is practiced. This vertical opening through the putter body is intentionally larger than the diameter of the golf ball so that the ball freely rolls while restrained within the opening in the putter body. Accordingly, the vertical opening is not capable of engaging the circumference of the golf ball to enable the golf ball to adhere to the putter body. 
   The hole placed into the green on a golf course is selectively placed by the greens keeper in one of a number of predetermined locations on the green by retracting a plug of sod and dirt and inserting a rigid cup member into the formed hole. Typically, the cup member is formed from plastic, though other rigid materials, such as aluminum can also be utilized. The bottom of the cup member is typically fluted and sloped to position the ball dropped into the cup member into the center of the bottom of the cup member. Accordingly, the bottom of the generally cylindrical cup member is sloped from the outer perimeter toward the center at approximately fifteen degrees from the horizontal orientation. Often the center portion of the bottom of the cup member is sized to receive a golf ball. 
   Golf is a game that does not necessarily require great physical exertion in order to play. Accordingly, the game of golf is played by elderly people and by people having back, or even extremity (e.g. leg or knee), problems that limit the golfer&#39;s ability to bend over to retrieve the golf ball from the surface of the ground, let along from the bottom of the cup member. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a device that would be capable of use by a golfer to position and/or retrieve a golf ball without requiring the golfer to bend over to reach for the ball. 
   One of the conventional practices associated with putting during a game of golf is the marking of your ball when your ball is in the path of travel of your opponent&#39;s ball that is further from the hole than your ball. By using a flat ball marker and removing your ball from the surface of the green, the ball is neither a distraction nor a impediment to the movement of your opponent&#39;s ball. The placement of a marker onto the surface of the green to mark the position of your golf ball typically involves bending over to properly place the mark adjacent the golf ball before the ball is removed from the surface of the green. As noted previously, the game of golf is often played by elderly people and those whose physical condition will not easily permit the requisite bending of the back in order to properly place a ball marker. 
   Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus that will facilitate the placement of a ball marker by a golfer without requiring the golfer to bend his back to do so. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a putter that can be used to retrieve the golf ball from the bottom of the cup without requiring the player to bend over. 
   It is another object of this invention to provide a putter having a putter body that is formed with an opening therein that can receive a golf ball for engagement thereof to enable a lifting of the golf ball into the air. 
   It is a feature of this invention that the opening in the putter body is sized to be slightly less than the diameter of a standard golf ball. 
   It is an advantage of this invention that the circumference of the opening in the putter body compresses the cover of a golf ball to permit the golf ball to be trapped in the opening. 
   It is another advantage of this invention that the golf ball, once trapped in the opening in the putter head, can be elevated above the surface of the ground. 
   It is another feature of this invention that the opening in the putter body can be capped or left open. 
   It is still another feature of this invention that the golf ball can be extracted from engagement with the opening by pushing against the top of the ball. 
   It is still another advantage of this invention that a golf ball can be engaged while in the cup below the surface of the ground and elevated into the grasp of the player without requiring the player to bend his back to reach the ball. 
   It is still another object of this invention to provide a ball marker magnet within the putter body. 
   It is yet another feature of this invention that the ball marker magnet is operable to attract and engage a ferrous ball marker that is positioned on the surface of the ground. 
   It is yet another advantage of this invention that the ball marker can be picked-up from the surface of the green without requiring the player to bend over to reach the ball marker. 
   It is still another advantage of this invention that the ball marker can be placed on the surface of the green to mark the location of a golf ball without requiring the player to bend over to place the ball marker at the desired spot. 
   It is still another feature of this invention that a putter body can be formed to incorporate both an opening for the engagement of a golf ball and a magnetic ball marker retriever. 
   It is a further advantage of this invention that a putter having a body provided with both an opening for retrieving a golf ball and a magnetic ball marker retrieving device can both mark and remove a ball from the surface of the green without bending over. 
   If is yet another object of this invention to reduce the number of time a player has to bend over during the playing of the game of golf. 
   It is still a further advantage of this invention that a player having back problems can enjoy a greater comfort level while playing the game of golf. 
   It is yet another feature of this invention that the magnetic ball marker retriever can be utilized to both pick-up ball markers from the surface of the green and to place ball markers on the surface of the green. 
   It is a further object of this invention to provide a golf club having a putter body incorporating an opening for engaging a golf ball and a magnetic ball marker retrieving device that is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a putter used for playing the game of golf having a putter body formed with a vertical opening sized to engage the diametric circumference of a golf ball to permit the golf ball to be elevated by the putter. The putter body is sized to permit insertion into the cup formed in the surface of the green to engage a golf ball at the bottom of the cup for removal therefrom. The putter body is also formed with a magnetic ball marker retriever positioned along a peripheral edge of the putter body to permit the magnetic attraction of a ball marker for elevation thereof from the surface of the green. The putter permits a golf ball to be elevated and a ball marker to be placed on the surface of the green, as well as be retrieved from the surface of the green without requiring the player to bend over. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a putter incorporating the principles of the instant invention, a portion of the shaft of the putter being broken away for purposes of clarity; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the putter body incorporating the principles of the instant invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the putter body shown in  FIG. 2  looking into the face of the body that strikes the golf ball; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the putter body taken orthogonally with respect to the view of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view through the putter body taken along lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 2 , a representative golf ball being depicted in phantom as engaged with the vertical opening through the putter body; 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the putter body depicted in  FIGS. 2–5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the putter body shown in  FIGS. 2–6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of  FIG. 5 , but showing an alternative embodiment of the putter body; 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a second alternative embodiment of the putter body, similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the second alternative embodiment of the putter body taken along lines  10 — 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of  FIGS. 2 and 10 , of a third embodiment of the putter body but with the vertical opening being covered by an elastomeric cap to close the top of the vertical opening; 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of still another alternative embodiment of the instant invention; and 
       FIG. 13  is a bottom plan view of yet another alternative embodiment of the instant invention comprising a variation of the vertical opening as depicted in  FIG. 12 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1–7 , a golf putter incorporating the principles of the instant invention can best be seen. The putter  10  is formed of a putter body, sometimes referred to as the putter head,  20  having a generally upright shaft  12  attached to the putter body  20  to extend generally vertically thereof. The shaft  12  terminates in a handle  15  typically formed of a leather wrap that enhances the gripping of the shaft  12  during the putting operation. The putter body  20  includes a generally planar and generally vertical face  25  that is used to strike the golf ball to move the ball along the surface of the putting green (not shown). For proper operation of the putter  10 , the face  25  is formed with a slight deflection from a true vertical alignment preferably at about four degrees, as is best seen in  FIG. 4 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2–7 , the details of the putter body  20  can best be seen. The putter body  20  is can be formed with substantially any configured shape, provided that the depth of the putter body  20  measured perpendicularly to the face  25  is sufficient to accommodate the vertical opening  30 , as will be described in greater detail below. As depicted in the drawings, the overall shape of the putter body  20  is preferably an asymmetrical ovoid shape, though a circular configuration truncated at the face  25  would also be a preferred embodiment. From front to back, with the face  25  being at the front of the putter body  20 , the putter body  20  preferably slopes generally downwardly so that the rear of the putter body  20  has a smaller height than the face  25 , as is best seen in  FIG. 4 . The front portion  21  of the putter body  20  immediately behind the face  25  has a uniform thickness in terms of height of the putter body  20  to provide structure for the mounting of the shaft  12 . To this end, a hole  22  is drilled into the top of the front portion  21  to receive the shaft  12  and mount the putter head  20  to the shaft  12  to form the putter  10 . 
   Preferably, the putter body  20  is formed from 303 stainless steel that provides a good feel for the putter  20  and is easier to machine than 304 stainless steel. The putter body  20  is formed in a wedge shape with the putter body  20  being thinner at the rear than at the front face  25  to provide an aesthetically pleasing shape and to manipulate the weight of the putter body  20 . Even though the putter body  20  has an extended depth extending rearwardly from the face  25 , the weight of the putter body  20  can be maintained at about three-quarters of a pound to provide a pleasing feel for the putter  10 . 
   A vertical hole  30  is formed through the putter body  20  generally centrally with respect to the face  25 . The diameter of the vertical opening  30  is formed at about 1.660 inches, which is about 20 thousandths of an inch smaller than the diameter of a standard golf ball. Therefore, the placement of the putter body  20  over the top of a standard dimpled golf ball  19 , as depicted in phantom in  FIG. 5 , will result in the golf ball  19  engaging the circumference of the vertical opening  30  with the bottom edge  31  of the vertical opening  30  being located just above the center of the golf ball  19 . Because of the plastic cover employed on golf balls  19  and the dimpling in the surface thereof, the golf ball  19  will become jammed in the vertical opening  30 , allowing frictional forces to retain the golf ball  19  within the vertical opening  30  as the golf ball  19  is lifted above the surface of the ground. 
   Because the diameter of a standard cup member used on PGA golf greens is about four (4) inches, the maximum width of the putter body  20  must be less than four inches to permit the putter body  20  to be inserted into the cup member to retrieve a golf ball at the bottom of the cup. Preferably, the maximum width of the putter body  20  will be about 3.5 inches to provide a little room for movement of the putter body  20  within the confines of the cup member to properly engage the golf ball  19 . The transverse width of the face  25  would be about 3.09 inches. Preferably, a sight line  24  is formed along the transverse centerline of the putter body  20  with one portion  24   a  being located between the vertical opening  30  and the front face  25  and a second portion  24   b  being located behind the vertical opening  30 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6 , one skilled in the art will recognize that the bottom surface  26  is formed with a central planar portion  27  defining a generally horizontal plane extending from the face  25  rearwardly to the rearward edge of the putter body  20 . The transverse width of the central planar portion  27  is slightly greater than the diameter of the vertical opening  30  so that the vertical opening  30  is centered transversely on the central planar portion  27 . To either side of the central planar portion  27  lies a wing portion  28  that also presents a planar surface that is angled with respect to the central planar portion  27  at an acute angle of approximately 15 degrees. The angled wing portions  28  on the bottom surface  26  permit the putter body  20  to descend deeper into a cup member to retrieve a golf ball  19  therefrom. If the bottom surface were shaped into a single plane, the sloped bottom portion of a conventional cup member would prevent the putter body  20  from properly engaging the golf ball  19  so that the surface of the golf ball  19  is frictionally engaged with the perimeter of the vertical opening  30 . 
   The wing portion  28  on the opposite side of the central planar portion  27  from the hole  22  in which the shaft  12  is engaged with the putter body  20  is provided with a hole  33  for the insertion of a round magnet  35 . The magnet  35  will attract a ferrous metallic ball marker (not shown) and hold the ball marker against the wing portion  28  until brushed off against the surface of the green. Thus, when a golf ball on a green needs to be marked and then removed from the surface of the green, the player can raise his putter  10  to attach a ferrous ball marker to the bottom of the putter body  20  against the magnet  35 . By then pressing the ball mark against the grass on the green next to the golf ball and sliding the putter body  20  along the surface of the green, the ball marker will be removed from the wing portion and deposited next to the golf ball. The golf ball can then be picked-up by engaging the vertical opening  30  over the golf ball  19  until the golf ball  19  is frictionally engaged by the circumference of the vertical opening  30 , all of which can be accomplished without the player bending his back. 
   Alternatively, the hole  33  can be filled with a ferrous metal plug (not shown) that is attracted to magnets. By forming the ball marker from magnetic material the ball marker will still have magnetic attraction to permit the ball marker retrieving device  32  to work properly. The operation for the placement and retrieval of the ball marker will be substantially identical to that described above for both placing and retrieving a ball marker. Since the remainder of the putter body  20  is formed from non-magnetically attractive material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or even glass, a magnetic ball marker would only be attracted to the ferrous plug positioned in the hole  33 . Furthermore, the non-magnetically attractive putter body  20  would not transfer magnetic properties from the magnet  35  placed into the hole  33  as described with respect to the preferred embodiment identified above. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8–11 , alternative embodiments of the instant invention can best be seen. In  FIG. 8 , the vertical opening  30  is formed with a diameter that is larger than the nominal diameter of a standard golf ball. An O-ring gasket  39  is seated within a groove formed in the circumference of the vertical opening  30  such that the effective diameter of the opening defined by the O-ring  39  is less than the nominal diameter of a golf ball  19 . The operation of the putter body  20  to pick-up a golf ball  19  is essentially the same as that described above with respect to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–7 , except that the frictional engagement is between the O-ring gasket  39  and the exterior surface of the golf ball  19 . While the O-ring gasket  39  can be affixed, such as by gluing, to the groove formed in the circumference of the vertical opening  30 , a disadvantage of this embodiment is that the O-ring gasket  39  can disengage from the groove and hinder the operation of the putter  10  to pick-up golf balls  19 . 
   In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the shape of the putter body  20  is truncated such that the rear portion of the putter body  20  is eliminated cutting through the vertical opening  30  in a manner to delete about 90 to 160 degrees of the circumference of the vertical opening  30 . The vertical opening  30  will be effective to frictionally engage the surface of a golf ball  19  if more than half of the circumference remains intact. At a practical minimum, approximately 200 degrees of the circumference would be needed to provide proper and effective operation of the putter body  20  in picking-up a golf ball  19 . Preferably, about 270 degrees of the circumference, as is depicted in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , would be most desirable in the event a part of the vertical opening  30  is eliminated. 
   In the third embodiment of the instant invention reflected in  FIG. 11 , the top surface of the vertical opening  30  is closed, effectively leaving only a depression into the bottom surface  26  of the putter body  20  for the engagement of the golf ball  19 . In the event a player is distracted by the visibility of the grass through the vertical opening  30  extending completely through the putter body  20 , as is depicted in the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 2–7 , the putter body  20  can be re-shaped to be more box-like with the top surface  29  presenting a solid image. In other words, the vertical opening  30  is drilled into the bottom surface  26  of the putter body  20  and is not extended completely through the putter body  20  to breach the top surface  29 . The putter body  20  would have to be re-shaped from the wedge configuration depicted in  FIGS. 2–7  because the putter body  20  would have to provide sufficient vertical depth to accommodate almost half of the sphere of the golf ball  19  within the vertical opening  30 . 
   A preferred variation of this third embodiment of  FIG. 11 , which is specifically depicted in  FIG. 11 , is to drill the vertical opening  30  completely through the putter body  20  to breach both the bottom and top surfaces  26 ,  29 . A flexible cap member  40  made from rubber or other elastomeric material can then be inserted into the vertical opening  30  on the top surface  29  so that the player using the putter  10  to putt the golf ball  19  on the green will not be distracted by seeing grass move through the vertical opening  30 . Another advantage of using an elastomeric cap  40  to close off the top of the vertical opening  30  is that the wedge shape of the putter body  20  would not have to be as drastically changed, and may not have to be changed at all from the configuration depicted in  FIGS. 2–7 . Engaging the golf ball  19  into the vertical opening  30  through the bottom surface  26  can deflect the elastomeric cap  40  upwardly to accommodate the receipt of the about half of the ball sphere. The golf ball  19  can then be released from the putter body  20  by pressing on the top of the elastomeric cap  40  to push the golf ball  19  back through the vertical opening  30 . Imprinting two golf ball images, or partial images, on the top of the elastomeric cap  40 , can configure the elastomeric cap  40  to simulate the “two ball” putter. Alternatively, the top of the elastomeric cap  40  can be imprinted with a variety of symbols and/or other graphics to advertise. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , additional embodiments of the instant invention can best be seen. One skilled in the art will recognize that the vertical opening  30 , as is described above with respect to  FIG. 11 , does not have to extend entirely through the putter body  20 . By drilling or otherwise forming a depression in the bottom surface  26  of the putter body  20  that does not extend completely through the putter body  20 , a problem is encountered with respect to the extraction of the golf ball  19  from the vertical opening  30  formed as a depression into the bottom surface  26  of the putter body  20 . Extraction of the golf ball  19  can be facilitated by the formation of the opening  30  into a shape other than a circle so that finger grip openings will be available to the side of the ball. 
   One such configuration can be seen in  FIG. 12  in which the vertical opening  30   a  is formed as an oval shape. As is noted above with respect to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the entire circumference of the golf ball  19  does not need to be engaged to enable the golf ball  19  to be retrieved from the ground or from the bottom of the cup member. In fact, sufficient contact to retrieve the golf ball  19  can be attained by having the vertical opening  30  engage the golf ball  19  on opposing sides of the ball  19 . By keeping the minor axis  36  of the oval-shaped opening  30   a  equal to the diameter of the opening  30  described above, the golf ball  19  will be adequately engaged on two diametrically opposing sides thereof and will be gripped by the putter body  20 . Since the major axis  37  of the oval-shaped opening  30   a  has a length greater than the minor axis  36 , a gap  38  is formed between the golf ball  19  and the sides of the opening  30   a  to enable fingers to be eased along the ball  19  to extract the ball  19  from the putter body  20 . 
   Other shapes for the vertical opening  30  can also be envisioned within the scope of the instant invention, including a rectangular or square opening  30   b , as is depicted in  FIG. 13 . A square opening  30   b  having sides of a length equal to the diameter of the vertical opening  30  as discussed above, will provide engagement with the golf ball  19  along four sides, which would be more than adequate to permit a lifting of the golf ball  19  from the cup member. The corners of the square (or rectangular) opening  30   b  will form the gap  38  sufficient to allow fingers to urge the golf ball  19  from out of engagement with the putter body  20 . Other shapes for the vertical opening  30  would also be a triangle, as well as other non-regular shapes, so long as adequate contact with the perimeter of the golf ball  19  can be obtained to facilitate the vertical lifting of the ball  19 . Another variation of this embodiment is to add finger grooves (not shown) to the opposing sides of a circular vertical opening  30 , as is depicted in  FIGS. 2–6 , to permit access to the sides of the golf ball  19  for extraction thereof. 
   In operation, the putter  10  can be used to retrieve a golf ball  19  from the surface of the ground or from the bottom of a cup member by lowering the putter body  20  over the golf ball  19 , or into the cup member or on top of the ground, and frictionally engaging the surface of the golf ball  19  with the effective circumference of the vertical opening  30 . Because of the plastic nature of the standard golf ball covering, the cover of the golf ball will deform slightly to adhere to the lower portion of the vertical opening  30 , allowing the golf ball  19  to be raised vertically with the putter body  20 . The player can then push the golf ball  19  out of the vertical opening  30  to retrieve the golf ball  19  without bending his back to do so. 
   The positioning of a ball marker can be accomplished through the use of the magnet  35  on the bottom surface  26  of the putter body  20 . The ball marker, having a ferrous material incorporated therein, can be manually placed on the magnet  35  and then lowered to the surface of the ground and rubbed off by sliding the putter body  20  along the grass surface of the green. The golf ball  19  can then be retrieved by engaging the vertical opening over the golf ball  19 , as noted in the preceding paragraph. The ball marker can be retrieved after the golf ball  19  is returned to the ground by tapping the magnet  35  onto the ferrous ball marker to magnetically engage the ball marker to be raised for manual removal from the putter body  20 . 
   The typical round of golf involves a large amount of bending to retrieve balls and to place ball markers, perhaps 50 to 60 times each round. By the use of a putter manufactured in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, substantially all bending to retrieve balls and to place ball markers can be eliminated. The elderly and those with physically limitations restricting their ability to bend over can particularly enjoy such an advantage. 
   It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.