Abstract:
A golf accessory useful in carrying golf clubs which comprises a lightweight wraparound sleeve for ensheathing the shafts of the golf clubs and a handle attached to the sleeve. Also disclosed are methods of use of the accessory in the sport of golf.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/517932, filed Apr. 28, 2011, which is herein incorporated in full for all purposes. 
     
    
     GOVERNMENT SUPPORT 
       [0002]    This invention was made with no government support. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention is generally related to sporting accessories, the invention providing a compact golf club carrying system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Usually a golfer will carry full set of golf clubs a golf bag, which can be very heavy, for nine or eighteen holes of golf. A cart is sometimes used to relieve the weight, but the cart cannot be taken into a sand trap or off the fairway, for example. So the golfer must hand carry several clubs and go see the golf ball before determining what club is needed. The selection of clubs is up to the user, but might include for example a wedge, a chipping iron, and a long iron, or even a wood, and the golfer will pick one club once the lay of the ball has been determined. In another example, a golfer who has played into a sand trap on the side of a green might choose to carry his putter and a wedge into the trap, knowing that his next shot will be a putt from the green, so that he does not have to return to the cart. Therefore there is a need for a golf club carrying system that can be clipped to a golf bag when not in use, and is available so that a few selected clubs can be bundled up and carried to the ball when the ball is not readily accessible. In this way, it is not necessary to carry the entire golf bag into the high grass or trees, but rather only selected clubs. These and other advantages of the golf club carrying system of the invention are described herein. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Disclosed is a carrying system for golf clubs which comprises a lightweight flexible sleeve device for ensheathing the handles of the golf clubs and a handle attached to the sleeve. In use, the handles of the clubs are bundled by the sleeve, which wraps around the clubs and is secured by a closure to hold the handles in place. 
         [0006]    The system comprises a wraparound sleeve formed of a soft, flexible sheet having generally rectilinear dimensions of length and width and a carrying handle is attached on the centerline on the outside of the sleeve. A contact fastener having a polyhooked member disposed on the external surface of the sleeve at the first lateral edge and a polylooped member disposed on the internal surface of the sleeve at the second lateral edge is configured such that the first lateral edge is reversibly attachable inside the second lateral edge by a wrapping motion applied to the sleeve around the shafts of two or more golf clubs so that the golf clubs may be carried by the external handle. In selected embodiments, the system may include a shoulder strap affixed endwise to the wraparound sleeve. The contact fastener may be a VELCRO® fastener and the system may include a clip or retaining cord for securing the wraparound sleeve to a golf bag or a golf cart. Also contemplated is a system comprising a bootie for protecting the grips of the golf clubs, wherein the bootie is attached to the wraparound sleeve by an elastic tether. 
         [0007]    Also invented is a minimalist method of speed golfing which comprises steps for a) providing a system of claim  1  to a golfer, wherein the wraparound sleeve is dimensioned for carrying two to six clubs, including a putter and at least one iron; and b) completing a round of golf with the two to six clubs, while carrying the clubs in the wraparound sleeve when not in use. In one representative method, the clubs include a putter, a driver, a first long iron and a second short iron. 
         [0008]    Clubs may be selected for minimalist golf, or for specialized situations such as playing a ball from the trees, or out of a sand trap. Selected clubs are carried in the sleeve and may be returned to a golf bag or golf cart when not in use. A clip or strap may be provided for securing the sleeve device when not needed. 
         [0009]    The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The teachings of the present invention are more readily understood by considering the drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the golf club carrying system, showing how it is used with an optional shoulder strap to carry golf clubs. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates the adjustable closure for securing the shafts of the golf clubs using the wraparound sleeve, where the closure is partially open. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the closed sleeve. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a second perspective view of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a first side view of the golf club carrying system. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a second side view. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are end views. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a view of the device from above. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a view of the device from the bottom. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a view of the unfolded device, showing the external surface with handle. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a view of the unfolded device, showing the internal surface. 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  details a view of a detachable bootie for enclosing the grips of the golfsticks. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features or components herein may be shown in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The drawing figures are hereby made part of the specification, written description and teachings disclosed herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 12 , there is illustrated therein a new and improved golf accessory, where a first embodiment is generally denominated  100 . 
         [0025]    As depicted in  FIG. 1 , golf clubs may be carried in the adjustable carrying system of the invention  100  by ensheathing the shafts  99  of the golf clubs in a flexible wraparound sleeve  101  with handle  102 . An optional shoulder strap  103  may be provided and clips onto fasteners disposed endwise on the sleeve. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the golf club carrying system  100  without shoulder strap. In this view the wraparound sleeve  101  is shown in a partially open position to indicate how the club shafts are ensheathed inside the sleeve. When fully open, the sleeve is positioned to be wrapped around the shafts so as to be securely tightened around them in a bundle, and the outside lateral edges of the sleeve are sealed together using a contact fastener. The handle or strap may then be used to carry the bundle. 
         [0027]    The wraparound sleeve  101  is formed of a soft, flexible sheet having generally rectilinear dimensions of length and width, the length being greater than the width, and having a first lateral edge  104 , a second lateral edge  105 , an external side or aspect  106 , an internal side or aspect  107 , and a centerline or spine extending its full length under the handle. 
         [0028]    A contact fastener  108  is used to reversibly secure the wraparound sleeve around the club handles. The contact fastener may be a two part fastening system consisting of a polylooped member  108   a  disposed on the internal surface at the first lateral edge  104  and a polyhooked member  108   b  disposed on the external surface at the second lateral edge  105  such that the first lateral edge is reversibly attachable to the external surface of the second lateral edge as shown (solid arrows) in  FIG. 2 . The hooked member and the looped member are contacted together to seal the sleeve. A closed sleeve is drawn for comparison in  FIG. 3 . One such fastening member is VELCRO®, which may be cut into oversized strips so that the sleeve diameter when closed is adjustable. Strips ( 108   a ,  108   b ) of the contact fastener are sewn in place along the lateral edges of the sleeve, one strip containing the hooks, the other the loops of the VELCRO. It can be seen that the hook member  108   b  is a broadly cut strip whereas the loop member  108   a  is narrowly cut; this ensures that the diameter of the closed sheath is adjustable to tightly fit the number of clubs enclosed in the sleeve. 
         [0029]    The wraparound sleeve is dimensioned for adjustably wrapping around a plurality of golf clubs at their handles so that the golf clubs may be carried by the handle. Generally, the sleeve will be dimensioned so that two to six clubs may be carried at a time. The sleeve may be a woven fabric, an extruded film, or formed of a compliant material such as a silicon rubber or a plastic, and may include multiple layers or coatings such that the inside surface and the outside surface have different properties. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, a rigid handle assembly is provided with a pole that extends the length of the shaft of a golf club and a little more, so that the sleeve may be staked next to the player after one club is removed from the sheath. Advantageously, the user may step on a lowset arm of the pole to quickly drive the tip into the ground. Serendipitously, in this way the grips of the clubs are protected from contacting the ground and that no time is spent searching for clubs that have been laid down in the grass. In another embodiment, a bootie or pouch is provided which may be drawn over the handles of the clubs ensheathed in the sleeve, where the protective cover is attached to the sleeve by an elastic tether, for example. The protective cover ensures that the grips of the clubs remain dry and clean. 
         [0031]    A handle assembly with handle is also sewn to the back of the carrying sleeve. Tabs of a durable material extend past the ends of the handle  102  and are sewn to the sleeve  101 . This method of attachment also permits inclusion of fasteners for a shoulder strap as shown. A rigid molded handle may also be fused to the sleeve by other attachment means such as glue or thermal bonding and may include a clip for attachment of the carrying system to a golf bag, for example. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates the adjustable closure for securing golf clubs within the wraparound sleeve  101 , where the closure  108  is sealed so as to prevent the golf clubs from falling out. The closed sleeve is shown to have an external surface  106  and an internal surface  107 , as would be viewed were the sleeve member  101  laid flat, but shown here with the contact fastener at the overlap between the internal surface and the external surface of the sleeve member  101  when rolled up.  FIG. 4  is a second perspective view showing the closed sleeve. The loop member  108   a  and hook member  108   b  of the contact fastener  108  are shown to overlap in this view of the furled sleeve  101 . The hook member  108   b  is shown to extend along the lateral side of the device adjacent to the handle  102 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a first side view of the golf club carrying system. In this view, the texture of the fabric making up the sleeve  101  is indicated by a crosshatch. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a second side view. In this view, the texture of the hook member  108   b  is indicated by stippling. First lateral edge  104  is visible below the sleeve. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are end views. These views again show the overlap of the lateral edges of the sleeve so as to form a closed sleeve  101 . The handle assembly with handle  102  is disposed superior to and along the long axis of the closed sleeve. 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  depicts the device in plan view from above.  FIG. 10  is a view of the device from the bottom. The hook member  108   b  extends partially around the circumference of the sleeve. 
         [0037]      FIG. 11  is a view of the unfolded device  100 , showing the external surface  106  of the wraparound sleeve  101  with handle. The handle  102  is seen to be positioned on the centerline of the sleeve. A wider strip cut from hook member  108   b  is sewn onto the external surface on the second lateral edge  105  and extending to the handle. 
         [0038]      FIG. 12  is a view of the unfolded device, showing the internal surface  107  of the wraparound sleeve  101 . In this embodiment, the texture indicates that the sleeve is made of a woven fabric. A narrower strip of the loop member  108   a  is sewn to the first lateral edge  104  of the internal surface of the sleeve. Other means for affixing the contact fastener to the flexible sheet are readily appreciated by one skilled in the art and include gluing or thermal bonding, for example. 
         [0039]    It will readily be appreciated that the golfer has the option to select two to perhaps six clubs for bundling in the wraparound sleeve. The choice of clubs is dependent on the golfer&#39;s needs at the time. Some golfers may chose not to use a golf bag and may instead rely on the golf caddy accessory of the invention to complete a round of golf. Thus the invention is also a method of use, where the golfer is provided with a golf club carrying system of the invention, the wraparound sleeve having dimensioned for carrying two to six clubs, and golfer completes a round of golf with only those two to six clubs. The clubs are carried in the wraparound sleeve when not in use. 
         [0040]    Choice of clubs selected may include a putter and at least one iron; or a putter, a driver, a first iron and a second iron. Players may receive special points for completing a round of golf with a minimal set of clubs, or with a particular set of clubs known to represent special challenges, such as only a putter, a three iron and an eight iron. Those also carrying a driver would not receive the benefit of a handicap, for example. 
         [0041]      FIG. 13  is a sketch of a detachable bootie  111  for enclosing the grips of the golfsticks. The bootie slides over the clubs at the grips to protect them from soil and moisture when needed. An elastic tether  112  may be used to prevent loss of the bootie when not in use. A stuff pocket or in the wraparound sleeve may also be provided for storage of the bootie which is generally made of a flexible and lightweight material such as ripstop nylon. 
         [0042]    While the above is a complete description of selected embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to practice the invention use various alternatives, modifications, combinations and equivalents. 
         [0043]    The various features of novelty and non-obviousness that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. The invention does not necessarily reside in any one of these features taken alone, but rather in the particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified. 
         [0044]    There has thus been broadly outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form additional subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In general, in the following claims, the terms used in the written description should not be construed to limit the claims to specific embodiments described herein for illustration, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments, both specific and generic, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
         [0045]    It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.