Patent Publication Number: US-8968112-B1

Title: Golf hole cup setter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cup setter device for setting a cup within a hole located on a golf course green. 
     Each green on a golf course has a single hole which is typically moved about the green from time to time. Using a standard sized hole cutter a cylindrical hole is cut through the turf and into the soil beneath it, and the cylindrical plug of earth formed by the hole cutter removed. After the hole is formed a metal or plastic cup of a standard size is inserted into the hole and pushed downwardly with a conventional cup setter by using the foot and body weight of the user until the flange of the cup setter contacts the surface of the green. At the point where the flange of the cup setter contacts the surface of the green the top of the cup is one inch below the surface of the green, as prescribed by regulations. The bottom of the cup has a flagstick receptacle and the person setting the cup judges whether the cup is properly set by inserting the flagstick into its receptacle within the cup and visually determining if its longitudinal axis is vertical. If the flagstick is not vertical the placement of the cup must be adjusted by partially removing the cup, kicking it in the estimated direction to achieve vertical placement, re-inserting the cup, re-checking the vertical alignment with a flagstaff, etc., which can be quite laborious. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup setter that allows the user to insure that the cup being set in a golf hole will be positioned to hold the longitudinal axis of a flagstick in vertical alignment. 
     The cup setter has a base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface. 
     A cup insertion member extends downwardly from the lower surface of the base plate, and is configured to contact the upper rim of a golf hole cup. 
     A spirit level is attached to the base plate at a location that does not interfere with a user standing on the base plate during cup insertion. The spirit level is positioned to allow a user to determine the vertical alignment of the longitudinal axis of the golf hole cup. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of the cup setter of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded side elevation view of the cup setter; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of the cup setter; and 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the cup setter. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The cup setter  10  of the present invention includes a base plate  20  having a circular, donut-shaped portion  22  and a cross member  24 . Circular portion  22  has upper and lower surfaces. 
     Cross member  24  can be attached to circular portion  22  by any suitable means, such as welding, or can be formed integral there with by molding. The openings formed between cross member  24  and the inner circumference of donut-shaped portion of base plate  20  allows air to escape from the hole as the cup is being inserted. Alternatively, base plate  20  can be a circular disk with a plurality of openings in its central portion to allow air to escape. 
     Extending downwardly from the lower surface of circular portion  22  is a cylindrical cup insertion member  30  having upper and lower cylindrical portions  32  and  34 , respectively. The outer diameter of lower cylindrical portion  34  is selected to fit snugly inside a golf hole cup. The outer diameter of the upper cylindrical portion  32  is larger than the diameter of the lower cylindrical portion  34  and is selected to fit snugly within the hole cut into the ground of the green removed to receive the cup. The height of upper cylindrical portion  32  is one inch, the officially prescribed distance the top of a cup must be below the green surface. The ledge  36  formed at the juncture of upper and lower cylindrical portions  32  and  34  of cylindrical member  30  is configured to contact the upper lip of the cup. 
     A level holder stanchion  40  is located adjacent the outer edge of circular portion  22  of base plate  20 . Level holder stanchion  40  is preferably an L-shaped member having a vertical leg  42  and a horizontal leg  44 . 
     The major plane of vertical leg  42  is preferably substantially perpendicular to the plane of base plate  20 . 
     The major plane of horizontal leg  44  is parallel to the plane of base plate  20 . Horizontal leg  44  has a downwardly depending level stop member  48 . 
     Horizontal leg  44  has a circular opening  46  for receiving a circular type spirit level  50 , also known as a “bulls eye” spirit level. The inner end of level  50  abuts the upper portion of horizontal leg  44  and the outer end abuts stop member  48 . Circular level  50  has an upper diameter  52  that is slightly less than the diameter of circular opening  46  of horizontal leg  44  to form a snug fit therein. Circular level  50  has a lower diameter  54  which is larger than the diameter of circular opening  46  of horizontal leg  44  to form a ledge which abuts against the lower surface of horizontal leg  44 . Although a circular type spirit level  50  is preferred, other types and/or shapes of levels could be used. 
     A level latch member  56  is pivotally attached at its inner end to the upper portion of horizontal leg  44 , and is removably attached at its outer end to stop member  48  by any suitable means, such as threaded fastener  58 . The top of latch member  56  abuts the bottom surface of level  50 . 
     Level holder stanchion is configured to hold spirit level  50  in a location that will not interfere with the placement of a user&#39;s boot on plate  20 . 
     In use, a conventional golf green hole cutter is used to cut a cylindrical hole through the turf and into the soil beneath it on a golf green in a manner well known in the art. The cylindrical plug of earth formed by the hole cutter is then removed. 
     A conventional golf hole cup is partially placed into the just-formed hole. The cup setter  10  is placed on top of the cup with the lower portion  34  of cup insertion member  30  positioned inside the cup and the ledge  36  formed between upper portion  32  and lower portion  34  being placed into abutment with the upper rim of the cup. 
     The user then steps onto the base plate  20  and pushes downwardly with his/her body weight until the lower surface of circular portion  22  of base plate  20  comes into contact with the surface of the green. At that point the user can determine if the longitudinal axis of the cup is in a vertical position by reference to level  50  by reference to the bubble in spirit level  50 . If not level, final leveling is accomplished by the user simply pressing his/her foot on the appropriate side of plate  20  to center the bubble in level  50 , thereby bringing the longitudinal axis of the cup into vertical alignment. 
     It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.