Abstract:
A method and apparatus for determining honors in a golf game. The apparatus includes a substantially enclosed container and a plurality of individual honor sticks removably positioned in the enclosed portion of the container. Each of the individual honor sticks each include an elongated substantially rigid stick member having a handle end and an honors indicating end, the honors indicating end having an honors indicating indicia positioned thereon. The method includes positioning a plurality of honors sticks in an enclosed container, drawing an honors stick out of the container for each golfer to determine an honors position, and replacing the honors sticks in the container. The sticks of the method include an elongated axially formed stick body member manufactured from a substantially rigid material and having a first and second terminating ends, a handle that may be used to draw the honors stick from the container that is formed onto the first terminating end of the stick body member, and an honors indicia formed on the second terminating end of the stick body member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus and method for determining honors in a golf match between two or more players.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Golf is one of the most popular sports and pastimes of the 20 th  century. The game is played by millions each day for leisure or relaxation, and playing a round of golf among business associates in furtherance of business relationships has also become common place on today&#39;s society. The acceptance of the game of golf as both a recreational and a business activity has inherently resulted in many of the golf courses becoming crowded and has slowed the playing time for a round significantly. As such, there is a need for methods and apparatuses that are able to reduce the playing time for a round of golf so that the golf courses may be able to provide services to more players, or alternatively, provide a more comforting environment (less crowded) for players.  
         [0005]     The inventors have recognized that one area of golf that wastes time is the “honors” process. The “honors” process is the process that players go through when a round of golf is started to determine which player will hit the golf ball first. The player determined to have “honors” is allowed to hit the golf ball first off of the tee box. Conventionally, golfers may stand in a circle and toss a golf tee into the air between them, and the person to whom the golf tee points when it comes to rest on the ground is determined to have “honors”. This process is repeated to determine which player has second, third, and fourth honors. The process of repeatedly throwing the tee, although simplistic in methodology, is often plagued with problems and controversy. For example, the players often disagree as to which player the tee is pointing. Similarly, once a player has been selected for honors, the remaining players continue to toss the tee until the honors or playing order is determined for each player. Thus, as the number of players in the tee toss decreases, the determination of which player the tee is pointing to becomes more difficult. Further, inasmuch as one of the players must toss the tee into the air for each honors determination, often times one or more of the other players feel that the player tossing the tee has “rigged” or somehow manipulated the toss results. As such, although the tee toss honors determination method is simplistic in its implementation, most golfers would appreciate more reliable, efficient, less controversial method and/or apparatus for determining honors.  
         [0006]     The pro golf tour utilizes a drawing method to determine honors for professional golf tournaments. More particularly, each player draws or pulls a number out of a hat to determine honors. This method is very practical and easy to implement in a tournament situation, however, it is not practical for the daily golfer. For example, the daily golfer does not typically have the material (paper, scissors, marker, etc.) to conduct a drawing for honors.  
         [0007]     Another conventional method for determining honors is where each player tosses a golf ball toward a tee box marker. The player&#39;s ball that stops closest to the tee box marker is determined to have honors, the players ball that is second closest has second honors, etc. Again, although this method is simplistic, it is not reliable, as the players often dispute which ball is closest to the tee box marker.  
         [0008]     In view of the conventional methods and apparatuses available for determining honors in a golf game with two or more players, there is a need for a reliable, simplistic, and uncontroversial method and/or apparatus for determining golf honors.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a method and apparatus for determining golf honors in a golf game having two or more players. The apparatus generally includes a weather resistant container having a plurality (usually 4) of honors sticks therein. Each of the honor sticks is generally constructed identically and cannot be distinguished from one another when they are positioned in the container. Each of the honor sticks, which are also generally manufactured from a weather resistant material, includes some sort of an indicia or marker that represents an honors position. As such, the method of the invention provides that each of the players in the golfing group draws one of the honor sticks out of the container prior to the golf round. Each player reads the indicia on the honor stick to determine what honors position the player will have. The honor sticks are generally positioned in the container such that the players cannot discern between the indicia on the respective honor sticks before drawing them from the container.  
         [0010]     Embodiments of the invention may further provide A method and apparatus for determining honors in a golf game. The apparatus includes a substantially enclosed container and a plurality of individual honor sticks removably positioned in the enclosed portion of the container. Each of the individual honor sticks each include an elongated substantially rigid stick member having a handle end and an honors indicating end, the honors indicating end having an honors indicating indicia positioned thereon.  
         [0011]     Embodiments of the invention may further provide a method for determining golf honors. The method generally includes positioning a plurality of honors sticks in an enclosed container, drawing an honors stick out of the container for each golfer to determine an honors position, and replacing the honors sticks in the container. The sticks of the method include an elongated axially formed stick body member manufactured from a substantially rigid material and having a first and second terminating ends, a handle that may be used to draw the honors stick from the container that is formed onto the first terminating end of the stick body member, and an honors indicia formed on the second terminating end of the stick body member.  
         [0012]     Embodiments of the invention may further provide an apparatus for determining honors in a golf game. The apparatus generally includes a substantially enclosed container and a plurality of individual honor sticks removably positioned in the enclosed portion of the container. The individual honor sticks each include an elongated substantially rigid stick member having a handle end and an honors indicating end, the honors indicating end having an honors indicating indicia positioned thereon. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary golf honors stick container of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate exemplary embodiments of the golf honors sticks of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     The present invention generally provides a reliable, simplistic, and uncontroversial method and/or apparatus for determining golf honors. The invention generally comprises an enclosed container that is configured to hold a plurality of honors sticks. The container is not transparent to the eye, and as such, participants cannot see the honor sticks in the container. Each of the honor sticks includes a marking that represents an honors position. The users may reach into the container blindly and pick out an honors stick to determine the honors order for their golfing group. Alternatively, the container may contain a dispensing aperture that allows the users to tilt the container to dispense a single honor stick. Each player may individually tilt the container to dispense an honor stick to determine the honors order for their golfing group.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary golf honors stick container  100  of the invention. The container generally includes a container body  102  having a container bottom  104  and a container top or cap  106 . The combination of the body  102 , bottom,  104 , and cap  106  forms a substantially enclosed volume  116  inside the container  100 . The enclosed volume  116  is generally sized to receive and contain the golf honors sticks  200  (further discussed herein and shown in  FIG. 2 ) in a free manner, i.e., the honors sticks  200  are able to freely move within the container  100 . The sizing of the container is important to the invention, as it is preferred that the honors sticks  200  be able to freely move within the container  100  to essentially shuffle the honors sticks  200  so that a random outcome in the drawing process may be achieved. The container body  102 , along with the cap  106  and the bottom  104 , may be manufactured from pretty much any material that has sufficient rigidity to form a container  100 . Exemplary materials include metals, such as steel, aluminum, alloys, etc., plastics, resin based materials, plastic and fabric material mixes, fiberglass materials, wood materials, synthetic materials, etc.  
         [0018]     The top or cap  106  of the container  100  may be rigidly attached to the body  102 , or alternatively, the top or cap  106  may be removable or pivotally connected to the body  102 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the top or cap  106  may include a hinge  108  positioned to pivotally connect the top or cap  106  to the body portion  102 . In this embodiment, a latch or other securing mechanism  114  may be positioned on an opposing side of the cap or lid  106  and may be configured to secure the cap or lid  106  to the body portion  102  when the user desires the cap or lid  106  to be in a closed position. The user may generally desire the cap or lid  106  to be in a closed position to shuffle or mix the honors sticks  200  in the container  100  before the cap or lid  106  is opened so that the users may blindly draw individual honors sticks  200  out of the container  100  to determine a golfing honors order. In embodiments of the invention where the cap or lid  106  is removably secured to the body  102 , the cap or lid  106  may have a threaded surface configured to slidably engage a corresponding threaded surface on the body  106  such that the cap or lid  106  may be screwed onto or off of the body  102 . Alternatively, the outer diameter of the body  106  may be sided to longitudinally engage the inner diameter of the cap or lid  106  to frictionally secure the cap or lid  106  onto the body  106  once the cap or lid  106  is “slid” onto the body  106 .  
         [0019]     In another embodiment of the invention, the container  100  may be configured for drawing of the honors sticks  200  from the container  100  without opening the cap or top  106 . In this embodiment, the container  100  may have a dispensing aperture  112  formed into the body portion  102 . The dispensing aperture  112  may be sized and configured to allow for dispensing of a single honors stick at a time. As such, the users may each individually tilt the container  100  to cause a single honors stick to be dispensed. Each player may then return their drawn stick to the container  100  once everyone has drawn honors sticks  200  and the golfing honors order has been determined. Although the dispensing aperture  112  is shown in  FIG. 1  as being positioned on the container body  102 , embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to any particular placement of the dispensing aperture  112  on the container  100 . For example, the dispensing aperture  112  may be positioned at any location on the container body  102 , at any location on the container bottom  104 , at any location on the container top or lid  106 , or at any location on any other portion of the container  100 .  
         [0020]     The interior or enclosed volume  116  of the container  100 , and more particularly, the interior volume  116  of the body portion  102  may include a padded surface  110 . The padded surface  110  may comprise a rubber coating, a cloth or fabric coating, or another coating configured to reduce noise associated with multiple items (honor sticks  200 ) being jostled around or shuffled inside the enclosed volume  116  of the container  100 . In one embodiment of the invention, the padded surface may be a felt layer. In addition to reducing noise, the padded surface  110  also operates to prevent damage to the interior surface of the container  100  as a result of the honor sticks  200  being shuffled therein. The padded surface  110  may cover a portion or all of the interior surface of the container  100 , body  102 , cap or lid  106 , and/or bottom  104 .  
         [0021]     In another embodiment of the invention, the container  100  may include a clip  120  or other attachment means. The clip  120  or other attachment means is generally mounted to the container body  102  and is configured to releasably secure the container  100  to another object. For example, the container  100  may include a clip  120  that is configured to releasably attach the container  100  to the belt or golf bag of a user, so that the container  100  may be portable and easily taken with the user during a golf game. Although a “clip” type means for releasably attaching the container  100  to another object has been shown, other means of releasably attaching the container  100  to other objects are contemplated within the scope of the invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plurality of exemplary honor sticks  200  of the invention. Generally, a set of the honor sticks  200  (which is generally 4 sticks) are configured to be identical in size, shape, weight, feel, etc., such that a user of the invention cannot tell the difference between the respective honor sticks  200  by simply touching the upper or top portion  202  of the honor sticks  200 . The upper or top portion  202  generally represents the handle portion of the stick  200 , i.e., the portion of the stick  200  that the user touches when the user is holding or selecting the stick  200  from the container  100 . The honor stick  200  may be manufactured from a plurality of materials or combinations of materials. For example, the inventors contemplate that the sticks  200  may be manufactured from metals such as stainless steel, iron, aluminum, metal alloys, or other metals, alloys, or materials that are coated with a metal or metal alloy material. Additional materials that may be used to manufacture the sticks  200  are wood, plastics, fiberglass materials, plastic and cloth or mesh material combinations, or any other material that is known in the art.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 2A , the upper portion  202  of one embodiment of the honor stick  200  of the invention may have a knurled surface  214  configured to facilitate the user handling or griping the stick  200 . The lower portion  204  of the embodiment of the honor stick  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  includes an indicia  206 . The indicia  206  shown in the exemplary honor stick  200  embodiment of  FIG. 2A  includes one or more grooves  207  formed into the exposed surface of the stick  200 . The indicia  206  represents an honors position or order, e.g., the four grooves shown in  FIG. 2A  would represent the fourth position in the playing order. Similarly, three or two grooves would represent the third or second honors position in the playing order. The grooves  207  may be formed into the lower portion  204  of the stick  200  my a machining or milling process, for example.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick  200  of the invention. The honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2B  again includes an upper portion  202 , a lower portion  204 , and an indicia  206  of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the indicia  206  comprises one or more stripes  208 . The stripes  208  may be painted onto the stick  200 , for example. In similar fashion to the embodiment of the honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the number of stripes  208  that are painted onto the stick  200  represents the honor position of the player who draws that stick, e.g., the player who draws the honor stick  200  with one stripe  208  on it will have the first honors position. Similarly, the players who draw sticks  200  having two and three stripes  208  on them will have the second and third honors positions respectively. The stripes  208  may be applied to the stick  200  with any known method, however, the inventors contemplate that methods of application that generate a sort of hardened stripe are preferred, as the hardened material is less likely to peel, flake, or chip off of the stick  200  during the shuffling process.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2C  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick  200  of the invention. The honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2C  again includes an upper portion  202 , a lower portion  204 , and an indicia  206  of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2C , the indicia  206  comprises one or more numbers  210 . The numbers  210  may be painted onto the stick  200  or etched or machined into the lower portion  204  of the stick  200 , for example. In similar fashion to the embodiment of the honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the number  210  that is represented on the stick  200  represents the honor position of the player who draws that stick, e.g., the player who draws the honor stick  200  with the number “ 1 ”  210  on it will have the first honors position. Similarly, the players who draw sticks  200  having the numbers “ 2 ” and “ 3 ”  210  on them will have the second and third honors positions respectively. Additionally, although the numbers  210  illustrated in this embodiment are standard English numbering, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to any particular numbering scheme. As such, any form of numbering or symbology that may be used to represent an honors position may be used within embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope thereof.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2D  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick  200  of the invention. The honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2D  again includes an upper portion  202 , a lower portion  204 , and an indicia  206  of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2D , lower portion  204  includes a flared portion  212 . The flared portion  212  is shown as including a number  210  as the indicia  206 , however, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to this configuration. More particularly, the inventors contemplate that the flared portion  212  may include any one of the indicia  206  illustrated in any of the previous embodiments.  
         [0027]     In operation, the method of the invention provides that each of the players in the golfing group draws one of the honor sticks  200  out of the container  100  prior to the golf round. The drawing process is a “blind drawing”, e.g., the player cannot see which honor stick  200  the player is selecting. Generally, this is accomplished by manufacturing the container  100  from a material that is not transparent or by dispensing the honor sticks  200  from the aperture  112  formed into the container  100  body portion. Each player reads the indicia  206  on the honor stick  200  to determine what honors position the player will have. The honor sticks  200  are generally positioned in the container  100  such that the players cannot discern between the indicia  206  on the respective honor sticks  200  before drawing them from the container  100 . Once each player has selected an honor stick  200  from the container  100  and the golf honors order has been determined, then each of the players may return the selected honor stick  200  to the container  100  so that it may be reused for subsequent rounds.  
         [0028]     While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.