Patent ID: 7780551

Claim:
A golf tee to support a golf ball, comprising: a first portion; a second portion coupled to the first portion; and a compressible material located between the first portion and the second portion; wherein: the golf tee comprises: a compressed configuration when the golf tee is subjected to a load; and a relaxed configuration when the load is removed; the first portion comprises: a base section to support the golf tee; and a first section opposite the base section; the second portion comprises: a support section to support the golf ball; a second section, opposite the support section, coupled to the first section; and a perimeter of an end of the support section defining a plane; the plane remains substantially perpendicular to an axis while the second portion moves relative to the first portion; the golf tee is transitioned from the relaxed configuration to the compressed configuration when the load moves the second portion towards the first portion; the compressible material is configured to: increasingly compress as the golf tee is changed from the relaxed configuration to the compressed configuration; and automatically return the golf tee to the relaxed configuration when the load is removed; the first section of the first portion comprises: a bore extending along the axis, with a bore inner perimeter; and a lip narrowing the bore inner perimeter to a lip inner perimeter; the second section of the second portion comprises: a shaft extending along the axis, with a shaft outer perimeter; and a tip, with a tip outer perimeter, at an end of the shaft; the tip outer perimeter is greater than the shaft outer perimeter; the tip and the lip restrict a separation of the first and second portions from each other; the bore inner perimeter of the first portion is complementary to the tip outer perimeter of the second portion; and the lip inner perimeter of the first portion is complementary to the shaft outer perimeter of the second portion.