Patent ID: 7086959

Claim:
A putter head useful for retrieving a golf ball comprising: a front putter face having a top and bottom, a bottom flange extending rearward from said putter face, said flange having a top and bottom surfaces and a ball receiving aperture that has a diameter sufficient that the edges of the receiving aperture grip said ball when the receiving aperture is pressed against said ball, said flange being sufficiently thin at the point of contact with said gripped ball to permit passage of said gripped ball through said receiving aperture upon application of additional downward force, and a surface extending rearward from the top of the front face of the putter forming a lip with top and bottom surfaces, which lip extends over said receiving aperture such that, when said ball passes upwardly through said receiving aperture, it is situated at rest off-center with respect to said receiving aperture preventing the ball from passing downwardly through said receiving aperture by the force of gravity, wherein the bottom surface of said lip and the top surface of said bottom flange have a vertical spacing of about 0.2 to about 0.75 inch, and wherein said lip thins towards the rear so that it is sufficiently spaced from said bottom flange to form a slot that can accommodate a flagstick or golf club shaft.