Variable height golf tee

Abstract

An adjustable height golf tee whereby a golfer can set his/her preferred tee height for whichever club he or she decides to use, employs an interference fit between two components namely a plug which is mounted on a base and has a series of external ridges, and a tee piece which is hollow and resilient and preferably has at least one internal ridge. The tee is intended to be used with an existing practice mat, which would hold the base in position. In other embodiments the tee piece may have multiple internal ridges instead of or in addition to the plug being beaded.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a height adjustable golf tee to be used on a practice mat at driving ranges.

BACKGROUND ART

Golf tees lift the golf ball clear from the ground in order to strike the ball more cleanly. There are in existence rubber golf tees designed to fit through a practice mat, theses are available in two sizes only.

These rubber tees do not provide a golfer with enough choice as to which height he or she plays the ball from.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention a height adjustable golf tee is provided comprising a hollow resilient tee piece which is adjustably fitted onto a beaded plug mounted on a base, in which respect either the plug is provided externally with a series of ridges, or the hollow tee piece is provided internally with at least one ridge, or both are so formed, and the tee piece is slidably adjustable on the plug as an interference fit thereon. A “beaded” plug means a plug formed with at least one external ridge.

In embodiments where the plug is provided with a series of ridges, the plug may be similar to a mechanical gas tap style fitting in which a series of convex bulges are formed on the outside of a laboratory style gas tap. This plug could be a solid beaded shaft or it could be hollow.

The plug is provided with a base, which may be disc-like with a flat underside.

The plug is adapted in size and shape to secure the hollow golf tee piece, which is preferably soft and rubberised, at the preferred height for golf club selection as determined by the individual golfer.

Both the material of the tee piece and the material of the plug and its base are sufficiently strong and/or resilient to withstand being stood upon and/or being hit by a golf club.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf practice mat, with a first embodiment of the adjustable tee of the invention in position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the two components, namely the plug and the hollow tee piece of the same embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows the two components as in FIG. 2, but fitted together with the tee at its maximum height setting;

FIG. 4 shows the two components again fitted together with the tee at its minimum height;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the same embodiment of the tee piece of the invention in use;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the plug and cross-section of the hollow tee piece of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the plug and a cross-section of the hollow tee piece of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-section of a modified tee piece; and

FIG. 9 is a side view of the plug and a cross-section of the hollow tee piece of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings a first practical example of the golf tee of the invention comprises two separate components, namely a plug 2 and a tee piece 3. The plug 2 is externally beaded; i.e. it has a series of separate encircling convex ridges 4, and it is mounted centrally, upstanding from a circular base 5. The base may be formed integrally with the upstanding plug 2, e.g. moulded in one piece. The plug may be hollow. In use, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the upstanding plug 2 would project through a small hole in a golf practice mat 1, while the base 5 would be a larger diameter than the hole, so that the mat 1 would hold it in place.

The tee piece 3 is formed as a tube of firm hardwearing elastic type material, such as a rubber-based compound. In order that a golfer is able to position the ball at his preferred height, the tee piece 3 fits over the plug 2 tightly, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this respect, the internal diameter of the hollow tube 3 is smaller than the largest diameter of the beads 4 on the plug 2, so an interference fit is attained, using the natural physical properties of the respective materials to hold a ball 6 at the set height. Thus, the tee piece 3 is infinitely adjustable on the plug 2. There are no specific height positions at which they best interfit.

FIG. 6 shows a modified embodiment. The plug 12 is still beaded and the tee piece 13 is still a hollow, cylindrical tube, but their exact shape is modified compared to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5. The plug 12 has an additional slightly wider enlargement 11 at the top above the respective encircling convex ridges 14 and the tee piece 13 has an inward lip 17 at its lower end to inhibit removal of the tee piece 13 from the plug 12 when it is slidingly inserted thereon. Also the tee piece 13 has a champfered top edge 18 to facilitate steady support of a golf ball.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 comprises a plug 12 and its base plate 15, exactly as in FIG. 6, together with a hollow tee piece 23, which is different from the preceding embodiment in that it is formed internally with a series of convex grooves 24 and intervening wide ridges 26. Thus, it is of substantially corresponding shape to the exterior of the plug 12 and again will seat thereon at any selected height as it is pushed down over the plug 12 and/or pulled up to the required position. Again a champfered top edge 28 is provided to seat the ball and a lower inward lip 27 to inhibit removal from the plug 12.

Although there are a series of ridges 14 in the plug 12 and grooves 24 inside the tee piece 23, these do not provide discrete adjustment positions only when they interfit. They merely facilitate the support of the tee piece 23 at any selected height, minimising risk of dislodgement, the tee piece 23 again being infinitely slidingly adjustable on the plug 12.

FIG. 8 shows a variant where an internally ridged tee piece 21 is wider and champfered at its lower end, at 29, and then constricted at a higher location, at 22, to facilitate its insertion over the top of the plug 12, but retaining, at the constriction 22, the inhibition of being pulled off too easily.

FIG. 9 shows a further variant of the golf tee of the invention.

Plug 32 is integrally formed with circular base plate 35, and is formed externally with four shallow concave grooves 31 and three intervening ridges 34, which are not so rounded as in the previous embodiments.

A tapered section 33 is provided at the top of the plug to facilitate the placing of the tee piece 40 thereover.

The tee piece 40 is a hollow cylinder, as previously, of resilient, flexible material, such as rubber or synthetic rubber. It has a champfer 48 internally around its top edge to facilitate steady support of a golf ball 50. It also has a single internal ridge or lip 42 at a spacing from its lower end. The purpose of this lip 42 is primarily to define a lower region in which the plug 32 can be located without the tee piece 40 falling off, i.e. without complete removal. Once the tee piece 40 is pushed down further its possibility for height adjustment and being held at any selected height begins. This transition will be readily apparent by the resistance offered as the tee piece 40 is pushed down until the lip 42 engages around the surface of the plug 32.

In further embodiments, not illustrated, the plug could have a smooth cylindrical outer surface, perhaps with an enlargement at its upper end only to inhibit removal of the tee piece, while the tee piece has a series of internal ridges to make a suitable sliding interference fit with the plug.

Claims

1. A height adjustable golf tee comprising a hollow resilient tee piece which is adjustably fitted onto a plug mounted on a base, in which respect the plug is externally formed with a series of ridges and the tee piece is slidably adjustable on the plug as an interference fit thereon.

2. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the tee piece and the material of the plug and its base are sufficiently strong and/or resilient to withstand being stood upon and/or being hit by a golf club.

3. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug has an enlargement at its upper end to inhibit removal of the tee piece.

4. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tee piece has an inward lip at or neat its lower end to inhibit its removal from the plug.

5. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tee piece is formed with a single internal ridge to facilitate retention of the tee piece relative to the plug in a selected adjusted position.

6. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tee piece is formed with a series of internal ridges to facilitate retention of the tee piece relative to the plug in a selected adjusted position.

7. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug is formed with at least three external ridges.