DIVOT REPAIR TOOL HOLDER

Abstract

A divot repair tool holder may clip to a golf club, such as a putter, and may hold a divot repair tool. The divot repair tool holder may help a golfer remember to repair marks and divots that are made on the green. The divot repair tool holder may include a metal clip, adapted to attach to a golf club shaft, and a tool holder clip, adapted to secure a divot tool.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/222,384, filed Jul. 1, 2009, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to golf accessories and, more particularly, to a clip that may hold a divot repair tool to the shaft of a golf club, such as a putter.

When people hit golf balls on the green, they often leave holes and divots on the green. Conventional repair tools are typically stored in a pocket or in a golf bag. This causes people to forget to repair the marks and divots made on the green when playing a round of golf.

As can be seen, there is a need for a divot repair tool holder that may be readily accessible to a golfer while putting on the green.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a divot repair tool holder comprises a shaft clip having opposite ends adapted to grip a golf club shaft; a holder body attached to and extending from the tool holder clip; and a tool holder clip attached to the holder body, the tool holder clip adapted to hold at least a portion of a divot repair tool.

In another aspect of the present invention, a divot repair tool holder comprises a shaft clip having opposite ends adapted to grip a putter; a holder body attached to and extending from the tool holder clip; a tool holder clip attached to the holder body, the tool holder clip adapted to resiliently deform away from the holder body to hold at least a portion of a divot repair tool therebetween; and a tool aligner located on a front end of the divot repair tool holder, the tool aligner extending perpendicularly from the holder body.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a divot repair tool holder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the divot repair tool holder of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a right side view of a divot repair tool holder according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a divot repair tool holder that may clip to a golf club, such as a putter, and may hold a divot repair tool. The divot repair tool holder, according to embodiments of the present invention, may help a golfer remember to repair marks and divots that are made on the green. In one embodiment, the divot repair tool holder may include a metal clip, adapted to attach to a golf club shaft, and a tool holder clip, adapted to secure a divot tool.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, a divot repair tool holder 10 may include a shaft clip 12 adapted to clip over a golf club shaft (not shown). The shaft clip may be generally C-shaped. Opposite ends 14, 16 of the clip may resiliently deform to increase an opening 18 therebetween to allow a golf club shaft to be inserted within an inside diameter 20 of the shaft clip 12.

A holder body 22 may be attached to and extend from the shaft clip 12. The holder body 22 may be configured and designed to hold a handle of a divot tool (not shown). The holder body 22 may be flat or may be contoured or indented (e.g., concaved) to accommodate the shape of a divot tool. In one embodiment, the holder body 22 is formed integrally with the shaft clip 12. The holder body 22 may extend from about ⅝ inches to about 2 inches in length from the shaft clip 12.

A tool holder clip 24 may be attached to and extend from the holder body 22. The tool holder clip 24 may be configured and designed to hold a divot tool to the holder body 22. The tool holder clip 24 may be flat or may be contoured or indented (e.g., concaved) to accommodate the shape of a divot tool. The tool holder clip 24 may be approximately the same length as the holder body 22. The tool holder clip 24 may be attached to the holder body 22 along an edge 26 thereof. The tool holder clip 24 may be resiliently deformed away from the holder body 22 to secure a divot tool therebetween. The tool holder clip 22 may be formed integrally with the holder body 22.

The divot repair tool holder 10 may be made from conventional materials, such as steel, plastic, aluminum or the like. When the tool holder 10 is made of aluminum, for example, the tool holder 10 may be made from machine stamping and bending the metal into the desired shape of the product.

The divot repair tool holder 10 may include an optional tool aligner 28. The tool aligner 28 may be connected perpendicularly to a front end 30 of the holder body 22. The tool aligner 28 may help align a divot tool when it is placed into the divot repair tool holder 10. The tool aligner 28 may have a surface that is flat or contoured or indented (e.g., concave) to accommodate the shape of the divot tool.

Referring to FIG. 8, a divot repair tool holder 10-1 may include a tool stopper 34 attached to a back side 36 of the holder body 22. The tool stopper 34 may extend perpendicularly away from the holder body 22 in a direction away from the golf club shaft (not shown) when the tool holder 10-1 is attached to the golf club shaft. The tool stopper 34 may be configured and designed to stop a divot tool from sliding out of the divot tool holder 10-1. The tool stopper 34 may have a surface that is flat or may be contoured or indented (e.g., concave) to accommodate the shape of a divot tool.

The divot repair tool holder 10-1 (or, alternatively, the divot repair tool holder 10) may include multiple tool holder clips 32 disposed above and attached to the holder body 22. In one embodiment, two tool holder clips 32 may be attached to the holder body 22. Similar to the tool holder clip 24 described above, each tool holder clip 32 may be resiliently deformed away from the holder body 22 to secure a divot tool therebetween.

To use the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1, a user may simply clip the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1 onto a golf club shaft, such as a putter shaft, by pressing it on the shaft next to the putter grip to snap it in place. Then, the user may get a divot repair tool and put the front forks of the divot repair tool in between the tool aligner 28 and on the holder body 22. With the divot repair tool on the tool aligner 28 and holder body 22, the user may slide the divot repair tool under the tool holder clip 24 (or clips 32). When the user wants to use the divot repair tool, the tool may be readily slid out of the tool holder 10, 10-1.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1 may be made of a magnetically attractive material. This construction may allow magnetized ball markers to be attached to the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1. In alternate embodiments, the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1 may include specific designs, logos or the like. For example, a company's logo may be printed or engraved into the divot repair tool holder 10, 10-1.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A divot repair tool holder comprising:

a shaft clip having opposite ends adapted to grip a golf club shaft;

a holder body attached to and extending from the tool holder clip; and

a tool holder clip attached to the holder body, the tool holder clip adapted to hold at least a portion of a divot repair tool.

2. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, wherein the golf club shaft is a golf club shaft of a putter.

3. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, wherein the tool holder clip is approximately the same size of the holder body.

4. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, wherein the tool holder clip resiliently deforms away from the holder body.

5. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, wherein the tool holder clip includes at least two tool holder clips that resiliently deform away from the holder body.

6. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, further comprising a tool aligner located on a front end of the divot repair tool holder, the tool aligner extending perpendicularly from the holder body.

7. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, further comprising a tool stopper located on a back end of the divot repair tool holder, the tool stopper extending perpendicularly from the holder body.

8. The divot repair tool holder of claim 1, wherein the holder body and the tool holder clip are contoured to secure a divot tool therebetween.

9. A divot repair tool holder comprising:

a shaft clip having opposite ends adapted to grip a putter;

a holder body attached to and extending from the tool holder clip;

a tool holder clip attached to the holder body, the tool holder clip adapted to resiliently deform away from the holder body to hold at least a portion of a divot repair tool therebetween; and

a tool aligner located on a front end of the divot repair tool holder, the tool aligner extending perpendicularly from the holder body.

10. The divot repair tool holder of claim 9, further comprising a tool stopper located on a back end of the divot repair tool holder, the tool stopper extending perpendicularly from the holder body.