US3556364A

US3556364A - Golf accessory

Info

Publication number: US3556364A
Application number: US763540A
Authority: US
Inventors: Faye M Maretka
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-30
Filing date: 1968-09-30
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19

Abstract

A golf accessory for fastening to the outside of a golfer''s garments, such as to the shoe, which includes a flexible, doublepocketed, lightweight unit designed to receive and store a ball spotter which is removably attached to the unit in a snap fastener recess, a pronged cleat cleaner and green repair tool, and a pair of golf tees, the ball spotter comprising a disclike body portion having a projecting stud with a headed portion to be received in a snap fastener recess.

Description

United States Patent;

2,662,677 12/1953 Perry lnventor Faye M. Maretka 13688 l-lannan Road, Romulus, Mich. 48174 Appl. No. 763,540 Filed Sept. 30, 1968 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 GOLF ACCESSORY 2 Claims, SDrawing Figs.

US. Cl.- 224/5, 273/32 Int. Cl. A45f 5/00, A631: 5 7/00 Field of Search 150/ (Inquired); 224/5.4, 5.5, 26; 273/162, 32

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,120,388 2/1964 Doble 273/32(B) 3,272,412 9/1966 Antonious 224/21X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,043,683 9/1966 Great Britain 273/ 162(D) Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Attorney-Barnes, Kisselle, Raisch & Choate ABSTRACT: A golf accessory for. fastening to the outside of a golfers garments, such as to the shoe, which includes a flexible, double-pocketed, lightweight unit designed to receive and store a ball spotter which is removably attached to the unit in a snap fastener recess, a pronged cleat cleaner and green repair tool, and a pair of golf tees, the ball spotter comprising a disclike body portion having a projecting stud with a headed portion to be received in a snap fastener recess.

PATENIEI] JAN 1 919m FIG.3

INVENTOR FA Y5 M MAAQT/(A AT TORNEVS GOLF ACCESSORY golfer which can be readily fastened to the shoe or an outer garment to avoid the necessity of reaching in the pockets for the various devices that are used in golfing which includes a convenient, snap-in ball position marker, golf tees, cleat cleaners and green repair tool, all available for ready accessibility. I

It is an object of the invention to provide a golf accessory which can be small and heat in appearance and which can be always easily accessible and which carries the small necessary accessories for use in ordinary golf games.

It is a further object to provide a carrying device which is extremely compact and which, by reason of its construction, adapts to the carrying of a ball position marker, golf tees,- and a cleat cleaner which'doubles as a green repair tool, these being arranged in such a way as to provide an extremely attractive unit.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent in the followingdescriptionand claims in which the details of the device and the principle of operation is described in connection with the best mode contemplated by the inventor.

DRAWINGS accompany the disclosure and the various views thereof maybe briefly described as:

FIG. 1, a front elevation of the unit;

FIG. 2, a view of the unit as fastened to a shoe;

. FIG. 3. a view partially in section taken on lines 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4, a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5, an illustration of the use of the ball spotter or position marker;

FIG. 6, an illustration of the cleat cleaner;

FIG. 7, an illustration ofv the use of the cleat cleaner as a green repair tool; and

FIG. 8, a perspective view of the ball position marker.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the unit which is composed of a back panel or plate which is enlarged at the lower end 22 and which has a reinforcing plate 24 at the narrow and upper end extending about one-third the length of the back panel. This panel 20 and the plate 24 are preferably formed of a flexible material such as leather or a synthetic equivalent joined by adhesive or stitching. The upper end is provided with holes 26 which permit the unit to be fastened to a shoe 28 as shown in FIG. 2. The reinforcing plate 24 provides a stiffness which prevents the unit from flapping on the shoe.

.Approximately the lower two-thirds of the back plate or panel 20 are covered by a front plate 30 also formed of a flexible material such as leather. This plate 30 is fastened to the sides of the enlarged portion of the back plate by stitching at 32, this stitching extending transversely inward at 34 a short distance. Also the front plate 30 is stitched to the back plate centrally'at 36, thus forming two spaced pockets open at each end. As shown in the drawings, these pockets receive a pair of tees 38, the device being so dimensioned that the tees project downward with their pointed ends terminating approximately at the bottom of the pockets. The pockets also serve to retain a tool 40 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 which has a double prong 42 at the bottom end to be used in the cleaning of cleats 44 of a shoe. The pronged end may also be used to repair the green if it has been depressed or damaged by a landing ball. The depressed area is gently lifted by the prongs of the tool.

The two prongs 42 straddle the central stitching 36 and are, therefore, received respectively in the pockets of the unit along with the tees 38 and the pressure of the tees in conjunction with the resilience of the material from which the plates are formed serves to exert a pressure which holds the cleat cleaner 40 in place. The lower end of the front plate 30 is provided with a snap retainer socket which has a recess 52. A ball position marker is formed with a disclike body having a male stud 62 with a headed end 64 to be removable received in a snap relationship in the recess 52.

The ball spotter is preferably formed of a metal which can be plated or colored in an attractive way and the metal has a sufficient weight that it will hold the spotter down into the blades of the grass of a green so that it will not interfere with the passage of a ball over it. This also adds to the attractiveness of the unit as it is worn on the shoe. The cleat cleaner and green repair tool 40 is also preferably formed of a lightweight but strong sheet of metal having two functional operations but also forming an attractive background for the tees which are positioned in front of it in the spaced pockets.

Thus, it will be seen that the unit. which is easy to wear and easy to use can be attached=to a garment such as a belt or shoe or other article of clothing, permits the ready accessibility of the stored items without the necessity of a golfer reaching into his pocket to pull out the various items, Storage in the pocket causes the clothing to be soiled. Thus, the use of the described accessory saves on cleaning bills. There is also more wear and tear on the clothing when the accessories are in the pocket and introducing the hand when wet with perspiration contributes tothe inconvenience. The outside accessory as above described provides a muchimore advantageous way of providing easy accessibility to the units which are usedfrequently in each traverse from tee to green. The lower portion of the plate 30 being loose makes it convenient to remove and replace the ball spotter and also prevents a tight bindingof the tees so that they can be snugly secured but easily removable. THe entire unit can be very lightwith a total weightof about one ounce.

It will be seen that the device canbe readily used by a golfer regardless of the outer apparel which he is wearing. It can be attached to a belt or a shoe or even a buttonhole or jacket zipper and thus women golfers who might not wear a belt could use the device as readily as a man golfer.

Because the accessories are all readily available on the outer garments, play on the green is speeded since fumbling in the pockets is avoided and one player may be required to mark aball position two or three times on one green. Carrying the device on the shoe is ideal since the ball position marker is readily accessible as the player bends down to lift the ball. Also in repairing the green as the player bends down, the tool is at hand. I

I claim:

1. A golf accessory comprising:

a. a flexible back plate, such as leather, elongate in shape and widened at one end, the other end being apertured to facilitate fastening to the outside of a garment and having a reinforcing panel at said other end on the back face thereof to stiffen the fastening end;

b. a flexible front plate overlying the widened end and secured to the back plate at a portion of the sides and at the center to form a pair of pockets open at each end, the pockets being narrowed at the lower end by a transverse fastening approximately centered with respect to the lon gitudinal dimension of the front plate, wherein to receive and secure a pair of golf tees in the respective pockets, and to secure also a forked cleat cleaner with the respective forks being received in the respective pockets;

. a snap-fastener element on said front plate positioned in a free portion thereof below said transverse fastening and exposed to the outside of said plate; and

d. a ball spotter comprising'a disclike body having a stud portion extending from one side thereof, the end of said stud portion carrying a snap fastener element to cooperate with the element on said front plate.

2. A golf accessory comprising:

a. a flexible back plate apertured at one end for fastening purposes;

b. a flexible front plate secured to the back plate at the sides and the center to form spaced pockets open at the top;

c. a female snap recess anchored in a portion of said front plate; v d. a pair of golf tees received in said pockets;

e. a forked plate having prongs received for storage respectively in said pockets for use to clean golf shoe cleats; and

edges to provide a flap to facilitate insertion and removal of the ball spotter into the recess.

Claims

1. A golf accessory comprising: a. a flexible back plate, such as leather, elongate in shape and widened at one end, the other end being apertured to facilitate fastening to the outside of a garment and having a reinforcing panel at said other end on the back face thereof to stiffen the fastening end; b. a flexible front plate overlying the widened end and secured to the back plate at a portion of the sides and at the center to form a pair of pockets open at each end, the pockets being narrowed at the lower end by a transverse fastening approxiMately centered with respect to the longitudinal dimension of the front plate, wherein to receive and secure a pair of golf tees in the respective pockets, and to secure also a forked cleat cleaner with the respective forks being received in the respective pockets; c. a snap-fastener element on said front plate positioned in a free portion thereof below said transverse fastening and exposed to the outside of said plate; and d. a ball spotter comprising a disclike body having a stud portion extending from one side thereof, the end of said stud portion carrying a snap fastener element to cooperate with the element on said front plate.

2. A golf accessory comprising: a. a flexible back plate apertured at one end for fastening purposes; b. a flexible front plate secured to the back plate at the sides and the center to form spaced pockets open at the top; c. a female snap recess anchored in a portion of said front plate; d. a pair of golf tees received in said pockets; e. a forked plate having prongs received for storage respectively in said pockets for use to clean golf shoe cleats; and f. a ball spotter formed as a disc having projecting from one side thereof a headed male prong to snap into said recess, the front plate being free of the back plate at the lower edges to provide a flap to facilitate insertion and removal of the ball spotter into the recess.