Golf Tee

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/638,193 filed April 24, 2024 and entitled “Golf Tee,” the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

In golf, a tee is normally used for the first stroke of each hole, and the area from which this first stroke is hit is informally also known as the tee box, also known as the teeing ground. Normally, teeing the ball is allowed only on the first shot of a hole, called the tee shot, and is usually not allowed for any other shot. Teeing gives a commonly held notion of a considerable advantage for drive shots, so it is highly desirable whenever allowed. A standard golf tee is 2.750″ (two and three quarter inches) long, but both longer and shorter tees are permitted and are preferred by some players.

Some example embodiments are related to a golf tee having a first ply of paper material and a second ply of paper material coupled to the first ply of paper material such that the first and second ply of paper material form a substantially cylindrical tube, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to hold a golf ball and the second end is configured to be inserted into a teeing ground.

In some examples, the first ply and second ply of paper material are coupled using a water soluble polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive. In some examples, a wall thickness of the golf tee is between 0.004 inches and 0.100 inches. In some examples a length of the golf tee is between 0.5 inches and 3.99 inches. In some examples, the inner ply of paper material has a thickness of 0.003 inches to 0.050 inches. In some examples, the outer ply of paper material has a thickness of 0.003 inches to 0.050 inches. In some examples, the inner ply of paper material comprises 50 lb. craft paper. In some examples, the outer ply of paper material comprises one of a machine finish (MF) or machine glaze (MG) type paper. In some examples, an angle between the inner ply of paper material and the outer ply of paper material is 40-45 degrees. In some examples, the angle between the inner ply of paper material and the outer ply of paper material is 42 degrees.

Other example embodiments are related to a method of making a golf tee that includes winding a first ply of paper material around a mandrel, applying an adhesive layer to one of the first ply of paper material or a second ply of paper material and winding the second ply of paper material around the mandrel to form a substantially cylindrical tube.

In some examples, the method also includes cutting the tube to various lengths to form the golf tee. In some examples, the second ply of paper material is wound around the mandrel at an angle of 40-45 degrees with respect to the first ply of paper material. In some examples, a wall thickness of the golf tee comprising the first ply, the adhesive layer and the second ply is between 0.004 inches and 0.100 inches. In some examples, the first and second ply of paper material each have a thickness of 0.003 inches to 0.050 inches. In some examples, the first ply of paper material comprises 50 lb. craft paper. In some examples, the second ply of paper material comprises one of a machine finish (MF) or machine glaze (MG) type paper. In some examples, the first ply of paper material is wound around the mandrel in a first direction and the second ply of paper material is wound around the mandrel in the first direction. In some examples, the first ply of paper material is wound around the mandrel in a first direction and the second ply of paper material is wound around the mandrel in a second direction.

The example embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description and appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The example embodiments describe a golf tee configured to hold a golf ball for a tee shot by a player. More specifically, the example golf tee comprises a hollow paper tube.

shows a first view of an example embodiment of a golf tee. As can be seen fromand the other figures, the golf teehas a generally cylindrical shape. The golf teemay be constructed from any type of film structure including, but not limited to, paper, cardboard, any biodegradable material, glass fiber film, carbon fiber film, etc. An example method of constructing the golf tee, including example materials for the film structure will be described below. The golf teehas a first endconfigured to hold a golf ball and a second endconfigured to be inserted into the teeing ground at varying heights.

shows a top view of an example embodiment of a first endof the golf teeof. As can be seen from, the golf teehas a generally circular cross-section. While the example embodiments are shown with a circular cross-section, those skilled in the art will understand that other cross-sectional shapes are also possible, such as elliptical, polygonal, a star or some other uniform shape throughout all 360 degrees. Moreover, it is also possible that the external cross-section is circular, but the internal cross-section is a different shape or vice versa. An example wall thicknessmay be from 0.004 inches to 0.100 inches. However, this range is only example and can vary depending on the construction material, the manufacturing procedures and tolerances.

The golf teeshould provide minimal contact with the ball surface and the material of the golf teeshould not sit in the dimples of the golf ball when the golf ball is placed on the golf teeor sit in the dimples while being rotated on top of the tee. The golf ball will lie on the surfaceof the first endof the golf teesuch that the first endcontacts the surface of the golf ball at the interface that forms the boundaries of the dimples. In some example embodiments, the edge of the surfaceof the first endthat is configured to hold the ball may be shaped in such a manner to permit a minimum of surface contact with the ball. This efficient sitting of the golf ball on the first endallows for freer rotation of the ball and a lower coefficient of friction between the ball and the golf tee. This may result in a reduced spin rate for the ball when it is struck off the golf tee, which should increase the distance the ball is hit by the golfer. Moreover, the golf teemay allow for more accurately applied spin and tighter dispersion patterns, especially with the driver. However, this advantage of the golf teemay be seen using any club.

The golf teemay be inserted into the teeing ground.shows an example golf teethat is inserted into a teeing ground. As can be seen in this example, the second endof the golf teewill be below the teeing groundin an inserted position and the first endof the golf teewill extend above ground in the inserted position. Typically, the golf teewill extend above the ground as perpendicular as possible to the ground.

In some example embodiments, an insertion tool may be used to prepare the ground to receive the golf tee. In other example embodiments, the tee may be inserted into the ground without using an insertion tool. In these example embodiments, a bottom portion of the golf teemay have a shape (e.g., a bullet like shape or other shape) that aids the insertion.

The lengthof the golf teeas shown inmay be variable, e.g., different types of golf tees may have different lengths. Typically, the maximum length of a golf tee is set by the various golf associations, e.g., the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Royal and Ancient (R&A), etc. There is typically no minimum length for golf tees that is set by the golf associations. Thus, the golf teemay have any lengththat is in accordance with the rules of golf. In one example, the golf teemay be supplied in various lengths such as,.875 inches, 2 inches, 2.125 inches and 2.25 inches, 2.75 inches, 3 inches, 3.5 inches, etc.

The above-mentioned lengths for the golf teeare only a few examples of the various lengths that may be used. It may be possible to have many multiple lengths for the golf tee. Golf teesof different lengths may be color-coded or visually marked to indicate the length for easy selection by a golfer. Thus, in other example embodiments, the golf teemay have any length from 0.5 inches to 3.99 inches which results in a variety of tee heights that conform to the rules of golf.

Referring back to, the golf teeshould provide minimal contact with the ball surface, and the material of the golf teeshould not sit in the dimples of the golf ball when the golf ball is placed on the golf tee. Specifically, the golf ball will lie on the surfaceof the first endof the golf teesuch that the golf teecontacts the surface of the golf ball at the interface that forms the boundaries of the dimples. Moreover, as the golf ball is rotated when it is sitting on the surface, the surfaceshould not slide into the dimples of the golf ball. Thus, to reduce this contact, the wall thicknessof the first endshould generally be kept to a minimum. As described above, the example embodiments typically have a wall thickness of 0.004 inches to 0.100 inches. In some example embodiments, the edge of the first endthat is configured to hold the ball may be shaped in such a manner to permit a minimum of surface contact with the ball. This efficient sitting of the golf ball on the golf teeallows for freer rotation of the ball and a lower coefficient of friction between the ball and the golf tee. This may result in a reduced spin rate for the ball when it is struck off the golf teethat should increase the distance the ball is hit by the golfer. Moreover, the golf teemay allow for more accurately applied spin and tighter dispersion patterns, especially with the driver. The wall thicknessis kept to a minimum because as the thickness increases, the golf tee would give a greater resistance to the golf club when the ball is struck, and the golf ball will not travel as far. For example, a solid golf tee would have the greatest resistance. Thus, the golf teeis designed such that it has a minimum wall thicknesssuch that it remains rigid enough to be inserted into the ground, support the golf ball and be re-used, without being so thick that ball flight performance is diminished.

Moreover, the golf teealso may be reused for more drives than a typical golf tee.shows a comparison between a prior art wooden golf teeand the golf teeof the example embodiments. In this example, a golf ballis placed on a prior art wooden golf tee. When a golf club (e.g., a driver) strikes the golf ballin the direction of arrow, the golf balldeforms in the direction of arrow. That is, the golf ball, for a tiny amount of time, deforms from a sphere to a more oblong shape where the longer side of the oblong is in the direction of arrow. This deformation causes a force in the direction of the arrowthough the wooden golf tee. The face of the golf club will strike the tee in the area shown by line. Because the wooden golf teeis not compressible, the wooden golf teetypically breaks from the force in the direction of arrowand the golf club face striking the wooden tee. This break is illustrated as lineand golfers will recognize this area of the break when they drive the ball.

In contrast, when the golf ballis placed on the example golf teeand the golf teeexperiences the same forceas a result of the golf club striking the golf ball in the direction of arrow, the golf teedoes not break because the design of the golf teeallows the golf teeto absorb the force in the directionand remain stable without breaking. The golf teeabsorbs this force because the golf teeis constructed of a paper material that is flexible, unlike the typical wooden tee. Thus, the example golf teemay deform when the club strikes the golf tee, but the golf teedoes not fracture when the golf ballis hit. This deformation may be fixed by inserting a mandrel into the golf teeto straighten the golf teeand then the golf teemay be used again.

As described above, the golf teemay be constructed from paper, cardboard or any other biodegradable material. Example construction of the golf teewill be described in detail below. The golf teeis not required to be a biodegradable material. Any material that can support the weight of a golf ball is acceptable for use in constructing the golf tee. However, while not required, if the material used to construct the golf tee is biodegradable, it may result in fewer environmental hazards. For example, it is likely that the golf teewill be deflected and/or dislodged with respect to the ground when the golfer strikes the ball. In many instances, the golfer may not retrieve the golf teeafter hitting the golf ball. In such cases, it would be helpful, but not required, that the golf teebe biodegradable. In addition, the material should also not pose any threat to the flora or fauna. Moreover, the material of the golf teeshould be such that it does not cause any damage to very thin golf club faces nor should it provide any resistance to the club head path or deflect the club face when it is struck. This is both to prevent damage to the club and to provide the golfer with the maximum benefit of the golf tee.

shows a cross-section of the wallof the golf tee. In this example, the wallcomprises an inner ply paper materialand an outer ply paper material. In this example embodiment, the inner ply paper materialis approximately 0.005 inches thick and an outer ply paper materialis approximately 0.004 inches thick, resulting in a total thickness of approximately 0.009 inches. In this example, the inner ply paper materialmay be 50 lb. craft paper. The outer ply paper materialmay be a machine finish (MF) or machine glaze (MG) type paper. The inner plyand the outer plypaper material may be joined using a glue or an adhesive. In one example, the glue (applied at the boundarybetween the inner plyand the outer ply) may be a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive that essentially does not add any thickness to the wallof the golf tee. In some example embodiments, the adhesive may be water soluble.

The outer plyMF or MG paper may be made from a paper pulp that is rolled into sheets. When still in the pulp stage, ink may be added to the pulp to provide the finished paper material with a particular color. Thus, the outside of the golf teemay be colored, e.g., for color-coding lengths in the manner described above, for branding purposes, or for any other purpose.

In some example embodiments, the inner ply of film material may have a thickness of 0.003 inches to 0.050 inches. Similarly, the outer ply of film material may have a thickness of 0.003 inches to 0.050 inches. In some cases, the inner ply of film material may be thicker than the outer ply of film material. In other cases the outer ply of film material may be thicker than the inner ply of film material. In further cases, the inner ply of film material and the outer ply of film material may have the same thickness.

The wall thickness may be uniform throughout the entire lengthof the golf teeor the wall thickness may vary and taper from one end to the other. The wall thickness may be tapered so that the finished tube is easier to remove from the mandrel used in manufacturing as will be described below. In the event that the wall thickness tapers, the tapering could be in either direction, e.g., from the first endto the second end, or vice versa. In addition, the tapering could be provided such that the inner surface is tapered, and the outer surface is uniform or vice versa.

As described above, the golf teemay be formed from an inner ply paper materialand an outer ply paper material. To manufacture the golf tee, the inner ply paper materialmay be placed on a mandrel. In one example, the mandrel is approximately 0.345 inches in dimeter, meaning that the inner diameter of the fully constructed golf teewill also be 0.345 inches. However, other mandrel sizes may be used. After the inner ply paper materialis placed on the mandrel, the PVA adhesive may be applied to the outside of the inner ply paper materialand/or the inside of the outer ply paper material. The outer ply paper materialmay then be wrapped around inner ply paper materialon the mandrel to form a tube comprising the outer ply paper materialsecured to the inner ply paper material. In one example, the inner play paper materialand the outer ply paper materialmay be wound around the mandrel such that there is an angle between the two pliesand. In some example embodiments, the inner ply and the outer ply may be wound in opposite directions and in other example embodiments the inner ply and the outer ply may be wound in the same direction.

In one example, the relative angle between the plies is 40-45 degrees, preferably around 42 degrees. The exact angle between the plies may be set by the operator that is controlling the manufacturing process. It should be understood that the relative angle is only an example and other angles may be used for both the inner and outer plies. For example, the relative angle between the plies may be any angle greater than 0 degrees.

In some example embodiments, the relative angle between the plies may depend on the width of the paper. For example, in some examples the width of the paper may be 1.125″. In other examples, the paper width may be 23 mm (0.905″). However, any paper width may be used for the example embodiments.

shows an example of the two plies of paper materialandof the golf teewith respect to each other. The inner playis shown as being wound around the mandrel at a 42 degree angle with respect to the outer ply. This angle between the two pliesandlends rigidity to the golf teeallowing the golf teeto be inserted into the ground, support the golf ball and be reusable. The inner plyand the outer plymay be wrapped in the same direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. In another example embodiment, the inner plyand the outer plymay be wrapped in different directions with respect to each other, e.g., one ply is wrapped in the clockwise direction and one ply is wrapped in the counterclockwise direction. The direction of the paper folds or creases may depend on the direction of the winding of the outer ply of the paper. However, there is no preference for the direction of the paper folds or creases.

As described above, when using the example two plies of material, the tube will have a wall thickness of approximately 0.009 inches. In one example embodiment, the tube may have a length of 24 inches. This 24 inch tube may then be cut into various lengths to form the finished golf tees. In some example embodiments, the number of plies may be greater than 2, e.g., three, four, etc. The wall thickness may remain the same or be increased.

The above example embodiments described examples of paper that may be used for the inner ply paper materialand the outer ply paper material. However, it should be understood that these are only examples and other types of paper may be used. In one example, a vellum type paper may be used for either the inner ply or outer ply. In addition, as paper technology advances, thinner stronger paper may be used that supports the golf ball but reduces the wall thickness to achieve the advantages of the minimal wall thickness described above. In another example, the inner ply or the outer ply may be corrugated to provide strength to the golf tee.

In some example embodiments, there may a single piece of film material formed into a cylinder having any cross-sectional shape to be used as a golf tee, e.g., there is not an inner ply and an outer ply but a single piece of film material. In such a case, the film material may not have to be wound on a mandrel but may be formed into the cylinder without winding on a mandrel. In other example embodiments. There may be an undersheet of film material and an oversheet of film material formed into a cylinder without winding on a mandrel, e.g., there are two sheets of film material but they are not wound on a mandrel.

It is anticipated that artificial intelligence (AI) or other technology may advance the manners of producing paper or advanced materials similar to paper (e.g., having the same general characteristics as paper). The example tee may also be produced using such advanced paper or advanced materials.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.