Golf Ball Position Marking Aid

1. Field Of The Invention

This invention relates generally to a golf ball marker and, more particularly, to a golf ball marker magnetically attached to a pinned button worn on the golfer's clothing.

2. Discussion Of The Related Art

The game of golf is a well known and popular sport. Typically, up to four golfers play a "round" of golf together. During a round of golf, the golfers generally take turns hitting their respective golf balls towards the hole or "pin" in an organized fashion. Golf etiquette calls for the player farthest from the pin to be the next player to hit his golf ball. When all of the players are on the "green" area surrounding the pin, the players continue the game by "putting" their respective golf ball towards, and hopefully into, the hole. Once again, the position of the golf balls dictates who's turn it is such that the player farthest from the pin is the first to putt his golf ball. With up to three other golf balls lying on the green in their respective positions closer to the hole, it is likely that one or more of these balls will be in the "line" of the player putting such that the ball may block the hole from the ball of the putting player. Additionally, the closer players' balls may lie beyond the hole from the putting player, but still may be in jeopardy of being hit. The game allows for penalty strokes to be assessed to the player whose ball is hit by another player's ball. Also, a player may wish to pick up his ball to wipe off dirt or other matter which may impede the ball from rolling in a smooth fashion. The occasion therefore arises when players want to or are obligated to "mark" their ball with some type of marking device which lies flat on the green, and thus, is not an obstacle to the player who is putting.

Golf ball markers come in a variety of styles. A ball marker is, however, typically a round flat object of an inconspicuous nature. Known golf ball markers may be of either a plastic or metal material. For the most part, prior art golf ball markers are carried in the pocket of the golfer, typically intermingled with other items such as golf tees, change, etc. until the need arises for its use. The golfer must therefore retrieve the ball marker from his pocket when it is needed. This procedure may provide a certain degree of irritation to the golfer in that the golfer may have to vigorously search for the ball marker within the pocket. Because putting is typically the part of the golf game requiring the most finesse, a limited amount of frustration, such as could be generated by having to search for a ball marker within the golfer's pocket, may cause this frustration to be carried over to the actual act of putting a short time later. Further, the act of searching for a ball marker in a pocket may cause a golfer to actually damage or rip the pocket itself. Consequently, the need to carry a ball marker in a golfer's pocket during a round of golf may have a detrimental effect on the game itself.

What is needed is a golf ball marker which is readily accessible to the golfer during a round of golf. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a golf ball marker.

This invention discloses a golf ball marker carrier and associated golf ball marker. The carrier is a round metal button that includes a pin clasp secured to its back surface. A round, rubber coated magnet is glued to a front surface of the button. A magnetic ball marker in the shape of a disc is attached to the magnet.

When playing a round of golf, a golfer will pin the button to a convenient location on his clothing. In this location, the ball marker is continuously and readily available for use. When the golfer enters the putting green and recognizes a need to mark his ball, the golfer need only slide the ball marker off of the magnet and place it at the appropriate location on the green while at the same time retrieving his ball. Once it is the golfer's turn to putt, he merely retrieves the ball marker and reattaches it to the magnet where it is securely held in place until the next time it is needed.

Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a ball marker carrier and associated ball marker;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the ball marker carrier and the ball marker of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a back view of the ball marker carrier of FIG. 1.

The following discussion of the preferred embodiments concerning a ball marker and associated ball marker carrier is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or uses.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a front view, side view and back view, respectively, of a golf ball marker and carrying device 10. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the golf ball marker and carrying device 10 includes a round metal button or disc 12. In a preferred embodiment, the metal button or disc 12 is approximately 1 1/2" in diameter and is made of aluminum. A pin clasp assembly 14 is secured to a back surface of the metal button or disc 12. The pin clasp assembly 14 is of a conventional nature in that it includes an elongated pin 16 rigidly secured at one end to a spring mechanism 18 and releasably secured at the other end to a hook member 20. The pin 16 can be continually released from and secured to the hook member 20 against the bias of the spring mechanism 18. A button and associated pin as just described is well known. Such buttons are typically pinned to clothing such that a message written on a front surface of the button can be conveyed.

Secured to a front surface of the metal button 12 is a magnet 22. In a preferred embodiment, the rubber coated magnet 22. The rubber coated magnet 22 is rigidly secured to the metal button 12 by any applicable means such as glue 26. Magnetically secured to the magnet 22 is a flat, round ball marker 24. In a preferred embodiment the rubber coated magnet 22 is approximately 1/2" in diameter and the ball marker 24 is a 430 polished magnetic stainless steel disc having a diameter of approximately 3/4" and a thickness of approximately 1/16". It will be appreciated, however, that the ball marker 24 can be of any applicable ferromagnetic material so that it will be magnetically attracted and secured to the magnet 22. A plastic member embedded with iron shavings may provide an attractive alternative.

When a golfer desires to use the golf ball marker and carrying device 10, he unclasps the pin 16 from the hook member 20 and pierces the pin 16 through a desirable portion of his clothing such that the pin 16 can be re-engaged to the hook member 20 and the ball marker and carrying device 10 will be secured to the golfer's clothing. The operation of the pin clasp assembly 14 is well understood in the art. When the golfer enters the putting green when playing a round of golf, and recognizes a need to mark his golf ball, the ball marker 24 is readily accessible to the golfer in that it is carried on the exterior of the golfer's clothing and is easily disengaged from the magnet 22. When it is the golfer's turn to putt, and the golfer replaces the ball marker 24 with the golf ball, the golfer can readily secure the marker 24 to the magnet 22 by merely touching the marker 24 to the magnet 22.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.