Method and apparatus for determining golf honors

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus and method for determining honors in a golf match between two or more players.

2. Description of the Related Art

Golf is one of the most popular sports and pastimes of the 20^th century. The game is played by millions each day for leisure or relaxation, and playing a round of golf among business associates in furtherance of business relationships has also become common place on today's society. The acceptance of the game of golf as both a recreational and a business activity has inherently resulted in many of the golf courses becoming crowded and has slowed the playing time for a round significantly. As such, there is a need for methods and apparatuses that are able to reduce the playing time for a round of golf so that the golf courses may be able to provide services to more players, or alternatively, provide a more comforting environment (less crowded) for players.

The inventors have recognized that one area of golf that wastes time is the “honors” process. The “honors” process is the process that players go through when a round of golf is started to determine which player will hit the golf ball first. The player determined to have “honors” is allowed to hit the golf ball first off of the tee box. Conventionally, golfers may stand in a circle and toss a golf tee into the air between them, and the person to whom the golf tee points when it comes to rest on the ground is determined to have “honors”. This process is repeated to determine which player has second, third, and fourth honors. The process of repeatedly throwing the tee, although simplistic in methodology, is often plagued with problems and controversy. For example, the players often disagree as to which player the tee is pointing. Similarly, once a player has been selected for honors, the remaining players continue to toss the tee until the honors or playing order is determined for each player. Thus, as the number of players in the tee toss decreases, the determination of which player the tee is pointing to becomes more difficult. Further, inasmuch as one of the players must toss the tee into the air for each honors determination, often times one or more of the other players feel that the player tossing the tee has “rigged” or somehow manipulated the toss results. As such, although the tee toss honors determination method is simplistic in its implementation, most golfers would appreciate more reliable, efficient, less controversial method and/or apparatus for determining honors.

The pro golf tour utilizes a drawing method to determine honors for professional golf tournaments. More particularly, each player draws or pulls a number out of a hat to determine honors. This method is very practical and easy to implement in a tournament situation, however, it is not practical for the daily golfer. For example, the daily golfer does not typically have the material (paper, scissors, marker, etc.) to conduct a drawing for honors.

Another conventional method for determining honors is where each player tosses a golf ball toward a tee box marker. The player's ball that stops closest to the tee box marker is determined to have honors, the players ball that is second closest has second honors, etc. Again, although this method is simplistic, it is not reliable, as the players often dispute which ball is closest to the tee box marker.

In view of the conventional methods and apparatuses available for determining honors in a golf game with two or more players, there is a need for a reliable, simplistic, and uncontroversial method and/or apparatus for determining golf honors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a method and apparatus for determining golf honors in a golf game having two or more players. The apparatus generally includes a weather resistant container having a plurality (usually 4) of honors sticks therein. Each of the honor sticks is generally constructed identically and cannot be distinguished from one another when they are positioned in the container. Each of the honor sticks, which are also generally manufactured from a weather resistant material, includes some sort of an indicia or marker that represents an honors position. As such, the method of the invention provides that each of the players in the golfing group draws one of the honor sticks out of the container prior to the golf round. Each player reads the indicia on the honor stick to determine what honors position the player will have. The honor sticks are generally positioned in the container such that the players cannot discern between the indicia on the respective honor sticks before drawing them from the container.

Embodiments of the invention may further provide A method and apparatus for determining honors in a golf game. The apparatus includes a substantially enclosed container and a plurality of individual honor sticks removably positioned in the enclosed portion of the container. Each of the individual honor sticks each include an elongated substantially rigid stick member having a handle end and an honors indicating end, the honors indicating end having an honors indicating indicia positioned thereon.

Embodiments of the invention may further provide a method for determining golf honors. The method generally includes positioning a plurality of honors sticks in an enclosed container, drawing an honors stick out of the container for each golfer to determine an honors position, and replacing the honors sticks in the container. The sticks of the method include an elongated axially formed stick body member manufactured from a substantially rigid material and having a first and second terminating ends, a handle that may be used to draw the honors stick from the container that is formed onto the first terminating end of the stick body member, and an honors indicia formed on the second terminating end of the stick body member.

Embodiments of the invention may further provide an apparatus for determining honors in a golf game. The apparatus generally includes a substantially enclosed container and a plurality of individual honor sticks removably positioned in the enclosed portion of the container. The individual honor sticks each include an elongated substantially rigid stick member having a handle end and an honors indicating end, the honors indicating end having an honors indicating indicia positioned thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary golf honors stick container of the invention.

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate exemplary embodiments of the golf honors sticks of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally provides a reliable, simplistic, and uncontroversial method and/or apparatus for determining golf honors. The invention generally comprises an enclosed container that is configured to hold a plurality of honors sticks. The container is not transparent to the eye, and as such, participants cannot see the honor sticks in the container. Each of the honor sticks includes a marking that represents an honors position. The users may reach into the container blindly and pick out an honors stick to determine the honors order for their golfing group. Alternatively, the container may contain a dispensing aperture that allows the users to tilt the container to dispense a single honor stick. Each player may individually tilt the container to dispense an honor stick to determine the honors order for their golfing group.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary golf honors stick container 100 of the invention. The container generally includes a container body 102 having a container bottom 104 and a container top or cap 106. The combination of the body 102, bottom, 104, and cap 106 forms a substantially enclosed volume 116 inside the container 100. The enclosed volume 116 is generally sized to receive and contain the golf honors sticks 200 (further discussed herein and shown in FIG. 2) in a free manner, i.e., the honors sticks 200 are able to freely move within the container 100. The sizing of the container is important to the invention, as it is preferred that the honors sticks 200 be able to freely move within the container 100 to essentially shuffle the honors sticks 200 so that a random outcome in the drawing process may be achieved. The container body 102, along with the cap 106 and the bottom 104, may be manufactured from pretty much any material that has sufficient rigidity to form a container 100. Exemplary materials include metals, such as steel, aluminum, alloys, etc., plastics, resin based materials, plastic and fabric material mixes, fiberglass materials, wood materials, synthetic materials, etc.

The top or cap 106 of the container 100 may be rigidly attached to the body 102, or alternatively, the top or cap 106 may be removable or pivotally connected to the body 102. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the top or cap 106 may include a hinge 108 positioned to pivotally connect the top or cap 106 to the body portion 102. In this embodiment, a latch or other securing mechanism 114 may be positioned on an opposing side of the cap or lid 106 and may be configured to secure the cap or lid 106 to the body portion 102 when the user desires the cap or lid 106 to be in a closed position. The user may generally desire the cap or lid 106 to be in a closed position to shuffle or mix the honors sticks 200 in the container 100 before the cap or lid 106 is opened so that the users may blindly draw individual honors sticks 200 out of the container 100 to determine a golfing honors order. In embodiments of the invention where the cap or lid 106 is removably secured to the body 102, the cap or lid 106 may have a threaded surface configured to slidably engage a corresponding threaded surface on the body 106 such that the cap or lid 106 may be screwed onto or off of the body 102. Alternatively, the outer diameter of the body 106 may be sided to longitudinally engage the inner diameter of the cap or lid 106 to frictionally secure the cap or lid 106 onto the body 106 once the cap or lid 106 is “slid” onto the body 106.

In another embodiment of the invention, the container 100 may be configured for drawing of the honors sticks 200 from the container 100 without opening the cap or top 106. In this embodiment, the container 100 may have a dispensing aperture 112 formed into the body portion 102. The dispensing aperture 112 may be sized and configured to allow for dispensing of a single honors stick at a time. As such, the users may each individually tilt the container 100 to cause a single honors stick to be dispensed. Each player may then return their drawn stick to the container 100 once everyone has drawn honors sticks 200 and the golfing honors order has been determined. Although the dispensing aperture 112 is shown in FIG. 1 as being positioned on the container body 102, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to any particular placement of the dispensing aperture 112 on the container 100. For example, the dispensing aperture 112 may be positioned at any location on the container body 102, at any location on the container bottom 104, at any location on the container top or lid 106, or at any location on any other portion of the container 100.

The interior or enclosed volume 116 of the container 100, and more particularly, the interior volume 116 of the body portion 102 may include a padded surface 110. The padded surface 110 may comprise a rubber coating, a cloth or fabric coating, or another coating configured to reduce noise associated with multiple items (honor sticks 200) being jostled around or shuffled inside the enclosed volume 116 of the container 100. In one embodiment of the invention, the padded surface may be a felt layer. In addition to reducing noise, the padded surface 110 also operates to prevent damage to the interior surface of the container 100 as a result of the honor sticks 200 being shuffled therein. The padded surface 110 may cover a portion or all of the interior surface of the container 100, body 102, cap or lid 106, and/or bottom 104.

In another embodiment of the invention, the container 100 may include a clip 120 or other attachment means. The clip 120 or other attachment means is generally mounted to the container body 102 and is configured to releasably secure the container 100 to another object. For example, the container 100 may include a clip 120 that is configured to releasably attach the container 100 to the belt or golf bag of a user, so that the container 100 may be portable and easily taken with the user during a golf game. Although a “clip” type means for releasably attaching the container 100 to another object has been shown, other means of releasably attaching the container 100 to other objects are contemplated within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plurality of exemplary honor sticks 200 of the invention. Generally, a set of the honor sticks 200 (which is generally 4 sticks) are configured to be identical in size, shape, weight, feel, etc., such that a user of the invention cannot tell the difference between the respective honor sticks 200 by simply touching the upper or top portion 202 of the honor sticks 200. The upper or top portion 202 generally represents the handle portion of the stick 200, i.e., the portion of the stick 200 that the user touches when the user is holding or selecting the stick 200 from the container 100. The honor stick 200 may be manufactured from a plurality of materials or combinations of materials. For example, the inventors contemplate that the sticks 200 may be manufactured from metals such as stainless steel, iron, aluminum, metal alloys, or other metals, alloys, or materials that are coated with a metal or metal alloy material. Additional materials that may be used to manufacture the sticks 200 are wood, plastics, fiberglass materials, plastic and cloth or mesh material combinations, or any other material that is known in the art.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the upper portion 202 of one embodiment of the honor stick 200 of the invention may have a knurled surface 214 configured to facilitate the user handling or griping the stick 200. The lower portion 204 of the embodiment of the honor stick 200 shown in FIG. 2A includes an indicia 206. The indicia 206 shown in the exemplary honor stick 200 embodiment of FIG. 2A includes one or more grooves 207 formed into the exposed surface of the stick 200. The indicia 206 represents an honors position or order, e.g., the four grooves shown in FIG. 2A would represent the fourth position in the playing order. Similarly, three or two grooves would represent the third or second honors position in the playing order. The grooves 207 may be formed into the lower portion 204 of the stick 200 my a machining or milling process, for example.

FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick 200 of the invention. The honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2B again includes an upper portion 202, a lower portion 204, and an indicia 206 of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2B, the indicia 206 comprises one or more stripes 208. The stripes 208 may be painted onto the stick 200, for example. In similar fashion to the embodiment of the honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2A, the number of stripes 208 that are painted onto the stick 200 represents the honor position of the player who draws that stick, e.g., the player who draws the honor stick 200 with one stripe 208 on it will have the first honors position. Similarly, the players who draw sticks 200 having two and three stripes 208 on them will have the second and third honors positions respectively. The stripes 208 may be applied to the stick 200 with any known method, however, the inventors contemplate that methods of application that generate a sort of hardened stripe are preferred, as the hardened material is less likely to peel, flake, or chip off of the stick 200 during the shuffling process.

FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick 200 of the invention. The honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2C again includes an upper portion 202, a lower portion 204, and an indicia 206 of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2C, the indicia 206 comprises one or more numbers 210. The numbers 210 may be painted onto the stick 200 or etched or machined into the lower portion 204 of the stick 200, for example. In similar fashion to the embodiment of the honor stick 200 illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the number 210 that is represented on the stick 200 represents the honor position of the player who draws that stick, e.g., the player who draws the honor stick 200 with the number “1” 210 on it will have the first honors position. Similarly, the players who draw sticks 200 having the numbers “2” and “3” 210 on them will have the second and third honors positions respectively. Additionally, although the numbers 210 illustrated in this embodiment are standard English numbering, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to any particular numbering scheme. As such, any form of numbering or symbology that may be used to represent an honors position may be used within embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

FIG. 2D illustrates an exemplary embodiment of another honor stick 200 of the invention. The honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2D again includes an upper portion 202, a lower portion 204, and an indicia 206 of the honors position. However, in the embodiment of the honor stick 200 illustrated in FIG. 2D, lower portion 204 includes a flared portion 212. The flared portion 212 is shown as including a number 210 as the indicia 206, however, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to this configuration. More particularly, the inventors contemplate that the flared portion 212 may include any one of the indicia 206 illustrated in any of the previous embodiments.

In operation, the method of the invention provides that each of the players in the golfing group draws one of the honor sticks 200 out of the container 100 prior to the golf round. The drawing process is a “blind drawing”, e.g., the player cannot see which honor stick 200 the player is selecting. Generally, this is accomplished by manufacturing the container 100 from a material that is not transparent or by dispensing the honor sticks 200 from the aperture 112 formed into the container 100 body portion. Each player reads the indicia 206 on the honor stick 200 to determine what honors position the player will have. The honor sticks 200 are generally positioned in the container 100 such that the players cannot discern between the indicia 206 on the respective honor sticks 200 before drawing them from the container 100. Once each player has selected an honor stick 200 from the container 100 and the golf honors order has been determined, then each of the players may return the selected honor stick 200 to the container 100 so that it may be reused for subsequent rounds.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.