SYSTEM COMPRISING A FLAGSTICK AND A FERRULE FOR MARKING A GOLF HOLE AND A FERRULE FOR USE IN SUCH A SYSTEM

Abstract

A system comprising a flag stick and a ferrule for marking a golf hole, wherein the flag stick comprises a first end secured to a ferrule and a second end designed to be a clearly visible end with a flag, and where the ferrule comprises a head portion secured to the flag stick and a bottom portion designed for placement in a hole cup by a ferrule socket, where the head portion of the ferrule comprises a top surface with a flag stick hole for receiving a flag stick, where the flag stick and the ferrule are secured by means of fasteners, where the head portion of the ferrule comprises an elastic round piece, such that the ball can lie on a round piece and against the stick when the ball goes into the hole cup.

Claims

1. A system comprising a flagstick and a ferrule for marking a golf hole, wherein the flag stick comprises a first end secured to a ferrule and a second end designed to be clearly visible with a flag, and wherein the ferrule comprises a head portion secured to the flag stick and a bottom portion designed for placement in a hole cup with a ferrule socket, wherein the head portion of the ferrule comprises a top surface with a hole for receiving a flag stick, wherein the flag stick and the ferrule are secured by means of fasteners, characterized in that the head portion of the ferrule further comprises an elastic round piece.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the ferrule and the round piece form an integrated whole.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the round piece is arranged interchangeably on the ferrule.

4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the ferrule comprises at least one mounting element designed for mounting the round piece.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the mounting element is a groove of the round piece, wherein the round piece groove is inclined from the perpendicular on the ferrule by 5 to 85 degrees, preferably by 10 to 30 and further preferably by 20 degrees, and thus it makes an acute angle with the top surface and an obtuse angle with the bottom portion of the ferrule.

6. The system according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bottom portion of the ferrule comprises at least two external grooves for receiving an elastic material.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the stick has an extension of 2 to 3 meters, preferably 2½ meters, and the direction of extension of the stick is between the first end and the second end of the stick.

8. The system according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the system further comprises a hole cup with a ferrule socket, wherein the hole cup is designed for the inner dimensions of a golf hole in addition to the outer dimensions of the ferrule.

9. The system according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the round piece comprises a number of slots, extending from a first surface of the round piece to a second surface of the round piece.

10. A ferrule for use in a system according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the ferrule comprises a head portion designed for fastening on a flag stick and a bottom portion designed for placement in a hole cup with a ferrule socket, where the head portion of the ferrule comprises a top surface with a flag stick hole for receiving a flag stick, characterized in that the head portion of the ferrule further comprises an elastic round piece.

11. The ferrule according to claim 10, characterized in that the ferrule and the round piece are integrated in a single unit.

12. The ferrule according to claim 10, characterized in that the round piece is replaceable.

13. The ferrule according to claim 12, characterized in that the ferrule further comprises at least one mounting element designed for mounting of the round piece.

14. The ferrule according to claim 13, characterized in that the mounting element is a groove of the round piece, preferably arranged at an angle from the perpendicular on the ferrule, such that it forms an acute angle with the top surface and an obtuse angle with the bottom portion of the ferrule.

15. The ferrule according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the round piece comprises a number of slots, extending from a first surface on the round piece to a second surface on the round piece.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0057] The invention shall be explained more closely in the following by describing embodiments with reference to the drawing, where:

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a flag stick with ferrule on a green with golf hole and ball.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a flag stick with a ferrule placed in a hole cup in a golf hole, where a ball is lying on the round piece of the ferrule.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a flag stick with a ferrule placed in a hole cup in a golf hole, where a ball is lying on the round piece of the ferrule and where the stick, the ferrule and the ball have been lifted up from the hole cup and from the golf hole.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a flag stick with a ferrule, where a ball is lying on the round piece of the ferrule and where the stick, the ferrule and the ball have been lifted up from the hole cup.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a flag stick with a ferrule, where a ball is lying on the round piece of the ferrule and where the stick, the ferrule and the ball have been lifted up from the hole cup.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a flag stick with a ferrule, where the round piece has not been mounted.

[0064] FIG. 7 shows a flag stick with a ferrule, where the round piece has been mounted.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows two configurations of a ferrule with mounting elements.

[0066] FIG. 9 shows a ferrule with a self-sitting round piece.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows a round piece with slots in a loaded and non-loaded form, respectively.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0068] 1 Flag stick/stick [0069] 2 Ferrule [0070] 3 Green [0071] 4 Golf hole/hole [0072] 5 Golf ball/ball [0073] 6 First end of flag stick [0074] 7 Second end of flag stick [0075] 8 Flag/pennant [0076] 9 Hole cup [0077] 10 Round piece of ferrule [0078] 11 Head portion of ferrule [0079] 12 Bottom portion of ferrule [0080] 13 Ferrule socket [0081] 14 Top surface of ferrule [0082] 15 Flag stick hole [0083] 16 Fastening means [0084] 17 Mounting element [0085] 18 Round piece groove [0086] 19 Acute angle [0087] 20 Obtuse angle [0088] 21 Bottom portion of ferrule [0089] 22 Circular groove of ferrule [0090] 23 Peg, mounting element [0091] 24 Upper grass edge [0092] 25 Bottom [0093] 26 Upper edge of hole cup [0094] 27 First surface [0095] 28 Second surface [0096] 29 Slots

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0097] FIG. 1 shows a flag stick 1 with ferrule 2 on a green 3 with a golf hole 4 and a ball 5. The flag stick 1 has a first end 6 secured to the ferrule 2 and a second end 7 as a clearly visible end with a flag 8, a hole cup 9 being placed in the hole 4.

[0098] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2 placed in a hole cup 9 in a golf hole 4, where a ball 5 is lying on the round piece 10 of the ferrule. It is evident from the figure that the ferrule 2 has a head portion 11 secured to the flag stick 1 and a bottom portion 12 placed in a hole cup 9 with a ferrule socket 13, where the head portion 11 of the ferrule has a top surface 14 with a flag stick hole 15 for receiving a flag stick 1, and where the flag stick 1 and the ferrule 2 are secured with the aid of fastening means 16, shown here as indirect fastening means.

[0099] It is likewise evident from the figure that the head portion 11 of the ferrule comprises a mounting element 17 and that an interchangeable elastic round piece 10 is arranged on the mounting element 17.

[0100] Furthermore, a minimum measurement of 4″ is indicated from the uppermost grass edge 24 to the bottom 25 (where the ball 5 is lying at rest in the hole 4), plus a minimum measurement of 1″ from the uppermost grass edge 24 to the top edge of the hole cup 26.

[0101] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2, where a ball 5 is lying on the round piece 10 of the ferrule and where the stick 1, the ferrule 2 and the ball 5 are lifted up from the hole cup 9 and from the golf hole 4.

[0102] The figure shows a mounting element 17 in the form of a round piece groove 18, where the round piece groove 18 is inclined relative to the perpendicular on the ferrule 2 by 5 to 85 degrees, but preferably by 10 to 30 and further preferably by 20 degrees and thus makes an acute angle 19 with the top surface 14 and an obtuse angle 20 with the bottom portion 21 of the ferrule. The figure likewise shows that the bottom portion 21 of the ferrule comprises two external circular grooves 22 for receiving of an elastic material.

[0103] FIG. 4 shows a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2, where a ball 5 is lying on the round piece 10 of the ferrule, and where the stick 1, the ferrule 2 and the ball 5 are lifted up from the hole cup 9.

[0104] FIG. 5 shows a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2, where a ball 5 is lying on the round piece 10 of the ferrule and where the stick 1, the ferrule 2 and the ball 5 are lifted up from the hole cup 9 in a golf hole 4, where the hole cup 9 has a ferrule socket 13, and where the hole cup 9 is designed for the internal dimensions of a golf hole and the external dimensions of the ferrule.

[0105] FIG. 6 shows a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2, where the round piece 10 is not mounted, and where the mounting element 17 in the form of a round piece groove 18 is visible.

[0106] FIG. 7 shows a flag stick 1 with a ferrule 2, where the round piece 10 is mounted.

[0107] FIG. 8 shows two diagrams of embodiments of a ferrule 2 with mounting elements 17, where the one embodiment has at least one peg 23, and where the other embodiment has mounting elements 17 arranged with an angle corresponding to the previously discussed round piece groove 18.

[0108] FIG. 9 shows a diagram of a ferrule 2 with a self-seating round piece 10.

[0109] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of another round piece 10′, respectively in an unloaded form and in a loaded form. The round piece 10, 10′ has a substantially disk-shaped profile, as shown in FIG. 10 and in FIG. 6-7. The round piece 10, 10′ comprises a first surface 27 and a second surface 28, plus an outer edge. The round piece 10, 10′ further comprises a central hole, indicating an inner edge on the round piece 10, 10′.

[0110] The round piece 10′ at left in FIG. 10 is shown in an unloaded form, where the round piece 10′ is present in its original shape within the mounting on the ferrule 2. The round piece 10′ has a substantially flat shape as shown in FIG. 10, but it may also have a curved or conical conformation as shown in FIG. 6-7.

[0111] The round piece 10′ at right in FIG. 10 is shown in a loaded form, where the round piece 10′ is acted upon by an external force when it is mounted on the ferrule 2. The elastic material means that the round piece 10′ will deform elastically during its mounting, so that the round piece 10 assumes the desired conformation. When the round piece 10′ is dismounted, the round piece 10′ will assume its original shape.

[0112] The round piece 10 may have a continuous solid profile, as shown in FIG. 6-7. The round piece 10′ may also be provided with a number of slots 29, extending from the first surface 27 to the second surface 28. The slots 29 are arranged at least at one of the edges. The slots 29 here are arranged at the outer edge. The slots 29 extend in a radial direction from the outer edge toward the inner edge.