Golf tee with support prongs

Abstract

A golf tee includes: an elongate shaft having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted into an underlying surface; and a support cup that is configured to support a golf ball from beneath and that merges with the shaft. The support cup has a base portion and further includes at least three arcuate support prongs projecting upwardly from the base portion. The support prongs define a discontinuous annulus about the periphery of the support cup.

1 . A golf tee, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted into an underlying surface; and    a support cup that is configured to support a golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging with the shaft, the support cup having a base portion having a concave upper surface and further including at least three arcuate support prongs projecting upwardly from the base portion, the support prongs defining a discontinuous annulus about the periphery of the support cup, wherein the base portion upper surface has a radius of curvature of less than 0.6 inch, such that a golf ball resting on the support prongs does not contact the base portion upper surface.    
   
   
       2 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the support prongs has a secant length that is greater than a dimple on a golf ball.  
   
   
       3 . The golf tee defined in  claim 2 , wherein each of the support prongs has a secant length of at least 0.170 inch.  
   
   
       4 . The golf tee defined in  claim 3 , wherein each of the support prongs has a secant length of less than 0.200 inch.  
   
   
       5 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the support prongs has a convex contact surface adapted to contact a golf ball.  
   
   
       6 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least three support prongs comprises four support prongs.  
   
   
       7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft includes flutes that resist twisting of the tee when the tee is inserted into the ground.  
   
   
       9 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft includes a pointed tip at its lower end and a main body, the main body decreasing in diameter with increasing distance from the support cup.  
   
   
       10 . The golf tee defined in  claim 9 , wherein in side view the main body of the elongate shaft forms a taper angle of between about 0.75 and 1.0 degrees over a length of between about 2.7 and 3.0 inches.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The golf tee defined in  claim 1  formed of a biodegradable material.  
   
   
       13 . The golf tee defined in  claim 11  formed of a biocompostable material.  
   
   
       14 . The golf tee defined in  claim 11 , wherein the biodegradable material comprises polylactic acid.  
   
   
       15 . A golf tee, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted into an underlying surface; and    a support cup that is configured to support a golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging with the shaft, the support cup having a base portion and further including at least three arcuate support prongs projecting upwardly from the base portion, each of the support prongs having a convex contact surface and being of a secant length that is greater than that of a dimple of a golf ball.    
   
   
       16 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the secant length of the support prongs is at least 0.170 inches.  
   
   
       17 . The golf tee defined in  claim 16 , wherein the secant length of the support prongs is between about 0.170 and 0.200 inch.  
   
   
       18 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the convex contact surfaces of the support prongs have a radius of curvature of less than 0.060 inches.  
   
   
       19 . The golf tee defined in  claim 18 , wherein the convex contact surfaces of the support prongs have a radius of curvature of between about 0.040 and 0.060 inches.  
   
   
       20 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the at least three support prongs comprises four support prongs.  
   
   
       21 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the base portion upper surface has a radius of curvature of less than 0.600 inch, such that a golf ball resting on the support prongs does not contact the base portion upper surface.  
   
   
       22 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the elongate shaft includes flutes that resist twisting of the tee when the tee is inserted into the ground.  
   
   
       23 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the elongate shaft includes a pointed tip at its lower end and a main body, the main body decreasing in diameter with increasing distance from the support cup.  
   
   
       24 . The golf tee defined in  claim 23 , wherein in side view the main body of the elongate shaft forms a taper angle of between about 0.75 and 1.5 degrees over a length of between about 2.7 and 3.0 inches.  
   
   
       25 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15  formed of a biodegradable material.  
   
   
       26 . The golf tee defined in  claim 25  formed of a biocompostable material.  
   
   
       27 . The golf tee defined in  claim 15 , wherein the base portion further comprises a generally concave upper surface  
   
   
       28 . The golf tee defined in  claim 25 , wherein the biodegradable material comprises polylactic acid.  
   
   
       29 . A golf tee, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted into an underlying surface; and    a support cup that is configured to support a golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging with the shaft, the support cup having a base portion and further including at least three arcuate support prongs projecting upwardly from the base portion, the support prongs defining a discontinuous annulus about the periphery of the support cup, each of the support prongs having a convex contact surface and being of a secant length that is greater than that of a dimple of a golf ball.    
   
   
       30 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the secant length of the support prongs is at least 0.170 inches.  
   
   
       31 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the secant length of the support prongs is between about 0.170 and 0.200 inches.  
   
   
       32 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the convex contact surfaces of the support prongs have a radius of curvature of less than 0.060 inch.  
   
   
       33 . The golf tee defined in  claim 32 , wherein the convex contact surfaces of the support prongs have a radius of curvature of between about 0.040 and 0.060 inch.  
   
   
       34 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the at least three support prongs comprises four support prongs.  
   
   
       35 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the base portion upper surface has a radius of curvature of less than 0.6 inch, such that a golf ball resting on the support prongs does not contact the base portion upper surface.  
   
   
       36 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the elongate shaft includes flutes that resist twisting of the tee when the tee is inserted into the ground.  
   
   
       37 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the elongate shaft includes a pointed tip at its lower end and a main body, the main body decreasing in diameter with increasing distance from the support cup.  
   
   
       38 . The golf tee defined in  claim 37 , wherein in side view the main body of the elongate shaft forms a taper angle of between about 0.75 and 1.5 degrees over a length of between about 2.7 and 3.0 inches.  
   
   
       39 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29  formed of a biodegradable material.  
   
   
       40 . The golf tee defined in  claim 39  formed of a biocompostable material.  
   
   
       41 . The golf tee defined in  claim 39 , wherein the biodegradable material comprises polylactic acid.  
   
   
       42 . The golf tee defined in  claim 29 , wherein the base portion further comprises a generally concave upper surface  
   
   
       43 . A golf tee, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower end configured to be inserted into an underlying surface; and    a support cup that is configured to support a golf ball from beneath, the support cup merging with the shaft, the support cup having a base portion and further including at least three arcuate support prongs projecting upwardly from the base portion, each of the support prongs having a convex contact surface and being of a secant length such that the total contact area between the contact surfaces and a golf ball resting on the contact surfaces is between about 0.0036 and 0.0045 in 2 .