Articulated tee

Abstract

A tee assembly for supporting a ball, such as a golf ball, is formed with a base structure and a separable, pivotable ball supporting tee. The tee uses a ball and socket joint for connection between the tee and base structure. A cord or string is attached between the tee and base structure to prevent loss of the tee upon separation. The tee can be in two parts, an upper relatively flexible part adjacent the ball and a lower relatively rigid part incorporating a ball for mating with a socket on the base structure. The ball and socket joint allows the tee to move or articulate when a ball on the tee is struck.

1 . A tee assembly comprising: 
 a base plate having a generally flat bottom surface and having a ball socket formed on a generally flat top surface thereof, whereby the base plate can be laid on a surface; and    an elongate tee having a cup-shape ball receiving support on one end thereof and an integral ball formed on an opposite end thereof, the integral ball being adapted for snap fit connection into the ball socket on the base plate such that the tee can be oriented into a generally vertical position for supporting a ball in the ball receiving support.    
   
   
       2 . The tee assembly of  claim 1  and including a cord coupled between the tee and the base plate.  
   
   
       3 . The tee assembly of  claim 2  wherein the cord comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       4 . The tee assembly of  claim 2  wherein the cord comprises a generally inelastic material.  
   
   
       5 . The tee assembly of  claim 1  wherein the tee comprises an upper segment incorporating the ball receiving support and a lower segment incorporating the integral ball, the upper segment being separable from the lower segment.  
   
   
       6 . The tee assembly of  claim 5  wherein the lower segment comprises a rigid material and the upper segment comprises a rubber-like material.  
   
   
       7 . The tee assembly of  claim 1  wherein said ball socket comprises a pair of mirrored arcuate members extending from the base plate.  
   
   
       8 . The tee assembly of  claim 1  and including at least one additional tee coupled to the base plate by another cord.  
   
   
       9 . The tee assembly of  claim 8  wherein the at least one additional tee has a height dimension when connected to the base plate different from a height dimension of the elongate tee.  
   
   
       10 . The tee assembly of  claim 5  wherein the upper segment is removably attached to the lower segment.  
   
   
       11 . The tee assembly of  claim 5  and including a cord connected between the lower segment and the base plate.  
   
   
       12 . The tee assembly of  claim 10  wherein the lower segment includes a pin portion and the upper segment includes a socket for receiving the pin portion for releasably coupling the upper segment to the lower segment.  
   
   
       13 . The tee assembly of  claim 12  wherein the pin portion includes a plurality of annular ribs and grooves.  
   
   
       14 . A tee assembly for supporting a ball in a position to be struck by a head of a club comprising: 
 a base plate having a flat bottom surface;    a tee having one end configured to support a ball placed thereon;    connecting means for pivotably coupling the tee to the base plate, the connecting means comprising a ball-and-socket joint having sufficient stiffness to maintain a desired orientation of the tee with respect to the base plate.    
   
   
       15 . The tee assembly of  claim 14  and including a tether for coupling the tee to the base plate.  
   
   
       16 . The tee assembly of  claim 15  wherein the tee is adapted to separate from the base plate when struck.