Golf ball retriever

Abstract

A golf ball retriever includes a dome shaped or cylindrical head having a sidewall defining an interior cavity. The head has a first open golf ball receiving end and a second occluded end. A deformable retaining member extends from a first to a second location on the sidewall as a chord adjacent the first end. The distance from the retaining member to the most distant sidewall portion along a diameter generally perpendicular to the retaining member is slightly less that the diameter of a golf ball so that a golf ball that has been urged into the cavity is captured therein. In one embodiment, the sidewall includes fingers extending toward said first end one or more openings may be provided in the sidewall to allow a user to insert a finger into the cavity to urge a golf ball out of the cavity. The head may be pivotally mounted to a telescoping shaft.

1 . A golf ball retriever comprising: 
 a head having a sidewall defining a cavity having a cavity dimension between opposing portions of the sidewall, said cavity sized to receive a golf ball having a first diameter, said head having a first open golf ball receiving end and a second occluded end; and    a deformable retaining member adjacent said golf ball receiving end, said retaining member extending generally as a chord from a first location on said sidewall to a second location on said sidewall, said retaining member being located in a plane generally parallel to said first end of said head, said retaining member being bisected by a line coincident with said cavity dimension that is located in said plane and perpendicular to said retaining member, said cavity dimension having a short portion between said retaining member and an adjacent sidewall portion and a long portion between said retaining member and the opposing sidewall portion, said long portion having a length slightly less than said first diameter, said deformable retaining member being oriented and configured so as to deform in response to pressure applied to the retaining member upon contact with a golf ball to permit the golf ball to enter the cavity, said retaining member generally returning to its undeformed position after the golf ball has entered the cavity to captively retain the golf ball within the cavity.    
   
   
       2 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said retaining member is integrally formed as a unitary structure with said sidewalls.  
   
   
       3 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said sidewall has first and second openings and said retaining member extends through said first and second openings.  
   
   
       4 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 3  wherein said retaining member comprises a cable tie.  
   
   
       5 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 3  wherein said retaining member has a head end and an opposing end, wherein said retaining member is disposed through said first and second openings with said head end and said opposing end securing said retaining member to said sidewall.  
   
   
       6 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said sidewall includes a plurality of fingers extending toward said first end.  
   
   
       7 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 6  wherein said fingers have an outwardly flared portion at said first end of said head.  
   
   
       8 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  further including at least one mounting flange extending from said head.  
   
   
       9 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 8  further including a telescoping shaft having a handle end and a head mounting end, said head mounting end being mounted to said at least one mounting flange.  
   
   
       10 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 9  wherein said head mounting end of said shaft is pivotally mounting to said at least one mounting flange.  
   
   
       11 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 10  wherein said head includes two spaced and generally parallel mounting flanges and said head mounting end is disposed between said spaced parallel mounting flanges so as to permit pivotal movement of said head with respect to said head mounting end.  
   
   
       12 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said head includes an outwardly flared sidewall at said first end.  
   
   
       13 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  further including at least one opening in said sidewall adjacent said second end sized to permit a finger to be inserted therethrough to urge a golf ball out of said cavity.  
   
   
       14 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said head is generally dome shaped.  
   
   
       15 . The golf ball retriever of  claim 1  wherein said head comprises a clear plastic material.