Golf Club Holder for Golf Carts

Abstract

A horizontally arrayed collection of receptors, each suited to hold an individual golf club in inverted position, is horizontally mountable to the unpredictably angled canopy frame bar of a golf cart. A mounting clamp receives an angled frame bar between two studs that are spaced wider apart that the thickness of the bar, so that the array can be twisted to horizontal position with the frame bar still between the studs. Then the clamp compresses the frame bar to permanently secure the array at the desired orientation. The receptors provide a vertical bore with compound profile for holding the individual golf clubs in vertical position. A top end profile defines a tapered cavity matching the taper of a club ferrule, while a bottom end profile is flared similarly to an inverted club shaft. Bosses extending into a gate area of each receptor assist in preventing loss of a club during cart travel by creating a snap-in function that retains the clubs in the receptors.

1 . A golf club holder for golf carts, suited to hold golf clubs of a type having a shaft with a tapered ferrule juxtaposed to a shaft end, comprising:
 a backing wall carrying on a first major face thereof a plurality of sidewalls arranged in an array of substantially parallel pairs, each pair defining with said backing wall an upright, elongated golf club receptor having a downward tapering bore and an open front gate area opposite from the backing wall;   wherein said open front gate area is suitably sized to receive a single laterally inserted golf club shaft, and said downward tapering receptor bore is suitably sized to receive and support a vertically inserted golf club ferrule; and   means for engaging a golf cart.   
   
   
       2 . The golf club holder for golf carts as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said backing wall carries said means for engaging a golf cart on a second and opposite major face thereof.   
   
   
       3 . The golf club holder for golf carts as in  claim 1 , adapted for horizontal mounting on a diagonally extending golf cart member having a width of a first predetermined distance, wherein said means for engaging a golf cart comprises:
 a pair of longitudinally elongated studs extending from a second and opposite major face of said backing wall, wherein said studs are separated by a second predetermined distance that is substantially greater than said first predetermined width of said diagonally extending golf cart member, such that the diagonally extending golf cart member is locatable between the studs while the golf club holder is substantially horizontal;   a clamp bar engaged with said studs for movement in the longitudinal direction of the studs; and   a directional fastener engaged with each stud for pressing the clamp bar toward the backing wall to clamp the diagonally extending golf cart member between the studs under clamping pressure between the clamp bar and backing wall, thereby mounting the golf club holder in substantially horizontal position on the diagonally extending golf cart member.   
   
   
       4 . The golf club holder for golf carts as in  claim 1 , wherein said means for engaging a golf cart comprises:
 a pair of longitudinally elongated studs extending from a second and opposite major face of said backing wall;   a clamp bar engaged with said studs for movement in the longitudinal direction of the studs; and   a directional fastener engaged with each stud for pressing the clamp bar toward the backing wall for clamping a portion of a golf cart locatable between the studs under clamping pressure between the clamp bar and backing wall.   
   
   
       5 . The golf club holder for golf carts of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said elongated golf club receptor defines a central bore of compound configuration having both a top end profile and a bottom end profile;   said top end profile is said tapering bore from a wider top end to a narrower waist for receiving a golf club ferrule of tapering profile in the receptor; and   said bottom end profile is a downward flaring bore for buffering a golf club shaft in the receptor.   
   
   
       6 . The golf club holder for golf carts as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 each of said sidewalls defines a boss extending from the sidewall into a portion of said open front gate area, such that each gate area has a boss at each side thereof for resisting exit of a golf club shaft through the gate area; and   said top end profile and bottom end profile meet at said narrow waist near the center of the receptor height; and   said bosses are located at the approximate height of the narrow waist.   
   
   
       7 . In combination, a golf cart and a golf club holder adapted to hold a golf club of a type having a shaft, a head, and a tapered ferrule at the junction of the shaft and head, wherein:
 said golf cart comprises a vehicle base, a canopy positioned over the vehicle base, and a supporting frame carrying said canopy from the vehicle base and at least partially covered by the canopy;   an attaching means joins said golf club holder to said supporting frame in a position where the golf club holder is under the canopy;   the golf club holder comprises a longitudinally upright receptor defining a bore with open top and bottom ends and sized to receive a golf club shaft, wherein an edge of the receptor is open, allowing the lateral insertion of a golf club shaft into said bore, and the bore tapers downwardly from the open top end thereof in a configuration suited to engage and retain a tapered ferrule of a golf club in inverted position;   whereby a golf club is insertable into the holder in inverted position with limited required vertical motion such that interference with the canopy is avoided, by laterally inserting a portion of the shaft near the ferrule such that the ferrule is above the holder, and lowering the golf club to engage and retain the ferrule in the holder.   
   
   
       8 . The combination of a golf cart and a golf club holder according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said golf club holder comprises a plurality of said receptors joined by a common backing wall, said open edge of each receptor is an open front gate area opposite from the backing wall.   
   
   
       9 . The combination of golf cart and a golf club holder according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said golf cart vehicle base establishes a horizontal plane of operation;   said attaching means comprises means for variably adjusting the golf club carrier to the horizontal plane of operation.