Golf club lifter tool to releaseably mount to the club grip

Abstract

A golf iron lifter tool formed with an elongated stem surmounted by a pair of semicircular fingers terminating in ends spaced apart a distance to from a throat for receipt of the narrow part of a golf iron shaft and configured to be drawn up the shaft to frictionally engage and compress the golf club grip to be held stationary relative thereto.

1 . A golf iron lifter tool for use on a conically shaped grip of an iron having a club head projecting laterally at a lateral angle, disposed in one general plane from the shaft and having a back surface facing in one direction and sloped generally forwardly and downwardly at a loft angle, the grip being of the type tapering proximally from a predetermined distal small diameter to a proximal large diameter and the lifter tool comprising:
 an elongated, one piece body configured on one extremity with a stem defined by a pair of longitudinal, generally coextensive spaced apart legs projecting in one direction to terminate in respective free ends;   the body being formed on its extremity opposite the one extremity with a pair of semicircular fingers cooperating to form a yoke with a central opening having a diameter smaller than the proximal large diameter and larger than the predetermined small diameter; and   the fingers terminating in ends spaced apart to form a throat for receipt of the shaft whereby the tool may be attached to the golf iron by the user passing the shaft through the throat and drawing the tool proximally on the shaft to receive the arms on the opposite sides of the grip with the tool oriented on the grip with the legs projecting in the one direction and further advancing the yoke on the grip to cause the arms to form an interference fit with the grip to be held securely in place as the iron is dropped on the ground with the head facing upwardly.   
   
   
       2 . The iron lifter tool of  claim 1  wherein:
 the tool in constructed of metal.   
   
   
       3 . The iron lifter tool  claim 1  wherein:
 the fingers are formed to configure the opening having a diameter of substantially 2.5 centimeters.   
   
   
       4 . The iron lifter of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fingers terminate in laterally spaced apart tips for engaging the spikes of a golfer's shoe.   
   
   
       5 . The golf iron lifter of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one finger is formed on its exterior with an elongated blade for engaging grooves on the face of the club head.   
   
   
       6 . The golf iron lifter of  claim 2  wherein:
 at least one finger is formed on its exterior with an elongated blade for receipt in grooves in the face of the golf head.   
   
   
       7 . The golf iron lifter of  claim 1  wherein:
 the body includes a thread bore for receipt of a mounting pin on a ball marker.   
   
   
       8 . The golf iron lifter of  claim 1  wherein:
 the body is constructed of brass.   
   
   
       9 . A method of lifting a golf iron of the type including a shaft formed on one end with a grip tapering from a small end configured with a predetermined small diameter to a large end with a selected large diameter and including a golf head projecting laterally from the distal end of the golf shaft in a general head plane and having a back surface facing in one direction:
 selecting an elongated golf iron lifter tool including a pair of elongated legs projecting in one direction and formed with a pair of yoke arms projecting in the opposite direction, the yoke arms being semi-circular to form a circular opening having a diameter larger than the predetermined small diameter but smaller than the selected large diameter and arms terminating in a throat having a sufficient width to be received over the diameter of the shaft;   mounting the tool to the iron by inserting the shaft through the throat and advancing the tool proximately on the shaft oriented to project in the one diameter and passing the yoke arms proximally unto the grip a distance sufficient to cause an interference frictional engagement of the arms with the grip to frictionally hold the tool with the legs projecting in the one direction opposite the direction faced by the club head face;   dropping the club onto a golf course surface with the club face facing upwardly and the legs of the tool projecting downwardly to hereby cause the tool to maintain the club grip elevated from the surface; and   retrieving the iron by stepping onto the club head face to press the distal edge of the club head toward the surface thereby causing the proximal end of the iron to raise upwardly to be grasped by the golfer.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein:
 the tool selected as constructed of metal.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein:
 the tool is selected with the arms configured to form the circular opening with a diameter of substantially 2.5 centimeters.   
   
   
       12 . A golf iron lifter tool for use on a iron having a shaft tapering toward a wider proximal extremity and surmounting a conically shaped grip having a small end of a predetermined small diameter and a large end of a selected large diameter and comprising:
 an elongated stem surmounted by a yoke including a pair of arms cooperating to form a central opening of a diameter smaller than the selected larger diameter and larger than the predetermined small diameter, the yoke being discontinuous to form a throat of a sufficient diameter to receive the club shaft there through for insertion in the opening whereby the shaft may be inserted through the throat into the opening and the tool shifted proximally upwardly on the shaft to be forced onto the grip to frictionally engage the grip to be held positively in position when the iron is dropped onto a green surface.   
   
   
       13 . The golf iron lifter tool of  claim 12  wherein:
 the tool has an overall length of substantially 9 centimeters and the arms are configured with to form the opening with a diameter of substantially 2.5 centimeters.   
   
   
       14 . The golf iron lifter tool of  claim 12  wherein:
 the stem is constructed with a pair of legs forming divot pullers;   the tool is substantially 9 centimeters in length.   
   
   
       15 . The golf iron lifter tool of  claim 12  wherein:
 the fingers project annularly to cooperate in forming a circular shape of substantially 330 degrees.   
   
   
       16 . The golf iron lifter tool of  claim 12  wherein:
 the stem and yoke are constructed of brass.