Teeing ground protective mat

Abstract

A golf mat for protecting a grass surface and a method that reduces damage to a grass surface during a tee shot. The golf mat includes a planar body for protecting the grass surface by absorbing and/or deflecting an impact of a golf club head. The planar body includes a plurality of gaps in the planar body for allowing access to the grass, at least one tee opening for receiving a golf tee, and a plurality of ground engagement members connected to the planar body for limiting movement of the golf mat from an impact of the golf club head and maintaining the planar body in contact with the ground surface.

1 . A mat for covering a grass surface, the mat comprising:
 a planar body for protecting the grass surface by withstanding an impact of a golf club head, the planar body comprising:
 a plurality of gaps in the planar body for allowing access to the grass surface; 
 at least one tee opening for receiving a golf tee; and 
   a plurality of ground engagement members connected to the planar body for limiting movement of the golf mat from an impact of the golf club head and maintaining the planar body in contact with the grass surface.   
     
     
         2 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein allowing access to the grass includes allowing evapotranspiration and the access of water, nutrients, air and sunlight to the grass surface. 
     
     
         3 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the planar body is rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The mat of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tee opening is positioned on a longitudinal center line of the planar body. 
     
     
         5 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gaps are polygonal in shape having either three or four sides. 
     
     
         6 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gaps are elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         7 . The mat of  claim 1 , where in the plurality of gaps form a lattice, the lattice providing structural integrity to the planar body. 
     
     
         8 . The mat of  claim 7 , wherein the lattice covers approximately 30% to 50% of the grass surface beneath the mat. 
     
     
         9 . The golf mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ground engagement members are contiguous with a subset of the plurality of gaps. 
     
     
         10 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ground engagement members are contiguous with a bottom surface of the planar body. 
     
     
         11 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of engagement members include a spike. 
     
     
         12 . The mat of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of ground engagement members are driven into the grass surface to maintain the mat in substantially immovable contact with the grass surface. 
     
     
         13 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the mat is constructed of a material selected from the group of: low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fortified with UV activated stabilizers, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fortified without UV activated stabilizers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), acrylic, vinyl, Kevlar, or metal laminated in plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gaps, the at least one opening and the plurality of ground engagement members are formed by a cutting process. 
     
     
         15 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the mat is manufactured by injection molding. 
     
     
         16 . A method to reduce damage to a grass surface during performance of tee shots, the method comprising:
 covering a grass surface partially while allowing the access of water, nutrients, air and sunlight to the grass surface;   placing a tee within the partially covered grass surface;   placing a golf ball on the tee;   standing adjacent to the partially covered grass surface; and   swinging a golf club to strike the ball off the tee such that the path travelled by the golf club head immediately prior to striking the ball is within the partially covered grass surface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the grass surface is substantially rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the grass surface is oriented in the desired direction of the flight of the ball. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the club is swung in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the grass surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a mat partially covers the grass surface, the mat comprising:
 a planar body for protecting the grass surface by withstanding an impact of a golf club head, the planar body comprising:
 a plurality of gaps in the planar body for allowing access to the grass surface; 
 at least one tee opening for receiving a golf tee; and 
   a plurality of ground engagement members connected to the planar body for limiting movement of the golf mat from an impact of the golf club head and maintaining the planar body in contact with the grass surface.