Golf ball markers selectively mountable to golf clubs

Abstract

Golf ball markers including a head and a boss. The head includes a body with a planer top surface. The body tapers axially as it extends away from the planar top surface. The boss is coupled to the head distal the planar top surface. The boss includes a shank and a bulb. The shank is coupled to the head distal the top surface. The bulb is coupled to the shank distal the head. The shank has a narrower diameter than the bulb. The narrower diameter of the shank relative to the bulb is configured to securely and selectively mount the shank within a vent hole of a grip member at an end of a golf club handle. The body tapering axially is configured to enable the planer top surface to lie flush with the surface of a putting green when the ball marker is pressed into the putting green.

1 . A ball marker, comprising:
 a head including a body with a planer top surface, the body tapering axially as it extends away from the planar top surface; and   a boss coupled to the head distal the planar top surface, the boss including:
 a shank coupled to the head distal the top surface; and 
 a bulb coupled to the shank distal the head; 
   wherein:
 the shank has a narrower diameter than the bulb; 
 the narrower diameter of the shank relative to the bulb is configured to securely and selectively mount the shank within a vent hole of a grip member at an end of a golf club handle; and 
 the body tapering axially is configured to enable the planer top surface to lie flush with the surface of a putting green when the ball marker is pressed into the putting green. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the bulb is cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The ball marker of  claim 2 , wherein the bulb includes a tapered end that tapers away from the shank. 
     
     
         4 . The ball marker of  claim 3 , wherein the bulb tapers to a point to facilitate pressing the ball marker into the putting green. 
     
     
         5 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the boss is integrally coupled to the head. 
     
     
         6 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the head has a round profile when the ball marker is viewed axially. 
     
     
         7 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the head has a profile in the shape of a regular polygon when the ball marker is viewed axially. 
     
     
         8 . The ball marker of  claim 7 , wherein the profile of the head is a hexagon. 
     
     
         9 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the boss couples to the head at an axial center of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the body is composed of aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . The ball marker of  claim 10 , wherein the boss is composed of aluminum. 
     
     
         12 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body includes a disk portion;   the planar top surface is defined on the disk portion; and   the body tapers axially as it extends away from the disk portion.   
     
     
         13 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the body defines a planar bottom surface to which the shank couples. 
     
     
         14 . The ball marker of  claim 13 , wherein the planar bottom surface abuts the grip member when the boss is inserted into the vent hole to restrict the ball marker from inserting further into the vent hole. 
     
     
         15 . The ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the shank defines radial fill space around the shank;   the radial fill space is configured to receive the grip member when the grip member resiliently moves radially inwards after being pushed radially outwards by the bulb when the boss is selectively inserted into the vent hole; and   the bulb is restricted from moving out of the vent hole by the golf grip disposed in the radial fill space until the boss is selectively pulled out of the vent hole.   
     
     
         16 . A ball marker comprising:
 a head defining a frusto-conical portion and having a planer top surface disposed proximate a larger axial end of the frusto-conical portion; and   a boss integrally coupled to the head distal the planar top surface;   wherein:
 the ball marker is configured to securely mount to a golf club handle by selectively inserting the boss into a vent hole of a grip member at an end of the golf club handle; and 
 the frusto-conical portion is configured to enable the planer top surface to lie flush with the surface of a putting green when the ball marker is pressed into the putting green. 
   
     
     
         17 . The ball marker of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the boss includes a bulb spaced from the head; and   the bulb is configured to expand the vent hole diameter of the grip member by pressing outwards on the grip member when the boss is selectively inserted into the vent hole.   
     
     
         18 . The ball marker of  claim 17 , wherein the bulb restricts the boss from being removed from the vent hole by abutting the grip member disposed in the space between the bulb and the head after the grip member resiliently returns the vent hole to or near its original diameter after the bulb moves beyond the grip member and no longer presses the grip member outwards from within the vent hole. 
     
     
         19 . The ball marker of  claim 16 , wherein the head and the boss are composed of aluminum. 
     
     
         20 . The ball marker of  claim 16  wherein the head and the boss are coaxially aligned.