Appeal No. 2003-0017 Page 5
Application No. 09/326,996
13. A golfing aid comprising:
an elongated member having a first end and a second end, said first end
being provided with golf ball holding means, and said elongated member further
being provided with means for releasing a golf ball from said holding means; and
support means for said elongated member, said support means being
pivotally mounted on said elongated member.
Teachings of the applied prior art
Piazza
Piazza's invention relates to a device for retrieving golf balls. The device
comprises a tapered receptacle to which a hand operated vacuum pump is attached.
The receptacle is sized so that a golf ball entering its lower end will be lightly trapped
against its flexible sides. The vacuum pump is part of the retriever handle and is
preferably of the piston and cylinder type. When the retriever is used for a ball lying on
a soft surface, the receptacle is moved over the ball and in close proximity to it. A
movement of the vacuum pump piston creates a flow of air or water as the case may
be towards and around the ball. The force of the flow pushes the ball into the
receptacle where it is trapped. The retriever can now be withdrawn from the water
hazard or rough. A reverse motion of the piston then frees the ball. When used with
balls lying on hard terrain, the device is lowered over the ball and pushed in a
direction away from the user. This forces the ball into the receptacle and no use is
made in this case of the vacuum pump.
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