Golf tee with enhanced aerodynamic drag

Abstract

This invention is a golf tee having an aerodynamic drag portion with a relatively large frontal area and aerodynamic drag coefficient, an intentionally minimized mass, and a subsequent reduction in flight distance upon being struck with a golf club. This reduced flight distance coupled with the relatively large area of the drag portion makes this tee relatively easy to find. It is economically feasible, therefore, to make this tee from a virtually indestructible but relatively more expensive material such as polyurethane. The resulting tee has significantly greater operational life than conventional tees.

1 . A golf tee containing a first portion which supports a golf ball and a second portion which provides an aerodynamic drag, 
 attachment means whereby said second portion can affect a movement of said first portion when said tee is traveling through the atmosphere,    said second portion containing a surface upon which said atmosphere applies an aerodynamic drag force when said surface travels through said atmosphere,    said surface having a perimeter which encloses a frontal area measured in millimeters squared,    said surface having an aerodynamic drag coefficient,    said tee having a mass measured in grams,    a drag indicator which is said area measured in millimeters squared times said aerodynamic drag coefficient divided by said mass measured in grams,    and wherein said drag indicator is greater than three hundred millimeters squared per gram.    
   
   
       2 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said perimeter is a circle.  
   
   
       3 . The tee of  claim 2 . wherein the diameter of said circle is approximately the diameter of a golf ball.  
   
   
       4 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said first portion is made from a resilient material.  
   
   
       5 . The tee of  claim 4 . wherein said resilient material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       6 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said second portion is made from a resilient material.  
   
   
       7 . The tee of  claim 6 . wherein said resilient material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       8 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said surface having a perimeter which encloses a frontal area has an aerodynamic drag coefficient which is greater than the aerodynamic drag coefficient of a flat surface having the same perimeter which encloses the same frontal area.  
   
   
       9 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said second portion has a shape similar to a disk with a diameter greater than 20 times its average thickness.  
   
   
       10 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said first portion is made from an operationally indestructible material.  
   
   
       11 . The tee of  claim 10 . wherein said material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       12 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said second portion is made from an operationally indestructible material.  
   
   
       13 . The tee of  claim 12 . wherein said material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       14 . The tee of  claim 1 . wherein said attachment means is a barb on said first portion and a hole in said second portion.