Adjustable golf tee

Abstract

An adjustable golf tee includes an elongated shank having a ball supporting top end, a tapered bottom end and a plurality of tab members projecting outwardly from the shank and arranged in a vertically spaced relationship along the shank. The ball supporting top end may include a plurality of prongs to reduce the contact area between the tee and a ball. An adjustable stop is mounted for separate vertical movement on the shank and rotational movement between an unlocked position and a locked position. The adjustable stop has an internal cavity with a slide channel for receiving tabs. A lip-shaped protrusion is frictionally engageable with at least one of the tabs to effect the locking position. The stop may include a stake for connecting the stop with the ground such that the stop may be used as a ball marker.

1 . A golf tee comprising:
 a shank having a ball supporting end, a ground engaging end and a plurality of tabs projecting outwardly from the shank therebetween;   a stop being adjustable along the shank, the stop having a disc-shaped body defining a bore through which the shank extends, and being configured for separate vertical and rotational movement along the shank and to rotate between an unlocked position in which the stop is translatable longitudinally along the shank and a locked position in which the stop is constrained against movement along the shank; and   a stake extending generally perpendicularly from the stop for connecting the stop to the ground when the stop is separated from the shank.   
   
   
       2 . The golf tee of  claim 1 , wherein the stop further comprises a tab engaging portion configured for rotatably receiving at least one of the plurality of tabs and for frictionally engaging with the at least one of the plurality of tabs to effect the locked position. 
   
   
       3 . The golf tee of  claim 2 , wherein the tab engaging portion is disposed on the stake and extends along at least a portion thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The golf tee of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tabs are arranged in vertically spaced relationship between the ball end and ground end of the shank and positioned in a column on at least one side of the shank. 
   
   
       5 . The golf tee of  claim 1 , wherein the ball end comprises a plurality of prongs extending outwardly to support a golf ball. 
   
   
       6 . The golf tee of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of prongs extend at an obtuse angle relative to the shank. 
   
   
       7 . The golf tee of  claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped body of the stop is substantially flat on a side opposite from the stake. 
   
   
       8 . The golf tee of  claim 1 , wherein the stop includes a rib at the bore that is configured for placement between two of the tabs to provide frictional engagement of the stop between the two tabs when the stop is in the locked position. 
   
   
       9 . An adjustable height golf tee comprising:
 an elongated shank having a ball supporting top end, a tapered bottom end, and a plurality of tabs projecting outwardly from the shank and arranged in an axially spaced relationship between the top end and the bottom end;   an adjustable stop with a top surface and a bottom surface, rotatable about the shank and mounted for axial sliding on the shank to establish variable heights for the ball supporting top end of the shank relative to a ground surface by preventing insertion of the shank into the ground surface beyond the bottom surface of the stop;   a cavity defined by the stop with a slide channel for slidably receiving at least one of the plurality of tabs when the stop is moved axially along the shank;   a locking channel defined by the stop for rotatably receiving and releasing at least one of the plurality of tabs when the stop is shifted between a locked position and an unlocked position; and   an interference rib disposed adjacent a seat defined by the locking channel, and frictionally engageable with at least one of the plurality of tabs to effect the locked position of the stop.   
   
   
       10 . The golf tee of  claim 9 , wherein the ball supporting top end further comprises a plurality of prongs projecting outwardly from the shank. 
   
   
       11 . The golf tee of  claim 11 , wherein the terminal ends of the plurality of prongs are tapered to minimize contact area between the plurality of prongs and a ball supported thereby. 
   
   
       12 . The golf tee of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of prongs project away from the elongated shank at substantially evenly spaced angular intervals relative to one another. 
   
   
       13 . The golf tee of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of prongs project outwardly radially from the shank. 
   
   
       14 . The golf tee of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable member further comprises at least one stake shaped protrusion extending from the bottom surface thereof and along the shank wherein the locking channel and the interference member are formed at least partly within the at least one protrusion. 
   
   
       15 . An adjustable golf tee comprising:
 an elongated shank having a plurality of tabs projecting outwardly from the shank and arranged along the axial length of the shank, a ball supporting top end having a plurality of prongs projecting outwardly at the top end for supporting a ball, and a tapered bottom end for being inserted into the ground;   a disc-shaped adjustable stop with upper and lower faces;   a cavity disposed in the stop for receiving the shank and a slide channel formed in the cavity for receiving at least one of the plurality of tabs, wherein the stop is configured to rotate at least partially around the shank when positioned between two adjacent tab members and is configured to slide axially along the shank when positioned such that the tabs align with the slide channel;   a lip-shaped protrusion disposed on the stop, extending along the axial direction of the elongated shank, and having a locking surface for frictionally receiving at least a portion of any one of the plurality of tabs; and   a stake extending from the lower face of the stop for fixing the stop to the ground when separated from the elongated shank.   
   
   
       16 . The golf tee of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of prongs project radially from the shank at substantially evenly spaced intervals. 
   
   
       17 . The golf tee of  claim 15 , wherein the shank contains a single column of tabs. 
   
   
       18 . The golf tee of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable stop includes a raised lip disposed on one of the upper or lower faces surrounding at least a portion of the cavity, for interacting with the tabs to provide a friction fit between at least one of the tabs and the adjustable stop. 
   
   
       19 . The golf tee of  claim 15 , wherein the lip-shaped protrusion is disposed on the stake.