Lightweight carrier for golf clubs

Abstract

A lightweight carrier for golf clubs may comprise a hollow tubular support member, a handle attached to the hollow tubular support member for carrying the carrier and further configured for holding a green repair tool and a ball mark, a club holder upper base attached to the handle and configured for holding golf clubs and tees, and a club holder lower base attached to the tubular support member and configured for holding grips of the golf clubs. The lightweight carrier may further comprise pins extending from the club holder lower base to be pushed into the ground and a pin cover pivotally attached to the club holder lower base and configured to cover the pins when they are not pressed into the ground. The hollow tubular support member may removably store golf balls therein to be released via a manipulation tab.

1 . A golf club carrier, comprising:
 a hollow tubular support member having an upper end, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface;   a handle attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the upper end of the hollow tubular support member;   a club holder upper base attachable to at least one of the handle and the hollow tubular support member;   a club holder lower base attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the lower end of the hollow tubular support member;   one or more pins affixed to the club holder lower base extending substantially axially and outwardly therefrom and configured to penetrate into the ground; and   a spring-biased pin cover pivotally attached to the club holder lower base, naturally biased to cover at least part of the pins in a first position and forcibly pivotable away from the pins to a second position for inserting the pins into the ground.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises clips thereon and narrow slits formed therein configured for attaching at least one of a green repair tool and a ball mark. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the club holder upper base comprises:
 a plurality of flexible pinchers arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder upper base and each configured to maintain therein a shaft of a golf club having any of a plurality of diameters, and   at least one tee holder extending from or attached to each of the flexible pinchers such that each tee holder is positioned between two flexible pinchers.   
     
     
         4 . The golf club carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the tee holder is configured to hold a plurality of shapes and sizes of golf tees. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the tee holder has a substantially oblong-shaped opening formed therein configured to allow outward flexing of the tee holder when a golf tee is inserted therein, wherein one or more notches are formed along edges of the oblong-shaped opening and are configured to substantially center the golf tee within the oblong-shaped opening. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the club holder lower base comprises a plurality of hollow peripheral tubes arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder lower base, each with an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of protrusions located on the inner surface thereof and tapering from wide to narrow in a direction toward the club holder upper base. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring attached to the club holder lower base and the pin cover such that it biases the pin cover into the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the golf holder lower base comprises:
 a hollow central tube axially aligned with the hollow tubular support member, wherein the hollow central tube has an opening formed in a side portion thereof; and   a manipulation tab having one end attached to the golf club holder lower base and a stopper portion extending into the hollow central tube such that the stopper portion impedes the exit of golf balls through the hollow central tube in a first position and is moveable outward through the opening of the hollow central tube to a second position to release one or more of the golf balls.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support member has a plurality of holes formed therein, axially spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the diameter of a golf ball, and configured for viewing the number of golf balls stored therein. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a rubber grip portion. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club carrier, comprising:
 a hollow tubular support member having an upper end, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface;   a handle attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the upper end of the hollow tubular support member;   a club holder upper base attachable to at least one of the handle and the hollow tubular support member, the club holder upper base comprising:
 a plurality of flexible pinchers arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder upper base and each configured to maintain a shaft of a golf club therein, and 
 at least one tee holder positioned between two flexible pinchers, wherein the tee holder is configured to hold a plurality of shapes and sizes of golf tees; 
   a club holder lower base attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the lower end of the hollow tubular support member; and   one or more pins affixed to the club holder lower base extending substantially axially and outwardly therefrom and configured to penetrate into the ground.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a pin cover pivotally attached to the club holder lower base, configured to cover at least part of the pins in a first position and to pivot away from the pins to a second position for inserting the pins into the ground; and   a spring attached to the club holder lower base and the pin cover such that it biases the pin cover into the first position.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises at least one of clips thereon configured for attaching a green repair tool thereto and narrow slits formed therein configured for attaching a ball mark thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the club holder lower base comprises a plurality of hollow peripheral tubes arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder lower base, each with an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of protrusions located on the inner surface thereof and tapering from wide to narrow in a direction toward the club holder upper base. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the golf holder lower base comprises:
 a hollow central tube axially aligned with the hollow tubular support member, wherein the hollow central tube has an opening formed in a side portion thereof; and   a manipulation tab having one end attached to the golf club holder lower base and a stopper portion extending into the hollow central tube such that the stopper portion impedes the exit of golf balls through the hollow central tube in a first position and is moveable outward through the opening of the hollow central tube to a second position to release one or more of the golf balls.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the manipulation tab is further configured to move outward through the opening of the hollow central tube to the second position when a ball is pushed through the hollow central tube against the stopper portion toward the hollow tubular support member for insertion therein. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the hollow tubular support member has a plurality of holes formed therein, axially spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the diameter of a golf ball, and configured for viewing the number of golf balls stored therein. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises a rubber grip portion. 
     
     
         19 . A golf club carrier, comprising:
 a hollow tubular support member having an upper end, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface;   a handle attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the upper end of the hollow tubular support member;   a club holder upper base attachable to at least one of the handle and the hollow tubular support member;   a club holder lower base attachable to the hollow tubular support member at or near the lower end of the hollow tubular support member, wherein the holder lower base comprises:
 a hollow central tube axially aligned with the hollow tubular support member, wherein the hollow central tube has an opening formed in a side portion thereof; and 
 a manipulation tab having one end attached to the golf club holder lower base and a stopper portion extending into the hollow central tube such that the stopper portion impedes the exit of golf balls through the hollow central tube in a first position and is moveable outward through the opening of the hollow central tube to a second position to allow insertion or release of one or more of the golf balls; and 
   one or more pins affixed to the club holder lower base extending substantially axially and outwardly therefrom and configured to penetrate into the ground.   
     
     
         20 . The golf club carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the club holder upper base comprises:
 a plurality of flexible pinchers arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder upper base and each configured to maintain a shaft of a golf club therein, and   at least one tee holder extending between two flexible pinchers, wherein the tee holder is configured to hold a plurality of shapes and sizes of golf tees.   
     
     
         21 . The golf club carrier of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a pin cover pivotally attached to the club holder lower base, configured to cover at least part of the pins in a first position and to pivot away from the pins to a second position for inserting the pins into the ground; and   a spring attached to the club holder lower base and the pin cover such that it biases the pin cover into the first position.   
     
     
         22 . The golf club carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the club holder lower base comprises a plurality of hollow peripheral tubes arranged and spaced along a periphery of the club holder lower base, each with an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of protrusions located on the inner surface thereof and tapering from wide to narrow in a direction toward the club holder upper base.