Golf ball lifting device for the removal of golf balls with the flagstick in place

Abstract

A ball lifting device having an elevator is attachable to a flagstick for enabling easy removal of a golf ball that is holed while putting with the flagstick in place in the cup. The elevator may be attached to a handle portion that extends up along the pole portion of the flagstick allowing the elevator to be raised by way of the handle portion. The handle portion may have a hook portion for hooking up with a golf club so that hand contact with the device is eliminated. The handle portion may be a thin member. The handle portion may be a tubular portion. The elevator may be spring loaded with the spring manually loaded by a golfer and released to eject the golf ball from the cup.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A lifting device for lifting balls out of a golf hole in combination with a flagstick, the flagstick having a pole portion with an outside diameter of 0.50 to 0.55 inches and a length of at least about seven feet, the flagstick further having a grommet at the bottom portion of the pole portion for seating the flagstick in a socket in a cup, the lifting device comprising a tubular handle placeable around the pole portion of the flagstick and slidable upwardly and downwardly thereon, an elevator portion sized with a diameter that is less than 4.25 inches, the elevator portion attached to or unitary with the tubular portion, the tubular portion extending upwardly and graspable to raise the elevator out of the cup with any golf balls thereon. 
     
     
         23 . The lifting device of  claim 22 , wherein the diameter of the tubular handle is less than 0.050 inches greater than the outside diameter of the pole portion of the flagstick. 
     
     
         24 . A flagstick having a pole portion seated in a ferrule, an elevator slidably engaged with the exterior surface of the pole portion, the elevator connecting or coupled to a handle on the pole portion for raising the elevator with respect to the pole portion. 
     
     
         25 . The flagstick of  claim 24 , wherein the handle is connected to the elevator through an actuation member extending through a hollow core of the pole portion. 
     
     
         26 . The flagstick of  claim 25 , wherein the actuation member is magnetically coupled to the elevator. 
     
     
         27 . A golf flagstick with a spring-loaded elevator thereon, whereby when the flagstick is in the cup, the spring loaded elevator can be manually depressed and released to eject a golf ball on the elevator out of the cup. 
     
     
         28 . The golf flagstick of  claim 27 , wherein the elevator has an ejection spring therebelow for providing an upward bias to the elevator when the elevator is depressed. 
     
     
         29 . The golf flagstick of  claim 27 , wherein the elevator is depressed by way of a tubular handle encompassing the flagstick. 
     
     
         30 . The golf flagstick of  claim 27 , comprising a release mechanism for ejecting a golf ball on the elevator. 
     
     
         31 . The golf flagstick of  claim 29 , wherein the tubular handle is spring loaded to return to a normal position. 
     
     
         32 . A golf flagstick with a spring loaded elevator thereon, and a release mechanism, whereby when the flagstick is in the cup, the spring loaded elevator can be manually depressed and the release mechanism releases the elevator to eject a golf ball on the elevator out of the cup.