Golf Bag with Sleeves for Club Shafts

Abstract

A bag is described for carrying a set of golf clubs while playing golf and while traveling. The bag includes at least two panels, with each panel including a first face and an opposite second face. The first face includes sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs together with repositionable stoppers for engaging the ends of the golf club shaft. In this way, the height that each of the golf clubs extends beyond the panels is set by the position of the stoppers. These at least two panels are connected in such a way so as to provide a playing mode with the first faces facing outward, thus providing access to the golf clubs, and so as to provide a travel mode with the first faces facing inward, thus protecting the golf clubs while travelling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bag for carrying a set of golf clubs while playing golf and while traveling, the bag comprising:
 at least two panels, each comprising a first face and an opposite second face, the first face comprising sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs and repositionable stoppers for engaging the ends of the golf club shafts, whereby the height that each of the golf clubs extends beyond the panels is set by the position of the stoppers;   wherein the at least two panels are connected so as to provide a playing mode with the first faces facing outward, thus providing access to the golf clubs, and so as to provide a travel mode with the first faces facing inward, thus protecting the golf clubs while travelling.   
     
     
         2 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two panels comprises a vertical slot for each sleeve, into which a tab from the repositionable stoppers is inserted to facilitate vertical adjustment of the repositionable stoppers. 
     
     
         3 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two panels comprises a vertical array of openings, into which the repositionable stoppers may be removably inserted to thereby be repositioned. 
     
     
         4 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein each of the repositionable stoppers is removably attached to the first face of the at least two panels by means of a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The bag of  claim 1 , comprising at least three panels, each comprising a first face and an opposite second face, the first face comprising sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs and repositionable stoppers for engaging the ends of the golf club shafts, whereby the height that each of the golf clubs extends beyond the panels is set by the position of the stoppers, and wherein the at least three panels are connected so as to provide a playing mode with the first faces facing outward, thus providing access to the golf clubs, and so as to provide a travel mode with the first faces facing inward, thus protecting the golf clubs while travelling. 
     
     
         6 . The bag of  claim 1 , comprising four panels, a first, second and third panel each comprising a first face and an opposite second face, the first face comprising sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs and repositionable stoppers for engaging the ends of the golf club shafts, whereby the height that each of the golf clubs extends beyond the panels is set by the position of the stoppers, and wherein the four panels are connected so as to provide a playing mode with the first faces facing outward, thus providing access to the golf clubs, and so as to provide a travel mode with the first faces facing inward, thus protecting the golf clubs while travelling. 
     
     
         7 . The bag of  claim 6 , wherein a fourth panel includes a fourth face configured for attachment of golf accessories, and wherein the fourth face faces inward when the bag is folded into the travel mode. 
     
     
         8 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the fourth face also carries two sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs, and wherein the first face of the first, second and third panels all carry four sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs. 
     
     
         9 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve comprises a top portion and a height adjustable bottom portion spaced below, wherein the stoppers are part of the bottom portion of each sleeve, and whereby adjusting the height of the bottom portions also adjusts the height of the stoppers. 
     
     
         10 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom portions are locked in position by means of a tab inserted into one of a vertical array of openings in the first faces of the panels. 
     
     
         11 . A bag for carrying a set of golf clubs, the golf bag comprising:
 at least two panels, each having a first face configured to face outward during a round of golf;   at least three sleeves mounted on each of the first faces of the at least two panels, into which sleeves shafts of the golf clubs are inserted, wherein each sleeve comprises a fabric tube, open at a top end and closed toward a bottom end with a ring surrounding and restricting the fabric tube;   wherein each of the rings is movable along the fabric tube, so as to change the distance between the top end and the ring, whereby the depth to which the shafts are inserted can be changed.   
     
     
         12 . The bag of  claim 11 , wherein each fabric tube is mounted at the top end and the bottom end, and wherein each ring is movably mounted to one of the two panels in such a way as to allow for vertical adjustment of the ring. 
     
     
         13 . The bag of  claim 12 , wherein each first face of each panel comprises a vertical slot for each sleeve, and wherein each ring comprises a tab that slides within one of the vertical slots. 
     
     
         14 . The bag of claim of  claim 13 , wherein each tab comprises a spring clip for locking the ring at a particular height. 
     
     
         15 . The bag of  claim 11 , wherein each sleeve comprises a top portion, and wherein each top portion is made from a resilient pliable material, and wherein each top portion is sized and shaped so as to expand its opening in the playing mode and compress its opening in the travel mode, thus stabilizing the shafts in the travel mode. 
     
     
         16 . The bag of  claim 11 , comprising a third panel, having a first face and an opposite second face, the first face of the third panel having at least three additional sleeves mounted thereon, into which shafts of the golf clubs are inserted, wherein each additional sleeve comprises a fabric tube, open at a top end and closed toward a bottom end with an additional ring surrounding and restricting the fabric tube. 
     
     
         17 . The bag of  claim 11 , further comprising a third panel. 
     
     
         18 . The bag of  claim 17 , further comprising a fourth panel, and wherein the fourth panel includes a fourth face configured for attachment of golf accessories, and wherein the fourth face faces inward when the bag is folded into the travel mode. 
     
     
         19 . The bag of  claim 18 , wherein the fourth face also carries two sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs, and wherein the first face of the first, second and third panels all carry four sleeves for insertion of shafts of golf clubs.