Inventors:
Dennis Gates - Chicago IL, US
International Classification:
A63B 57/00
Abstract:
In a gripping device comprising a gripping mechanism including a pair of gripping jaws, normally opened, an actuating mechanism to close the pair of gripping jaws, and an elongate shaft connecting the actuating and gripping mechanisms, each gripping jaw has a gripping end affixed to such gripping jaw and configured to hold a golf tee having a head defining one end, a tip defining an opposite end, and a stem between the head and the tip, so as to allow the tip and an adjacent portion of the stem to remain exposed. Each gripping end has a bearing surface, which bears against the end defined by the head of such a tee being held. Being resilient and being concave, the gripping ends are adapted to hold a golf ball, if a golf tee is not being held. Thus, the gripping device is adapted to enable a golfer to set a golf tee without stooping and to place a golf ball onto a golf tee, which has been set, without stooping. The golf tee may be a standard tee or a “step” tee.