# US 12,005,321 B2 · Golf club tool and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,321 B2 - Document ID: US12005321B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/329,054 - Filed: 2021-05-24 - Published: 2021-11-25 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-23 - Applicants: Jesse Martinez - Inventors: Jesse Martinez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005321B2 ## CPC - A63B 47/02: for picking-up {or collecting} - A63B 53/14: Handles - A63B 57/35: with magnets - A63B 57/353: {Golf ball position markers} - A63B 57/50: specially adapted for course maintenance - A63B 60/14: Coverings specially adapted for handles, e.g. sleeves or ribbons - A63B 2209/08: magnetic - A63B 2210/50: Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A golf club tool and method, the golf club tool comprises a tool body defining a hollow body interior that continuously connects an open first body end to an enclosed second body end, the hollow body interior is configured to removably receive and partially encapsulate a top portion of a golf club; the enclosed second body end removably supports a golf ball marker and further pivotally mounts a multi-prong fork; and the multi-prong fork is further configured to have a removable engagement with a golf ball. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club tool comprising: (A) a tool body defining a hollow body interior that continuously connects an open first body end to an enclosed second body end; (B) the hollow body interior further configured to removably receive and partially encapsulate a top portion of a golf club; and (C), an enclosed second body end removably attaches to a golf ball marker and pivotally attaches to a multi-prong fork; the multi-prong fork is further configured to have removable engagement with a golf ball, the multi-prong fork further moves between a storage position, wherein the multi-prong fork is laid against the tool body and perpendicular to the enclosed second body, a first operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and parallel from enclosed second body end and perpendicular to the tool body, and a second operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and perpendicularly from enclosed second body end and parallel to the tool body, wherein the first operating position allows the golf ball marker to come into movable contact with a ground to remove the golf ball marker from the top of the enclosed second body end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club tool of claim 1 wherein the enclosed second body end further comprises a rotational lever-based compression device that removably holds a top portion of a golf club within the hollow body interior. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The golf club tool of claim 2 wherein the rotational lever-based compression device comprises a rotational lever and a threaded fastener, the rotational lever at one lever end pivotally holds a cylinder having a threaded aperture that penetrates through the cylinder's width, the threaded aperture rotatably engages a portion of the threaded fastener that passes through a double open-ended channel formed by the enclosed second body end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The golf club tool of claim 1 wherein the enclosed second body end further comprises a curved spring band compression device that removably holds a top portion of a golf club within the hollow body interior, the curved spring band compression device further comprises a pair of outwardly projected spaced-apart spring tabs used to release the top portion of the golf club from the hollow body interior. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The golf club tool of claim 1 wherein the multi-prongs of the multi-prong fork are spring-biased to move their multi-prongs' pointed ends closer together. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The golf club tool of claim 1 wherein the multi-prong fork is sized for placement within a green cup, the multi-prong fork's multi-prongs further having inner edges with scalloped sections configured to engage a golf ball as placed within the green cup. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The golf club tool of claim 1 wherein enclosed second body end further comprises a magnet that removably attaches a golf ball marker to the enclosed second body end, the magnet being configured to allow the golf ball marker to be released from the enclosed second body end when the enclosed second body end is brought, into contact with the ground. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a golf club tool comprising the following steps, but not necessarily in the order shown: (A) providing a golf club tool comprising a tool body defining a hollow body interior that continuously connects to an open first body end to an enclosed second body end, the hollow body interior removably receives and partially encapsulates a top portion of a golf club; the enclosed second body end removably attaches to a golf ball marker placed on top of the enclosed second body end and further pivotally supports a multi-prong fork; the multi-prong fork is further configured to have a removable engagement with a golf ball, the multi-prong fork further moves between a storage position, wherein the multi-prong fork is laid against the tool body and perpendicular to the enclosed second body, a first operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and parallel from enclosed second body end and perpendicular to the tool body, and a second operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and perpendicularly from enclosed second body end and parallel to the tool body, wherein the first operating position allows the golf ball marker to come into movable contact with a ground to remove the golf ball marker from the enclosed second body end; (B) providing the golf club comprising a golf club head, a golf club shaft having a first shaft end and a second shaft end, and a golf club handle, wherein the golf club head attaches to the first shaft end while golf club handle encompasses the second shaft end to denote the top portion of the golf club; (C) removably inserting the top portion of the golf club within the hollow body interior to form a golf tool-golf club combination; (D) pivoting the multi-prong fork; and (E) removably engaging the golf ball with the multi-prong fork. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the removably engaging the golf ball further comprising a step of moving the multi-prong fork's multi-prongs apart from one another for placing the golf ball between the multi-prong fork's multi-prongs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the removably engaging a golf ball further comprises a step of cupping a portion of the golf ball between scalloped portions of the multi-prong fork's multi-prongs' inner edges. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the pivoting of the multi-prong fork further comprises a step of moving the multi-prong fork between a storage position placing the multi-prong fork against the tool body, an outward perpendicular position relative to the tool body that is configured for delivering or retrieving of a golf ball upon the ground, and an outward parallel position relative to the tool body configured for retrieving a golf ball located within a putting cup or for fixing a divot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of grasping a golf club head of the golf club tool-golf club combination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the step of grasping a golf club head further comprises DIA a step placing enclosed second body end proximate to the ground. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the removably engaging a golf ball with the multi-prong fork simultaneously comprises a step of placing the golf ball marker upon the ground by swiping a combination of the enclosed second body end and golf ball marker upon the ground. ### Claim 15 A golf club-golf club tool combination comprising: (A) the golf tool having a tool body that forms a hollow interior that connects a first open body end with a second enclosed body end, the second enclosed body end comprises a removably attached golf ball marker, a pivotally attached multi-prong fork, and a compression retention device for removably holding a portion of a golf club handle within the hollow body interior; the multi-prong fork further moves between a storage position, wherein the multi-prong fork is laid against the tool body and perpendicular to the second enclosed body end, a first operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and parallel from the second enclosed body end and perpendicular to the tool body, and a second operating position, wherein the multi-prong fork projects outward and perpendicularly from the second enclosed body end and parallel to the tool body, wherein the first operating position allows the golf ball marker to come into movable contact with a ground to remove the golf ball marker from the second enclosed body end; (B) the golf club comprising a golf head, a golf club shaft having a first shaft end and a second shaft end, and a golf club handle, the golf club head attaches to the first shaft end while golf club handle encompasses the second shaft end; wherein the hollow interior removably receives at least of a portion of the golf club handle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The golf club tool-golf club combination of claim 15 wherein the compression device is a rotational lever-based compression device that removably holds a top portion of a golf club within the hollow body interior. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The golf club tool-golf club combination of claim 16 wherein the rotational lever-based compression device further comprises a lever and a threaded fastener, the rotational lever at one lever end pivotally holds a cylinder having a threaded aperture penetrating through the cylinder's width, the threaded aperture rotatably engages a portion of the threaded fastener that passes through a double open-ended channel formed by the enclosed second body end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The golf club tool-golf club combination of claim 16 wherein the rotational lever-based compression device further comprises a spring-biased pin-detent mechanism for removably holding the multi-prong fork in one of three positions in relation to the tool body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The golf club tool-golf club combination of claim 18 wherein the spring-biased pin-detent mechanism further comprises a bar movably mounted within a portion of the second enclosed body end, the bar connects to a pin that has removable engagement with multiple detents as formed by the multi-prong fork. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The golf club tool-golf club combination of claim 15 wherein the operator grasps the golf club head to bring the golf club tool to proximate to the ground.