Golf bag with cover

Abstract

A golf bag 400 comprises a main compartment for storing golf clubs, the main compartment comprising an opening 420; a cover 100 comprising an elastic member 120; and fastening means. The cover is mova

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a golf bag, and more particularly to a golf bag comprising a deployable cover. BACKGROUND Golfers conventionally use golf bags outdoors in various weather conditions. For conditions in which the weather is dry and then starts to rain, conventional golf bags include a detachable cover that tends to be stored in a pocket of the golf bag, such that the cover can be removed from the golf bag and deployed onto the golf bag when needed. A conventional pocket is also often used to store other items for use in the game of golf, such as waterproof jacket and trousers, and may also be used to store electronic items such as range finder, GPS devices, and smartphones. Golf clubs are typically made from materials that can be sensitive to water, such as metal that can rust and grips that can become slippery and degrade when wet. A waterproof cover protects the clubs from the elements, preserving their condition and longevity. A golfer is also always striving to perform better, and wet clubs can ruin an afternoon’s work. For example, a wet grip can lead to poor control over the club, and a wet club face can dramatically reduce control over the golf ball. Keeping clubs dry therefore helps maintain optimal performance levels. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventor has realised that a conventional golf bag cover can be problematic. In particular, removing the golf bag cover from the golf bag can be time consuming and risks rain damaging other items also stored in the same pocket as the golf bag cover. Deploying the golf bag cover can be cumbersome and fiddley. Accessing golf clubs from the golf bag once the conventional cover is deployed can be difficult. These problems tend to be further exacerbated as a result of rain. It can also be appreciated that speed is of the essence when it starts to rain and so there exists the need for any cover to be convenient to access and quick to deploy. It is also important that such a cover does not restrict a golfer’s access to their clubs. There thus remains scope for improvements in golf bag covers. According to a first aspect there is provided a golf bag comprising a main compartment for storing golf clubs, the main compartment comprising an opening; a cover comprising an elastic member; and fastening means. The cover is movable between a first position and a second position. The first position is such that the elastic member is substantially perpendicular to the opening and the cover does not cover substantially all of the opening. The second position is a position in which the cover is substantially over the opening, the elastic member is elastically deformed, and the cover is spaced apart from the opening. The elastic member biases the cover towards the first position; and the fastening means are arranged to secure the cover in the second position. There is a distinct advantage to a cover design that allows for easy access to clubs without fully removing the cover such that the golfer keeps their game moving smoothly and maintains their focus and rhythm. Such a cover is also much more likely to be used if it integrates seamlessly into the golfer’s game. The golf bag may comprise a pocket for storing the cover. Storing the waterproof cover directly in the golf bag tends to ensure that the cover is always available when needed, without the golfer having to remember to pack it separately. This immediate accessibility means golfers can quickly respond to changing weather conditions, minimizing any disruption to their game. Furthermore, having a dedicated pocket for storing the cover means that the cover does not need to be stored in a pocket that may also be used to store electronic items or other items. This tends to keep the golfer’s other items (such as a range finder, GPS device, and smartphone) protected from the rain even when the cover needs to be removed and deployed. The pocket may comprise a pocket opening. The pocket opening may be arranged on an outer surface of the golf bag proximal to the opening. The cover may be slidably removable from the pocket. The pocket and cover may be configured such that when the cover is stored in the pocket, a portion of the cover is proximal to the pocket opening, whereby to allow the cover to be gripped in order to slidably remove the cover from the pocket. The golf bag may comprise restraining means configured to prevent or oppose the cover from being fully removed from the pocket. The restraining means may comprise an elongate member, e.g. a strap or webbing, disposed within the pocket. The restraining means may comprise a coupling means fixedly attached to the cover and slidably mounted on the elongate member. The restraining means may comprise one or more limiters arranged to limit an extent to which the coupling means is able to slide along the elongate member. The cover may comprise a flap. When the cover is in the first or second position, the flap may be configured to be positioned over the pocket opening. This tends to advantageously oppose water ingress into the pocket. The golf bag may comprise additional fastening means configured to fasten the flap over the pocket opening. This tends to advantageously oppose water ingress into the pocket and secure the cover in the first and second positions. The main compartment may have a longest dimension that extends along a first axis. The pocket may have a longest dimension that extends parallel to the first axis. The cover may have a first width perpendicular to the first axis. The pocket may have a second width that extends parallel to the first width. The second width may be greater than or equal to the first width. The cover may comprise a first portion and a second portion. The elastic member may be arranged at a peripheral edge of the first portion, and may be configured to cause the first portion to be taut within the peripheral edge. The second portion may be attached to the first portion along a portion of the peripheral edge. The fastening means may comprise a first fastening member arranged on the second portion and a second fastening member arranged on the golf bag. The first and second fastening members may be configured to be fastened together to secure the cover in the second position. The first fastening member may comprise a hook made from high density polyethylene, HDPE, board. The second fastening member may be configured to receive the hook. The fastening means may comprise a third fastening member arranged on the second portion, on an opposite side of the second portion to the first fastening member, and a fourth fastening member arranged on the golf bag at an opposite side of the opening to the second fastening member. The third and fourth fastening members may be configured to be fastened together to secure the cover in the second position. The first and third fastening members may be configured such that, in use, unfastening one of the first and third fastening members provides access to a respective side of the opening on which the respective fastening member is arranged. The second portion may comprise a further opening through which, when the cover is in the second position, the main compartment may be accessed. The further opening may be a slit in the second portion. The slit may be closeable via a further fastening means. The further fastening means many be selected from the group of fastening means consisting of: a zip; a plurality of magnets; and a hook and loop strap. The cover may comprise a waterproof or water-resistant material. The elastic member may be a rod. The rod may be made of an elastic material such as polyester fibreglass or a metal. The elastic member, e.g. the polyester fibreglass rod, may be constrained inside a hem of the cover. In the second position, the elastic member may apply an elastic force to the cover, such that, in use, fastening the fastening means may cause the cover to return to the first position. The main compartment of the golf bag may be configured to contain a main portion of the golf clubs and a head portion of the golf clubs may be positioned outside of the golf bag, proximal to the opening. The cover may be further configured to project over the opening such that the cover covers the head portion of the golf clubs. In the second position the cover may be configured to oppose water ingress into the opening. The cover may be a rain cover. According to a second aspect, there is provided a golf bag cover for a golf bag, comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is substantially a stadium in shape. The first portion comprises a first waterproof or water-resistant material having a hem around its peripheral edge, and an elastic member constrained by the hem. The second portion comprises a second waterproof or water-resistant material. The second portion is attached to the first portion along at least a part of the peripheral edge of the first portion. The second portion comprises one or more fastening members configured to be attached to a part of the golf bag. It will be appreciated that the use of the terms “first” and “second”, and the like, are merely intended to help distinguish between similar features and are not intended to indicate a relative importance of one feature over another, unless otherwise specified. Within the scope of this application, it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, and the claims and / or the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and all features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of a golf bag cover; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example rear view of the golf bag cover and a part of a golf bag; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag cover; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of the golf bag without the golf bag cover deployed; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example cut-away front view of the golf bag showing the inside of a pocket in which the golf bag cover is stored; Figure 6 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of the golf bag with the golf bag cover partially deployed; Figure 7 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag with the golf bag cover partially deployed; Figure 8 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag with the golf bag cover further partially deployed; Figure 9 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag with the golf bag cover fully deployed; and Figure 10 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example rear view of the golf bag with the golf bag cover fully deployed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of part of a golf bag cover 100. In this embodiment, the golf bag cover 100 is a rain cover, and herein is simply referred to as a cover 100. The cover 100 comprises a first portion 110, an elastic member 120, a handle 130, and first fastening members 140. In this embodiment, the elastic member 120 is a rod 120, the first portion 110 is made from a waterproof material; and the first fastening members 140 are male parts of snap fasteners arranged on a flap 170 of the first portion 110, and configured to be attached to female parts located on the golf bag. In this embodiment, the rod 120 is made of an elastic material such as polyester fibreglass, or a metal. In this embodiment, the first portion 110 is substantially a stadium in shape, having a first curved end 112 and a second curved end 114 opposite the first curved end 112. The first portion 110 tapers inwards from the first curved end 112 to the second curved end 114 such that the width of the stadium at the second curved end 114 is narrower than that of the first curved end 112. A peripheral edge 125 of the first portion 110 comprises a hem defining a cavity. The hem is configured to hold, secure, or constrain the rod 120 in a bent state, specifically in the shape of a stadium, within the cavity. The rod 120 has an elasticity that causes the rod 120 to be substantially straight when at rest. When the rod 120 is held, secured, or constrained by the hem, the rod 120 applies a biasing force to the hem which, due to the shape of the first portion 110 and the hem, causes the first portion 110 to become taught within the peripheral edge 125. The first portion 110 has a length 150 and a maximum width 160. As a result of the tapering, the maximum width 160 of the first portion 110 is near the first curved end 112. The rod 120 tends to have a tensile strength or elongation properties that make it particularly suited to this application. Figure 2 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example rear view of the cover 100 and a part of the golf bag. As shown, the cover 100 further comprises a coupling means 220. An elongate member 230 and limiting means 240a, 240b are also shown, which are a part of the golf bag. The coupling means 220, the elongate member 230, and the limiting means 240a, 240b may collectively be referred to as a restraining means. In this embodiment, the coupling means 220 is a loop that is fixedly attached to the cover 100 and slidably mounted on the elongate member 230. In this embodiment, the loop is made of a hard-wearing material such as a metal or a plastic. In this embodiment, the loop is rectangular in shape, however in other embodiments, the loop may have a different appropriate shape. In this embodiment, the elongate member 230 is a piece of webbing or a strap and is fixedly attached to the golf bag, by being disposed within a pocket as will be discussed later below. The limiting means 240a, 240b comprise an upper loop 240a and a lower loop 240b. The upper and lower loops 240a, 240b are made by stitching a part of the webbing onto itself. The upper and lower loops 240a, 240b are configured to prevent the coupling means 220 from sliding over them. In operation, as will be discussed in more detail later below, the coupling means 220 is configured to hold the cover 100 to the elongate member 230, whilst allowing the cover 100 to slide up and down the elongate member 230 between the upper and lower loops 240a, 240b, such that the movement of the cover 100 along the elongate member 230 is limited to being between the upper and lower loops 240a, 240b. Figure 3 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the cover 100. The cover 100 further comprises a second portion 310 and second and third fastening members 320. In this embodiment, the second portion 310 is made from a waterproof material. The second and third fastening members 320 are arranged on opposing sides of the second portion 310 of the cover 100. Figure 3 only shows one of the second and third fastening members 320. The other of the second and third fastening members 320 is located on an opposite side of the cover 100, not shown in Figure 3. The second portion 310 is attached to the first portion 110 along a portion of the peripheral edge 125. In particular, the second portion 310 is attached to the first portion 110 along all of the peripheral edge 125 substantially between the flap 170 and the first curved end 112. In this embodiment, the second portion 310 is not attached to the first portion 110 along the peripheral edge 125 substantially between the flap 170 and the second curved end 114. The second and third fastening members 320 are configured to be attached to fastening members on the golf bag, in order to secure the cover over an opening of the golf bag, as will be discussed in more detail later below. In this embodiment, the second and third fastening members 320 each comprise a hook made from HDPE board. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of a golf bag 400 without the cover 100 deployed. The golf bag 400 comprises a main compartment 410, an opening 420 of the main compartment 410 located at an end of the main compartment 410, a pocket 430 comprising a pocket opening 440, fourth fastening members 450, and a golf bag handle 460. Although not shown in Figure 4, the golf bag also comprises fifth and sixth fastening members, one of which is shown in Figure 7. The fifth and sixth fastening members are arranged on opposing sides of the opening 420 of the golf bag 400. In this embodiment, the fourth fastening members 450 comprise female parts of snap fasteners configured to be fastened with the corresponding male parts, i.e. the first fastening members 140. The main compartment 410 has a longest dimension 470 that extends in the direction of a first axis 10. A second axis 20 is perpendicular to the first axis 10. The opening 420 is an opening to the main compartment 410 via which golf clubs can be moved into and out of the main compartment 410. The main compartment 410 of the golf bag 400 may be configured to contain handle and shaft portions of the golf clubs, such that a head portion of the golf clubs extends beyond the opening 420 and is outside of the main compartment 410. The pocket 430 is configured to store the cover 100. The pocket opening 440 is arranged on an outer surface of the golf bag 400 proximal to the opening 420. The fourth fastening members 450 are located proximal to the pocket opening 440 and are configured to be fixed to the first fastening members 140 of the cover 100. Figure 5 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example cut-away front view of the golf bag 400 showing the inside of the pocket 430 in which the cover 100 is disposed. As shown in Figure 5, the pocket 430 and cover 100 are configured such that when the cover 100 is stored in the pocket 430, the handle 130 of the cover 100 is at or proximal to the pocket opening 440. This advantageously tends to facilitate a user locating and gripping the handle 130, and pulling or sliding the cover 100 out of the pocket 430 via the pocket opening 440. The position of the cover 100 when fully inserted into the pocket 430 is limited by the lower loop 240b. The pocket 430 has a longest dimension 510 that extends in a direction parallel to the first axis 10. The pocket 430 has a width 520 that may be substantially the same width as the maximum width 160 of the cover 100. The width 520 of the pocket 430 and the width 160 of the cover 100 both extend in a direction parallel to the second axis 20. In this embodiment, the cover 100 may be slidably moved into or out of the pocket 430 by moving the cover 100 in a direction along the first axis 10. In this embodiment, the main compartment 410 has a length of about 78 cm, which corresponds to the length of the longest dimension 470 of the main compartment 410, and a width 490 of about 18 cm. In this embodiment, the pocket 430 has a length of about 78 cm, which corresponds to the length of the longest dimension 510 of the pocket 430, and a width 520 of 18 cm. In this embodiment, the first curved end 112 may be located less than about 5 cm from the pocket opening 440. For example, the first curved end 112 may be located about 3 cm from the pocket opening 440. In this embodiment, the maximum width 160 of the cover 100 is about 18 cm, and the length 150 of the cover 100 is about 60 cm. The pocket 430 and cover 100 are configured such that the cover 100 is slidably movable into or out of the pocket 430. In this embodiment, the movement of the cover 100 out of the pocket is limited such that the first curved end 112 may only be moved out of the pocket 430 to a maximum of about 45 cm from the pocket opening 440. This limitation is achieved because, as the cover 100 is moved in the first direction 100 and the coupling means 220 slides along the elongate member 230, at the maximum extension of the cover 100, the coupling means 220 contacts the upper loop 240a which blocks or limits the coupling means 220 from sliding any further on the elongate member 230 in the first direction 10. Additionally, when the cover 100 is being inserted into the pocket 430, the lower loop 240b blocks the coupling means 220 from sliding further along the elongate member 230 towards a bottom 530 of the pocket 430 once a maximum insertion depth of the cover 100 inside the pocket 430 has been reached. In this embodiment, the position of the lower loop 240b is arranged such that, when the coupling means 220 abuts the lower loop 240b, the first curved end 112 of the cover 100 is at about 3 cm from the pocket opening 440. As a result, the cover 100, and thus the handle 130, tends to be held in a user-friendly position, proximal to the opening 420, such that a user can conveniently grip the handle 130 and remove the cover 100 from the pocket 430. In other words, finding and gripping the handle 130 tends not to be a cumbersome operation. This is particularly advantageous in rainy or adverse weather conditions, wherein a user tends to be under additional stress. Once a user has gripped the handle 130, they can pull the handle 130 upwards in a direction parallel to the first axis 10 away from the bottom 530 of the pocket 430, to slidably move a part of the cover 100 out of the pocket 430. As discussed above, due to the position of the upper loop 420a, only a limited portion of the cover 100 can be removed from the pocket 430. A portion of the cover 100 remains inside the pocket 430, and forms part of a supporting structure for the cover 100 such that the cover 100 can be effectively deployed, as will be discussed in more detail later below. In this manner, the cover 100 can be slidably removed from within the pocket 430, from a stored position to an extended position, which will hereinafter be referred to as a “first position”. Figure 6 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example front view of the golf bag 400 with the cover 100 in the first position 610. In the first position 610, a part of the cover 100 is removed from the pocket 430. The cover 100 is prevented from moving further out of the pocket 430 by the upper loop 240a, such that a portion of the cover 100 remains in the pocket 430. In the first position 610, the flap 170 of the cover 100 can be placed over the pocket opening 440 to oppose water ingress into the pocket 430. The first fastening members 140 on the flap 170 of the cover 100 can be fastened to the fourth fastening members 450 on the golf bag 400 to fasten the flap 170 over the pocket opening 440. (This is not shown in Figure 6, but is shown in Figure 9.) Fastening the flap 170 over the pocket opening 440 tends to prevent or oppose water ingress into the pocket 430 and further secure the cover 100 into the first position. Figure 7 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag 400 with the cover 100 in the first position 610 (i.e., partially deployed). As can be seen, the rod 120 of the cover 100 extends in a direction parallel to the first axis 10, and does not project over the opening 420 in a direction parallel to a third axis 30. The second portion 310 of the cover 100 may extend in a direction parallel to the third axis 30. The third axis 30 is perpendicular to the first axis 10 and the second axis 20. The first axis 10, the second axes 20, and third axis 30 define three perpendicular dimensions. As shown in Figure 7, when the cover 100 is in the first position 610, the second portion 310 of the cover 100 may be loose or floppy. Figure 7 also shows one of the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 arranged on the golf bag. The other of the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 is located on an opposite side of the golf bag 400, not shown in Figure 7. As discussed above, the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 are arranged on opposing sides of the opening 420 of the golf bag 400. The second and third fastening members 320 of the cover 100 are configured to be attached to the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 of the golf bag 400, in order to secure the cover 100 over the opening 420 of the golf bag 400. In this embodiment, the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 comprise a hole or slot configured to receive a hook. After the user has pulled the cover 100 into the first configuration 610, the user then pulls on at least one fastening member 320 on the cover 100 to cause the second portion 310 of the cover 100 to become taught. This is shown in Figure 8. The fastening member 320 that the user pulls can be the second fastening member 320, the third fastening member 320, or both the second and third fastening members 320. In this embodiment, the user pulls both the second and third fastening members 320. Figure 8 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag 400 with the golf bag cover 100 in a transition from the first position 610 to a second position, as a result of the user pulling the second and third fastening members 320. In this embodiment, the cover 100 is configured to be secured over the opening 420 by fastening the second and third fastening members 320 to the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 respectively. To achieve this, the user applies a force 810. The force 810 causes the rod 120 (and as a result the attached first portion 110) to elastically deform in a direction parallel to the third axis 30. The user then fastens the second and third fastening members 320 to the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 as illustrated in Figure 9. In this manner, the golf bag cover 100 is configured to be secured substantially over the opening 420 in its second position. Figure 9 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example side view of the golf bag 400 with the golf bag cover 100 in the second position 940. Securing the cover 100 over the opening 420 creates taught regions in the second portion 320. In particular, fastening the second and fifth fastening members together (which is referred to herein as a first fastening 910) creates a first taught region 920 between the rod 120 and the first fastening 910. In other words, because the second portion 320 is attached at one side by the first fastening 910, and is being pulled at the other side by the elastic member 120 of the cover 100, the second portion 320 tends to be pulled taught (but retains the stadium portion of the cover 100 in its bent or curved state). Fastening the third and sixth fastening members together (which is referred to herein as a second fastening and shown in Figure 10) creates a second taught region (shown in Figure 10) between the rod 120 and the second fastening. The second fastening member is fastened to the fifth fastening member by inserting the hook of the second fastening member into the hole of the fifth fastening member. Similarly, the third fastening member is fastened to the sixth fastening member by inserting the hook of the third fastening member into the hole of the sixth fastening member. The first and second fastenings apply a deforming force 930 to the rod 120 via the first taught region 920 and the second taught region, which causes the rod 120 (and as a result the attached first portion 110) to maintain an elastically deformed shape in a direction parallel to the third axis 30, such that the cover 100 projects over the opening 420 in directions parallel to the second and third axes 20, 30. In this manner, the cover 100 is in the second position 940. The length 150 of the cover 100 is selected such that the elastic deforming of the cover 100 over the opening 420 causes the cover 100, and in particular the rod 120, to project over, whilst being spaced apart from, the opening 420, such that the cover 100 can cover the head portion of the golf clubs. As discussed above, the first portion 110 is taught between the peripheral edge 125, and the first and second fastenings create taught regions in the cover 100. As a result of the combined taught areas in the cover 100, and because the cover 100 comprises waterproof or water-resistant material that projects over the opening 420, liquid tends to be repelled from entering into the opening 420 or onto the head portion of the golf clubs. Thus, the head portions of the golf clubs, and the opening 420 of the golf bag, tend to be protected from rain. In this manner, a user is able to conveniently grab and slidably remove a portion of the cover 100 from the golf bag 400, and deploy the cover by fastening the second and third fastening members 320 with the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 respectively. Storing, removing and deploying the cover 100 in this manner tends to be less cumbersome or tedious when compared to conventional covers for golf bags. In this embodiment, the second fastening member is arranged on an opposing side of the cover 100 to the third fastening member, and the fifth fastening member is arranged on an opposing side of the opening 420 of the golf bag 400 to the sixth fastening member. As a result, the first taught region 920 and the second taut region are on opposing sides of the opening 420. This can be advantageous because detaching the second and fifth fastening members causes the first taught region 920 to become slack, which tends to provide a first access to the opening, and detaching the third and sixth fastening members causes the second taught region to become slack, which tends to provide a second access to the opening. Two access openings located on opposing sides of the opening 420 tend to provide access to the opening whilst providing protection from rain due to not exposing all of the golf clubs when one of the access openings is opened. Also shown in Figure 9 is the first fastening members 140 fastened to the fourth fastening members 450, such that the flap 170 covers the pocket opening 440. Figure 10 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of an example rear view of the golf bag 400 with the cover 100 in the second position 940 (i.e., the cover 100 is fully deployed). Figure 10 shows the first fastening 910 applies the deforming force 930 to the rod 120 via the first taught region 920, and the second fastening 1010 applies the deforming force 1030 to the rod 120 via the second taught region 1020. The first fastening 910 is located on a first side 1032 of the opening 420. The second fastening 1010 is located on a second side 1034 of the opening 420. The first side 1032 is on an opposite side of the opening 420 to the second side 1034. Thus, unfastening the first fastening 910 causes the first taught region 920 to become slack and thereby provides the first access to the opening 420 on the first side 1032. Similarly, unfastening the second fastening 1010 causes the second taught region 1020 to become slack, and thereby provide the second access to the opening 420 on the second side 1034. In order to facilitate a wider access to the opening 420 either alone or in conjunction with either of the first and / or second accesses, in this embodiment the cover 100 further comprises a seventh fastening member 1040 arranged between the first and second fastenings 910, 1010. In this embodiment, the seventh fastening member 1040 is a zip. The zip is configured to separate the first and second taut regions 920,1020. In operation, the seventh fastening member 1040 can be unzipped as far as may be deemed necessary by the user, in order to widen the first and / or second accesses, to facilitate easier access of the desired golf clubs from the respective side 1032, 1034 of the opening 420. In other words, in this embodiment, the second portion 310 of the cover 100 comprises a slit through which, when the cover is in the second position 940, the main compartment 410 may be accessed. A zip 1040 is attached to the slit and configured such that the slit is closable via the zip 1040. Thus, a seventh fastening member 1040 arranged between the first and second fastenings 910, 1010 tends to ensure that only an amount of the first and / or second access is opened that is required to retrieve the desired golf club, such that there is less exposure of the remaining golf club heads to the rain, which tends to provide improved rain protection compared to a conventional cover. Returning to Figure 9, as discussed above, the first fastening 910 and the second fastening 1010 apply the deforming force 930 to the rod 120, which causes the rod 120 (and as a result the attached first portion 110) to maintain the elastically deformed shape. Because the rod 120 is elastically deformed, the rod 120 applies an elastic force 950 to the cover 100, in an opposing direction to the deforming force 930. As a result, detaching the second portion 310 from the golf bag 400, by unfastening the second and third fastening members, causes the cover 100 to return (i.e., elastically return) to the first position 610. Therefore, if the user deems that the cover 100 is no longer required, for example if the environmental conditions improve and the rain stops, the user may unfasten the second and third fastening members 320, which will remove the deforming force 930 and permit the elastic force 950 to return (i.e., spring back) the cover 100 back into the first configuration 610. Once the cover 100 is back in the first configuration 610, the user can easily slide the cover 100 into the pocket 430 in a similar manner to how the cover 100 was removed. Thus, the cover 100 tends to be easily packed away when it is no longer required, in a known, safe location that can be easily accessed in the future. In this embodiment, the second and third fastening members 320 each comprise a hook made of HDPE card, and the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 each comprise a hole configured to receive the hook made of HDPE card. However, the disclosure should not be limited thereto. In other embodiments, the second and third fastening members 320 do not comprise a hook made of HDPE card, and the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 do not comprise a hole configured to receive the hook made of HDPE card. In such embodiments, the second and third fastening members 320 may each comprise a male part of a snap fastener, and the fifth and sixth fastening members 710 may each comprise a female part of a snap fastener. Although this embodiment discloses specific examples for each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh fastening members, the disclosure 5 should not be limited thereto. In other embodiments, any of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh fastening members may be any suitable fastening means, such as snap fasteners, magnets, or Velcro (RTM) (i.e., hook and loop straps). Although this embodiment discloses that the coupling means 220 is a 10 square loop, the disclosure should not be limited thereto. In other embodiments, the coupling means 220 can be made of any suitable material, for example metal, plastic, nylon, etc.; and further the coupling means 220 can take any suitable shape, for example a circle, rectangle, etc. Parts List 10 - first axis 20 - second axis 30 - third axis 100 - golf bag cover 110- first portion 120 - elastic member 130 - handle 140 - first fastening members 150 - length (of cover) 160 - maximum width (of cover) 220 - coupling means 230 - elongate member 240a - limiting means (upper loop) 240b - limiting means (lower loop) 310 - second portion 320 - second and third fastening members 400 - golf bag 410 - main compartment 420 - opening 430 - pocket 440 - pocket opening 450 - fourth fastening members 460 - golf bag handle 470 - longest dimension (of main compartment) 510 - length (of pocket) 520 - width (of pocket) 530 - bottom (of pocket) 610 - first position 5 710 - fifth and sixth fastening members 810 - force applied by user (to cover) 910 - first fastening 920 - first taught region 930 - deforming force 10 940 - second position 950 - elastic force 1010 - second fastening 1020 - second taut region 1030 - deforming force 15 1032-first side of opening 1034 - second side of opening 1040 - seventh fastening member

Claims

1. A golf bag comprising:a main compartment for storing golf clubs, the main compartment comprising an opening;a cover comprising an elastic member; andfastening means; whereinthe cover is movable between a first position and a second position;the first position is such that the elastic member is substantially perpendicular to the opening and the cover does not cover substantially all of the opening;the second position is a position in which the cover is substantially over the opening, the elastic member is elastically deformed, and the cover is spaced apart from the opening;the elastic member biases the cover towards the first position; andthe fastening means are arranged to secure the cover in the second position.

2. The golf bag of claim 1, further comprising:a pocket for storing the cover, the pocket comprising a pocket opening arranged on an outer surface of the golf bag proximal to the opening;wherein the cover is slidably removable from the pocket.

3. The golf bag of claim 2, wherein the pocket and cover are configured such that when the cover is stored in the pocket, a portion of the cover is proximal to the pocket opening, whereby to allow the cover to be gripped in order to slidably remove the cover from the pocket.

4. The golf bag of claim 2 or 3, further comprising restraining means configured to prevent or oppose the cover from being fully removed from the pocket.

5. The golf bag of claim 4, wherein the restraining means comprise:an elongate member disposed within the pocket;a coupling means fixedly attached to the cover and slidably mounted on the elongate member; andone or more limiters arranged to limit an extent to which the coupling means is able to slide along the elongate member.

6. The golf bag of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the cover further comprises a flap, and wherein, when the cover is in the first or second position, the flap is configured to be positioned over the pocket opening.

7. The golf bag of claim 6, wherein the golf bag comprises additional fastening means configured to fasten the flap over the pocket opening.

8. The golf bag of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the main compartment has a longest dimension that extends along a first axis, and the pocket has a longest dimension that extends parallel to the first axis.

9. The golf bag of claim 8, whereinthe cover has a first width perpendicular to the first axis; andthe pocket has a second width that extends parallel to the first width, the second width being greater than or equal to the first width.

10. The golf bag of any preceding claim, whereinthe cover further comprises:a first portion; anda second portion;the elastic member is arranged at a peripheral edge of the first portion, and is configured to cause the first portion to be taut within the peripheral edge; andthe second portion is attached to the first portion along a portion of the peripheral edge.

11. The golf bag of claim 10, wherein the fastening means comprises:a first fastening member arranged on the second portion; anda second fastening member arranged on the golf bag;wherein the first and second fastening members are configured to be fastened together to secure the cover in the second position.

12. The golf bag of claim 11, wherein the first fastening member comprises a hook made, optionally made of high-density polyethylene, HDPE, and the second fastening member is configured to receive the hook.

13. The golf bag of claim 11 or 12, wherein the fastening means further comprises:a third fastening member arranged on the second portion, on an opposite side of the second portion to the first fastening member; anda fourth fastening member arranged on the golf bag at an opposite side of the opening to the second fastening member;wherein the third and fourth fastening members are configured to be fastened together to secure the cover in the second position.

14. The golf bag of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the second portion comprises a further opening through which, when the cover is in the second position, the main compartment may be accessed.

15. The golf bag of claim 14, wherein the further opening is a slit in the second portion that is closeable via a further fastening means selected from the group of fastening means consisting of: a zip; a plurality of magnets; and a hook and loop strap.

16. The golf bag of any preceding claim, wherein the cover comprises a waterproof or water-resistant material.

17. The golf bag of any preceding claim, wherein the elastic member is a rod, and the rod is constrained inside a hem of the cover.

18. A golf bag cover for a golf bag, comprising:a first portion; anda second portion; whereinthe first portion is substantially a stadium in shape;the first portion comprises a first waterproof or water-resistant material having a hem around its peripheral edge, and an elastic member constrained by the hem;the second portion comprises a second waterproof or water-resistant material;the second portion is attached to the first portion along at least a part of the peripheral edge of the first portion; andthe second portion comprises one or more fastening members configured to be attached to a part of the golf bag.

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