Golf Tee Protrusions Reduce Ball Spin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf tees cause uncontrollable spin in golf balls due to friction between the concave surface and the ball's outer surface during a tee shot, leading to undesirable flight paths.
Innovation Solution
A golf tee design featuring a cup with protrusions at the top end and a stem with a different material at the bottom end, where the cup's concave surface is spaced apart from the ball to reduce friction, and the stem engages the ground securely, minimizing contact points and enhancing support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional golf tee uses a concave surface to support the golf ball, then the ball is held securely on the tee, but friction between the concave surface and the ball causes uncontrollable spin and undesirable flight paths
Solution Approach 1:
The ball-supporting head is divided into multiple discrete support surfaces (first support surface, second support surface, third support surface) instead of a single continuous concave surface. Each support surface contacts the ball at separate locations, providing stability while minimizing the total contact area and friction between the tee and ball, thereby reducing uncontrollable spin during the shot.
2Reliability
If the concave surface contacts the golf ball directly, then the ball is supported stably, but the friction causes spin that leads to hooks and slices
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the ball-supporting head have different support surfaces with specific geometries and locations. The first support surface is at a first distance from the shaft axis, the second support surface is at a second distance, and the third support surface is at a third distance, creating varied local contact points that stabilize the ball while minimizing friction-induced spin and improving shot controllability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces spin and provides more controllable golf shots by distributing the ball's weight over multiple contact surfaces, resulting in longer and more predictable shots with fewer hooks and slices.
Implementation Method 1
the stem includes a material that is different than a material of the shaft. The stem may have a central elongated shaft and at least one column extending from the elongated shaft and configured to engage the ground
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a golf tee. The golf tee may include a shaft having a top end and a bottom end. A cup may be located at the top end of the shaft, the cup may have a concave surface, and the cup may have a rim configured to contact a ball when the golf tee supports the ball. At least one protrusion may extend from the concave surface of the cup, where the protrusion has a surface configured to contact the ball when the golf tee supports the ball.