ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 26 -- United States Patent no. 12,636,556, issued on May 26, was assigned to Ice Tees LLC (Fort Lupton, Colo.).
"Hinged golf tee assembly" was invented by Dalton C. Rauer (Fort Lupton, Colo.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A golf tee assembly includes a base with turf engagement members for ground insertion and a hinged tee holder that pivots when struck by a golf club. The hinge member contains a cavity for removably receiving a tee shaft and rotates about a horizontal axis to deflect upon impact, protecting the tee shaft from damage. The assembly may be manufactured as a single unit using 3D printing."
The patent was filed on Oct. 3, 2025, under Application No. 19/349,9...