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The present invention discloses a golf ball retriever for engaging and retrieving a golf ball from a cup. The golf ball retriever includes a fitting having an inner bore being affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft, a plurality of wires secured

The present invention discloses a golf ball retriever for engaging and retrieving a golf ball from a cup. The golf ball retriever includes a fitting having an inner bore being affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft, a plurality of wires secured to the plug and extending through the fitting inner bore, and a plurality of contact elements each being attached to one of the wires. A user extends the wires from the golf club shaft to a position retained by engagement of the plug and fitting, wherein the wires diverge in order to receive the golf ball upon being urged therein for retrieving the golf ball from the cup.

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1. A golf ball retriever for engaging and retrieving a golf ball from a cup, the golf ball retriever comprising: a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the golf club shaft, the fitting including a lower

1. A golf ball retriever for engaging and retrieving a golf ball from a cup, the golf ball retriever comprising: a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the golf club shaft, the fitting including a lower annular portion with a plurality of annular tips formed on the outside thereof for engagement with the inside of the grip, the lower annular portion being adapted to be affixed about the end of the golf club shaft and enclosed within the grip; a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft and retained by the fitting for limited longitudinal movement within the shaft; a retaining ring secured about the plug, the retaining ring having an outside diameter greater than the inner bore of the fitting for retaining the plug within the golf club shaft; a plurality of wires extending through the fitting inner bore, each having a first end secured to the plug and each having a second end; and a plurality of contact elements, each contact element being attached to the second end of one of the wires, each contact element having an external grip surface for engaging the golf ball and each contact element having a lower shoulder; whereby a user extends the wires from the golf club shaft to an upward position relative to the golf club shaft, the upward travel of the wires being limited by the retaining ring mounted on the plug retained within the golf club shaft, wherein the wires diverge in order to receive the golf ball upon being urged therebetween, the golf ball being engaged by frictional contact between it and the contact elements prior to retrieval of the golf ball from the cup. 2. The golf ball retriever of claim 1, wherein the contact elements are further defined as being generally cylindrical, each having an outer cylindrical surface defining the external grip surface and a lower surface orthogonal to the wire defining the lower shoulder.3. The golf ball retriever of claim 1, wherein the wires have a range of motion defined between a retracted position wherein the wires are constricted by engagement within the inner bore of the fitting and the wires substantially extend within the golf club shaft such that the lower shoulders of the contact elements engage an upper surface of the fitting adjacent to the inner bore, and an extended position wherein the wires substantially extend from the golf club shaft and diverge generally describing an imaginary frusto-conical surface.4. The golf ball retriever of claim 1, further comprising a cap and a tether connecting the cap to the fitting, the cap being sized to enclose a top region of the fitting and the contact elements in a retracted position of the wires.5. The golf ball retriever of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wires comprises no more than six wires.6. An assembly for installing a golf bail retriever into a shaft of a golf club, the assembly comprising: a cutter including: a longitudinal body;a shank extending coaxially from a first end of the body, the shank being sized to be received within a power tool;a cylindrical cutting element extending from a second end of the body;a center guide pin extending axially within and concentrically with the cutting element; anda contact surface located on the body, proximate to the cutting element;wherein a user secures the shank within the power tool, inserts the center pin into an end of a golf club shaft for centering and aligning the cutting element relative thereto, and imparts a cutting action to the cutter; and a golf ball retriever including: a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the golf club shaft, the fitting including a lower annular portion with a plurality of annular rips formed on the outside thereof for engagement with the inside of the grip, the lower annular portion being adapted to be affixed about the end o f the golf club shaft and enclosed within the grip;a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft and retained by the fitting for limited longitudinal movement within the shaft;a retaining ring secured about the plug, the retaining ring having an outside diameter greater than the inner bore of the fitting for retaining the plug within the golf club shaft;a plurality of wires extending through the fitting inner bore, each having a first end secured to the plug and each having a second end; anda plurality of contact elements, each contact element being attached to the second end of one of the wires, each contact element having an external grip surface for engaging the golf ball and each contact element having a lower shoulder;whereby a user extends the wires from the golf club shaft to an upward position relative to the golf club shaft, the upward travel of the wires being limited by the retaining ring mounted on the plug retained within the golf club shaft, wherein the wires diverge in order to receive the golf ball upon being urged therebetween, the golf ball being engaged by frictional contact between it and the contact elements prior to retrieval of the golf ball from the cup.7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the cutting action is further defined as a rotary cutting action.8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the cutting action is further defined as a punching action.9. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the contact surface is further defined as an annular ring oriented about the cutting element.10. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the contact surface is further defined as an annular ring oriented within the curling element.11. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the first end of the body further includes at least one aperture formed therethrough for removing debris from within the cutting element.12. A golf ball retriever for engaging and retrieving a golf ball, the golf ball retriever comprising: a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a telescopic shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the telescopic shaft, the fitting including a lower annular portion with a plurality of annular tips formed on the outside thereof for engagement with the inside of the grip, the lower annular portion being adapted to be affixed about the end of the golf club shaft and enclosed within the grip; a plug sized to be received within the telescopic shaft and a retaining ring secured about the plug, the retaining ring having an outside diameter greater than the inner bore of the fitting for retaining the plug within the golf club shaft; a plurality of wires extending through the fitting inner bore, each having a first end secured to the plug and each having a second end; and a plurality of contact elements, each contact element being attached to the second end of one of the wires, each contact element having an external grip surface for engaging the golf ball and each contact element having a lower shoulder; wherein the user extends the wires from the telescopic shaft to an upward position relative to the telescopic shaft, the upward travel of the wires being limited by the plug retained within the telescopic shaft, wherein the wires diverge in order to receive the golf ball upon being urged therein, the golf ball being engaged by frictional contact between it and the contact elements prior to retrieval of the golf ball. 13. An assembly for installing a golf ball retriever into a telescopic shaft, the assembly comprising: a cutter including: a longitudinal body;a shank extending coaxially from a first end of the body, the shank being sized to be received within a power tool;a cylindrical cutting element extending from a second end of the body;a center guide pin extending axially within and concentrically with the cutting element; anda contact surface located on the body, proximate to the cutting element;wherein a user secures the shank within the power tool, inserts the center pin i nto an end of a telescopic shaft for centering and aligning the cutting element relative thereto, and imparts a cutting action to the cutter; and a golf ball retriever including; a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the golf club shaft, the fitting including a lower annular portion with a plurality of annular tips formed on the outside thereof for engagement with the inside of the grip, the lower annular portion being adapted to be affixed about the end of the golf club shaft and enclosed within the grin;a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft and retained by the fitting for limited longitudinal movement within the shaft;a retaining ring secured about the plug, the retaining ring having an outside diameter greater than the inner bore of the fitting for retaining the plug within the golf club shaft;a plurality of wires extending through the fitting inner bore, each having a first end secured to the plug and each having a second end; anda plurality of contact elements, each contact element being attached to the second end of one of the wires, each contact element having an external grip surface for engaging the golf ball and each contact element having a lower shoulder;whereby a user extends the wires from the golf club shaft to an upward position relative to the golf club shaft, the upward travel of the wires being limited by the retaining ring mounted on the plug retained within the golf club shaft, wherein the wires diverge in order to receive the golf ball upon being urged therebetween, the golf ball being engaged by frictional contact between it and the contact elements prior to retrieval of the golf ball from the cup.14. A method for installing a golf ball retriever within a golf club, the method comprising: securing a cutter to a power tool; inserting a center guide pin of the cutter within an end of a golf club shaft; imparting a cutting action from the power tool to the cutter; removing a cutout portion from the golf club shaft; and affixing a golf ball retriever to the end of the golf club shaft, the golf ball retriever comprising: a fitting adapted to be affixed to an end of a golf club shaft, the fitting having an inner bore therethrough, generally coaxial with the golf club shaft, the fitting including a lower annular portion with a plurality of annular tips formed on the outside thereof for engagement with the inside of the grip, the lower annular portion being adapted to be affixed about the end of the golf club shaft and enclosed within the grip;a plug sized to be received within the golf club shaft and retained by the fitting for limited longitudinal movement within the shaft;a retaining ring secured about the plug, the retaining ring having an outside diameter greater than the inner bore of the fitting for retaining the plug within the golf club shaft;a plurality of wires extending through the fitting inner bore, each having a first end secured to the plug and each having a second end; anda plurality of contact elements, each contact element being attached to the second end of one of the wires, each contact element having an external grip surface for engaging the golf ball and each contact element having a lower shoulder.