The benefits include reduced risk of back injury, thereby helping to make golf a safer sport for people of all ages.

The current golf hole cup on the green is a simple hole with a plastic fitting inside to collect the ball. The players must bend down and pick the ball from the hole cup, which is about 15cm below the lawn ground surface level.

One problem with the existing golf hole cups are the way that golfers have to bend down to pick up the golf ball which can cause damage or injury to their spine, leg joints, or waist.

. Another problem with the existing golf hole cup is, while bending down to pick up the ball, the golfers transfer their body weight from both feet, to the one nearest the golf hole cup, and momentarily transfer that weight to the very front of the foot. This action can damage the surface level of the lawn ground around the golf hole. The repetition of these actions can quickly make the ground around the golf hole scuffed; to avoid this Golf clubs must (more frequently than they otherwise might choose to) reposition the golf holes.

Many golfers have experienced frustration when they can no longer see the ball on the green, but have no way of knowing if the ball has gone in the hole or not; the golfer has to wait until they reach the green and check the hole to verify the putt.

All golfers try to access the distance to the hole before putting the ball ; some even use the distance using the conventional golf pole while on the green. This is an impractical and cumbersome way of measuring the distance.

These problems are reduced or overcome by the present invention, which provides the following:- THE HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup will ascend up to a reasonable height after a ball is putted, to allow the golfer to retrieve the ball without having to bend down. Once a ball is putted the Automatic Golf Hole Cup is designed to ascend irrespective if the golf pole is still attached to the Cup or not. It can be powered by either battery or mains power. The Cup detects when a ball is putted by means of a sensor.

{The Automatic Golf Hole Cup will operate similar to a car antenna, which is automatically rolled up and down} The HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup will be able to use the standard golf pole, thereby minimising the cost of installing this invention and ensuring compatibility with existing golfing accessories.

However The Hl-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup will work better with The Hi-Tech Golf Pole, patent number PCT/AU03/00600 because a version of this pole does not have a much wider section near the bottom of the pole, as the standard pole does. The advantage of this feature is that it will sink down below the bottom of the Golf Hole Cup, and stay in the hole-even when the Golf Hole Cup ascends. So when there is a hole in one, or the ball is putted from outside the green, (in which case the pole will not have been removed from the Golf Hole Cup), the Cup will ascend automatically, while PCT/AU03/00600 will stay exactly where it is-in the ground. Effectively the telescopic will ascend around the outside of the golf pole, and only the Golf Hole Cup top section will ascend, to allow easy golf ball retrieval for the golfer. When the same scenario occurs with the standard golf pole being used, the golf pole will ascend also as it effectively"sits"upon the bottom of the Cup, (as it had been designed to do) due to the much wider section on the pole.

The HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup will automatically ascend when a ball is putted, thereby immediately confirming the successful putt to the golfer.

A new invention feature will be available and can be added to the Automatic Golf Hole Cup if requested, whereby the Cup will know how many golfers/balls to expect, and after all the balls are in, it will ascend, thereby reducing a) the repetitions, b) time spent to putt all balls in the group, and c) conserving energy. The Automatic Golf Hole Cup will hold electronics to receive information, and then calculate the total weight expected, or the number of"hits"by the sensor, to compute when all balls are in the Cup from the group. This new invention feature will have a corresponding hand held device which the golfer can transmit information such as the number of players in the group to the device.

Another new invention feature is a small receiver/transmitter device which can be fitted as an option on THE HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup, this will have a corresponding hand held distance measuring meter device which will calculate the distance from itself to the receiver/transmitter fitted in the Cup.

{This measuring meter is similar to that used by estate agents for measuring room sizes where by the device is held at one end of the room and when a button is pushed it sends a beam or signal which stops when it reaches a solid object- the other wall, enabling the device to measure the distance; which appears on the digital display}.

The hand held distance-measuring meter, when held over the location of the golf ball and pointed at the Automatic Golf Hole Cup will give the distance to the Hole Cup.

Referring to the above small receiver/transmitter device, this invention'can also be added to existing golf poles, by using either a plastic"snap on"ring, or a rubber ring (similar to a washer) which clasps around the pole and houses the receiver/transm itter.

The corresponding hand held distance measuring meter device will calculate the distance from itself to the <BR> <BR> receiver/transmitter attached to the standard golf pole. The<BR> correct measurement will be calculated by holding the hand held device over the location of the golf ball, and pressing a <BR> <BR> button which will send a beam and or signal to calculate the<BR> distance from itself to the receiver/transmitter on the standard golf pole.

The Hand held distance-measuring meter would also work with the standard golf pole without the use of the receiver/transmitter fitted on the standard golf pole. However it will not operate as effectively or over the same distance as when used in conjunction with the corresponding receiver/transmitter.

Both of the above-mentioned hand held devices (number of golfers, and the distance measuring meter) could be supplied as one unit, with both features incorporated into the same device.

. The HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup can be made of<BR> metals, plastics or fibreglass/resin.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which show one complete example of the invention.

In the drawing: FIG. 1 shows one example of the Hi Tech Automatic Golf Hole Cup, with the standard golf pole fitted ; it also includes the hand held devices according to this invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of Hi Tech Automatic Golf Hole Cup retracted with The Hi tech golf pole (AU03/0600) inserted according to this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 It can be seen that the HI-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup itself A is fitted on the top of the telescopic pole. The Hole Cup will retract to below ground level. It can be seen that the Cup has ideal marketing potential, to advertise the manufacturer etc B.

C is the telescopic sections of The Hl-TECH Automatic Golf Hole Cup. The Golf green ground level is marked as D. The Telescopic housing section is marked as E. The mechanics and power system is marked as F.

The Standard Golf Pole is shown as G, The wider section on the golf pole is marked as N. The receiver/transmitter devices are marked as 0. The receiver/transmitter fitted in the"Snap on"ring is marked as P. The Sensors that detects when a ball is putted is marked as R.

The Hand Held Devices are shown at the top of FIG 1: H shows the infrared signal. J shows the digital display. K shows the button to activate the measuring distance device. L shows the up/down button for number of golfers, which will appear in J. M shows the button to transmit the number of golfers.

Referring to FIG. 2, A Indicates the Hi-tech golf pole PCT (AU03/0600).

B indicates the golf green ground level. C indicates the Automatic extendable hole cup, which will hold the golf ball. D indicates the telescopic units housing unit. E indicates the mechanics and power system. F indicates the sensors that detect when a ball is putted. G indicates the receivers/transmitters in the hole cup.