Chunk Shot Reduction Golf Club and Method of Use Therefor

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of golf clubs, and specifically to the field of golf irons and drivers.

BACKGROUND

In golf, a player holds the golf club in their hands and swings, typically very quickly, at a stationary golf ball. As a desirable golf swing is quite fast so as to impart significant kinetic energy to the golf ball, the player may not always hit the golf ball in an optimum position and with an optimum launch angle.

A golf shot that prematurely hits the ground (or turf, green, sand, etc.) behind the ball (when looking forward towards where the ball is intended to go) oftentimes unintentionally digs out a chunk of dirt/turf, and is commonly-referred to as a “chunk shot” or a “fat shot” in golf Such a chunk shot is undesirable because it reduces the speed of the club when it hits the ball thereby reducing the kinetic energy transmitted to the ball. This results in the ball traveling significantly less distance than otherwise possible with a clean shot.

Also, the launch angle of the ball is often adversely affected by the dirt/turf carried forward with the club. In some cases the golf club may twist in the player's hands and thereby also adversely-affect the launch angle. Such a sub-optimum launch angle could lead to the golf ball traveling a shorter distance than desired, and/or in an undesirable direction.

Such a chunk shot often also leads to undesirable vibrations traveling up the golf club shaft and to the player's hands and forearms which may range from annoying to painful. The face may also twist during such an impact, and lead to the ball being hit in an undesirable direction. Furthermore, such a chunk shot may be quite embarrassing to the player as well.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a golf club which may reduce the incidence and/or severity of chunk shots during golf games and/or practice. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a method of playing or practicing golf which reduces the incidence and/or severity of chunk shots.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gold club having a handle, a shaft connected to the handle, and a head connected to the shaft opposite the handle. The head contains a front face for hitting a golf ball, a top adjacent to the front face, and a bottom adjacent to the front face and opposite the top. The bottom contains a bottom surface and a plurality of rails protruding from the bottom surface.

Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the present invention may reduce chunk shots when used by a player such as a golf player. By “reduce chunk shots” the inventors mean that the proper use of the golf club may reduce either the incidence, frequency, and/or severity of chunk shots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a golf club of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a partial front view of an embodiment of the head of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a partial bottom view of the head in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a rail of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of the head of the present invention as seen from the far end.

The figures herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

All percentages, ratios, etc. herein are by weight, unless specifically indicated otherwise.

As used herein, the term “speed” actually indicates the golf club head's tangential speed at various points in time. While the inventors recognize that actually this motion is occurring in an arc, for ease of discussion, this is simplified to be a linear speed in 1 direction and axis.

While there are many different reasons for chunk shots, such as improper balance, twisting during swinging, a low stance, steep delivery of the club to the ball at impact. etc., the result of all these underlying reasons is that the golf club hits the ground prematurely, behind the ball. The inventors believe that the present invention may reduce the incidence and/or the severity of chunk shots for some of these underlying reasons; or many of these underlying reasons; or even regardless of the underlying reason.

The present invention relates to an improved golf club having a handle, a shaft connected to the handle and a head connected to the shaft opposite the handle. The head contains a front face for contacting a golf ball, a top adjacent to the front face, and a bottom adjacent to the front face and opposite the top. The bottom also contains a bottom surface and a plurality of rails protruding from the bottom surface. Without intending to be limited by theory it is believed that such a golf club may help to avoid and/or reduce the incidence and/or severity of chunk shots as the rails prevent the full surface of the bottom of the club from touching the surface. This in turn reduces the friction allowing the golf club and head to lose less momentum when hitting what would otherwise be a chunk shot and/or a worse chunk shot. In some instances, it is believed that the improved golf club herein glides on the rails over the grass much as an ice skate blade allows an ice skater to glide over the ice.

Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a golf club, 10, of the present invention. While the drawings herein focus on a driver, one skilled in the art understands that the golf club herein may be a putter, a driver, an iron, a wedge, and a combination thereof; a driver, an iron, a wedge, and a combination thereof; or a driver, an iron, or a wedge; or a driver or an iron. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the invention herein is particularly suited to application of a driver and/or an iron, as these types of golf clubs are typically swung the fastest and therefore these clubs benefit the most from the technical aspects of the present invention.

The golf club, 10, has a handle, 20, and a shaft, 22, is connected to the handle, 20. A head, 24, is connected to the shaft, 22, at a location that is opposite to the handle, 20. The head, 24, contains a front face, 26. The golf player typically holds the golf club, 10, by the handle, 20, and swings the gold club, 10, so that the front face, 26, impacts a golf ball (not shown). The front face, 26, is intended to hit the golf ball so as to impart kinetic energy thereto and launch the golf ball into the air.

The head, 24, also contains a top, 28, which is adjacent to the front face, 26. A bottom, 30, is also adjacent to the front face, 26, and is opposite to the top, 28. When a player is holding the club by the handle, 20, in a ready-to-use position, the player will typically be able to view the top, 28, and maybe the front face, 26, but not the bottom, 30.

The handle, shaft, and head of the golf club are made of typical materials known in the golf club manufacturing art. For example, the handle may be made of a substance which provides both vibration protection as well as gripability, such as, for example, rubber, foam rubber, neoprene, and a combination thereof. The shaft may be made of, for example, a metal, a polymer, carbon fiber and a combination thereof or stainless steel, titanium, fiberglass, plastic, carbon fiber and a combination thereof; or steel, titanium, carbon fiber and a combination thereof. The head may be made of, for example, wood, a metal, a polymer, carbon fiber and a combination thereof; or stainless steel, titanium, fiberglass, plastic, carbon fiber and a combination thereof; or wood, steel, titanium, carbon fiber and a combination thereof. Such handle, shaft, and head materials are standard in the art and are typically available from multiple manufacturers and suppliers around the world. Furthermore, the head may be solid, or hollow as desired. The golf club and the individual parts thereof may be manufactured by standard methods known in the art.

FIG. 2 shows a partial front view of an embodiment of the head, 24, of the present invention. The head, 24, has a front face, 26, and a top, 28, adjacent to the front face, 26. The head, 24, has a bottom, 30, which is also adjacent to the front face, 26, but is opposite from the top, 28. The bottom has a bottom surface, 32, which is typically a flat or curved surface defining the bottom, 30, of the head, 24. In a typical, prior art golf club, such as a driver, the bottom surface, is typically a convex shape; or a slightly convex shape, when viewed from below the bottom. In an embodiment herein, the bottom surface has a convex shape when viewed from below the bottom.

The head, 24, also contains a plurality of rails, 34, on the bottom, 30. Specifically, in FIG. 2, the bottom, 30, contains five rails, 34, 34′, 34″, 34′″, and 34″′, each having a different height, h, as measured from the bottom surface, 32. As can be seen, rail 34, has a height, h, which is smaller than the height, h″′, of rail 34″′. Thus, in an embodiment herein a rail in the plurality of rails has a different height than another rail in the plurality of rails; or each rail in the plurality of rails has a different height than the other rails in the plurality of rails. The height, h, is measured in the Y direction perpendicular from the bottom surface to the farthest corresponding point of the rail (see, for example, the apex at FIG. 4 at 50).

The plurality of rails may be made of the same material as the head, or may be made of another material. In an embodiment herein the rails are made of, or covered by, a low friction material such as, for example, polytetraflouroethylene (e.g., Teflon™), paint, etc. In an embodiment herein, the rail is integral to the head.

In an embodiment of the invention, the height, h, is from about 0.1 mm to about 20 mm; or from about 0.2 mm to about 15 mm; or from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm as measured from the bottom surface. In an embodiment herein, the rail is defined to begin at the point where the convex bottom surface changes to a concave surface (see FIG. 5 at 52) to begin to form the rail (see FIG. 5). In an embodiment herein the height of a rail is the maximum height of that rail.

In an embodiment herein, the head is hollow; or the head is hollow, the rail is only on the outside of the head, and the rail does not penetrate into the hollow area of the head.

It can also be seen in FIG. 2 that the rail, 34′ has a width, w′, as measured in the X direction. Furthermore, rail, 34″, has a width, w′″, which is different from the width, w′, of rail 34′. Accordingly, in an embodiment herein, a rail in the plurality of rails has a different width than another rail in the plurality of rails; or each rail in the plurality of rails has a different width than the other rails in the plurality of rails. In FIG. 2, the width, w, is measured in the X direction from one side of the rail to the other side of the rail, or perpendicular to the longest direction of the rail if the rail is not straight in the Z direction. In an embodiment herein the width is the maximum width of that rail.

Without intending to be limited by theory it is believed that in a perfect shot, the head either barely hits the ground, or does not hit the ground at all, before the front face of the head hits the ball. In a perfect shot, the front face then lifts the ball up and propels it forward at a certain launch angle. However, in a chunk shot, the head is typically either swung at the wrong angle, or is swung too low. In either case this results in the head impacting the ground before contacting the golf ball. The impact upon the ground then increases the friction and reduces the speed of the head, which in turn imparts less kinetic energy to the ball upon impact.

The inventors sought to reduce or avoid chunk shots, and in doing so realized that, while there may be different underlying reasons for a chunk shot, one method to reduce the drop in speed would be to reduce the friction between the head and the ground. The inventors therefore added rails to the bottom of the head so as to reduce the amount of surface area which would contact the ground. Thus, in swinging the golf club during what would otherwise be a chunk shot, the plurality of rails will contact the ground first, and then instead of digging into the ground, the head will instead glide along the ground on the rails. By raising the bottom of the head above the ground in this way, the friction will be reduced, and therefore the speed reduction due to prematurely hitting the ground will be correspondingly reduced. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the plurality of rails significantly reduce the contact area between the bottom of the head and the ground, thereby reducing the friction, and therefore the speed reduction of the golf club head.

Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention the plurality of rails contains from about 2 rails to about 15 rails; or from about 3 rails to about 12 rails; or from about 3 rails to about 10 rails; or from about 4 rails to about 10 rails. In an embodiment herein, the rails are evenly spaced across the bottom. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that if the number of rails is too few, then the rail may simply dig into the ground like a knife or a blade. However, if the number of rails is too many, then the rails may have too large a surface area and the friction will not be sufficiently reduced to maintain the golf club's speed.

FIG. 3 shows a partial bottom view of the head, 24, in FIG. 2. The head, 24, is connected to a shaft, 22 and has a front face, 26. The head, 24, has a bottom, 30, and a bottom surface, 32, from which the rails, 34, protrude. The bottom surface, 32, is either flat; or more often convex; or slightly convex. The head, further contains a shaft end, 36, where the shaft, 22, is attached to the head, and a far end, 38, which is opposite from the shaft end, 36, and the shaft, 22.

The rails, 34, herein may have a variety of shapes, either individually, or as a group. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, it can be seen that the rail, 34, is a straight rail, while rails 34′, 34″, 34′″, and 34″″ are all slightly curved. In an embodiment herein the plurality of rails are selected from the group consisting of a straight rail, a curved rail, and a combination thereof; or the plurality of rails comprises a straight rail and a curved rail. In an embodiment herein, from about 5% to about 100%; or from about 15% to about 90% of the rails are straight rails. In an embodiment herein, from about 5% to about 100%; or from about 15% to about 90% of the rails are curved rails. In an embodiment herein, the curvature of the rails increases (i.e., the radius of the curvature becomes smaller) towards the far end, as compared to the shaft end.

Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that in addition to allowing the head to glide on the surface of the ground, the rails may also act as a “rudder”, guiding an otherwise errant shot towards the ball. The rails may therefore help to center the club to where the player intends to swing the club.

Therefore, it is believed that a straight rail, especially at and/or towards the shaft end may improve the trajectory of the golf club towards the golf ball. However, it is also believed that if the golf club is swung such that the far end touches the ground, then a greater golf club trajectory correction may be needed, and thus it is believed that the rail may be curved, so as to better adjust the trajectory towards the golf ball. In an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of rails contains a curved rail; or a plurality of curved rails; or from about 2 curved rails to about 15 curved rails; or from about 3 curved rails to about 12 curved rails; or from about 3 curved rails to about 10 curved rails; or from about 4 curved rails to about 10 curved rails.

In FIG. 3 it can also be seen that the head, 24, contains a back side, 40, opposite the front face, 26. Typically the plurality of rails will be aligned in the X-Z plane to run between the front face towards the back side; or in a roughly perpendicular direction from the front face towards the back side. In an embodiment herein, each of the plurality of rails is generally parallel to the other rails.

The bottom surface has a bottom surface area which is defined as the entire surface area of the bottom surface, and is calculated as including the area of the bottom surface that the rails cover; i.e., meaning that the area where the rails are attached to the bottom surface is not subtracted from the entire surface area. Such a surface area may easily be calculated according to a CAD (computer-aided design) program, even for the curved surface.

In an embodiment herein, each of the rails has a rail foot, 42, and each rail foot, 42, has a rail foot surface area. The rail foot is defined as the portion of the rail which is expected to touch the ground in a normal chunk shot. Often this rail foot, 42, will be clearly-defined on each rail, 34 as seen in FIG. 3 where it is indicated by an abrupt transition from the rail side, 44, to the rail foot (see also the corresponding portions of FIG. 2). In the case of a rail having a rounded or other cross-sectional shape (see FIG. 4), which does not have a sharp transition from the rail side, 44, to the rail foot, 42, then the rail foot surface area is calculated from 1 mm below the apex (see FIG. 5 at 50) of a first rail side (see FIG. 5 at 46) of the rail, 34, to 1 mm above the apex (see FIG. 5 at 50) of the second rail side (see FIG. 5 at 48) of the rail, 34, and any other rail sides, 44. One skilled in the art understands that the rail foot surface area may be accurately determined by using, for example, a CAD program.

In an embodiment herein, the total of all the rails' rail foot surface area is from about 3% to about 75% of the bottom surface area; or from about 5% to about 60% of the bottom surface area; or from about 10% to about 50%; or from about 15% to about 40% of the bottom surface area. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that if the total of the rails' rail foot surface area is too low, then the rails may not sufficiently perform their function to glide the golf club over the ground, and the rails will instead cut into the ground like knife blades. However, if the total of the rails' rail foot surface area is too high, then the golf club velocity will slow down too much when it hits the ground.

FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a rail, 34. The rail, 34, is protruding from the bottom surface, 32, which in this embodiment is convex. In this figure, the rail, 34, is viewed from the front face (see FIG. 2 at 26), and can be seen to contain two rail sides, 44. The rail, 34, thus contains a first rail side, 46, and a second rail side, 48, opposite the first rail side, 46. The rail, 34, further contains an apex, 50, which is the point of the rail farthest from the bottom surface, 32. The rail, 34, contains point A, and point B, which are located on the first rail side, 46, and the second rail side, 48, respectively. The points A and B are defined as being a distance, d, above the apex, 50, as measured in the Y-direction. As defined herein, the distance, d, is 1 mm, as it is believed that when the invention works as intended, the rail will only enter the ground up to about 1 mm, and will afterwards cause the club to glide over the ground. Therefore, in FIG. 4, only the rail foot surface area corresponding to the distance between points A and B would be relevant to causing friction and therefore the potential speed reduction of the golf club.

In FIG. 4, the rail foot surface area (see above with respect to FIG. 3) is therefore calculated taking into account the distance from point A to point B. Furthermore, one skilled in the art understands that point A and point B are only points as indicated in FIG. 5. In reality with a 3D shape, these points, actually each define a line, which may be either a curved or straight line, depending on the shape of the rail, 34, and the respective location of the apex, 50, with respect to any given point on the rail, 34. Again, while such calculations may be relatively difficult, they may be easily calculated using a CAD program.

Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows that the rail, 34, may not have a sharp transition from the bottom surface, 32. Instead, in this embodiment, the rail, 34, is smoothly molded into the bottom surface, 32. Therefore, the rail, 34, begins at the point where the convex bottom surface, 32, changes to a concave surface, 52, to form the rail, 34. In the case where the rail does not have a flat rail foot, and where the height, h, is less than 1 mm (i.e., where d is greater than h) and therefore points A and B in FIG. 4 would be inside of the bottom surface, then then the rail foot surface area is calculated according to the distance from each of the concave surfaces.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of the head, 24, as seen from the far end, 38. The shaft end, 36, is opposite the far end, 38. It can be seen that the front face, 26, is connected to the top, 28, and that the front face, 26, is angled with respect to the shaft, 22, with an angle, α. The angle, α, is measured above the head, 24, from the long axis, LA, of the shaft, 22, to the face plane, FP, formed by the front face, 26. In an embodiment herein, the angle, α, is from about 0° to about 75°, or from about 5° to about 65°, or from about 10° to about 50°. As one skilled in the art understands, typically a driver would contain a smaller angle; or an angle of from about 15° to about 35°; or about 20°, about 24°, about 26°, about 28°, about 30°, or about 32°. An iron useful herein would typically contain an angle of from about 10° to about 60°, and a wedge useful herein would typically contain an angle of from about 35° to about 75°.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the rail, 34 is an arch-shaped rail. Accordingly, one skilled in the art understands that the height of the rail varies across different parts of the rail. Accordingly, when discussing the “height” herein with respect to the rail, for the ease of understanding the inventors typically mean the maximum height, which is, for any particular rail, the maximum perpendicular distance that the apex, and/or rail foot is from the bottom surface.

In an embodiment herein the height of a rail varies within the same rail.

In an embodiment herein the height of each rail varies within the same rail.

In an embodiment herein, each rail has a maximum height.

In an embodiment herein, the maximum height of each rail is different; or each maximum height is different.

Accordingly, in an embodiment herein, the maximum height is from about 0.1 mm to about 20 mm; or from about 0.2 mm to about 15 mm; or from about 0.3 mm to about 10 mm, as measured in the Y direction, from the bottom surface.

Also as can be seen in FIG. 5, the maximum heights of the rails may vary from rail to rail. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that such a feature improves the flexibility and usefulness of the club in that it allows a single golf club design to be used by multiple players, each of whom may possess a different underlying reason for their chunk shots.

The golf club herein is used in the same manner as a regular golf club. When doing so, it is believed that a golf player may reduce the incidence of chunk shots and/or the severity of a chunk shot by swinging; or using; or playing with; or practicing with; a golf club as described herein.

Some embodiments of the present invention include:

The embodiment according to FIG. 2, having a rail foot surface area of about 27% of the bottom surface area, having 5 rails, and a rail height ranging from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

1. A golf club having:
- A. a handle;
- B. a shaft connected to the handle;
- C. a head connected to the shaft opposite to the handle, the head having:
  - i. a front face for contacting a golf ball;
  - ii. a top adjacent to the front face; and
  - iii. a bottom adjacent to the front face, the bottom opposite the top, the bottom further having:
    - a. a bottom surface; and
    - b. a plurality of rails protruding from the bottom surface.
2. The golf club according to embodiment 1, wherein the golf club is selected from the group of a driver, an iron, a wedge, and a combination thereof.
3. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the plurality of rails has from about 2 to about 15 rails; or from about 3 to about 10 rails; or from about 4 to about 8 rails.
4. The gold club according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the bottom surface has a bottom surface area, wherein each rail has a rail foot surface area, and wherein the total of all the rails' rail foot surface areas is from about 3% to about 75% of the bottom surface area; or from about 5% to about 50% of the bottom surface area; or from about 10% to about 45% of the bottom surface area.
5. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein each rail has a height, and wherein the height is from about 1 mm to about 20 mm; or from about 2 mm to about 15 mm; or from about 3 mm to about 10 mm.
6. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments, having a curved rail.
7. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments, having a straight rail.
8. The golf club according to Embodiment 5, wherein the height of the rail varies within the same rail.
9. The golf club according to Embodiment 8, wherein the height of each rail varies within the same rail.
10. The golf club according to Embodiment 10, wherein each rail has a maximum height and wherein each maximum height is different.
11. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the head further has a back side opposite the front face, and wherein the plurality of rails runs between the front face and the back side.
12. The golf club according to any one of the above embodiments wherein the front face is angled from about 0° to about 75° as measured from the shaft.
13. A golf club having:
- A. a handle;
- B. a shaft connected to the handle;
- C. a head connected to the shaft opposite to the handle, the head having:
  - i. a front face for contacting a golf ball;
  - ii. a top adjacent to the front face; and
  - iii. a bottom adjacent to the front face, the bottom opposite the top, the bottom further having:
    - a. a bottom surface having a bottom surface area; and
    - b. from about 4 to about 8 rails protruding from the bottom surface, wherein each rail has a lower surface area, and
    - wherein the total of all the rails' lower surface areas is from about 3% to about 75% of the bottom surface area.
14. A method of reducing chunk shots by swinging a golf club according to any one of the above embodiments.

It should be understood that the above only illustrates and describes examples whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It should also be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately, or in any suitable subcombination.

All references specifically cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. However, the citation or incorporation of such a reference is not necessarily an admission as to its appropriateness, citability, and/or availability as prior art to/against the present invention.

Chunk Shot Reduction Golf Club and Method of Use Therefor

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)