Patent Application
20140248969
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of golf clubs and more particularly to a golf club training device for improving a golfer's swing. In a disclosed embodiment, a golf club shaft is cut transversely along its length, a portion is removed, and an offset slide mechanism is inserted at the cut to enable a lower portion of the shaft to move transversely relative to an upper portion of the shaft during a desired swing. The natural flexibility of a golf club shaft is employed to shape a properly hit golf ball trajectory to selectively curve the ball, either left to right, or right to left. The training device hereof teaches a golfer to swing a golf club in a manner that exploits the momentum of the golf club head to achieve the desired ball trajectory shape.
2. Background Art
Golfers are always looking for ways to improve their scores. As a result, many different kinds of training devices have been disclosed in issued U.S. patents for improving various aspects of a golfer's skills. Some such training devices are specifically configured to improve a golfer's swing so that he or she hits a golf ball longer or straighter or more accurately. Normally, such training devices are designed to be used at a hitting range where repeated use of the device will produce muscle memory or other physical effect to alter the golfer's swing for the better using conventional golf clubs during an actual round of golf. The present invention is such a device. Examples of prior art golf club training devices are found in disclosures of the following issued patents and pending patent applications.
None of the aforementioned prior art relates to a training device specifically configured to improve a golfer's ability to selectively shape the ball's trajectory so that the ball moves right to left or left to right in a controlled manner. Moreover, none of the prior art listed herein, or otherwise known to the Applicant, employs a swing training club wherein a device is actually inserted in between upper and lower portions of a cut shaft so that one such portion can be moved laterally relative to the other such portion by forces incurred during a preferred swing.
The present invention comprises a golf club swing training apparatus designed to help golfers learn to selectively control a golf ball trajectory shape so that the ball is made to “bend” from right to left, or left to right. The apparatus is configured as an otherwise conventional golf club such as a driver, but wherein the shaft is spliced at a location along its length between the butt end and the head end. After removing a short piece of shaft to retain the overall length of the club, a slide mechanism is inserted to mate with the shaft's upper and lower portions. The slide mechanism permits limited transverse movement of the lower portion that is connected to the golf club head relative to the upper portion that includes the butt end or grip of the club. This motion is substantially in a direction that is orthogonal to the elongated axis of the shaft and in the preferred embodiment hereof, is limited to a maximum travel of about 0.25 inches. The motion will occur during successful use of the training device, that is, during a proper swing for achieving the desired control of ball trajectory shape. The desired motion of the slide mechanism is normally heard and felt by the golfer during the swing so that he or she has both audible and tactile feedback through the golf club training device indicating that a desired swing profile has been achieved.
The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be more fully understood herein after as a result of a detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
Turning to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen in
Slide mechanism 18 is best understood by referring to
Returning to
It will now be understood that by practicing with the swing training club of the present invention, a golfer will learn how to control and alter the swing to produce a desired ball trajectory profile of either right to left or left to right. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the slide mechanism herein may produce a sudden shift of the lower portion of the shaft which generates both a sound and a tactile impact to let the golfer know whether and when such a shift or slide has occurred during the swing and to change swing mechanics to either produce a shift or prevent a shift as desired for a selected trajectory.
Although a particular embodiment has been disclosed herein, those having skill in the art of golf clubs and mechanical interconnect devices will perceive various alternative embodiments which may be utilized to achieve the same function and results. Therefore, the scope hereof will not be deemed to be limited by the exemplary embodiment hereof, but instead only by the appended claims.
