Golf Club

Abstract

A golf club includes an elongated shaft with a grip that fits against the inner surface of the user's leading forearm. The shaft is also angled both obtusely forward away from a striking surface of a club head and acutely inward toward the user parallel to the golfer's leading forearm where the club is anchored. The rounded front surface of the grip rests against the inner surface of the leading forearm of the golfer anchoring the club. By applying the appropriate pressure to the grip, a relatively stable triangle is formed with the hands and shoulders as the vertices. This club design permits the golfer, using the core muscles to turn away from and then through the ball, striking it in the process and putting it toward the target, thus dramatically reducing and/or eliminating movement in the joints of the hands, elbows, shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankles.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to golf clubs and more particularly, a golf club having an angled elongated shaft and grip that rests against the inner surface of the user's leading forearm, below the elbow. By applying the appropriate pressure to the grip, a relatively stable triangle is formed with the hands and shoulders as the vertices. This permits the golfer, using the core muscles to turn away from and then through the ball, striking it in the process and putting it toward the target, thus dramatically reducing and/or eliminating movement in the joints of the hands, elbows, shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankles and thereby facilitating more accurate putts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A golf club, such as a putter, sand wedge, pitching wedge, and the like, is used to make relatively short and/or low-speed strokes with the intention of pitching or rolling a golf ball toward or into a hole or cup located on a golf green. These clubs are is differentiated from irons and woods by having a club head with a flat striking face. Putting is arguably the most precise aspect of the golf game. During conventional (symmetrical) putting, the golfer stands over a putter facing perpendicular to the putter face and the target line while the ball and putter are in the middle of the golfer's stance equidistance from each of the golfer's feet and the face of the club is positioned square to a target line. The golfer grips the putter with two hands and sets up his/her body so that the golfer's arms and the lines of the golfer's shoulders form an inverted isosceles triangle with the putter positioned at the bottom. The golfer's arms, hands and the putter hang freely in front of the golfer and the head faces down with his/her eyes focused on the ball.

To stroke the putter and strike the golf ball, the golfer rotates the upper body using the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back to push and/or pull the putter back and push and/or pull it through the golf ball. This movement causes the putter head to move back and forward through an arc around the front of the golfer's body similar to a tetherball swinging from a pole. The object is to strike the golf ball at the point in the arc where the golfer originally aligned the putter face. In order to keep the putter from deviating from the arced stroke path, and to ensure that the putter face strikes the golf ball at precisely the correct location and angle, the golfer must actively stiffen and immobilize the muscles and joints of the fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and back.

The conventional putting method is a complex series of body movements that requires many joints to bend and/or twist and many muscles to push and pull during the putting stroke. Each must be bent, twisted, pushed and pulled precisely to have the desired effect. Concurrently, other joints and muscles must be actively immobilized by the golfer in order to keep the putter in the correct swing arc, to strike the ball at the correct location in the swing arc, use the appropriate part of the club face to strike the ball, and strike the ball with the club face at the appropriate angle. The more joints and muscles used and/or actively immobilized during the putting stroke, the greater the potential for inconsistent and inaccurate putts. Therefore, a need exists for a golf putter that by design stabilizes the muscles and joints that a golfer must actively immobilize during a conventional putting stroke, that directs the putter club head to travel back and forth along a more precise and accurate arced path, and that facilitates the golfer's swing with core muscles instead of smaller muscles. By eliminating the error prone parts of the putting stroke, the golfer can focus his/her attention on striking the ball at the correct speed and strength resulting in more accurate putts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a golf club that improves the putting and pitching stroke by reducing and stabilizing the joints and muscles that a golfer must actively immobilize during a conventional putting and pitching stroke, that forces the club head to travel back and forth along a precise arced path, and that forces the golfer to swing with core muscles instead of minor muscles.

The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a golf club having an elongated shaft and grip that is anchored against the inner surface of the user's leading forearm below the elbow. For example, if a golfer is right handed, then the grip is placed against the inner left forearm below the elbow. The anchored shaft reduces mobility in the fingers, hands, wrists arms and shoulders that could cause the golf club head to deviate from the intended target, cause the putter face to deviate from the intended striking angle, and cause the club speed and stroke strength to deviate from the desired result if a golfer fails to immobilize those joints and involuntarily uses those muscles to push or pull the club head through the golf ball. The shaft is also angled away from the club head striking face and toward the target line forming a parallel line with the golfer's leading forearm where the grip is anchored. By applying the appropriate pressure to the grip, a relatively stable triangle is formed with the hands and shoulders as the vertices. This permits the golfer to turn back and then through the ball using the core muscles, dramatically reducing and/or eliminating movement in the joints of the hands, elbows, shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankles. A pattern located on the grip facilitates the correct hand placement.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a golf putter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a golf putter of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a left side view of a golf putter of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective top view of a golf putter of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of a golf putter grip of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of a golf putter grip of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view of a golfer gripping the golf putter of the present invention in a symmetrical putting stance; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a golfer gripping the golf putter of the present invention in a non-symmetrical putting stance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a front view, a rear view, a side view and a top perspective view, respectively of a golf putter 1 of the present invention are illustrated. The golf putter 1 comprises an elongated angled shaft 2 having a putter head 3 located at a distal end 4 and a grip 5 located at a proximal end 6. Although a golf putter is described herein, the description also applies to wedges, used to make relatively short and low-speed strokes with the intention of pitching or rolling a golf ball toward or into a hole or cup located on a golf green.

The grip 5 comprises a left flat surface 7 and rounded front, right, and rear grip surfaces, 15, 16, and 17, respectively. The rounded front surface 15 of the grip having a substantially S-shaped pattern 11 fits against an inner surface of a user's (i.e. golfer's) leading forearm 22, below the elbow, facing the target while the golfer is in his or her stance facing the ball (as illustrated in FIG. 7). In the symmetrical putting stance depicted in FIG. 7, a line extending through the golfer's feet is substantially parallel to the intended path of the putted ball to the target (i.e. hole formed in a putting green). In the embodiment disclose herein, an S-shaped pattern 11 on the grip surface 15 advantageously facilitates correct golfer hand placement when putting a ball, i.e. a leading hand 18 of the golfer is located above a trailing hand 19 of the golfer when grasping the grip with both hands 18, 19 and putting a ball toward the target.

The putter head 3 has a body fixed to the distal end of the shaft 2. The body of the putter head 3 includes a striking face 8 for striking the ball toward the target. In the embodiment disclosed herein, the body includes a back 14 of the putter head joined to the striking face 8 by a heel 12 facing the golfer and a toe 12 facing away from the golfer. Although the back 14, heel 12, and toe 13 are shown as planar surfaces in the embodiment disclosed herein, the back 14, heel 12, and toe 13 can be any shape without departing from the scope of the invention.

The orientation of the putter head 3 relative to the shaft 2 orients the putter striking face 8 relative to the shaft 2, and thus the grip 5. Preferably, the grip 5 and shaft 2 of the golf putter 1 are angled outward in relation to the striking face 8 of the putter head 3 forming a parallel line with the golfer's leading forearm 22 (as illustrated in FIG. 7) against where the surface 15 of the grip 5 contacts the inner surface of a user's leading forearm 22, thereby making a straight line from the golfer's leading shoulder downward through the leading forearm, grip 5 and shaft 2 to the golf ball. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft 2 defines a forward obtuse angle 9 and an inward acute angle 10 with lines 24, 25 defined on the putter head 3 to orient the putter head 3, and thus the striking face 8, relative to the shaft 2.

The forward obtuse angle 9 defined between the shaft 2 and the line 24 extending toward the putter head back 14 through a longitudinal axis of the shaft 2 and perpendicular to the striking face 8 of the putter head 3 (as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4) orients the shaft 2 to lean away from the striking face 8 of the putter head 3. In a preferred embodiment, the forward obtuse angle is between about ninety-five degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees. When striking the ball in a symmetrical stance, the forward obtuse angle is preferably between about one hundred twelve degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees. When striking the ball in a non-symmetrical stance, such as shown in FIG. 8, preferably the forward obtuse angle is between about ninety-five degrees and one hundred twelve degrees, and most preferably is about one hundred degrees. Advantageously, this obtuse angle 9 aligns the shaft 2 parallel to the golfer's leading forearm 22 on a sagittal plane of the golfer's body.

The inward acute angle 10 defined between the shaft 2 and the line 25 parallel to the striking face 8 and extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft 2 and the heel 12 and toe 13 of the putter head 3 (as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4) orients the shaft to lean away from the toe 13 of the putter head 3. Preferably, the inward acute angle is between about seventy five degrees and eighty five degrees, and most preferably is about eighty degrees. This inward acute angle 10 aligns the shaft 2 parallel to the golfer's leading forearm 22 in the coronal plane of the golfer's body.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a left side view and a perspective top view, respectively, of a grip of the golf putter of the present invention are illustrated. The front rounded surface 15 of the grip 5 fits against the inner surface of a user's leading forearm while the golfer is in his or her stance (as illustrated in FIG. 7), in which the leading forearm 22 is closer in distance to the target than a trailing forearm 23 of the user.

With reference to FIG. 7, a view of a golfer gripping the golf putter 1 of the present invention is illustrated in the symmetrical stance. The grip 5 has a rounded front surface 15 facing the same direction as the striking face 8 on the putter head 3. The front surface 15 of the grip 5 fits against the inner surface of a user's leading forearm while the golfer is in his or her stance. Therefore, the front surface 15 of the grip 5 is placed against the inner surface of the leading forearm or the anchor arm 22. The front surface 15 rests against the inner surface of a golfer's leading forearm and stabilizes the hands, wrist, elbows and shoulders. Using the core muscles, the golfer then rotates, turning the body away from and then toward the target, striking the ball in the process and putting it toward the target. Although a symmetrical stance is shown in FIG. 7, the golfer can take a non-symmetrical stance, such as shown in FIG. 8 facing in a direction of the target without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or at arrangement of parts herein described and shown; It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising: an elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis;a club head fixed to one end of said shaft and having a striking face, a heel, and a toe; anda grip located at an opposing end of said elongated shaft, said grip having a surface that fits against an inner surface of the leading forearm of a golfer; said elongated shaft leaning away from the striking face and defining a forward obtuse angle between the shaft and a line extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and perpendicular to the striking face of the club head, said elongated shaft leaning away from the toe and further defining an inward acute angle between the shaft and a line parallel to the striking face and extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the heel and toe of the putter head.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said forward obtuse angle is between about ninety-five degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said forward obtuse angle is between about one hundred twelve degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said inward acute angle is between about seventy five degrees and eighty five degrees.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said inward acute angle is about eighty degrees.

6. The golf club of claim 1, including a substantially S-shaped pattern located on the grip to facilitate correct hand placement.

7. The golf club of claim 1, in which said club head is a putter club head.

8. A method of using a golf club comprising an elongated shaft having a club head located at a distal end and a grip located at a proximal, said grip having a rounded front surface that fits against an inner surface of the leading forearm of a golfer, a striking face on the club head for striking a ball toward a target, said elongated shaft leaning away from the striking face and defining a forward obtuse angle in relation to the putter head and said elongated shaft leaning way from a toe of the club head and defining an inward acute angle in relation to the club head, said method comprising the steps of: resting said front surface of said grip against an inner surface of a leading forearm of a golfer forming a relatively stable triangle with the hands and shoulders as the vertices; androtating the body with the core muscles turning away from and then to the target striking the ball with the club head striking face in the process, urging the ball toward the target.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a leading arm of the golfer is closer in distance to the target than a trailing arm.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the grip of the golf club has a substantially S-shaped pattern located thereon to facilitate the correct hand position.

11. The method of claim 8, in which said elongated shaft defines the forward obtuse angle between the shaft and a line extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and perpendicular to the striking face of the club head, said forward obtuse angle being between about ninety-five degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said forward obtuse angle is between about one hundred twelve degrees and one hundred fifteen degrees.

13. The method of claim 11, in which said elongated shaft defines the inward acute angle between the shaft and a line parallel to the striking face and extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and a heel and the toe of the club head, said inward acute angle being between about seventy five degrees and eighty five degrees.

14. The method of claim 8, in which said elongated shaft defines the inward acute angle between the shaft and a line parallel to the striking face and extending through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the heel and toe of the club head, said inward acute angle being between about seventy five degrees and eighty five degrees.

15. The method of claim 8, including taking a symmetrical stance relative to the ball, such that a line extending through feet of the golfer is substantially parallel to an intended path of the ball.

16. The method of claim 8, in which said club head is a putter club head.