Claims
- 1. A putter useful for training a golfer and improving putting skills, comprising:
- a club shaft having a proximal gripping end adapted to be held by the golfer, and a distal end;
- a club head having a body plate with an upper surface fixed to the club shaft at the distal end, the club head having a sufficient dimension lateral to the direction of the club shaft and the head and the shaft being balanced so as to permit the head to lie upon a playing surface such that a player may leave the club with its shaft standing upright while unattended, the club head having a forward face for striking a golf ball;
- an elongated alignment guide having a sufficient dimension to extend from the upper surface of the club head, across the plane of the club face and over a golf ball adjacent the club face; and
- means for releasably attaching one end of the alignment guide to the upper surface of the club head so as to permit the guide to extend vertically above club face and over the ball.
- 2. The putter recited in claim 1 wherein the axis of the club shaft intersects the upper surface of the club head, and wherein the alignment guide lies in a plane extending generally through the point of intersection of the axis of the club shaft with the upper surface, so that the alignment guide is extending golf ball relative to the optimal point on the club face for striking the golf ball.
- 3. The putter recited in claim 2 further comprising means for attaching the club shaft to the upper surface of the club head at a point offset from the point of intersection of the club axis, so that while the axis of the club shaft passes generally through the plane of the alignment guide, the club shaft offset prevents the shaft from interfering with the use of the alignment guide.
- 4. The putter recited in claim 1 wherein the alignment guide attaching means comprises a ridge extending upwardly from the upper surface of the club head and wherein the elongated alignment guide comprises a flexible material including an opening for fitting onto the ridge.
- 5. The putter recited in claim 4 wherein the upper surface of the club head includes two grooves, each groove alongside the ridge and dimensioned to receive a portion of the alignment guide, the grooves angled to facilitate the extension of the alignment guide upwardly from the upward surface and the club face, and across the top of a golf ball lying adjacent the face.
- 6. The putter recited in claim 1 wherein an extension of the axis of the club shaft intersects the body plate, and wherein the alignment guide attaching means includes a place on the body plate which extends generally through the point of intersection of the extension of the axis of the club shaft, so that when the alignment guide is extending over a golf ball, the ball is generally in alignment with the axis of the club shaft relative to the optimum direction of ball travel to the hole.
- 7. The putter recited in claim 6 further comprising means for attaching the club shaft to the body plate at a point offset from the alignment guide attaching means, so that while the extension of the axis of the club shaft passes generally through the plane of the alignment guide attaching means, the club shaft offset prevents the shaft from interfering with the use of the alignment guide.
- 8. The putter recited in claim 1 wherein the alignment guide attaching means comprises a ridge extending upwardly from the body plate, and wherein the elongated alignment guide comprises a flexible material and includes an opening for fitting onto the ridge.
- 9. The putter recited in claim 8 wherein the body plate further comprises a pair of grooves, each groove alongside the ridge and dimensioned to receive a portion of the alignment guide, the grooves angled to facilitate the extension of the alignment guide upwardly from the club face and a golf ball adjacent the face.
- 10. A method for training a golfer to improve gold skills, comprising the steps of:
- providing a golf club having a shaft with a proximal gripping adapted to be held by the golfer and the shaft having a distal end, the golf club including a club head fixed to the distal end of the club shaft and having a forward face for striking a golf ball;
- dimensioning and balancing means with the club head so as to permit the club to lie upon a playing surface such that a player may leave the club with its shaft standing upright while unattended;
- providing an alignment guide having a sufficient elongated dimension so as to extend across the club head, across the plane of the club face and over the top of an adjacent golf ball; and
- attaching the elongated alignment guide to the club head to extend in a direction substantially normal to the club face and over the golf ball, and using the alignment guide to determine the optimum position of the club face relative to the direction of ball travel.
- 11. The method recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of placing a first pair of spaced alignment marks across an upper surface of the club head and normal to the club face, the space between the alignment marks equal to the diameter of a golf ball.
- 12. The method recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of disposing the first pair of alignment marks on opposite sides of the plane of the axis guide.
- 13. The method recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of providing a second pair of alignment marks along the club head and normal to the club face, the second pair of alignment marks spaced apart a dimension equal to the ball drop zone.
Parent Case Info
This application is a Continuation-in-part of Design Application Ser. No. 388,708, filed on Aug. 2, 1989; and a Continuation-in-part of Design Application Ser. No. 557,497 filed on Jul. 24, 1990.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
388708 |
Aug 1989 |
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