The present invention relates generally to golf putting training tools, and more particularly to stationary putting guides.
Golfing is one of the world's most popular sports. While people of virtually any skill level can enjoy the sport, it is also one of the most technically challenging sports to play. Golf is a game of strokes, the fewer a golfer has after completing a course, the better your score. Each hole on a course has its own par, that is the expected score, from a good golfer, which usually range from 3 to 5, depending on the length and difficulty of the hole. Of the 3 to 5 strokes expected on each hole, 1 to 2 are usually expected on the putting green, and the rest devoted to getting ball from the tee box to the putting green. Most golfers can quickly learn to get distance with their swings and get the ball to the putting green as expected, however will take several strokes getting their ball into hole.
Because putting can quickly account for half or more of the strokes of any course, it is an area of focus for training. There are many devices that purport to train golfers on how to improve their putt. Most of these devices focus on the putter swing; placing guidelines down for the swing, limiting the back swing, or preventing the putter from drifting from away from the golf ball during putting. While these devices can improve a golfer's swing, a swing is only one part of becoming a good putter. If a golfer is out of position from the golf ball before making a putt, the ball could travel in unexpected directions or even with the best swing possible, offset from the intended target. An improved putting training tool is needed.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stationary putting tool that can be used to train a user to putt.
The present invention includes a putting device to assist a golfer to properly position a golfer's head and eye or eyes relative a golf ball, and preferably directly over head (vertically). The device includes a tool placed upon a ground or a floor, or otherwise as may be used in play. The tool includes a surface adapted to support a golf ball placed thereon, and a ball location for placement of the ball. The ball location preferably includes a recess adapted to allow a golf ball to rest thereupon. The tool further includes a ball guide that is only visible when the golfer is directly above the ball. The ball guide should include at least three points around the ball (when viewed from above). The three points are located at points equidistance from the center of the ball when viewed directly above, or from the center of the ball location. Each of the three points are located at one-half ball diameter distance from the center of the ball location, or slightly less considering the biopic view from the golfer above.
The ball guide may include one or more rings. The rings should be tangent the three points, so that the entire ring can be viewed, but only viewed, when viewed directly above. The rings may include a light source for easier view.
The device may include a separable tool, useful with or without a base plate. In this case, the tool would include the ball location and ball guide. The base plate may include a recess the size of the tool to allow the tool to fit in, or on, the plate. The tool may be fitted with recesses complementing bosses in the base plate recess, or otherwise bosses to complement recesses in the plate recess.
The device may include a ball track plate to allow the ball to rest thereon and travel when struck to move in the rear direction. The device may further include a base plate coupled with said ball track plate to provide for a two piece device. Other items may be recessed or bored through one or both of these pieces. The ball guide may appear on a top surface of the base plate, or otherwise on a separable tool. The ball guide may also have a contrast ring around at least a portion of the ball location. The contrast ring should not be larger than the area occluded by a golf ball (in the vertical direction from the golfer), or larger than a golf ball in diameter.
In one embodiment, the ball track plate serves to angle the device relative the ground, to raise a rear end of the putting device higher (by a minimum of 0.1 degrees) relative the ground or floor to prevent the ball from rolling away, or otherwise biasing the ball to roll into location.
The putting device may include other common features, such as an axis bar, a bottom bar, and/or a tee slot as is known in the art.
The device may include three ball guides, one in front of the ball, and the other two on top and below the ball as shown.
The present invention also includes a method for using a putting device for teaching a golfer proper position when using a putter, wherein the device provides for positioning the golfer directly overhead the ball to putt. The golfer may place the putting device on the ground, and support a golf ball therein at a ball location centered within at least three visual guides. The golfer then stands, holds a club (or other manual battery device), and positions golfer's head directly over the ball. The golfer can then verify proper head location by looking down at ball and ensuring that all three point, the guide, or the entirety of the rings, are visible in a single glance, or shot. The golfer can then strike the ball with the club, and then reset the ball and repeat the process.
Referring to the drawings:
Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the same reference characters are used throughout the different figures to designate the same elements.
The putting tool 10 is preferably constructed of a material having the properties of rigidity, ability to mark, and durability like card stock paper, plastic, aluminum, steel, or the like. In the preferred embodiment the putting tool 10 is constructed of plastic having a preferred thickness of 0.1 inches.
The putting tool 10 is preferably divided symmetrically along a central axis 15 running from the center of the forward edge 20 to the center of the rear edge 21 and has a putting tool surface (PT surface) 24 which is generally parallel to the ground, the top of the putting tool 10 and colored, preferably dark for high contrast, such as black. The ball marker 30 allows a golfer to identify where to correctly place a golf ball 18, being a standard American Golf ball, being a circular design on the PT surface 24 with its center along the central axis 15 to the rear 12 of center of the height and a diameter of 0.19 inches. Alternatively, measurements may reflect and be relative other commonly used golf balls. The ball marker 30 is incorporated into the putting tool 10 and is colored white, or any other color that will greatly contrast with the PT surface 24. In the preferred embodiment, the ball marker 30 includes an indentation allowing the golf ball 18 to be placed on the PT surface 24 without rolling. Ball marker may be an aperture running through putting tool 10. In one embodiment, as shown in
The ball track 31 is the area of the PT surface that the golf ball 18 is intended to travel when struck by the golfer's putter and includes a ball track left edge (BTL edge) 32, a ball track right edge (BTR edge) 33, a ball track forward edge (BTF edge) 34, a ball track rear edge (BTB edge) 35″, and a ball track surface (BT surface) 36. The BTL edge 32 is the left 13 most portion of the ball track 31, forms a one-hundred and fifteen (115) degree) degree angle with the rear edge 21 inclining toward the center axis 15 before connecting with the BTF edge 34. The BTR edge 33 is the right 14 most portion of the ball track 31, forms an angle with the rear edge 21 inclining toward the center axis 15, angles include a maximum of 180 degrees and a minimum of 5 degrees, but preferably one-hundred and fifteen (115) degrees, before connecting with the BTF edge 34 and mirrors the BTL edge 32 across the center axis 15. The BTF edge 34 is the forward most portion of the ball track 31, arcing around the rear 12 of the ball marker 30, being no wider than the diameter of the ball marker 30. In some embodiments, ball track forward edge 34 is absent and tool 10 allows for smooth roll from ball marker 30 to BTB edge 35. The BTB edge 35 is the rear 12 most portion of the ball track 31, running parallel and in some embodiments inclusive of a portion of the rear edge 21, between where the BTL edge 32 meets the rear edge 21 and where the BTR edge 33 meets the rear edge 21. The BT surface 36 is the portion of the PT surface that is preferably colored to demarcate to a golfer where the golf ball 18 is intended to travel after being struck by a putter. The ball track 31 is constructed out of the same material used for the putting tool 10, in the preferred embodiment the putting tool 10 is constructed out of aluminum and the BT surface 36 concaves toward the center axis 15 and the BTB edge 35 from the BTL edge 32, BTR edge 33, and BTF edge 34, as illustrated in
Returning to
The guides 40 could be integrated with the putting tool 10 or could be integrated with the PT surface 24 and adhered to the putting tool 10, in some embodiments are attached to the putting tool 10 and flush with the PT surface 24. The guides 40 can be constructed out of paper, plastic, metal, any dyed or painted surface, or the like, or any translucent light propagating material. In the preferred embodiment, as illustrated by
Referring to
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The putting tool 10 may be incorporated into a larger putting aide 110 which also includes other training methodologies. Turning to
The swing base 70 is another putting training device that focuses instead of the head placement of the golfer, the swing of the putter. In combination with the putting tool 10 as the putting aide 110 it provides a more complete training system for the golfer. The swing base 70 is placed on the ground in place of the putting tool 10 and the putting tool 10 is attached to the swing base 70 to allow the golfer to use both devices simultaneously. The swing base 70 is large enough to connect to the putting tool 10 while still providing training aid and preferably rectangular with shorter forward 11 and rear 12 sides than left 13 or right 14. The swing base 70 has a base surface 71 which is the surface of the top of the swing base 70. There is a connection surface 72 at the rear 12 of the swing base 70, connection surface 72 preferably recessed, where the putting tool 10 attaches to the swing base 70. In the preferred embodiment the connection surface 72 is recessed into the base surface 71 and the same length, width, and depth as the putting tool 10 (or somewhat smaller). In the preferred embodiment there is at least one connector 73 located on the connection surface 72, which is designed to connect the swing base 70 to the putting tool 10. In the preferred embodiment the connectors 73 are preferably a projection from the connection surface 72 in a shape and size that would join with the connector socket 61 or a magnetic element capable of connecting the putting tool 10 to the swing base 70. Alternatively, in some embodiments, connectors 73 may be recessed to mate with bosses of putting tool 10. In the preferred embodiment there are five connectors on the connection surface 72 in a pattern that would mirror the connector sockets 61 in the preferred embodiment of the putting tool 10.
In the preferred embodiment swing base 70 is a flat rectangular body having a short side in rear 112, a longer side forward 111, and both a left 113 side and right 114 side, which are mirrored and symmetrical along the axis 15. There is a left rounded corner 80 where the rear 112 end meets the left 113 side. The left 113 side tappers toward the center axis 15 until it reaches a left waist point 81 where it expands away from the center axis 15 until it reaches a left upper round corner 82 that where the left side 15 meets the forward side 11. The right 114 side tappers from a right rounded corner 83 toward the center axis 15 until it reaches a right waist point 84 where it expands away from the center axis 15 until it reaches a right small round corner 85 that where the right side 15 meets the forward 111 side. The swing base 70 has a left tee slot (LTS) 90 and a right tee slot (RTS) 91, symmetrically opposed to each other across the center axis 15 to the rear 111 of the left waist point 81 and right waist point 80. LTS 90 and RTS 91 are elongate cavities, perpendicular to center axis 15, into swing base 70 from the left 13 side and right 14 side respectively, the width of the cavities parallel to the axis is wider than a golf tee's shank, but less wide than a golf tee's head, the minimum distance between the LTS 90 and RTS 91, perpendicular to the center axis 15 is no less than the width of a standard putter. A golfer places two golf tees one into LTS 90 and one into RTS 91 to limit the variance in putter swing, the more closely the golf tees are placed in relation to each other, the tighter the putt swing must be, otherwise the putter will strike one of the golf tees, the further apart the two golf tees are placed, the less restrictive and less accurate the putter swing must be to allow the putter to strike the ball. There is at least one tee hole 92 located along the center axis 15 of the swing base 70, each being a cylindrical aperture into the swing base 70, the diameter being roughly the same size of a golf tee shank. A forward tee hole 93 is located along the center axis 15 toward the forward 111 end of the swing base 70, back tee hole 94 is located along the center axis 15 toward the rear 112 end of the swing base 70, and a center tee hole 95 located between the back tee hole 94 and forward tee hole 93. A square detection marking (SDM) 100, is an area of the base surface 71 with different colorings and markings that distinguish the SDM 100 from the rest of the base surface 71. The SDM 60 includes a bottom bar 101, axis bar 102, and wrap around 103. The bottom bar 101 is an elongate rectangle of demarcation with the long side perpendicular to the center axis 15 and aligned between the LTS 90 and RTS 91, the short side of the bottom bar 101 is the height of both LTS 90 and RTS 91, with two square corners on the rear 12 end, two rounded corners on the forward 11 end. The axis bar 102 is an elongate rectangle of demarcation with the long side parallel to the center axis 15, connecting to the forward 111 end of the bottom bar 101 to the rear 12 end of the swing base 70 with rounded corners on the corners away from the center axis 15. The axis bar 102 has no demarcation in the center along the center axis 15 and on the left 113 and right 114 sides of the forward tee hole 93, forward tee hole 94, and middle tee hole 93. The wrap around 103 is demarcation of the swing base 70 from the left waist point 81 and right waist point 84 toward the back, there is no demarcation from the left waist point 81 and right waist point 84 extending towards the rear 111 in a rectangle and forming a hemispherical end starting before the forward tee hole 93 just before the rear 111 of the swing base 70.
In operation, the golfer uses the putting tool 10 to align themselves correctly with a target golf cup and the with the golf ball 18. Turning to
The golfer will use the putting tool 10 align their stance relative to the golf ball 18. As illustrated by
When a golfer sees the golf ball 18 in a different position relative to the guides 40 than illustrated in
Referring to
As shown in
A preferred embodiment is fully and clearly described above so as to enable one having skill in the art to understand, make, and use the same. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications may be made to the description above without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that some embodiments include only those elements and features described, or a subset thereof. To the extent that modifications do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.
The present application includes subject matter disclosed in and claims priority to a provisional application entitled “Golf Putting Tool” filed May 18, 2018 and assigned Ser. No. 62/673,421, and a provisional application entitled “To See Square-Ace” filed Feb. 5, 2018 and assigned Ser. No. 62/709,906, describing inventions made by the present inventor, both applications herein incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62673421 | May 2018 | US | |
62709906 | Feb 2018 | US |