The present invention relates to golf, and more particularly to a golf training aid.
In golf the object is to score. With few exceptions golfers are motivated for an entire lifetime to improve and lower their score. This, of course, means practicing and working on parts of the game where improvements can be made and where such improvements result in lower scores. Perhaps no part of the game of golf offers the average golfer more of an opportunity to reduce his or her score than the short game. Getting “up and down” is a part of the game that most non-professionals can readily improve by engaging in a well planned and regimented practice and training schedule.
One of the most persistent problems experienced by the average or non-professional golfer lies in the inappropriate use or action of the hands during impact, particularly in the short game involving pitching and chipping. This is often referred to as flipping the hand or flipping the shaft. When this occurs, the golfer tends to move his or her hands laterally or side-to-side during impact. When the club head is pulled downwardly and just before impact or through impact, there is a great tendency for the golfer to break the wrist and attempt to flip the hands and shaft during impact. When golfers use this flipping action at impact, they find it difficult to consistently reproduce accurate shots around the green.
The proper approach, and the approach that enables golfers to consistently make good shots in and around the green and to get “up and down,” is to develop a shot where the hands remain generally stationary with respect to the forearm before through impact. This, if perfected, will enable the golfer to consistently pitch and chip shots that will end up saving strokes and lowering scores.
A golf training aid is provided for maintaining the angle between the back of the leading hand and the adjacent forearm relatively constant or fixed during the impact portion of the golf swing.
In one embodiment the golf training aid includes a forearm support and one or more fasteners for securing the forearm support to the leading forearm of the golfer. A pivot assembly is secured to the forearm support and an elongated arm is secured to the pivot assembly and extends therefrom. A golf club shaft retainer is secured to an end portion of the arm opposite the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly includes a first axis and the arm can be rotated about this axis. Except for the movement about the first axis, the movement of the arm is substantially limited or restricted such that when the golf training aid is worn by the golfer, the lateral movement of the hands with respect to the forearm is substantially restricted so as to prevent the flipping action of the golfer's hands during the course of the golfer's swing, especially in the area of impact.
In one particular embodiment, the golf training aid is provided with a dual hinge pivot assembly. In this case the arm and pivot assembly includes two axes of rotation, one axis permits generally vertical movement of the hands with respect to the forearms during at least a portion of the swing, and the other axis providing only relatively limited lateral or side-to-side movement of the hands with respect to the forearms during the impact portion of the swing.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.
With further reference to the drawings, the golf training aid is shown therein and indicated generally by the numeral 10. As seen in
Turning to a description of the golf training aid 10 of the present invention, the same includes a forearm support 12. Forearm support 12 is designed to be secured to the leading forearm 60 of the golfer. See
Forearm support 12 includes a pair of fasteners 14 that secure the support to the golfer's forearm. Various types of fasteners can be utilized. In the embodiment illustrated herein, each fastener 14 comprises a flexible fabric belt that includes hook and loop fastening elements. This enables the forearm support 12 to be quickly and easily firmly secured on the forearm of the golfer.
As seen in the drawings, forearm support 12 includes opposite end portions. Secured to one end portion is a pivot assembly indicated generally by the numeral 16. In the particular embodiment illustrated herein, the pivot assembly 16 is in the form of a dual hinge pivot assembly. By this, it is meant that the pivot assembly 16, disclosed and shown in the drawings, includes two pivot axes. Pivot assembly 16 is rotatively mounted on a raised base 18 that forms a part of the forearm support 12. See
In any event, the pivot assembly 16 pivots about the first axis 22. Note that in the case of this embodiment, the first axis 22 extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the forearm support 12. As will be appreciated from subsequent portions of this disclosure, when the golf training aid 10 is worn, the first pivot axis 22 allows the golfer's hand to move or rotate generally vertically back and forth with respect to the forearms. During a golfer's back swing for example, it is appropriate for the golfer to cock his wrist, and this results in the hand moving generally vertically with respect to the forearms. When the golfer is at address, as generally depicted in
Secured to the pivot assembly 16, and extending therefrom, is a rigid arm 30. Arm 30 can be fixedly connected to the pivot assembly 16 or can be rotatively connected to the pivot assembly 16. In the case of the embodiment illustrated herein, arm 30 is pivotally connected to the pivot assembly 16, but is connected in such a way that the arm 30 can only experience limited rotation with respect to the pivot assembly 16. More particularly, as seen in
As seen in
To set this angle, there is provided an adjustment mechanism, indicated generally by the numeral 40, associated with the pivot assembly 16. In the case of the embodiment illustrated, the adjustment mechanism 40 includes an adjustable screw 42 threaded into the rotating member. Screw 42 can be screwed into contact with the inner portion 30A of the arm 30 and can be advanced such that the inner portion 30A is caused to assume a generally upright position within the cavity of the rotating member 20. When this occurs, the inner portion 30A is prohibited from rotating, and hence, the arm 30 assumes what is referred to as the zero angular position. However, by backing off the screw 42, the inner portion 30A is allowed to rock back and forth or rotate about the pivot pin 32 and about the second axis 34.
Secured to the end of the arm 30, opposite the arm's connection to the pivot assembly 16, is a shaft retainer indicated generally by the numeral 50. Note that the shaft retainer 50 extends from the arm 30 generally at a 90° angle. Shaft retainer 50 includes a series of slots 52. Respective slots 52 may be lined with a fabric or other cushioning material to prevent the shaft retainer 50 from scarring or scratching a golf club shaft 68. The respective slots 52 formed in the shaft retainer 50 are open. A closing device 54 is provided for closing the slots 52. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the closing device 54 is in the form of a stretchable elastomember. In the closed position, shown in
With reference to
Continuing to refer to
In some cases it may be desirable to permit limited lateral or side-to-side movement of the hands 64, 66 during a training exercise. This is because the flipping problem can be so pronounced and so ingrained into a golfer's swing that it is counter productive to attempt to totally correct the problem, at least in initial training exercises. The thought is that it may be better in certain cases to begin training with a training aid that will enable the golfer to have some limited lateral or side-to-side movement of the hands as the golf club is swung through impact. Accordingly, as illustrated in
From the foregoing specification and discussion, it is appreciated that the golf training aid 10 of the present invention is designed to help golfer's improve their swing, especially for shots close to the green. More particularly, the golf training aid 10 is aimed at helping students feel and appreciate the need for maintaining the hands fairly rigid with respect to the forearms at impact, and to rid the student of the tendency to attempt to flip the hands at impact. The better and more accepted approach to chipping or pitching is to maintain the hands generally stationary with respect to the forearm just before impact and through impact.
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
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