Putter, putting stroke-selection system, and method

Abstract

A putting stroke-selection system (10) is provided comprising a putter (12) having putter head (14) and a putter shaft (16), and a referencing indicium (24) comprising a plurality of calibrated distance markers (28) which is engaged or engagable with the putter shaft (16). This allows for the user to quickly visualise how the horizontal distance to the putting target from the golf ball correlates with the visible vertical separation on the referencing indicium (24).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a putting stroke-selection system, particularly but not necessarily exclusively for use as a putting training aid. The invention also relates to a method of determining a putting stroke utilising said system, and to an attachment for a putter for implementing the system. A putter suitable for such a system is also provided.

[0002] One of the most challenging aspects of golf is reducing the number of strokes taken on a putting green. Players rarely miss a putt due to direction choice, but will often fail to select an appropriate stroke weight so as to miss the distance to the hole. One of the key factors in improving putting is the ability to land a first putt very close to the hole, so that a subsequent shot is very straightforward. This greatly reduces the risk of a three-putt or greater score on the putting green.

[0003] Practice mats are available commercially to train the golfer in the weighting of shots. However, this creates an artificial putting scenario, and the skills practiced on a mat may not necessarily be directly applicable in a real-world putting context.

[0004] US9011274B1 discloses a putter grip comprising a chart for enabling a golfer to determine how hard to strike the golf ball when putting. It additionally comprises a cap containing a bubble level to aid the golfer to hold the putter shaft vertically. US8657699B2 discloses a golf accessory for determining a gimme status of a golf putt, in the form of a device including areas and / or indicia relating to at least two preselected conditions. Additionally on the device are indicia associated with a practice putting game, with a method of playing the game also being disclosed in the document. US20040204261A1 discloses a putting training and calibration device including a horizontal calibrated bar and a parallel calibrated block. A linear scale decal is also present on the putter shaft. US7063625B2 discloses a putting aid and method for using the putting aid, a level on the putting aid being usable to determine a slope of the green between two points on the surface of the green. The putting aid additionally comprises a plurality of distance markers to enable a user to infer a distance between a golf ball and a putting target. US20060079342A1 discloses a putter with a distance measurement mechanism, the putter having a scale comprising marks indicating a distance to a golf cup and the recommended backswing amount.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for improving putting technique.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a putter comprising: a putter head and a putter shaft; and a referencing indicium engaged with the putter shaft; the referencing indicium being provided directly on the putter shaft or the referencing indicium being provided on a putter attachment which is releasably engagable with the putter shaft; the referencing indicium being positioned along the length of the putter shaft and oriented in parallel with the putter shaft; the referencing indicium comprising a plurality of calibrated distance markers which are uniformly separated for allowing a user to visually infer a distance between a golf ball and a putting target when the user is holding the putter in a vertical condition, to thus inform a putting stroke selection.

[0007] Said putter attachment may be provided as an elongate member having a securing means for engaging with the putter shaft.

[0008] The securing means may comprise at least one of: a magnetic engagement element; a vice or clamp; or a fastener.

[0009] An origin of the referencing indicium may be provided at an in-use upper end thereof.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of determining a putting stroke, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a putter in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; b] a user standing at a predetermined distance from a golf ball to be struck, co-linearly with the golf ball and a putting target; c] holding the putter so that the referencing indicium is aligned to the vertical distance between the golf ball and the putting target; and d] using the referencing indicium, visually inferring the distance between the golf ball and the putting target in order to inform a putting stroke selection.

[0011] Optionally, the predetermined distance in step b] may be approximately 3m.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a putter stroke-selection system comprising: a putter in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; and a stroke-length measurement tool having a stroke-length indicium thereon, the stroke-length indicium having a plurality of calibrated stroke-length markers thereon which correspond with the plurality of calibrated distance markers of the referencing indicium.

[0013] An origin of the stroke-length indicium may be provided at a central portion of the stroke-length measurement tool.

[0014] Preferably, the stroke-length indicium may comprise a backswing indicium portion and a follow-through indicium portion.

[0015] The stroke-length measurement tool may have a collapsible tool body.

[0016] The stroke-length measurement tool may comprise at least one hinge to allow the tool body to be folded into a collapsed state.

[0017] The plurality of calibrated distance markers and plurality of calibrated stroke-length markers may be provided as numerals on the referencing indicium and stroke-length indicium respectively.

[0018] The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective representation of a putter having one embodiment of a putter attachment engaged therewith, for use as part of a putting stroke-selection system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective representation of one embodiment of a stroke-length measurement tool in a part-extended condition, for use as part of a putting stroke-selection system in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 shows a perspective representation of the stroke-length measurement tool of Figure 2 in a collapsed condition; Figure 4 shows a perspective representation of the stroke-length measurement tool of Figure 2 in an alternative part-extended condition; Figure 5 shows a perspective representation of one embodiment of a putting stroke-selection system in accordance with the invention, utilising the putter of Figure 1 and the stroke-length measurement tool of Figure 2; Figure 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of a method of determining a putting stroke in accordance with the invention, showing an indicative long putt on a flat putting surface; Figure 7 shows a perspective representation of the putter of Figure 1 being used in conjunction with the method of Figure 6; Figure 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of a method of determining a putting stroke in accordance with the invention, showing an indicative short putt on a flat putting surface; and Figure 9 shows a diagrammatic representation of a method of determining a putting stroke in accordance with the invention, showing two different putts on a sloped putting surface.

[0019] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, there is illustrated part of a putting stroke-selection system, indicated globally throughout at 10. This enables a method of determining a putting stroke to be utilised during a game of golf.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a putter 12 used in the putting stroke-selection system 10, and could be any putter 12 which is used in golf. The putter 12 has a putter head 14 and a putter shaft 16. A handle 18 is connected to the putter shaft 16.

[0021] A putter shaft attachment 20 is provided which is formed as an elongate member 22 having a referencing indicium 24 thereon. The referencing indicium 24 is here a visible surface of the putter shaft attachment 20 on which indicators are marked.

[0022] A fastener 26 is provided as a securing means for holding the elongate member 22 onto the putter shaft 16. The elongate member 22 may be at least in part hollow so as to wrap around the putter shaft 16, with the securing means then holding the elongate member 22 in position. As an alternative, the putter shaft attachment 20 may have a curved or arcuate rear side, so as to matingly engage with the curvature of the putter shaft 16. This may help to reduce the bulk of the putter 12 when the putter shaft attachment 20 is engaged therewith. It will be appreciated that a variety of different shapes of attachment could be considered.

[0023] The securing means may be provided in the form of a fixed fastener, or a releasable fastener, and is preferably configured so as to rigidly hold the elongate member 22 tightly against the putter shaft 16 in use, so as not to affect the putting stroke. The securing means could also take the form of a vice or clamp, which may be spring-loaded, to automatically hold the putter-shaft attachment 20 onto the putter shaft 16. It will also be appreciated that a magnetic engagement element could be utilised, since the putter shaft 16 will typically be formed from a magnetic material.

[0024] It will be apparent that the putter-shaft attachment 20 need not be provided as a separate component, and indeed, the putter could have an appropriate referencing indicium integrated thereon. In other words, a putter having all of the features of the referencing indicium could be created.

[0025] The referencing indicium 24 comprises a plurality of calibrated distance markers 28 thereon which are preferably uniformly separated so as to create a measurement tool. For ease of comprehension, the distance markers 28 are numbered, since this will be the simplest means of conveying distance information to the player, but alternative designs could be considered, such as a colour-coding system which is indicative of stroke strength. The distance markers 28 are preferably provided in oversized font, so as to be easily readable at arm's length, even for players with poor vision.

[0026] It is preferred that the origin 30 of the referencing indicium 24 be positioned at an in-use upper end 32 of the putter-shaft attachment 20, with the distance markers 28 extending in one direction from the origin 30.

[0027] The term calibrated here does not necessarily mean calibrated to any specific unit of measurement, but instead refers to the calibration of the referencing indicium 24 with respect to a corresponding stroke-length measurement tool 34, such as that shown in Figures 2 to 4. The stroke-length measurement tool 34 includes a stroke-length indicium 36 thereon, preferably on one upper facing surface of the stroke-length measurement tool 34, which has a plurality of complementary calibrated stroke-length markers 38 to the distance markers 28 of the referencing indicium 24.

[0028] It will be clear that it is greatly preferred that the stroke-length markers 38 have a complementary form to the distance markers 28, so that a direct correlation between the two can be made. The calibration is such that, if used in accordance with the method described below, an inspected distance marker 28 of '10' is determined using the referencing indicium, then a stroke weight of '10' can be selected from the stroke-length markers 38 to inform shot selection.

[0029] The illustrated stroke-length measurement tool 34 here has an elongate body 40, which is preferably collapsible. The elongate body 40 here comprises four body portions 40a, 40b which are extendable into a linear state in an extended condition, and into a much smaller volume in a collapsed or contracted condition.

[0030] A central two body portions 40a are here connected by a first hinge 42, which may be a rotary hinge, with outer two body portions 40b being connected to the central body portions 40a via second hinges 44. The second hinges 44 may have a hinge axis which is perpendicular to a hinge axis of the first hinge 42. The first hinge 42 serves to bring the two halves of the stroke-length measurement tool 34 together, with the second hinges 44 allowing the outer body portion 40b to fold onto the central body portions 40a. This allows for collapse of the stroke-length measurement tool 34 into the condition shown in Figure 3. This shields the stroke-length indicium 36, leaving only a ground-contacting side 46 of the stroke-length measurement tool 34 exposed. The reverse process can be undertaken to open the stroke-length measurement tool 34, as is shown in Figure 4.

[0031] The stroke-length indicium 36 has an origin 48 in a central portion of the stroke-length measurement tool 34, as best seen in Figure 5, thereby having stroke-length markers 38 extending in both a forward and backward direction along the stroke-length measurement tool 34. The stroke-length indicium 36 thus has a backswing indicium region 50a and a follow-through indicium region 50b.

[0032] This can be visualised in detail from Figure 5, in which the stroke-length measurement tool 34 is laid out on the ground in position, as would be on a real putting green. If the stroke-length measurement tool 34 is aligned with the golf ball 52 so that the origin 48 is centred on the golf ball 52, then the backswing indicum region 50a will be indicative of a stroke strength on the backswing of the stroke, and the follow-through indicium region 50b will be indicative of a stroke strength on the accompanying follow-through.

[0033] It will be apparent that a skilled player, familiar with the use of the calibrated putter 12, may not require the stroke-length measurement tool 34, and therefore this is an optional component of the system 10.

[0034] The present system 10 has been designed with the aim of making the process for selecting the stroke strength simple for the user. This process is shown in Figure 6.

[0035] To use the system 10, the player holds the putter 12 out in front of them, when standing approximately 3.048m (10ft), or approximately 3m, behind the golf ball 48, in a straight line to the hole through the golf ball 52. The player may make use of the putter 12 itself as a means for consistently measuring the same distance from the golf ball 52 for each putt. The putter 12 is then held up in front of the player, such that the origin 30 of the referencing indicium 24 is vertically level with the hole 54, as visible to the player. This is shown in Figure 7. The origin 30 has been aligned with the lowermost visible portion of the hole 54.

[0036] The player then makes note of where the golf ball 52 is visible on the referencing indicium 24, thus providing a vertical separation V which is indicative of the horizontal distance H between the golf ball 52 and the hole 54. In Figure 7, the relevant distance marker 28 is '9'.

[0037] The player then performs a stroke using the putter 12 by using the stroke-length measurement tool 34. They can perform a backswing based on the stroke-length marker 38 '9' on the backswing indicum region 50a, and a follow-through base based on the stroke-length marker 38 '9' on the follow-through indicum region 50b.

[0038] The mathematical relationship between vertical separation V and horizontal distance H is such that, once calibrated correctly, the putting stroke-selection system 10 should be applicable regardless of the horizontal distance H or the slope of the putting green.

[0039] It is noted that the relationship between vertical separation V and horizontal distance H is not sufficient to guarantee that a player will automatically make a putt successfully; however, the principle is that the first putt taken should be correctly weighted so as to make a second putt much simpler. The player should in theory be able to eliminate three-putt games.

[0040] Once the player has trained sufficiently with the putting stroke-selection system 10, then they will be able to play without the need for any training aids, which are unlikely to be legal in competitive play.

[0041] The utility of the putting stroke-selection system 10 can be seen in Figure 8, in which a short putt is shown instead of the longer putt of Figure 7. Since the horizontal distance H' between the golf ball 52 and the hole 54 is much smaller, the vertical separation V' as viewed by the player standing with the putter 12 will be accordingly smaller. This will in turn lead to a smaller stroke to be selected by the player, based on the stroke-length measurement tool 34.

[0042] This applies equally to sloped putting greens, as shown in Figure 9. The downward slope will make the hole 54 appear closer to the golf ball 52, and thus, even though the horizontal distance H" is quite large, the vertical separation V" appears quite small. The natural slope means that the corresponding stroke strength is reduced.

[0043] Similarly, the upward slope will make the hole 54 appear further from the golf ball 52, and thus, for a corresponding horizontal distance H‴, the vertical separation V‴ as viewed at the referencing indicium 24 is much larger. This is indicative of the greater force required in the stroke to overcome the effect of gravity.

[0044] Calibration of the distance markers and stroke-length markers to one another will be dependent on where the system advises the player to stand relative to the ball. In the depicted embodiments, the player is advised to stand 3.048m (10ft) away from the ball when making the putt, and the system is calibrated accordingly. It will be apparent that a different standing position will result is a different calibration, and it is wholly anticipated that alternative calibration schemes can be envisioned within the scope of the present invention.

[0045] It is noted that the described embodiments refer to a hole as being the putting target, though this is not a strict requirement, and any suitable putting target can be used within the scope of the present invention.

[0046] It is therefore possible to provide a simple method for training a user in stroke selection for putting, which relies on a simple mathematical relationship between the horizontal distance from the ball to the hole on the putting green, and to the visible vertical separation between the two when the player stands a predetermined distance from the ball in line with the hole. A referenced putter and measurement tool, calibrated to one another, allows a user to take advantage of this effect, though a skilled player may not require the measurement tool in order to take advantage of the calibrated putter.

[0047] The words 'comprises / comprising' and the words 'having / including' when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.

[0048] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0049] The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendant claims.

Claims

1. A putter (12) comprising: a putter head (14) and a putter shaft (16); and a referencing indicium (24) engaged with the putter shaft (16); the referencing indicium (24) being provided directly on the putter shaft (16) or the referencing indicium (24) being provided on a putter attachment (20) which is releasably engagable with the putter shaft (16); the referencing indicium (24) being positioned along the length of the putter shaft (16) and oriented in parallel with the putter shaft (16); the referencing indicium (24) comprising a plurality of calibrated distance markers (28) which are uniformly separated for allowing a user to visually infer a distance between a golf ball and a putting target when the user is holding the putter (12) in a vertical condition, to thus inform a putting stroke selection.

2. A putter (12) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the putter attachment (20) is provided as an elongate member (22) having a securing means for engaging with the putter shaft (16).

3. A putter (12) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the securing means comprises at least one of: a magnetic engagement element; a vice or clamp; or a fastener.

4. A putter (12) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an origin (30) of the referencing indicium (24) is provided at an in-use upper end (32) thereof.

5. A putter (12) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of calibrated distance markers (28) is a plurality of colour coded distance markers.

6. A method of determining a putting stroke, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a putter (12) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; b] a user standing at a predetermined distance from a golf ball to be struck, co-linearly with the golf ball and a putting target; c] holding the putter (12) so that the referencing indicium (24) is aligned to the vertical distance between the golf ball and the putting target; and d] using the referencing indicium (24), visually inferring the distance between the golf ball and the putting target in order to inform a putting stroke selection.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the predetermined distance in step b] is approximately 3m.

8. A putter stroke-selection system (10) comprising: a putter (12) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5; and a stroke-length measurement tool (34) having a stroke-length indicium (36) thereon, the stroke-length indicium (36) having a plurality of calibrated stroke-length markers (38) thereon which correspond with the plurality of calibrated distance markers (28) of the referencing indicium (24).

9. A putting stroke-selection system (10) as claimed in claim 8, wherein an origin (48) of the stroke-length indicium (36) is provided at a central portion of the stroke-length measurement tool (34).

10. A putting stroke-selection system (10) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stroke-length indicium (36) comprises a backswing indicium portion (50a) and a follow-through indicium portion (50b).

11. A putting stroke-selection system (10) as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the stroke-length measurement tool (34) has a collapsible tool body (40).

12. A putting stroke-selection system (10) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the stroke-length measurement tool (34) comprises at least one hinge (42, 44) to allow the tool body (40) to be folded into a collapsed state.

13. A putting stroke-selection system (10) as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the plurality of calibrated distance markers (28) and plurality of calibrated stroke-length markers (38) are provided as numerals on the referencing indicium (24) and stroke-length indicium (36) respectively.

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