Golf Club Fitting Apparatus Using Face Attitude Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf club fitting methods do not effectively determine the balance, or swing weight, of a golf club suitable for individual golfers, leading to suboptimal performance and shot quality.
Innovation Solution
A fitting apparatus and method that acquires measurement data from a golfer's swing action using a camera system or inertia sensor, calculates the change in the face surface attitude of the golf club before impact, and selects a balance suitable for the golfer based on this data, recommending a golf club with an optimal balance for improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional fitting methods are used to select golf clubs based on measurement data, then golf clubs with specifications such as weight, moment of inertia and shaft stiffness can be selected, but the balance suitable for individual golfers cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation process that uses measurement data to compute the amount of change in face surface attitude, which then serves as a basis for determining suitable balance. This intermediary index bridges the gap between raw measurement data and the previously undeterminable balance specification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the approach by changing from directly selecting clubs based on raw measurement data to selecting clubs based on a derived parameter (amount of change in face surface attitude). This parameter transformation enables the determination of balance, a previously unavailable specification.
2Productivity
If golf clubs with different balances are provided to match individual golfers, then shot performance can be improved, but a method to specify the suitable balance for each golfer has not been proposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information needed for balance determination from complex swing measurement data. By focusing on the specific parameter of face surface attitude change, it isolates the critical factor for balance selection without requiring complex multi-parameter analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the balance specification process by transforming multiple measurement parameters into a single derived parameter (amount of change in face surface attitude), making the selection process more manageable while maintaining accuracy in matching golfer characteristics to appropriate balance.
3Reliability
If measurement data is collected to calculate indices such as weight, moment of inertia and shaft stiffness, then golf clubs matching these indices can be recommended, but the amount of change in face surface attitude and suitable balance remain undetermined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the club specification process into distinct components: existing indices (weight, moment of inertia, shaft stiffness) and the newly added balance parameter. This segmentation allows each parameter to be determined and optimized independently, with balance being derived from the same measurement data through a separate calculation pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the amount of change in face surface attitude as an intermediary calculation result that mediates between raw measurement data and the final balance specification. This intermediary parameter enables the system to derive balance information without compromising the reliability of other specification matchings.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fitting apparatus configured to acquire measurement data obtained by measuring a swing action of a test club by a golfer with a measurement device, calculate an amount of change in an attitude of a face surface of a head included in the test club in a period before impact at a time of the swing action, based on the measurement data, and select a balance of a golf club suitable for the golfer, according to the amount of change.