Golf Club Sole-Tape for Lie Angle and Grind Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for fitting golf clubs, particularly in determining the lie angle and sole grind, are cumbersome and often require access to real grass or expensive launch monitors, making them impractical for many golfers and fitters.
Innovation Solution
The use of a sole-tape with grind-indicia and lie-indicia that allows golfers or fitters to determine the recommended lie angle and sole grind by analyzing the mark left on the tape during a swing, without the need for specialized equipment or turf.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional methods using real grass or launch monitors are used to determine lie angle and sole grind, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a sole-tape that creates a mark copy of the sole's contact pattern on a simplified surface, replacing the need for complex launch monitors or real grass analysis. The mark serves as a simplified representation that preserves the essential information needed for lie angle and sole grind determination
Solution Approach 2:
The sole-tape is a low-cost, disposable component that can be applied and removed easily. Instead of investing in expensive, durable equipment like launch monitors, the system uses inexpensive tapes that can be replaced after each measurement, dramatically reducing device complexity and cost
2Measurement precision
If conventional methods requiring access to real grass are used, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sole-tape acts as an intermediary between the sole and the measurement surface. Instead of directly analyzing grass divots or using complex sensors, the tape mediates the interaction by capturing the contact pattern on a simple, accessible surface that can be used anywhere, eliminating the need for real grass
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the sole's contact pattern on the tape, which can then be analyzed without needing the original grass environment. This copied information preserves the essential measurement data while enabling operation in any location
3Measurement precision
If multiple separate fitting procedures are used for lie angle and sole grind, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sole-tape combines multiple fitting functions into a single tool. One tape application and removal process simultaneously provides data for both lie angle determination (through mark position) and sole grind evaluation (through mark width), eliminating the need for separate fitting procedures and reducing total fitting time
Data Source
AI summary
A sole-tape includes a base material having adhesive on a first surface and corresponding to an area of a sole of a club head. A second surface of the base material includes grind-indicia corresponding to different sole grinds. A method of using a sole-tape includes affixing the sole-tape to a sole of a club head such that a longitudinal edge of the sole-tape is substantially parallel to a striking face. A width classification is determined for a mark formed on the sole-tape with the width of the mark measured in a longitudinal direction of the sole-tape. The determined width classification corresponds to a recommended sole grind. In another aspect, a mark is identified in an image or scan of a sole-tape. A width and relative location of the mark are determined, and a sole grind recommendation is determined for a golfer based on the determined width and relative location.