Oversized Golf Club Grip Structure for Feel and Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf putter grips face a trade-off between feel and control, with larger diameter grips decreasing feel and smaller grips compromising control, necessitating a solution that enhances both.
Innovation Solution
An oversized gripping structure is added to the shaft, increasing its diameter by 25% to 150% with a hollow design and a thinner, uniform-thickness grip, maintaining rigidity and providing improved feel and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the thickness of the non-slip non-rigid gripping material is increased to increase the gripping area, then control is improved, but feel upon contact with the ball is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the shaft into two distinct segments: a narrow-diameter rigid shaft portion that extends to the striking area, and a separate oversized gripping structure that is coupled to the shaft. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - the shaft for feel and the gripping structure for control.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing grip thickness (one dimension), the invention increases the gripping area by expanding the diameter of the gripping structure (another dimension). The gripping structure has a span that is 25% to 150% greater than the shaft diameter, creating a larger gripping surface without adding thickness that would deaden feel.
2Loss of information
If a smaller gripping area is used to improve feel, then feel upon contact with the ball is improved, but wrist movement and control are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the shaft into two distinct segments: a narrow-diameter rigid shaft portion that extends to the striking area, and a separate oversized gripping structure that is coupled to the shaft. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - the shaft for feel and the gripping structure for control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different properties to different parts of the shaft: the gripping structure has a large diameter (25% to 150% greater than the shaft diameter) to reduce wrist movement, while the shaft maintains its original narrow diameter to preserve feel. The gripping layer has uniform thickness of 3.175mm to 9.525mm providing non-slip properties without excessive thickness.
3Ease of operation
If the diameter of the shaft is increased at the gripping area, then gripping area is increased for better control, but the weight of the shaft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping structure is designed as a hollow structure with a span greater than the shaft diameter. This hollow construction provides the oversized gripping area needed for control while minimizing the additional weight that would result from a solid structure of the same dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the rigid shaft material with a non-rigid gripping layer (uniform thickness of 3.175mm to 9.525mm) that has different mechanical properties. This composite structure allows the gripping area to be oversized for control while the thin gripping layer adds minimal weight.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method of improving a golf club so that the golf club provides better control and feel for its user. The golf club includes a shaft having a diameter and a gripping structure having a span that is 25% to 150% greater than said diameter, wherein the shaft and the gripping structure are coupled in a concentric arrangement relative to each other, and wherein the shaft and the gripping structure have a substantially similar rigid compression property. The golf club further provides a gripping layer attached to an outer surface of the gripping structure, wherein the gripping layer has a uniform thickness of one-eighth to three-eighths of an inch.