U.S. patent application number 10/485167 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-27 for putter in particular for training purposes.
Invention is credited to Amort, Marc, Hermle, Harald, Schill, Josef.
Application Number | 20050020372 10/485167 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26011088 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050020372 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hermle, Harald ; et
al. |
January 27, 2005 |
Putter in particular for training purposes
Abstract
The invention relates to a putter, in particular for training
purposes, comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4), which has a
striking surface (15). According to the invention, the striking
surface (15) should be located on a projecting part (14) of (the
club head (4), preferably at the end of a ball corridor (36), which
is formed by two guide brackets (5, 6).
Inventors: |
Hermle, Harald;
(Mahlstetten, DE) ; Amort, Marc; (Donaueschingen,
DE) ; Schill, Josef; (Bad Durrheim/Hochemmingen,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACHMAN & LAPOINTE, P.C.
900 CHAPEL STREET
SUITE 1201
NEW HAVEN
CT
06510
US
|
Family ID: |
26011088 |
Appl. No.: |
10/485167 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
July 31, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP02/08530 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/242 ;
473/244; 473/251 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/3621 20200801;
A63B 69/3685 20130101; A63B 53/0487 20130101; A63B 53/0462
20200801; A63B 60/54 20151001; A63B 53/0416 20200801; A63B 69/3676
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/242 ;
473/244; 473/251 |
International
Class: |
A63B 069/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 2, 2001 |
DE |
201 12 868.3 |
Mar 27, 2002 |
DE |
102 14 001.4 |
Claims
1-35 (cancelled):
36. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head having a
striking surface (15), the striking surface (15) is on an elevation
(14) of the club head (4), guide brackets (5, 6) are secured on the
club head (4) and form a ball corridor (36) and an opening (18) in
a direction away from the striking surface (15), and includes means
for changing the opening (18) for the ball passage by selectable
positioning the guide brackets (5, 6).
37. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the guide brackets
(5, 6) are bent inward at their respectively front end (17) and
form an opening (18) for the ball passage.
38. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the club head (4)
has a basic body (35).
39. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the basic body (35)
includes a shaft-retaining plate (2) and a damping plate (3)
wherein a threaded pin passing through the damping plate, (3).
40. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the basic body (35)
forms a striking side (21) against which a striking plate (1)
abuts.
41. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the guide brackets
(5, 6) engage behind the basic body (35).
42. The putter as claimed in claim 41, wherein projecting up from
an end bordering arrangement (24.1, 24.2) of the basic body (35)
are unit-spacing bolts (30) which engage in grooves (29) in the
guide brackets (5, 6).
43. The putter as claimed in claim 42, wherein a plurality of
unit-spacing bolts (30) and grooves (29) are provided.
44. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the guide brackets
(5, 6) are spaced apart on side walls (19) of the club head (4),
wherein a guide pin (25), provided on one of the side walls and the
guide brackets engages in a guide groove (26) provided in the other
of the side wall (19) and the guide brackets.
45. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein a front half of the
guide brackets (5, 6) tapers slightly, on a sliding-surface side
(28) thereof in the direction of an the end (17) of the guide
brackets.
46. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the striking surface
(15) is of rectangular design.
47. The putter as claimed in claim 46, wherein the striking surface
(15) is provided on a conical elevation (14) which is part of a
striking plate (1).
48. The putter as claimed in claim 47, wherein the striking plate
(1) is of circular design and the conical elevation (14) is formed
by two mutually opposite, sloping surfaces.
49. The putter as claimed in claim 48, wherein the striking plate
(1) has knurling (13).
50. The putter as claimed in claim 40, wherein the striking plate
(1) has a threaded bore (12) for accommodating the threaded pin
(7).
51. The putter as claimed in claim 50, wherein the threaded pin (7)
is located along a longitudinal axis (20) of the club head (4).
52. The putter as claimed in claim 51, wherein a shaft-retaining
plate (2) is movably seated on the threaded pin (7) for movement,
relative to the axis (20).
53. The putter as claimed in claim 39, wherein an exchangeable
damping plate (3) is seated on the threaded pin (7).
54. The putter as claimed in claim 53, wherein a second striking
plate is provided.
55. The putter as claimed in claim 54, wherein the second striking
plate (8) is similar to the first striking plate (1), but has a
smaller striking surface.
56. The putter as claimed in claim 55, wherein the second striking
plate (8) is seated on the threaded pin (7) on a side opposite to
the first striking plate (1).
57. The putter as claimed in claim 56, wherein the second striking
plate (8) secures the guide brackets (5, 6) on the basic body
(34).
58. The putter as claimed in claim 40, wherein two direction
markings (9, 11) are provided at different heights on the club head
(4).
59. The putter as claimed in claim 58, wherein the club head (4)
has a shaft (10) which is flattened on one side, wherein the shaft
(10) is inserted into a shaft-retaining plate (2) which is arranged
in a force-fitting manner on the threaded pin (7) between the
striking plate (1, 8) and a damping plate (3).
60. The putter as claimed in claim 59, wherein the shaft (10) is
fitted in a force-fitting manner in the shaft-retaining plate
(2).
61. The putter as claimed in claim 58, wherein an aiming clip (38)
is assigned in a removable manner to the club head (4), the aiming
clip (38) has an aiming gap (39) projecting into the ball corridor
(36), said gap being aligned with a longitudinal axis (20) and with
each direction marking (9) and (11) wherein one direction marking
is above the other.
62. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4) having a
striking surface (15), a rubber cable (43) having one end secured
on the shaft (10) by a releasable mount (50), wherein the rubber
cable (43) is connected, at an other end, to a ground anchor (45)
on the far side of a golf hole (47) which is to be hit with a golf
ball, wherein the releasable mount (50) wraps around the shaft (10)
with a changeable-length strip (51) which is connected to a
tensioning lever (52).
63. The putter as claimed in claim 62, wherein the tensioning lever
(52) has a notched surface (55) in the direction of the shaft
(10).
64. The putter as claimed in claim 62, wherein the tensioning lever
(52) has at least one bore (56) for accommodating a retaining
needle (57) for the rubber cable (43).
65. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4) having a
striking surface (15), wherein secured on the club head (4) is an
aiming element (48) which is guided along a cable (43).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a putter, in particular a practice
putter, having a shaft and a club head which has a striking
surface, the striking surface being arranged on an elevation of the
club head.
[0002] The game of golf involves trying to use as few strokes as
possible between teeing off the ball and playing it into the
respectively associated hole. For this purpose, use is made of a
series of clubs which satisfy the respective stroke requirements.
The final strokes before the ball is holed usually take place from
the green, where the ball is already more or less in the vicinity
of the hole. In order to span this short distance, use is made of
the so-called putter, which has a different configuration from the
rest of the golf clubs and which also requires a different striking
technique to the other clubs. During putting, the starting
direction of the ball is ideally as straight as possible in direct
extension of the swing line. In order to ensure this, a number of
hitting-moment factors have to be fulfilled, the straight putting
movement, the striking-surface position at the hitting moment, the
vertical striking angle and the centrality with which the ball is
hit by the striking surface forming the basic essentials for a
successful putt.
[0003] Practice equipment or practice putters for such
hitting-moment factors are already known. It is thus possible, for
example on a practice green, to practice the straight putting
movement on a fixed guide rail by the putter being guided as
closely as possible along the guide rail during striking practice.
The disadvantage here is that it is only possible to practice the
straight putting movement and the guide rail means that the ball
can only ever be played to the same hole.
[0004] GB 325 744 A, U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,376 A and U.S. Pat. No.
5,240,253 also disclose putters in which an elevation or a bolt is
arranged on the striking surface.
[0005] Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,535 A, U.S. Pat. No.
5,810,675 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,153 A disclose practice putters
having a club head with a striking surface which extends over the
club-head width and with two non-adjustable guide brackets
projecting beyond the club-head sides. Since during execution of
the stroke, before it strikes the striking surface, the ball merely
has to be located in the ball corridor formed by the guide
brackets, which project beyond the club-head sides, in order for it
to be possible to hit the ball with the striking surface, the
stroke does not differ significantly from that with a putter which
is conventionally used in golf. Only a marked deviation from the
ideal putting line as a result of the ball coming into contact with
the guide bracket is obvious, which, of course, may not be
sufficient for comprehensive putting training.
[0006] For a better aim, U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,093 also discloses a
plug-on aiming clip, of which the projecting metal pin should be
guided centrally over the ball.
[0007] Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,656 A discloses a means in
which the shaft has a mount for connecting a flexible rubber line
or the like. The flexible rubber line here extends in the rearward
direction, away from the striking surface, rather than in the
direction of the hole which is to be sighted. Furthermore,
connection to the mount takes place such that the flexible rubber
line always keeps the striking surface perpendicular to it.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,286 discloses an aiming device which is
located on a shaft and is connected to a target block via a roll-up
cord. When the target block is sighted, the cord extends over the
ball. The mount is very complicated and heavy, and so it has a
considerable influence on the feel of the player when putting.
[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a putter, in
particular a practice putter, of the type described in the
introduction which makes it possible to practice the hitting-moment
factors forming the basic essentials for a successful putt, such as
the straight putting movement, the striking-surface position at the
hitting moment, the vertical striking angle and the centrality with
which the ball is hit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The foregoing object is achieved by providing a putter
comprising a shaft and a club head having a striking surface,
wherein the striking surface is arranged on an elevation provided
on the club head. Guide brackets are provided on the club head and
form a corridor in a direction away from the striking surface.
[0011] The guide brackets form an opening for the ball passage with
their ends. This opening can be changed by the guide brackets using
a unit-spacing arrangement and can be coordinated during practice
with the respective level of play. It is also conceivable for these
guide brackets to be plugged onto a commercially available putter,
for example onto the rear of the latter, by means of a
corresponding retaining device.
[0012] In the case of a successfully executed stroke, the ball
passes through the opening and the ball corridor, formed by the
guide brackets, and, following impact against the centrally hit
striking surface, leaves the ball corridor again through the
opening, in the opposite direction, in extension of the swing line.
If the ball, in contrast, does not precisely hit the center of the
striking surface, i.e. if the ball strikes against one of the
longitudinal edge of the striking surface or against a deflecting
surface adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the striking surface,
it is deflected by the impulse component occurring transversely to
the swing line and gets caught in the ball corridor, as a result of
which the failure of the stroke is immediately apparent.
[0013] A striking plate assigned to the striking side preferably
has a striking surface which is provided on an elevation comprising
four deflecting surfaces and of which the width is kept narrow in
comparison with the club-head width, which is important for the
centrality with which the ball is hit insofar as the ball here is
hit at the center of gravity of the putter. The vertically oriented
width of the striking surface here is preferably approximately 5
mm, although it may also be adapted to other requirements.
[0014] For professionals, this striking surface may be round; for
normal players, a rectangular shape is preferred since there is
more hitting surface available with the longer rectangle sides
arranged horizontally. If the user is then more proficient, it is
possible for the rectangular striking surface to be positioned
vertically and for the hitting surface thus to be reduced in
size.
[0015] A round or relatively small hitting surface teaches the
hitting moment and allows even better teaching of the horizontal
and vertical sweetspot.
[0016] It is possible for the striking plate to be assigned not
just to a commercially available club head of a putter or to a
special club head of a practice putter, but also, for example, to a
corresponding attachment on a commercially available putter or
practice putter.
[0017] A further striking plate of the same design is preferably
located on the rear side of the club. It differs from the striking
plate on the striking side merely by way of the striking surface
being approximately double the width. The two striking plates can
be exchanged for one another, with the result that striking
surfaces of different sizes are available. Since the opening for
the ball passage can be coordinated both as desired and with the
size of the striking surface, the putter can be set individually to
any level of play for practicing a straight putting movement and
for the centrality with which the ball is hit.
[0018] Moreover, a fair number of proficient players use the
striking plate with ball corridor for stroke practice, but
thereafter use the second striking plate on the rear side of the
club head.
[0019] A further hitting-moment factor is constituted by the
vertical striking angle at which, with correct stroke execution
together with the rest of the hitting-moment factors, the ball is
hit precisely at the vertex of the curve of the swing. Rotating the
striking plate through 90.degree. results in the width of the
striking surface being located transversely to the putter and thus
deliberately provides the ball with less striking surface in the
vertical direction, with the result that this ideal hitting point
(sweetspot) is only hit when followthrough takes place with the
putter at an ideal height in relation to the practice green. If the
ball is hit beneath or above the vertex, i.e. if it strikes against
one of the longitudinal edges of the striking surface or against
one of the adjacent deflecting surfaces thereof, the ball "jumps"
or behaves in a manner similar to when the width of the striking
surface is positioned vertically, which always gives an immediate
indication of the failure of the stroke.
[0020] The task of orienting the striking-surface position in
relation to the aiming or putting line at the hitting moment is
assisted in a sustained manner by two direction markings which are
arranged in alignment, at different height, on the top side of the
club head, directly behind the shaft. Since the direction markings
are located at different heights, they can only be brought together
with the aiming or putting line on a common direction line if the
player's eyes are vertically above the direction markings when the
player is in the conventional putting posture, which is
advantageous in any case for a straight putting movement.
[0021] Optical problems mean that the putter is still difficult to
align correctly in relation to the aiming line, this often also
being the cause of frequent errors during putting. A remedy to this
source of error is often to be found by drawing a line on the ball
by means of a template, aligning the ball with the hole with
reference to this marking and positioning the striking surface of
the putter at right angles to the ball marking. This method is
further improved by an aiming clip. The aiming gap of the aiming
clip, which is positioned in a removable manner on the club head,
is easily brought into alignment, above the ball, with the marking
on the latter as the putter sits on the practice green. Since the
aiming gap is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the club head,
the putter is inevitably brought into correct alignment, which also
results in the optimum ball position between the guide
brackets.
[0022] Improved aiming may also be achieved using a rubber cable
which is tensioned between the club head and a ground anchor behind
the hole. When the ball is struck, the cable then has to extend
precisely over the ball. It is possible for the cable simply to be
fitted into the aiming clip or to be fitted by means of a clamping
device on the shaft or on the shaft extension of this practice
putter or any desired commercially available putter.
[0023] In an exemplary embodiment according to the invention, a
releasable mount is provided for securing the rubber cable on the
shaft. This releasable mount essentially comprises a strip and a
tensioning lever. The strip is changeable in length and/or
flexible. In the use position, the strip wraps around the shaft of
the putter, it being possible for the tensioning lever to be tilted
in relation to the strip so that it is supported firmly against the
shaft. The strip is thus tensioned and secured on the shaft
itself.
[0024] For better guidance of the tensioning lever in relation to
the shaft, an end surface of the tensioning lever which strikes
against the shaft is designed as a notched surface.
[0025] In the tensioning position, the tensioning lever is located
approximately horizontally, with the result that it can serve for
securing the rubber cable. A retaining needle can preferably be
inserted into the tensioning lever for this purpose, the rubber
cable being secured on said retaining needle.
[0026] In order to take account of a different sweetspot of the
putter, the tensioning lever has a plurality of bores, with the
result that the retaining needle can be adjusted precisely over the
sweetspot.
[0027] The significant advantage of such an aiming means is that
the player's eye can remain on the ball rather than having to
follow the putter. The rubber cable has to be located precisely
over the point at which the ball is hit. The rubber cord itself is
highly elastic, with the result that it does not counteract
swinging of the putter by any opposing force.
[0028] Even once the ball has been struck, the player can track
whether the striking surface is still running perpendicularly to
the cord. As a result, he/she controls the stroke not just before
the ball is hit but also thereafter.
[0029] It is also conceivable for a rubber cable to be tensioned
between two ground anchors, one behind the hole and the other
behind the ball. The aiming clip may then be replaced by a
vertically positioned clip with a hollow in which the cable runs
when the ball is struck.
[0030] Simply by releasing the two striking plates and screwing
them tight, it is possible to change the shaft-inclination angle
therebetween, in accordance with requirements of the practicing
golfer, by virtue of a shaft-retaining plate with the shaft being
rotated. The putter can be used equally well for right-handed
players and left-handed players by the striking plate which is
mounted on the striking side being unscrewed, the adjacent
shaft-retaining plate, together with the shaft, being drawn off
from the threaded pin and being plugged onto the threaded pin
again, in a state in which it has been rotated through 180.degree.,
and positioned in a force-fitting manner by means of the striking
plate being screwed on again.
[0031] Different shaft lengths can readily be adapted to different
heights and arm lengths by virtue of the shaft, including the
shaft-retaining plate, being exchanged.
[0032] By means of a damping plate, which can be used in materials
of different weights, the firmness of stroke of the practice putter
can easily be adapted to that of the usual putter.
[0033] The present invention can, of course, be used on the
practice green to play the ball to any desired hole, which seems
indispensable for comprehensive training success. At the same time,
this variable putter can be used to teach the feel for stroke
control and to practice reading of the green.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
the drawings and described in more detail hereinbelow. Further
embodiments can be gathered from the subclaims and the description.
In the drawings:
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a putter head according to the
invention;
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a striking plate in the putter
head;
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the striking plate according to
FIG. 2;
[0038] FIG. 4 shows, on a different scale, a partially illustrated
section along line IV-IV according to FIG. 1, with a view of part
of a shaft,
[0039] FIG. 5 shows, on a different scale, a rear view of the
putter head,
[0040] FIG. 6 shows, on a different scale, a side view, illustrated
in partly broken-away form, of the putter with a view of part of
the shaft;
[0041] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the putter head according to
FIG. 1, albeit with an aiming clip;
[0042] FIG. 8 shows a side view, illustrated in partly broken-away
form, according to FIG. 6 without a view of part of the shaft, but
with an aiming clip;
[0043] FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of an aiming means
according to the invention;
[0044] FIG. 10 shows a side view of an aiming element on the
putter;
[0045] FIG. 11 shows a plan view of a shaft part, in section, on
which a mount for a rubber cable is secured;
[0046] FIG. 12 shows a reduced-scale side view of the shaft part
according to FIG. 11 with the mount in a use position;
[0047] FIG. 13 shows a reduced-scale side view of the shaft part
according to FIG. 11 with the mount in a further use position;
[0048] FIG. 14 shows a plan view of a ground spike.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] As FIG. 1 shows, a club head 4 in the putter head has, on
its striking side 21, a circular striking plate 1, of which the
lateral surface has knurling 13 adjoined by a conical elevation 14,
which is divided by in each case two opposite deflecting surfaces
14 and which opens out into a planar striking surface 15 of
rectangular design.
[0050] It is possible to provide two markings (not shown
specifically) on the striking side 21, these markings interacting
with, for example, notches 42 or other markings (see FIG. 2). They
ensure that a striking surface 15, which will be mentioned at a
later stage in the text, is set horizontally or vertically.
[0051] The club head 4, starting from the rear side 23, is enclosed
by a right-hand and a left-hand guide bracket 5, 6, these brackets
extending beyond side walls 19 of the club head 4. At their
respectively front end 17, the guide brackets are bent inward at
right angles and form an opening 18 for the ball passage, this
being adjoined by a ball corridor 36, which is located between the
guide brackets 5, 6.
[0052] A sectional image (FIG. 4) shows a further striking plate 8
of the same design, which only differs in a width 22.1 its striking
surface 15 from a width 22 of the striking plate 1 (FIGS. 2 and
3).
[0053] The striking plates 1, 8 are provided on a threaded pin 7,
which passes through the club head 4 along a longitudinal axis 20,
in order optionally to be screwed on at both ends of this pin. For
this purpose, the two striking plates have threaded bores 12. The
club head 4 contains a bearing bore arranged centrally along the
longitudinal axis 20, and running beneath a prism 33, for
accommodating a shaft-retaining plate 2 and a damping plate 3,
which are both likewise arranged on the threaded pin 7. The
shaft-retaining plate 2, which directly adjoins the striking plate
1 fastened on the striking side 21, serves for accommodating a
firmly connected shaft 10 and for setting the shaft-inclination
angle, as required, transversely to the longitudinal axis 20. Above
the shaft-retaining plate 2, a bearing bore is opened to the extent
required by the shaft 10 for pivoting in order to set a
shaft-inclination angle.
[0054] A fair number of players also only use the shaft-retaining
plate 2 with two striking plates 1 and 8 arranged on the threaded
pin for practicing a uniform swing. In the case of a non-uniform
swing, the threaded pin 7 is displaced in the shaft-retaining
plate, this resulting in a clicking noise when the striking plate 1
or 8 strikes against the shaft-retaining plate 2.
[0055] The damping plate 3, which is seated on the threaded pin 7
following the shaft-retaining plate 2, is supported on the rear
wall of the bearing bore in the direction of the rear side 23 of
the club head.
[0056] The prism 33, which rises up above the damping plate 3,
beyond the top side of the club head 4, has, on its top surface, a
vertically running milled recess for accommodating a metal plate,
preferably made of aluminum, designed as the top direction marking
9. Instead of a milled recess and metal plate, it is also possible
to use an imprint.
[0057] The prism 33 is seated on a basic body 35, preferably made
of plastic, in which the damping plate 3 and the shaft-retaining
plate 2 are also accommodated.
[0058] Located beneath the top direction marking 9, starting from
the top side of the club head 4, is a vertically introduced
V-shaped cutout 37, which merges into a horizontal groove for
accommodating a metal plate, preferably made of aluminum, which is
likewise designed as a direction marking 11. Instead of this metal
plate, it would also be possible here to use an imprint.
Furthermore, it may also be possible to see the threaded pin 7
directly, with the result that this pin serves as a marking. The
top direction marking 9 and the bottom direction marking 11 are
aligned along the longitudinal axis 20.
[0059] On the rear side 23 of the club head, the end parts of the
right-hand and of the left-hand guide brackets 5, 6 may be, as is
only illustrated in FIG. 5, between a top and a bottom end
bordering arrangement 24.1 and 24.2, in which case they are forced
onto the rear side 23 of the club head, and thus fixed, by an
optionally screwed-on striking plate 1, 8.
[0060] The degree to which the guide brackets are adjusted takes
place, and thus the width of the opening 18 for the ball passage is
defined, by selectable positioning of a unit-spacing arrangement 32
which comprises spaced-apart grooves 29, which are made in a
bearing surface 31 of the guide bracket 5, 6, and two unit-spacing
bolts 30, which can engage in the grooves 29 and are arranged at a
corresponding spacing on the end bordering arrangement 24.1 of the
club head 4. Releasing the striking plate 1, 8 causes the fixing of
the guide bracket 5, 6 to be eliminated to the extent where said
bracket is raised and a new setting of the unit-spacing arrangement
32 can be selected by horizontal displacement.
[0061] Apertures 34 on the end parts of the guide bracket 5, 6
prevent restriction to the narrowest possible setting of the
unit-spacing arrangement 32 when the guide bracket 5, 6 approaches
the threaded pin 7.
[0062] In order to keep the guide bracket 5, 6 stable when the ball
is struck, a guide pin 25, which passes out of the wall of the
guide bracket 5, 6, engages in a guide groove 26, which is located
in the club head 4 and runs horizontally from the rear side 23 of
the club head. In addition, an O-ring 27, which is seated on the
guide pin 25 in the region of the guide groove 26, has a
vibration-damping action (FIG. 6). The slight tapering of the front
half of a sliding surface 28 of the guide bracket 5, 6 in the
direction of the end 17 facilitates the followthrough of the putter
without coming into contact with the practice green.
[0063] In a further embodiment, an aiming clip 38 is arranged on
the top side 16 of the club head, and the aiming gap 39 of the
aiming clip, said aiming gap projecting into the ball corridor 36,
is aligned with the longitudinal edge 20. The aiming clip 38, which
is preferably formed from steel wire, opens out in the region of
the striking plate 1, 8, where its two legs 40, extending away from
one another at an obtuse angle, are anchored in a removable manner
between the shaft 10 and the side walls 19 (FIG. 7). The height of
the aiming clip 38, projecting out of the club head 4, is
dimensioned such that there is a spacing of at least 10 mm between
the aiming gap 39 and a conventional golf ball located therebeneath
(FIG. 8).
[0064] The embodiments and the nature of the invention are not
restricted to the present exemplary embodiments. The club head 4
may likewise consist of metal or of plastic, as is the case for the
guide brackets 5, 6, the striking plates 1, 8 or the aiming
clip.
[0065] The present invention functions as follows:
[0066] The putter according to the invention is a piece of practice
equipment by means of which it is possible to practice the three
most important hitting-moment factors in a movement, namely:
[0067] hitting the sweetspot,
[0068] a straight striking-surface position, and
[0069] a correct swing path.
[0070] A successful putt depends on these factors. In addition, it
is necessary to teach reading of the green and control. The putter
according to the invention is a variable training putter which can
be adjusted in a number of respects to the desired requirements. It
can be used by right-handed or left-handed players, it is possible
to set the shaft-inclination angle (Lie) and the weight can be
changed.
[0071] The greatest advantage of the putter according to the
invention over other training means, however, is the fact that it
can be used--just like the actual putter--for practising on the
putting green.
[0072] A first important point is the swing direction along the
aiming line. The ideal putting movement is a straight pendulum
movement along the aiming line. If the guide brackets 5, 6 are
adjusted, this produces ball corridors 36 of different widths. If
the path of the club should deviate from the ideal line, the ball
will get caught in the putter, between the guide brackets 5, 6,
during the backswing or forward swing.
[0073] The striking surface 15 should always be oriented
perpendicularly to the aiming line. It is only in the case of
relatively long putts that the striking surface can open slightly
toward the end of the backswing. If the striking surface 15 should
twist, the front opening 10 of the putter according to the
invention narrows and the ball will not reach the striking surface
15 or will remain caught in the ball corridor 36 once it has been
hit.
[0074] If the ball is not hit on the sweetspot with a normal
putter, the striking surface twists and the putt usually remains
too short. The putter according to the invention teaches how to hit
the sweetspot by way of its narrow striking surface 15. Even in the
case of small deviations, the ball strikes against one of the
sloping surfaces 14 to the left or right of the striking surface 15
and gets caught in the ball corridor 36.
[0075] It is possible to practice hitting the sweetspot vertically
if the narrowest striking surface (5 mm) is rotated through
90.degree.. The striking surface is then in a horizontal position.
If the ball is then hit too high or too low, it will jump, to an
extreme extent, over the first few centimeters.
[0076] The task of aligning the putter correctly is a difficult
one, even for top amateurs and professionals. The aiming action is
simplified to a considerable extent by the plug-on Y-shaped aiming
device of the putter according to the invention. It is sufficient
to drawn an equator line on the ball using a template (which is
available in specialist stores). This line is to be aligned with
the target. The user positions the putter according to the
invention behind the ball such that the aiming device coincides
with the line on the ball. When one's eyes are over the ball, the
aiming device and the equator line can be seen one above the other.
The rear sight and front sight, which are provided on the right of
the club-head end, are also located one above the other in optical
terms.
[0077] All the putts which find the direct path out of the putter
start precisely in the desired direction. This also gives a better
indication on reading the green. If a normal putter is used for
putting, one does not know whether the ball has started in the
envisaged direction, and it is thus also the case that it is not
possible to draw any conclusions as to the quality of the reading
of the green. The same applies to the control. Since the ball has
been hit on the sweetspot when it leaves the putter according to
the invention, this gives a clear indication as to the power of the
stroke. If the ball remains too short, the stroke was not firm
enough. When putting with a normal putter, in the case of a putt
which was too short, it is possible for the control to have been
incorrect, or the sweetspot was simply missed. If inaccurate
indications are given, of course, it is not possible to
improve.
[0078] A test has shown that almost all golfers underestimate the
break when they read the green. They then no longer totally trust
their evaluation of the ball and intuitively swing in a direction
further above the hole. This makes it difficult to learn a movement
which is free of compensation. The putter according to the
invention no longer allows this since it immediately punishes any
skewing. The putter according to the invention thus forces the user
to aim correctly since it does not allow a technique in which
incorrect reading of the green and alignment are compensated for by
an incorrect stroke.
[0079] In order for the practice putter to be brought into line
with the weight of the player's own putter, weighted inserts are
supplied with it. It is thus possible for the damping plate 3 to
consist of different materials and to be exchanged.
[0080] FIG. 9, furthermore, shows an aiming means according to the
invention. The latter essentially comprises a rubber cable 43 or
similar expansible element which is secured, on the one hand, on
the shaft 10 of the putter, via a clip 44, and, on the other hand,
on a ground anchor 45. In the use position, this cable 43 stretches
over a ball 46, a marking in the form of a line likewise being
applied, for example, to this ball 46. When the ball is struck, the
cable 43 has to coincide with this marking on the ball 46. In this
way, it is possible to sight a hole 47 in a very advantageous
manner.
[0081] According to FIGS. 11 to 13, a mount 50 may be provided for
securing the rubber cable 43 on a shaft 10 of the putter. The mount
50 essentially comprises a strip 51 and a tensioning lever 52, the
tensioning lever 52 being connected to the strip 51 via lateral
rivets 53.1 and 53.2. The rivets 53.1 and 53.2 here pass through
corresponding holes 54 in the strip 51. Since a plurality of holes
54 are provided on the strip 51, the strip 51 can wrap around
shafts 10 with different diameters.
[0082] For securing the mount 50, the latter is located in a use
position, as is shown in FIG. 12. In this case, the strip 51 is
wrapped around the shaft 10 and the rivet 53.1 is forced through
the corresponding hole 54.
[0083] Once a desired height has been determined for the mount 50
on the shaft 10, the tensioning lever 52 is pivoted through
90.degree. into the use position which is shown in FIG. 13. In this
case, a notched surface 55 of the tensioning lever 52 presses
against the shaft 10, with the result that the strip 51 is
tensioned to a considerable extent. The mount 50 is thus secured on
the shaft 10 such that it cannot rotate relative to the latter.
[0084] It is then preferred for a retaining needle 57, which forms
a loop 58 at its free end, to be inserted into the tensioning lever
52, or corresponding bores 56, over the sweetspot of the putter.
Said loop 58 serves for securing the rubber cable, although it is
also possible, of course, for the latter to be knotted.
[0085] FIG. 14 shows a ground anchor in the form of a ground spike
60. This has, in addition to a spike 61 and a surface 62, on which
it is possible to write, a winding section 63 for winding up the
rubber cable. Undercut indents 64.1 and 64.2 are assigned in each
case to the edges of the winding section 63.
[0086] A head section 65 has small incisions 66, in which the
rubber cable, and in particular the end of the rubber cable, can be
clamped in.
[0087] Another possible means for use for aiming purposes is
indicated in FIG. 10. In this case, a clip-like aiming element 48,
which forms a hollow 49, has been plugged on the club head. The
cable 43 here runs between a ground anchor 45 and, for example, a
further ground anchor behind the ball 46, in which case the cable
43 extends over the abovementioned marking of the ball 46.
[0088] When the ball is hit, the club head 4 is moved back and
forth between the ball 46 and the last-mentioned ground anchor, the
cable 43 running in the hollow 49.
* * * * *