Golf Glove, System And Method

Abstract

A golf glove and method of using where the golf glove has indicia formed on a thumb section to aid in positioning a golfer's hand in a predetermined manner with respect to a golf club. Additionally, indicia may be added to a gripping or shaft portion of a golf club to be aligned with the indicia on the golf glove thumb section to permit the golfer to align the golf glove indicia with the golf club indicia, thereby forming a golf aid system where the golfer's hands are properly positioned on the golf club.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the field of art of golf aids. In particular, this invention relates to improved golf gloves with indicia to act as a sight line for a golfer in the positioning of his hands with respect to a golf club.

2. Prior Art

Golfing aid devices to provide a proper positioning of the golfer's hands with respect to the golf club are known. However, in some cases this is accomplished by placing a peak, mound, ridge, or some raised disc on the back of the thumb portion of the glove to permit a golfer to feel or sense any separation between the hands during a golf swing. However, since each golfer's swing is individualistic and each grip is also highly different, it is seen that the raising of a portion of a golf glove may interfere with a number of golfer's grips and consequently lead to an incorrect hitting of the golf ball.

Other devices formed as part of golf gloves include a means incorporated in the palm of the golf glove to aid in properly holding the golf club. However, these mechanisms added to the palm of the golf glove do not permit proper positioning of the thumb sections with respect to the gripping portion of the golf club, thereby allowing the golfer to maintain a proper palm position of the hand with respect to the golf club but not promoting a proper swing as determined by the positioning of the thumb with respect to the golf shaft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A golf glove for positioning a golfer's hands in a predetermined manner with respect to a golf club. The positioning is defined by a thumb section of the golf club which has indicia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved golf glove;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a golfer's hand gripping a golf club having a stripe indicia throughout the thumb section of the golf glove in alignment with a striped indicia on the golf club;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a golfer's hands gripping a golf club showing diamond-shaped indicia on the thumb section of the improved golf glove in alignment with a diamond indicia on the golf club gripping portion;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a golfer's hand gripping a golf club where the mating indicia are a pair of triangular formations on the golf glove thumb section and the golf club;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the golf aid system wherein the indicia on the section of the improved golf glove is a pair of converging lines and the indicia on the golf club is a square contour;

FIG. 6 shows the improved golf aid system where the indicia on the thumb section of the improved golf glove is a pair of parallel lines placed in alignment with a pair of parallel extending lines on the golf club;

FIG. 7 shows the improved golf system where the indicia on the thumb section of the golf glove is a discontinuous set of points aligned with a discontinuous set of stripes on the golf club;

FIG. 8 shows the improved golf glove having a stripe extending all the way down the thumb to the tip of the thumb aligned with an indicia attached to the shaft of a golf club; and

FIG. 9 shows the golf aid system where a stripe indicia on the thumb section of the golf glove is aligned with a stripe and triangular-shaped indicia on the golf club.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown golf glove 10 to aid a golfer in more correctly and consistently positioning his hand with respect to golf club 12 in order to help the golfer have an improved golf club swing. In this way, the golfer properly grips club 12. Golf glove 10 includes a mechanism for positioning a golfer's hands in a predetermined manner with respect to golf club 12 where the positioning mechanism is formed on or is constructed as a part of thumb section 14 of golf glove 10. This mechanism permits the golfer to visually determine and consistently position his hands in the same way from one golf shot to another. In general, golf glove 10 may be of any commercially available standard make and may include snap fastener 18 to secure glove 10 to wrist 30 of the golfer's hand. Additionally, improved glove 10 may include a releasable securement mechanism such as a VELCRO fastener 20 to aid in snugly fitting glove 10 to the hand of the user or golfer. It will be understood that in general the improved golf glove 10 will be utilized on the left hand of a right-handed golfer and on the right hand of a left-handed golfer to aid in correctly positioning the golfer's hand with respect to golf club 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 - 9, and in a manner to be described in the following paragraphs.

As is herein detailed, improved golf glove 10 helps golfers to obtain a proper grip and allows for more consistent control of the positioning of the golfer's hand on golf club 12. Proper positioning of a golfer's hands with respect to golf club 12 includes a placement of thumb section 14 contiguous to an upper surface of grip portions 28 of club 12 and substantially directed coincident with the extended length of club 12. The remaining four fingers 22 are wrapped around an underside of club 12 with the grip portion 28 of club 12 being encompassed by fingers 22 within glove 10. As is seen in FIG. 8, indicia 16 in one embodiment of the invention passes in substantially a straight line from thumb seam 24 to thumb tip 26. This indicia follows the contour of the golfer's thumb and when viewed on the golfer's hand, when properly gripping a golf club, appears as a substantially straight line. In general, indicia 16 may be aligned with some natural indicia formed on grip portion 28 of golf club 12 or may be aligned coincident with the extension of club 12 by manual sighting by the golfer.

Through use of improved golf glove 10 the proper positioning of the non-gloved hand (right hand for right-handed golfer and left hand for left-handed golfer) is materially aided in its placement with respect to club 12. This is true since the ungloved hand is positioned with respect to the gloved hand. The gloved hand is usually positioned first with the ungloved hand in conventional manner partially overlapping and fitting into as well as over the properly positioned glove hand.

As is shown in FIG. 8, indicia 16 extends throughout the length of the thumb section defined by the boundaries of thumb seam 24 and thumb tip 26 of improved golf glove 10. However indicia 16 may extend throughout only a portion of thumb section 14 to provide proper sighting by the golfer with respect to golf club 12 extension. It is understood that when the golfer is properly gripping club 12, indicia 16 is viewable by the golfer when the golfer's left hand is in the predetermined proper position. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 - 9, indicia 16 and 16' can be seen by the golfer as a substantially straight line when the golfer's hand is in the predetermined position with respect to golf club 12.

In all embodiments of the invention as herein described, it is preferred that indicia 16 be clearly discernable from the remainder of the thumb section 14 of golf glove 10. This discernment may be through contrasting colors of indicia 16 with respect to thumb section 14 or in some like viewable discernment manner such as a different texture of indicia 16 with respect to thumb section 14. In general, contrasting colors between indicia 16 and thumb section 14 is generally preferred; however, indicia 16 may be noncontrasting with the surrounding sight surface as long as the line is visually discernable and therefore useable as a sight of line.

In general, as is shown in FIGS. 2 - 9, indicia 16 forms a sight line which may be painted, taped, sewn or otherwise attached to thumb section 14. Indicia 16 is composed of paint, material, or other material which would allow the golfer to visibly sight along the thumb section 14. Additionally, indicia 16 may be formed by perforations cut into thumb section 14 in order that the golfer's thumb is visible therethrough in the form of a stripe or other indicia to permit proper visual positioning of thumb section 14 with respect to grip portion 28. It is further seen that indicia 16 may include a continuous stripe or line extending throughout a portion of thumb section 14 or may be a discontinuous indicia stripe formation on thumb section 14. It should be understood that in the extreme when detailing indicia 16 on improved golf glove 10, that such indicia 16 may be used as a sight line when only two points are placed in a straight line. These two discontinuous points then define a line which the golfer may sight along to properly position his hand.

As is shown in FIGS. 2 - 7, and FIG. 9, there is shown a golf glove 10 having indicia 16 combined with golf club indicia 16.sup.1 to provide the proper positioning of a golfer's hands with respect to grip portion 28 of golf club 12. This golf aid system provides for a golf club positioning mechanism defined by thumb section 14 of golf glove 10 having indicia 16 in combination with a golf club positioning mechansim defined by golf club grip portion 28 having indicia 16.sup.1 to be aligned by the golfer with glove indicia 16 when the golfer's hands are positioned by a teacher in a predetermined or proper manner. In this system, club indicia 16.sup.1 is formed as part of, or added to, an upper surface of grip portion 28 of club 12 in a predetermined manner such that indicia 16 on thumb section 14 may be aligned therewith. As was the case with thumb section indicia 16, club indicia 16.sup.1 may be painted, taped, sewn or otherwise mounted or attached to golf club 12 with the only restriction that it be viewably discernable from the remaining portion of the grip 28 of club 12. Additionally, it should be noted that club indicia 16.sup.1 may be in the form of decals which may be glued or adhesively attached to grip portion 28 in a a predetermined placement setting. In this manner, indicia 16.sup.1 may easily be removed by the golfer or teacher and a new alignment placement defined between indicia 16 and 16.sup.1 at the discretion of the golfer or teacher.

As is shown in FIG. 3, thumb indicia 16 consists of a plurality of diamond shapes either painted on to thumb section 14 or such may be perforations which are clearly shown in line with a similar diamond-shaped indicia 16.sup.1 on club 12. In this manner, golf glove thumb section 14 may be aligned to club 12 as is shown. In FIG. 2, the basic system includes an indicia stripe 16 along thumb section 14 which is in a line coincident with golf club indicia 16.sup.1. As is shown in this Figure, indicia 16 extends from thumb seam 24 to thumb tip 26 in a substantially straight line when golf glove 10 is placed on the golfer's hand.

As has been stated, only 2 points are necessary to provide a sight line. In FIG. 4, there is shown thumb section indicia 16 in a triangular contour which is aligned with golf club indicia 16.sup.1 in a manner such that the base of each triangle is made to be substantially coincident. This matching of one base of the triangle to the other base of another triangle may be insured by forming the triangle on thumb section 14 along thumb tip 26 as is shown.

In FIG. 5, there is seen a converging thumb section indicia 16 which includes a pair of lines having an apex at thumb tip 26. Indicia 16.sup.1 formed on grip portion 28 may be aligned with the apex of indicia 16 to provide positioning of the golfer's hands in a predetermined position. In FIG. 6, there is shown a pair of parallel thumb indicia 16 stripes which are each aligned with a pair of indicia 16.sup.1 on grip portion 28 of club 12. In this embodiment of the invention, each of indicia 16 is aligned with corresponding club indicia 16.sup.1. FIG. 7 shows discontinuous thumb section indicia 16 which are sight-aligned with club indicia 16.sup.1 as is shown. In FIG. 9, there is stripe indicia 16 extending substantially from thumb tip 26 to thumb seam 24 and aligned with another type of stripe indicia 16.sup.1 on golf club 12. In this case, indicia 16.sup.1 on golf club 12 includes both a stripe and an arrow for accurately positioning thumb section 14 on golf club 12. The triangular portion of indicia 16 may either be integral with or separate from the stripe portion of indicia 16. This may be utilized to aid in gripping of the ungloved hand by the golfer positioning that hand in a manner such that the triangular contour formed between the thumb and forefinger surrounds the two sides of the triangle directed toward the golfer.

In general, indicia 16 and 16.sup.1 should be of varying viewable contrasts with respect to the surface it is mounted on. Additionally, as has been shown, both indicia 16 and 16.sup.1 may be continuous or formed of discontinuous portions but will in general form at least two points on which the golfer may sight. Further, both indicia 16 and 16.sup.1 may be formed on, within, or in addition to the surface on which it may appear. In this manner, the improved golf glove 10 by itself and in combination with indicia formed on golf club 12 may be used as an instructional device where a teacher may observe and then show a golfer the proper grip by applying indicia 16 and 16.sup.1 in proper placement. Further, a golfer may know the proper grip; however, by use of the described system may insure a greater consistency in the gripping of golf club 12.

It is to be understood that there isn't any one correct position for every golfer. There are some golfers who use what is called a "weak" grip where the indicia 16 would be to the left of the top of shaft position. Other golfers may use a normal grip and still others may use a "strong" grip where indicia 16 would be to the right of the top of the shaft. It therefore is seen that when using indicia 16 or indicia 16.sup.1, each golfer may align each of the indicia coincident to the other; however, such is not necessary to the teaching and use of the invention herein described.

The following description is directed particularly to the method steps taken by the golfer in properly gripping golf club 12 when the golfer hits a golf ball. The grip or shaft portion 28 of club 12 is first grasped with gloved hand 10 in the manner shown in the figures. Additionally, as has been detailed, thumb section 14 includes indicia 16 which is then aligned in a substantially straight line sighting with a longitudinal extension of golf club 12. This positions the hand wearing glove 10 properly on grip portion 28. In general, the other hand of the golfer is then positioned around the gloved hand where the second hand partially overlaps and fits into as well as over the hand wearing glove 10.

The basic step of aligning indicia 16 with the longitudinal extension of club 12 includes adjusting the gloved hand grip on golf club 12 after it has been initially grasped. This adjustment is made in a manner such that the gloved hand 10 holds club grip or shaft portion 28 while thumb section 14 touches the surface of grip portion 28 which is viewed by the golfer. This adjustment step may be turned a gross adjustment or setting of the golfer's grip on club 12. The step following adjustment is the sighting of indicia 16 on thumb section 14 so that it appears to the golfer to be in a substantially straight line with a longitudinal extension of club 12.

As previously described, golf club indicia 16.sup.1 defines a visual line of sight for the longitudinal extension of golf club 12. Thumb section indicia 16 is then positioned substantially adjacent golf club indicia 16.sup.1 to provide a proper sight line for the golfer. Once this is accomplished, glove indicia 16 is aligned with club indicia 16.sup.1 to produce the substantially straight line sighting for the golfer along the longitudinal extension of club 12.

In this manner, there has been shown an improved golf glove 10 and method of application to aid a golfer in correctly positioning his hand with respect to golf club 12 to accurately place a golf shot in consistent fashion.

Claims

1. A method for aiding an individual in properly gripping a golf club with a golf glove comprising the steps of

a. applying sighting indicia along a substantial portion of the length of the thumb portion of said golf glove,

b. said individual gripping a grip portion of the golf club with a hand wearing said golf glove,

c. observing the individual normally gripping said grip portion with the gloved hand,

d. positioning the individual's gloved hand to grip said grip portion of said golf club in a proper swing position,

e. providing removable indicia,

f. aligning said removable indicia with said sighting indicia and affixing said removable indicia to said grip portion, and

g. thereafter said individual gripping said club with the gloved hand and while sighting along a longitudinal extension of the golf club shaft aligning said sighting indicia with the removable indicia whereby the individual properly grips the club.