Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Practice device attachable to body
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2002-04-16
Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Practice device attachable to body
C473S276000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06371863
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a golf swing training device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf swing training device that guides and coordinates a user's body position and lateral, vertical, and rotational movement when executing a golf swing.
2. Background of the Invention
When a golfer properly executes a golf swing, the relatively planar face of a golf club head moving at a relatively high velocity collides with a golf ball which is at rest on or near the ground. The force of the collision causes the golf ball to compress slightly against the face of the club head, which may also undergo some temporary deformation. Because the mass of the golf ball is significantly less than that of the moving club head, the collision also causes the golf ball to become accelerated in the direction of the force being applied to it by the club head. The face of the club head is usually lofted a predetermined number of degrees from vertical and scored with horizontal grooves. The horizontal grooves in the face of the club head engage the relatively soft cover of the golf ball during compression and prevent the ball from sliding up the face. As the golf ball decompresses and begins to spring off of the face of the club head, the horizontal grooves coupled with the loft angle of the club frictionally impart a backward spin and a rising trajectory to the golf ball. The spin axis of a properly struck golf ball is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to a target line, which is an imaginary line extending horizontally in the direction of an intended target from the point at which the golfer struck the golf ball with the golf club. After springing off of the face of the club head, a properly struck golf ball, which is usually dimpled to reduce drag and increase lift, travels in a desired direction for a desired distance and comes to rest again on the ground at the intended target, assuming of course that the flight of the ball is not affected by other forces, such as wind.
It will be appreciated that the golf ball is in contact with the face of the club head for only a brief period of time during the golf swing. However, if the golf ball is to travel on a straight path to the intended target, meaning that the golf ball generally travels in a vertical plane that contains the target line, it is imperative that throughout the brief period of time the golf ball is in contact with the golf club the golfer maintains the club head such that the horizontal grooves in the club face are substantially perpendicular (i.e., square) to the target line. To hit a straight shot, it is also imperative that the golfer maintain the movement of the golf club such that the club face moves substantially along the target line while it is in contact with the ball. And, for most golf shots, it is also imperative that the golfer cause the club head to be moving at a relatively high rate of speed at the time of the collision with the ball in order to impart a sufficient force to the golf ball to cause it to travel to the intended target.
If the golf swing is not executed as described, the golf ball will not travel on a generally straight path to the intended target. For example, if the horizontal grooves in the club face are not substantially perpendicular to the target line when the head of the golf club strikes the golf ball, the spin axis of the golf ball will not be substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the target line and the golf ball will tend to curve in flight to the right or to the left of the direction of the force applied by the club. For a right-handed golfer, a trajectory deviation to the right of the target line caused by an improper spin imparted to the golf ball is referred to as a slice, and a trajectory deviation to the left caused by an improper spin imparted to the golf ball is referred to as a hook. In addition, if the movement of the club head while it is in contact with the golf ball is in a direction other than substantially along the target line, the force transferred to the golf ball will cause it to become accelerated to the right or left of the target line, which for a right-handed golfer is called a push or pull, respectively. These terms are reversed for a left-handed golfer. Other factors, such as the steepness or shallowness of the swing arc of the golf club, the velocity and acceleration of the golf club head at the moment of impact, the point on the face of the golf club which makes contact with the golf ball, and other factors can also have a significant affect on whether the golf ball comes to rest near its intended target.
Significant practice is required in order for a golfer to learn how to execute a golf swing that will result in a golf ball consistently traveling to an intended target. Unfortunately, if during such practice the golfer learns poor swing mechanics or other bad habits resulting in swing flaws, such flaws can become grooved in the golfer's swing. In other words, the golfer's muscles become accustomed to executing a golf swing having one or more flaws or faults. A golfer who has grooved a swing with a flaw or fault has a very difficult time correcting the golf swing, primarily because the golfer does not know what a proper swing is supposed to feel like or look like. Accordingly, rather than correcting the swing flaw, the golfer will more likely make a compensation in some other portion of the swing to adjust for the improper flight characteristics of the golf ball caused by the swing flaw. A classic example of this situation is a right-handed golfer with a swing flaw which produces a pronounced slice compensating for the slice by aiming far to the left of the intended target. Making compensations such as this may allow the golfer to hit the golf ball in the general direction of the intended target, but such compensations result in a loss of distance, decreased accuracy, and inconsistency. Furthermore, making such compensations tends to compound the number of swing flaws in the golfer's swing, making it even worse and more difficult to correct. Accordingly, it is better to learn and groove proper golf swing having no flaws or faults.
A proper golf swing begins from an address position and includes a back swing, a down swing, and a follow through. In the address position, the golfer stands a distance away from and facing the golf ball. The golfer's feet are placed generally astride an imaginary horizontal line that passes through the golf ball perpendicular to the target line. The golfer takes a comfortable grip on the grip end of the golf club and places the club head to the side of the golf ball opposite the target.
The first part of the golf swing is called the back swing. During the back swing, the golfer takes the club head away from the golf ball while rotating (i.e. turning) his or her hips and upper torso away from the intended target. Ideally, the golfer's shoulders should rotate up to about 90°, and the golfer's hips should rotate up to about 45° from the address position during the back swing. Once the golfer has completed the back swing, the golfer then executes the second part of the golf swing called the down swing. The point at which the golfer transitions from the back swing to the down swing is called the top of the back swing. During the down swing, the golfer turns back toward the golf ball. The golfer strikes the golf ball with the face of the club head at the bottom of the down swing. In the brief period of time that the golf ball is on the club face, the down swing transitions into the third part of the golf swing called the follow through. During the follow through, the golfer completes a turn in the direction of the intended target. Ideally, the golfer's shoulders should rotate up to about 180° and the golfer's hips should rotate up to about 90° from the position they were in at the top of the back swing.
Videotape recordings and stop-action photographs taken of professional golfers show that in addition to the rotat
Gorden Raeann
Graham Mark S.
Rankin, Hill Porter & Clark LLP
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