Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-13
2001-03-20
Passaniti, Sebastiano (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S314000, C473S340000, C473S294000, C473S296000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203446
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a putter golf club (putter). More particularly, the present invention relates to a putter with a head having a shaft positioned at a rearward portion of the head relative to the front face of the putter.
2. Description of Prior Art
At the present time, there are available a wide variety of putters which are golf clubs designed for striking a golf ball on substantially smooth grass portions of a golf course known as “putting greens”. Since putting accounts for approximately one half of the golf strokes which a normal golfer takes during a round of golf, it is particularly important that the putter be designed to permit an accurate putting stroke.
The most common putter design at the present time is some variation of a simple relatively light weight “blade” on the end of a relatively short shaft as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,875. A blade type putter is relatively low weight club which requires the user to strike the ball with a higher velocity in order to impart a desired momentum (mass times velocity) to the golf ball. When utilizing the required higher velocity, the user tends to lose control over the putting stroke. In addition, with a light weight club head, the inertia of the ball and club head are similar so that when the ball contacts the club head slightly off-line from the center of mass of the club head, the club head tends to rotate thereby causing the ball to move away from the club head at an angle that deviates from the intended direction together with a spinning motion on the ball that further adversely influences the ball's path. With a relatively low weight club head any small irregular motion on the part of the user produces a relatively large deviation in the club head velocity and direction which results in erratic puffing.
There are also available a wide variety of putters having a club head which includes weights or which have a head having a larger weight than a blade putter. Such structures are exemplified by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,762,717; 4,195,842; 4,411,430; 4,756,535; 4,834,387 and 5,082,277. These putter structures represent attempts to enlarge the “sweet spot” on the club head face. The “sweet spot” is the area on the putter face which, when used to strike the golf ball imparts little or no vibration and little or no torque to the putter. It is desirable to enlarge the sweet spot so as to provide the user with a large margin of error when striking the ball.
Another common problem among golfers is the inability to initiate a putting motion i.e., freezing during preparation for a putt, known in golfing terminology as the “yips”. This condition may result, in part from the sensitive nature of the putt and the appreciation that the slightest lack of control and the delicate putting motion will result in an unwanted result. Prior attempts to overcome this condition include the use of putters having a relatively long shaft such as are exemplied by those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,163,554 and 5,209,474.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a putter that allows the user to have a more consistent putting stroke which would thereby provide more accuracy in putting a golf ball. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a putter with a head having a large sweet spot. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a putter with a shaft positioned to minimize undesired club head movement when executing a putting stroke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a golf club putter is provided which comprises a head and a shaft wherein the head can include one or more optional weights and the shaft is positioned into a rearward position of the head. The head comprises a mallet-like club head having a flat front face and wherein all or a portion of the side edges and back edge of the putter are curved. The putter shaft is inserted directly into the head and enters the head at a compound angle wherein the shaft is angled sightly toward the front face of the head and is angled slightly toward the user of the putter. The shaft is positioned in a rearward position closer to the back edge than the front face of the head so that at least a majority of the weight of the head is positioned forward of the shaft toward the front face, enabling the user to have a more direct mass behind the ball at contact.
An elongated shaft can be utilized so that the end of the shaft distal from the head can be rendered essentially motionless by the application of force of the user's arm against the shaft and against the user's ribs. The putter face is angled as a single angle or as a compound angle by being angled at a bottom portion of the face toward the back edge at a first angle and at a top portion of the face toward the back edge at a second angle larger than the first angle. The putter embodiment of this invention having the compound angled face provides the user with a better view of the face and a ball in contact with the face as compared to a putter face having a single angle.
It has been found that the putter of this invention provides a larger sweet spot as compared to putters having a different shaft configuration and position. By positioning the shaft rearwardly of the majority of the weight of the head, the rearward portion of the putter including the shaft follows the forwardly positioned portion of the head weight. After motion of the putter has been initiated, the momentum of the moving forward portion of the head reduces the need for added force on the shaft by the user and thus reduces the opportunity for applying undesirable force direction to the shaft by the user. In addition, in one embodiment, the user of the putter of this invention is provided with an improved view of the position of a golf ball relative to the face for contacting the ball.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5544879 (1996-08-01), Collins
patent: 5785608 (1998-07-01), Collins
Cona Frank A.
Passaniti Sebastiano
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