Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GOLF E~ERCIS~R
_
This invention relates in general to a golf exercise
device having a shaft with a grip at one end and a weight on the
other, and a second grip parallel to the first, attached to the
shaft between the first grip and the weight~ offset from the
first grip.
The invention is designed primarily to allow a golfer
to exercise all of the correct muscles groups used in the golf
swing while developing the muscle memory relating to a sound,
correct~ natural and repeating swing motionO While the
invention may be used in almost any place, it is intended for
use indoors in confined space without the necessity of hitting a
ball during periods when the actual playing of the game is not
possible. It may also be used as a teaching aid as well and be
produced in the forrn of an actual club for use on the practice
tee.
The golf swing is notoriously difficult for a beginner
to learn and the average golfer to maintain. The single shafted
conventional golf club is grasped with both hands together one
below the other and can easily be manipulated by pronation and
supination (rolling) of the wrists and arms virtually in the
same manner as if the club is grasped with either hand alone
uncontrolled. The pronation and supination, in the hands of a
beginner or average golfer, result in the club face meeting the
ball at various angles, causing mishit shots. This invention
virtually eliminates this uncontrolled motion with the result
that the club face remains basically square throughout the
swing.
There have been sugges~ions at various ti~es to
manufacture golf clubs with two, parallel, grips in an attempt
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to overcome the difficulties experienced by beginners in the
game.
U.S. Patent No. 1,919,221 (Inventor: Janes), for
instance, shows ~inter ali_) a golf club having two handles of
equal length in ba~ically a 'Y'-shaped pattern with the two
handles close together, designed so that a player could use both
hands, beside and close to each other. However, that device
would not inhibit wrist rotation significantly as the grips are
placed too closely together and with handles of equal length
would not put the players shoulders, arms and hands in the same
position as with a normal club. Another difficulty with the
device is that under the rules of golf, it would be illegal to
use a two-handed club in a golf game; yet this is advocated in
the patentO The purpose of the device was to replace the legal
golf club with a new, easier to use, but currently illegal club
-- thus the device did not have to be designed in a way that
facilitates an easy transition by a golfer from a two-handed to
a single-handed club.
Another device shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,938,728
(Inventor: Green) includes an auxillary handle which has two
clamps enabl.ing it to be attached to a golf club handle, in the
form of a "P", and is meant to weaken the action of the right
hand during the swing. However, because of the two clamps the
result was a closed loop, with the upper bracket interfering
with both the hands when in use7 The upper bracket would
interfere with (a) the lower hand because it cannot be placed at
the proper angle and (b) the upper hand, because it is forced ~o
a position too far above the lower hand and as a result the
lower hand cannot be placed on the auxilary handle properlyO
30 Th8 device was meant to weaken the right hand in the gol~ swing;
it does not permit an easy transition to a normal club because
it prevents the hands from being placed in the sa~e relative
position as with the normal, single shafted club.
This invention generally relates to a training device
S for golf, comprising a shaft terminating at ~ne end with a
weigh~ and at the other with a first grip, a crosspiece
extending perpendicular to the shaft, and a second grip
extending parallel to the first grip from the crosspiece; the
distance between the two grips being between 3" and 4" measured
from their centres which with regular use (a) develops the
muscles used in the golf swing and (b) produces muscle memory
relating to a sound repeating golf swing, while (c) facilitating
the transition to the normal golf club.
Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers refer
to like parts t.hroughout:
Figure 1 is an elevation of an embodiment of the
invention, viewed from the front;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the same em~odiment viewed
from the side; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention having a weight with the
configuration of a golf club head.
The embodiments shown consists of a shaft 1,
terminating at one end in a ~eight 2 and at the other in a first
grip 3. The weight has a front surface 4O Between the weight 2
and the grip 3 is attached a lateral crosspiece 5 which is
generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 6 of the shaft
1 in a first plane and generally perpendicular to a second plane
defined by the longitudinal axis 7 of the weight and the
0 longitudinal axis 6 of the shaft 1. A second grip 8 having a
- 3 -
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longitudinal axis 9 extends upwardly as shown in the drawing
from the crosspiece 5 generally parallel to shaft 1 and thus
falls within the plane common to crosspiece 5 and axis 6 of
shaft 1.
In the embodiments shown, the second grip 8 ~erminates
lower than the first grip, so that the right hand is guided to a
position lower than the lef~. This arrangement should be
reversed for a left-handed player.
The embodiment shown in Figure 3 has the weight in the
confiquration of a golf club head, with a striking face on the
front surface 4 similar to that of a golf club, with the
equivalent angle.
The device can be made in a variety of ways from a
variety of materials. It can be made in one piece or several
pieces but the following should pertain:
1. The swing weight should be equal to or exceed the
weight of an average 5 iron and the device should be
approximately 25" in length.
2. The position of the weight may be variable or fixed but
its center of gravity should be in the plane defined by axis 6
of shaft 1 and axis 7 of weight 2, and thus always remain
perpendicular to the front face of the crosspiece.
3. The grips must be substantially parallel and be 3" or
more apart, preferably about 3"-4" measured between their axes
and be permanently affixed to the shaft and the crosspiece.
4. The second grip should end about 2"-3" below the end of
the other.
5. The crosspiece and the shafts are permanently affixed
to each other.
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The above should result in a device proportioned to
guide a beginner in his swing and assist the average golfer in
maintaining his swing during periods when the actual playing of
the game is not possibleO
The device is u~ed by swinging it the same arc as a
sinyle shaft golf club would be ~wung, as described more
particularly below. The device, with regular use, enables the
beginner ~o develop muscle "memory", and the average golfer to
reinforce "memory", of ~he correct swing; and when he uses a
golf club he will find that he tends to follow the same correct
swing as he was constrained ~o follow by this exercise device.
This invention allows and encourages the golfer to
execute a motion akin to a two-handed, underhanded tossing or
throwing motion utilizing both hands approximately equally
lS during the swing.
This invention is used as follows, when the user adopts
a normal golfing stance:
1. The device of the invention has one grip about 2"-31'
lower than the other (the right hand grip for right handed
players and the left Eor left handed players) spaced at least 3"
apart9 preferably about 3"-4" measured at the parallel axes of
the grips. The user therefore puts his shoulders and hands in
the same position or "set" as they would be with a single shaft
golf club.
2. When the device is taken back to begin the swing, the
hands, arms and wrists cannot easily rotate the weight and this
lack of manipulation keeps the weight front in an approximately
square position throughout the backswing, the grips being spaced
far enough apart to substantially prevent the hands from
manipulating the device improperly.
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4. When the device is swung forwardr the leading hand is
always followed by the trailing hand and both remain in the same
plane defined by axes 6 and 9 and lateral crosspiece 5, which is
substantially the plane of the swing, so that the angle of the
weight front again remains s~bstantially square throughout the
downswing.
5. Because the device puts the shoulders, arms and hands
in the same relative position as with a single shaft golf club
and is not subject to hand manipulation during the swing, the
swing plane cannot easily change and the swing pattern tends to
remain constant, natural and correct.
6. The position of the hands forces the body and arms to
rotate naturally, resulting in properly coordinated body weight
transfers both on the backswing and the downswingO
7. The position of the weight front 4 and angle
(equivalent to a club face and angle in the embodiment shown in
Figure 3) in relation to the hands and arms is apparent to the
user because the perpendicularity of the end weight to the
crosspiece is always visible.
8- The design of the device, particularly with one grip
shorter than the other, facilitates the transition from use of
the device to use of a normal golf club, in which one hand is
slightly lower than the other.
It will be evident to the person skilled in the art
that modifications may be made to the device without departing
from the spirit of the invention~
