Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FULL SWING GOLF TRATIJEIt
This invention relates to an improved method and
apparatus for training the movements of the body to properly
execute a golf swing and, in particular, to a method and
apparatus which enables the golfer to simu.Late a full golf
swing with natural .relaxation and increased velocity of the
club head at impact and beyond, ending in a balanced finish,
and which provides observable feedback to the player.
In the game of golf a player knows that he or she
has swung the golf club correctly if the body at the finish of
the swing is in proper position. Ideally, for a right-handed
player, at the finish most of the weight is balanced on the
left foot, the right heel is raised so that the player is also
balanced on the right toe, the body (stomach and hips) is
facing the target, and the arms and hands are in a position
such thatyhe club shaft extends generally over the left
shoulder and across the back with the club head directly above
the spot on the playing surface where the ball originally lay.
Achieving this ideal finish, however, is very
difficult for most golfers. Conventional instructional
approaches tend to emphasize the.individual elements of the
golf swing~rather than the overall objective. Various types of
mechanical,apparatus have been proposed heretofore to train the
path of the swing, but these, devices geoer:,ally enc'Unlber t:he
player rather than permit him to move freely and swing the club
in a natural manner.
(Docket 1017)
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It is, therefore, the primary object of the present
invention to provide a method and apparatus for training a
golfer to properly execute a full golf swing, which
advantageously promotes the use of the player's natural
instincts and allows the player to move and swing freely
unencumbered by any restraints.
As a carollary to the foregoing object, it is an
important aim of this invention to provide such a method and
apparatus which simulates hitting the ball by striking a
movable target ~.rhich then adheres to the training head of the
practice club to provide desired resistance at impact and
thereafter through to the finish of the swing:
Another important object of the, present invention
is to provide a target as aforesaid which is yieldable and
lightweight and which presents a relatively large target
surface that the player strikes with the head of the training
club, thereby encouraging the player to relax due to the size
of the target (as compared to a golf ball) and the absence of
any special requirements other than to naturally strike it.
Still another important object of the invention is
to provide a club provided with a training head having a
ball-like configuration and presenting opposed, toe and heel
portions, the heel liaving identifying indicia thereon far
providing visual: feedbac)c to the player at the finish of the
swing. ~ .
Yet another important object of the invention is to
provide such a ball-like training head which presents a curved
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face for striking the target surface, both the face and the
target surface being at least partially covered with materials
which adhere to each other such as mating Velcra fabrics.
Other objects will become apparent as the
specification proceeds.
DESCRIPTIODI OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a frontal perspective view of a training
club and target in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the target
alone.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the target on an enlarged'
scale as compared with with Figs. l and 2, with parts broken
away to. reveal details of construction.
Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the head
of the training club taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing
the head and the lower end of the shaft fraganentarily on an
enlarged scale.
Fig: 5 is an elevational view of the training head
taken along line 5~5 of Fig: 4; looking directly at the toe of
the head "
Fig:: 6 is an elevational view of the training head
taken along line 6-6 of-Fig. 4, looking directly at the heel of.
the. head.
Figs. 7=11 are progressive views illustrating the
use of the training club and target by a player and the
practice of the method of the present invention.
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Fig. 12 is a~plan view taken along line 12-12 0
Fig. 11, looking downwardly on the plaiyer and showing his
position at the finish of the swing.
Figs. 13-16 .are progressive views illustrating the
use of the present invention to perfect the swing with the left
arm alone.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIO1V
Referring initially to Figs. 1-6, a training club
of the present invention has the usual elongated shaft 12
which, at the upper end thereof, is provided with a handle 14
adapted to be grasped by the player in the normal manner. The
particular training club l0 illustra'~ed is provided with a
reminder grip so that the player, regardless of his or her
degree of skill, will properly grasp the handle l4 in the
fingers and palm of the left hand and tl'~e fingers of the right ,
hand. The lower end of the shaft l2:is provided with a
training head 16 in the form of a solid ball as revealed in
Figs. 4-6. Typically, the length of the shaft 12 would be
somewhat less than the length of a comparable golf club because
the training head 16; as will be discussed hereinbelow, is
designed to be held above the playing surface rather than to
lie directly thereon as is tlZe case with a playing club.
A Tight-weight, movable target 18 rests on the
ground or other playing izrface and includes a base 20; a pair
of laterally-spaced, tubular pillars 22; and a sheet of fabric
or other flexible material 23 spanning the pilbars 22 and, on
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tl front side of the target (seen in Fig. L), presenting a
target surface 24 for receiving the impact of the training head
16 when the club is swung. The entire target 1Q is composed of
yieldable material and is not affixed to the ground, as will
become apparent.
It should be particularly noted that the target
surface 24 extends upwardly from the base 20, the latter
resting on the ground or other playing surface. Furthermore,
as is clear in Fig. 1, the target surface 24 also extends
front-to-rear relative to the player addressing 'it in order to~
present a relatively broad, laterally facing target area to be
struck with the training head 16. As compared to the size of a
golf ball, the components 16 and 24 (head and target surface)
are purposely relatively large; for example, the preferred
outside diameter of the head 16 is approximately three inches
(7.6 cm.). Accordingly, the relatively large target is easy to
hit using a relaxed swing so the player in using the apparatus
does not have to concentrate on a small target of golf ball
size.
. To minimize weight and promote response to impact,
the pillars~22 may be composed of tubular, foam material as
illustrated and serve simply to maintain the target surface 24
in an upright position, preferably tilted away Lrom tl,e
training head l6 at an angle of approximately ten degrees. As
will be discussed herel.nafter, the region bounded by Lhe target
surface 24 and the base 20 defines a strike zone, the base 20
CA 02033650 2003-08-06
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presenting an apron to facilitate alignment of the head 16 with
the:target surface 24 when addressed by the player.
The lower end of the shaft 12 is embedded in the
head or ball 16 as is clear in Fig. 4. A strip of Velcro ~
material 26 circumscribes the head 16 and lies generally in the
vertical plane of the intended flight of a golf ball, if the
same were present. The Velcro strip 26 is secured to the
surface of the head 16 by adhesive or other suitable means. At
right angles to the circumscribing strip 26, the head 16
presents opposed toe and heel portions 28 and 30 respectively.
The center of a striking face is defined by the
intersection 31 of the Velcro*strip 26 and velcro~elements 32
and 34 as best seen by a comparison of Figs. 5 and 6. Velcro'
element 32 extends from intersection 31 to the 'toe 28 of the
head 16, and.Velcro*element 34 extends from the intersection 31
to the heel 30 thereof. The sheet 23 of the target 18 is
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covered with a mating Velcro material to present the target
surface-24 and provide the target with the ability to stick
firmly to the face of the head 16 upon contact.
It should also be noted, as revealed in Fig. 6,
that the heel 30 of the head 16 has a circular spot 36 thereon
for visual identification. Spot 36 should be of a contrasting
color so that it can be readily seen by tlw player at the
finish of the swing, as will be appreciated hereinafter.
Practice with the training club 10 and the target
18 of the present invention is illustrated by the sequence of
views of Figs. 7-11. In Fig. 7 the player is addressing the
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CA 02033650 2003-08-06
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target. The head 16 is not grounded on the playing surface but
is held thereabove in approximate alignment with the center of
the target surface 24. Fig. 8 shows the player at the top of
his backswing; Fig. 9 shows~the strike, i.e., the instant of
impact of the head 16 with the target 18. Upon impact, the
Velcro material on the face of the head 16 is brought into
contact with the Velcro*facing on the target surface 24 thereby ;
causing the target to become instantly attached to the head.
Once the target 18 is united with the head at the
strike, it is carried with the head throughout the remainder of
the swing. Accordingly, both air and weight resistance is
added at impact and beyond to the finish of the movement. This
is illustrated in Fig. 10 where the player is shown during the
follow-through, and in Fig. 11 where the player is shown at the
finish of the swing. Due to its collapsible nature, the target
18 essentially envelopes the head 16 at the finish as shown in
Fig. 11 where the target is illustrated in broken lines.
Besides providing a relaxed environment for
practice as discussed above, the target by adding resistance at
impact and beyond also serves to increase club head speed at
impact and during the follow-through in actual play when, of
co.urse,,the player is swinging a golf club and the target is no
longer present. This trains the golfer that the correct place
for an increase in club head speed is at impact and beyond, not
at the top of the swi~ig prior to impact. _
Fig. 12 shows the visual feedback provided by the
spot 36 on the head 16. In a proper finish the spot 36 will
* Trade-mark
present the top of the head 16 as shown and will be clearl~~-~'~~
visible to the player. 'Also, additional feedback at the finish
is provided by the present invention as follows:
(1) As shown in. Fig. 11, the target will have
stuck on the head with its back side facing opposite to the
direction of aim;
(2) The head and the attached target will have
arrived at a position generally over the strike zone;
(3) The player will have finished in balance as
described above, with the stomach and hips facing the direction
of aim; and
(4) When the player removes the target from the
head, he will see from the mating areas of adhesion whether the
face of the head struck the target surface squarely o~ was open
or closed.
Figs: 13-l6 are progressive views similar to Figs.
7-11, but illustrate practice with the left arrm only. The
target as addressed as before (Fig. 13) and a full swing is
taken through to the finish (Fig. 14). Then, as illustrated in
Figs: l5 and l6, the right hand is brought up to the left hand
to romple:te he proper positioning of the body at the finish.
This exercise strengthens the left arm and may be employed in
similar fashion for the right arm only. Preferably, a somewhat
smaller target 18 would be employed to reduce the resistance
when ,practicing the swinc3 i.~ith one arm.
