A DEVICE FOR MARKING THE POINT OF IMPACT A GOLF BALL MAKES ON THE FACE OF A GOLF CLUB AND DETERMINING THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE BALL WAS STRUCK AND THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE BALL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CLUB FACE

DISPOSITIF POUR IDENTIFIER LE POINT D'IMPACT D'UNE BALLE DE GOLF SUR LA SURFACE D'UN BATON DE GOLF ET POUR DETERMINER L'ANGLE A LAQUELLE LA BALLE A ETE FRAPPEE ET LA POSITION RELATIVE DE LA BALLE AU BAS DE LA FACE DU BATON DE GOLF

English Abstract

A plurality of peel and stick labels is disclosed which are from contact type
material and to a
predetermined height and width. Each label includes a carbon based transfer
surface on one side
thereof and an attaching surface, on the obverse side, coated with a light
tack self adhesive. This
is a device which clearly indicates where the golf club face has made contact
with the golf ball.
The indicia device is comprised of a layer of non-permanent, erasable coloured
material which is
transferred to the face of a golf club at the moment the club face makes
contact with the golf ball.
The impact mark on the face of the golf club consists of an indicia imprint
that indicates the angle
the club face has made with the golf ball and the location of the strike on
the face of the club. The
transferred coating indicates the point of impact such that one can determine
the angle the
horizontal bottom of the club makes with the vertical tee and object ball. The
non-permanent
indicator imprint will be easily removed from the club face with a tissue or a
finger. The adhesive
backed indicator strip when applied to the golf tee, golf ball or the golf tee
supporting a golf ball
allows the indicia to be transferred to the face of the golf club at impact to
denote the exact point
of contact between club and ball.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are
defined as follows:
1.~An indicia device for golfers for indicating the spot on the face of a golf
club that makes
contact with the golf ball when a ball mounted on a tee is struck, the angle
in reference to
the club face at the moment of impact and the relative position of the club to
the center
point of the golf ball the said device comprising:
a) a flexible strip of plastic or paper to which a coating of transferable
colored carbon
material is applied such that the carbon is transferred to the face of the
club by the impact
of the club striking the device at the moment of contact with the golf ball.
b) a coated strike face of colored carbon indicia such that this material will
be transferred
to any surface to which sufficient pressure is applied.
c) a coating of colored carbon indicia separated horizontally at the mid-point
between the
top of the device and the bottom of the coated strike-face.
d) an adhesive layer that would allow said device to be securely attached to
the side of the
golf tee so that it can be automatically centered on the mid point of the golf
ball when the
golf ball is resting on the golf tee.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said angle in reference to the club face at
the moment of
impact denotes the angle that the golf club strikes the ball is a carbon
indicia impression
perpendicular to the ground.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein said that golfers can use the carbon indicia
impression to
evaluate how effectively the golf club is making contact with the golf ball
relative to the
ball's center point.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said golfers can use the horizontal indicia
impression to
evaluate how effectively the golf club is making contact with the golf ball
relative to the
horizontal axis of the club face.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein said golfers can use the vertical indicia
impression to
evaluate how effectively the golf club is making contact with the golf ball
relative to the
vertical axis of the club face.
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6. The device of claim 1 wherein said golfers can use the vertical and
horizontal indicia
impressions to evaluate how effectively the golf club is making contact with
the golf ball
relative to the golf club's "sweet spot".
7. The device of claim 1 wherein said golfers can use the vertical and
horizontal indicia
impressions to evaluate how effectively the golf club is making contact with
the golf ball
relative to the position of the golfer's feet.

Description

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
Specifications
A device which accomplishes an automatic registering of the point of contact
between a golf
club's face and the golf ball at the moment the ball is struck.
Occasionally, after striking the golf ball, the tee will accidentally leave a
smear of paint on the
bottom of the club. This can be an indicator of the direction the club was
moving when contact
was made. A wise golfer can use this information to correct a flawed swing.
However, until now,
there has been no way to accurately determine at which angle club face strikes
the ball or how far
above or below the center of the club face the ball was struck
Without knowing exactly where the golf club contacts the ball, a golfer may
not have all the
information needed to make important adjustment to the swing that would allow
greater accuracy.
The advantage of using this device is that it accurately indicates the point
of contact so that the
"sweet-spot " of the club can engage the ball more frequently. This immediate
feedback allows
golfers to adjust their golf swings while at the driving range or on the golf
course and thus
increase their precision.
This device can be quickly applied to the side of the golf tee using the peel
and stick adhesive
coating. Once positioned on the tee, this device can be adjusted vertically to
bring the indicia
terminator on center with the ball.
Page~B, of 10

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
Descriptions
Background - Descriution of Prior Art
-.
Heretofore, devices developed for making the point of impact of a golf ball on
the face of a club
have been either cumbersome to use or failed to produce a distinct mark on the
club after the
shot. Manheck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,764 (1973) discloses an impact marker
comprising an
imaging sheet material containing minute rupturable capsules, commonly
referred to as
"carbonless paper", which creates a colored mark on the impact surface. The
marks from this
paper are permanent; therefore after a few shots, it is difficult ar
impossible to distinguish the
most recent mark from those of previous shots.
The marker developed by Jones, U.S. Pat No. 5,033,746 (1991) is expensive,
requires a
significant amount of time to apply and leaves an adhesive residue on the face
of the golf clubs
when the sheeting is removed. Clearly, this is not the type of marker that
would be readily used on
a golf course. It also brings into question the official rules of golf that
prohibits the application of
any foreign matter on the golf club.
Dilny, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,508 (1987) discloses a method and apparatus for
marking the point of
impact of a golf ball comprising of a coating on the ball which is deposited
on the club's face at
the point of impact. This method is difficult to use because it requires that
the coating be applied
to each ball hit. It too leaves the face of the club with a varnish deposit
that is difficult to remove.
Page ~ of 10

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
4biects and Advantages
Accordingly several objects and advantages of this device are:
a) to provide an impact marker which produces a clear indication of the point
of impact of
the golf ball;
b) to provide an impact marker which allows the mark to be easily erased after
each shot,
thus obviating the problem of distinguishing the current mark from the marks
made by
earlier shots;
c) to provide an impact marker that will allow the golfer to assess how far
above or below
the center of the ball the club strikes it;
d) to provide an indication to the golfer of the angle at which the face of
the club contacts the
ball relative to the vertical plane of the ball on a tee and the horizontal
position of the
bottom of the club;
e) to provide an inexpensive device that would furnish golfers with immediate
visual
indicators of the aauracy of the golf swing;
f) to provide an impact marker which produces a clear indication of the point
of impact of
the golf ball aad which is in compliance with the official the Canadian
Professional
Golfer's Association (CPGA) Rules of Golf;

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
Reference Numerals In Drawings
10. entire point of impact golf ball marker
20. horizontal axis indicator that registers the horizontal axis of the golf
ball mounted on a
golf tee onto the face of the golf ball at the moment of impact
30 the terminator is the reference point which, when aligned with the top of
the tee brings the
mid point of the indicia material on center with the golf ball
40 the layer of carbon based transfer material separated horizontally at its
mid-point
50 the paper surface on which has been applied a layer of carbon based
transfer material and
on its obverse surface a layer of tacky adhesive
60 the adhesive layer applied to the anterior surface of the device which
allows the device to
be attached to the golf tee
70 golf club head
80 golf club strike face which receives the indicia material
Page

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
DEFINITIONS
A few terms used in the description of the invention may need clarification
for this context.
"Sweet spot" - that particular point on the face of a golf club which will
allow the golfer to obtain
the maximum distance from the shot.
Shot - the act of hitting the ball with the club
indicia - a substance which will be transferred to the surface of an object
into which contact has
been made
terminator - the point which demarcates the boundary between the coated and
uncoated area of
the device.
Page ~,

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
Brief Description Of The D~~gs:
In drawings which ilh~trates Wnbodiments of the invention, frgurel is a front
view of this device.
Figwe 2 is a side view that illustrates how this device is positioned on the
golf tee to transfer a
mark on the face of the club, ,figure 3 is an illustration of the front view
of the device mounted on
a golf tee, figure 4 illustrates the typical impressions left on the face of a
golf club after the belt
has been stNCk and figure S is an exploded view of the device displaying the
various layers of
material comprising the device
~20
'~ -~ J
30 4 0
figure 1
The device illustrated in, figure I has an adhesive portion which allows a
golfer to mount the
device on to the outer edge of a golf tee by joining the tee to the sticky
surface of the device. The
upper half of the coated surface of this device is treated with an application
of a coloured carbon
based material which is transferred onto the club face at contact. The device
is flexible enough to
allow it to bend 90° so that the used back can rest against the golf
ball. lfiis device can be
manufactured from either pliable plastic or paper.
Page 6 of 10

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
figure 2
The device illustrated in frgure 2 discloses a side view of the position of
the device in relation to
the golf tee and bail when it is properly installed.
l
r,
figure 3
The device illustrated in frgure 3 discloses a frontal view of the device
illustrating the position of
the paper strip in relation to the golf tee and ball when it is properly
installed.
Page 7

CA 02325796 2000-11-23
//
figure 4
The illustration in figure 4 demonstrates the types of impressions transferred
to the club face that
may be of assistance to aid the golfer in adjusting the swing to correct
problems associated with
missing the "sweet spot".
~n
figure 5
The illustration in figure S illustrates the layers of material comprising the
golf ball marking
device.
Page 8