CA1308756C

CA1308756C - Golf practice driving aid

Info

Publication number: CA1308756C
Application number: CA000571078A
Authority: CA
Inventors: William Rutherford; Noel E. Rutherford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-07-03
Filing date: 1988-07-04
Publication date: 1992-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-13
Also published as: JPH01503686A; WO1989000065A1; AU1850588A; ZA884689B; NZ225255A; AU595121B2

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A Golf Practice Aid comprising a rotary member 1 supported on a spindle 2 the rotary member having an arm 3 with a golf ball 4 fixed to one end thereof and a counter weight 5 fixed to the other end thereof, a boss 6 positioned between the arm 3 and the counter weight 5, a cam face 7 on the boss 5 co-operating with the cam face 8 on the spindle 2 to normally position the ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball 4 to that position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.

Description

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A GOLF PRACTICE DRIVI~G AID

This invention relates to an improved golf practice driving aid.
Golfers like to practice their ability to accurately hit and drive a ball over a pre-selected distance. In order to do this the practice has to take place on a golf course which is not always convenient because other players are usually on the course or on a driving range which is an area usually set aside in a golf course or in an area provided outside a golf course where golf players can practice.
Because a person practicing his driving ability has to strike the ball with the full power of a stroke in order to accurately assess and improve his ability, considerable area is necessary to enable this to be achieved. This is not always convenient or possib~e and the present invention provides a Golf Practice Aid which enables a golfer to practice and improve his driving ability in a small area e.g., in the back yard of his own home or in another usually confined space.
With the forgoing in mind the invention broadly comprises a Golf Practice Aid comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on the spindle, the rotary member including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end thereof and a counter weight fixed to the other end thereof, a boss positioned between said arm and said counter weight and means on said boss co-operating on means on said spindle to normally position the ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.

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The invention also comprises a Golf Practice Aid comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on a spindle fixed in a mounting block, said mounting block having a cam face inclined at an angle to a support for said block and a spindle extending from said cam face, said rotary member including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end and a counter weight fixed to the other end, a boss positioned between the counter weight and said arm with a bore extending through said boss, said boss having a cam face complementary with an engagable cam face on said mounting block and means to secure said rotary member on said spindle.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of the Golf Practice Aid according to one embodiment o the invention;
Figure 2 i~ a plan view of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a sectional view on line A-A of Figure 1.
Referring now to the drawings.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a Golf Practice Aid according to a further embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5 is an exploded view of the Golf Practice Aid shown in Figure 4.
Figure S is an perspective view of the Golf Practice aid illustrated in Figure 4 and showing an attachment.
The aid includes a rotary member designated generally by the reference 1 rotatably supported on a spindle 2. The rotary member includes an arm 3 having a golf ball 4 fixed to one end thereof.

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A counter weight 5 to counter balance the weight the arm 3 and the golf ball 4 is fixed to the other end of the arm 3 and a boss 6 is positioned between the arm and the counter weight.
The boss has a cam face 7 which co-operates with a cam face 8 on the spindle 2 to normally position the ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that position when the rotary me~ber ceases to rotate. A rev counter 9 is positioned in a recess 10 to register the number of revolutions of the rotary member when the golf ball 2 is struck with a golf club.
In the embodiment illustrated the spindle 2 is formed with a spiked end and it is provided with an enlarged head 11 to facilitate the driving of the spike into the ground. It will be appreciated however, that the spindle may be fixea to an anchor plate (not shown) whereby the aid is supported on another substrate.
Referring now to figures 4 to 6. The Golf Practice Aid comprises a rotary member designated generally by the reference 12 rotatably supported on a spindle 13 fixed on the mounting block 14. The mounting block has a cam face 15 inclined at an angle (preferably 45) to a support 16 (figure 6) and the spindle 13 extends from the cam face in a plane normal thereto.
The rotary member includes an arm 17 cranked to form two limbs 18 and 19. A golf ball 20 is fixed to the arm 18 and a counter weight 21 is fixed to the free end of arm 19 with a boss 22 positioned between the arm 19 and the counter weight 21. The boss 22 is provided with a bore 23 with a seat 24 positioned within the ball. A ball race 25 is located in the ~3~ 5~i bore and engages the seat 24. It is retained in position by a circlip 26.
The rotary member is retained on the spindle 13 with two groups of washers 27 and 28 in a cap nut 29.
The support 16 is secured to a substrate by any convenient means such as pins 30 or suction caps 31 as illustrated in figure 4.
A revolution counter 32 is positioned adjacent to block 14 and when activated is adapted to count the number of revolutions of the rotary member 1 after the ball 20 is struck with a golf club.
In the modification illustrated in figure 6 a standing mat 33 is provided for attachment to the support 16. The mat is marked out in square 34 to assist a player in positioning himself to correctly address the ball.
In use the player positions himself on the mat 31 and strikes the ball 20 with a golf club. This causes the rotary member to rotate and the number of revolutions counted then indicates the force with which the ball has been struck. When the rotary member ceases to rotate it returns by gravity to its normal position and is automatically available for the next practice shot.

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Claims

1. A golf practice aid comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on a spindle, the rotary member including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end thereof and a counterweight fixed to the other end thereof, a boss positioned between said arm and said counterweight and means on said boss cooperating on means on said spindle to normally position the ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.

2. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said boss has a cam face engaging with a corresponding cam face on said spindle, said cam face cooperating to normally position the ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.

3. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary member has a revolution counter associated therewith to measure the number of times the rotary member rotates.

4. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein one end of the spindle is formed in a spike and the other end of said spindle is provided with a cap.

5. A golf practice aid comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on a spindle fixed in a mounting block, said mounting block having a cam face inclined at an angle to a support for supporting said block and a spindle extending from said cam face, said rotary member including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end and a counterweight fixed to the other end, a boss positioned between the counter-weight and said arm with a bore extending through said boss, said boss having a cam face complimentary with and engageable with a cam face on said mounting block and means to secure said rotary member on said spindle.

6. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cam face is inclined at an angle of 45°
to said support.

7. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein a ball race bearing is provided in said bore to support said rotary member on said spindle.

8. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares to correctly position the feet of a player on the mat in relation to the ball.

9. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares to correctly position the feet of a play on the mat in relation to the ball.

10. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 7, wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares to correctly position the feet of a player on the mat in relation to the ball.

11. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, including a revolution counter associated with said rotary member.

12. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, including a revolution counter associated with said rotary member.