CA2215689A1 - Putter with convex striking surface - Google Patents
Putter with convex striking surface Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2215689A1 CA2215689A1 CA 2215689 CA2215689A CA2215689A1 CA 2215689 A1 CA2215689 A1 CA 2215689A1 CA 2215689 CA2215689 CA 2215689 CA 2215689 A CA2215689 A CA 2215689A CA 2215689 A1 CA2215689 A1 CA 2215689A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- golf ball
- front face
- putter
- striking
- golf
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0487—Heads for putters
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0458—Heads with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
- A63B53/0462—Heads with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Golf Clubs (AREA)
Abstract
A golf putter for striking a golf ball on a putting surface has an elongate shaft with a top end for gripping by a user, and a putter head at the opposed bottom end with a front face for striking the golf ball. The front face has a convex horizontal curvature and a flat vertical profile so that the golf ball is urged to travel in a desired direction and so that a forward roll is imparted thereon with minimal skidding of the golf ball on the putting surface. The putter head's top surface has a marker for aligning the golf ball with the front face. The marker is located at the apex of the convex horizontal curvature and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft so that the golf ball travels in the desired direction even if the putter head is twisted slightly upon striking the golf ball.
Description
TEM File No. 169.1 Title: ~U l l~;K WITII CONVEX STRIKING SURFACE
FIELD OF T~F ~VENTION
The present invention relates to golf putters generally, and in particular relates to putters with a curved striking surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVFNTION
An important aspect of the game of golf is the use of the putter which accounts for a good percentage of all strokes played in a round of golf. Many putter designs and putting techniques have been previously proposed for improving one's chances of getting a golf ball into a hole or cup in as few strokes as possible. Despite all innovations to date, putters in use today typically continue to have a flat striking surface.
The following rules or requirements are typically considered when putting a golfball with a desire to sink it in a cup:
the ball must be hit with the right amount of force, namely hard enough to at least take it to the cup, but soft enough for the ball to follow a desired trajectory on the putting surface and to enter the cup without bouncing off its lip;
the golfer's arms must be swung precisely in a desired direction; and the putter's striking surface must hit the ball squarely to the desired trajectory.
While the first two requirements may be mastered after a reasonable amount of practice, the last requirement generally seems to be more difficult to control because of a natural tendency of the wrist and forearm muscles to twist while swinging one's arms, thus twisting the putter's striking surface out of alignment with the ball and desired trajectory.
What is therefore desired is a novel putter which at least in part compensates for such arm twisting. The putter should have a horizontally curved and a vertically flat striking surface.
CA 0221~689 1997-09-16 .
DESCRIPTION OF T~lF DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a top view of a putter head according to a plefelled embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the putter head of fig. 1 and a shaft connected thereto;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a perspective view, from the rear, of the putter head and shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figures 1- 4 show a p~ ed embodiment of a putter, indicated generally by reference numeral 5, supported or held in a generally vertical or playing orientation. The putter 5 has a putter head 10 which is attached to a putter shaft 30 by a connecting arm 20.
The putter head 10 is preferably made of a durable metal to avoid breakage during play and transportation. It may be cast in a one piece construction that includes the connecting arm 20. The head has a generally vertical surface 40 at the front for striking a golf ball 7 (illustrated in fig.4), and weighted portions or blocks 12 and 16 in the rear typically used to provide a desired balance to the head. The connecting arm 20 is attached to the block 12 near the heel of the putter head at an angle "P" to the putter head. The putter shaft 30 is in turn connected to the connecting arm 20 at an angle "S" to the putter head as shown in fig.2. The shaft 30 is also tilted at an angle "H" to the vertical and is slightly off-set from the connecting arm 20 (see fig.3) to f~çilit~te the visibility of the striking surface 40 when the putter is held by a golfer. Good results have been achieved with the following angles: P and S about 23 degrees, and H about 3 degrees.
The putter head's bottom surface 17 is substantially flat intermediate its curved rear (i.e. heel) and front (i.e. toe) ends, 17a and 17b, respectively, as shown in fig.2. The bottom surface 17 is also cambered slightly upwardly in a transverse direction, namely between the front and rear ends 40 and 44, respectively, as shown in fig.3.
An important aspect of the putter head 10 is the shape of the striking surface 40.
The surface 40 is bowed outwardly in a horizontal plane (i.e. as viewed in fig.1) to form a smoothly curved or "convex" striking surface. The surface 40 is substantially flat in a CA 0221~689 1997-09-16 vertical plane (i.e. as viewed in fig.3). Good results have been achieved using an elliptically shaped striking surface. The use of the putter striking surface 40 which is convex horizontally and fiat vertically appears to provide several advantages over existing conventional putters, including enhanced putting results. First, the combination of a striking surface with a convex horizontal curvature and a flat vertical face provides ease of alignment with the ball, and hence improved accuracy of a putt in the direction struck, as the apex of the convex striking surface of the putter head is directed to strike the apex of the spherical ball, even if the club head twists slightly in the horizontal plane. The curvature also reduces the zone of impact between the club and ball, which should reduce vibration in the club and in turn provide a better and softer feel to hitting the ball. Further, the striking surface 40 imparts a forward roll to the golf ball at impact, thereby reducing the skidding effect normally experienced by the ball as it begins its motion on the grass putting surface. The ball also appears to roll further with a given striking force in comparison to conventional putters.
For ease of the above noted alignment, the putter head's top surface 18 has an alignment sight 46 marked thereon located at the apex of the convex striking surface and roughly equidistant between the heel 13 and toe 15. The sight mark 46 indicates the preferred point of impact, or sweet spot, for hitting the ball. The mark is generally located in alignment with central axis 32 of club shaft 30 (see fig.2) and between the weight balancing blocks 12 and 16, respectively. It may now be better appreciated that as long as a player using the putter head of the present invention strikes the ball in the proper direction and in ~lignment with the mark 46 of the club head, the ball should travel toward the intended target even if the head twists slightly.
The above description is intended in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense and variations to the specific configurations described may be apparelll to skilled persons in adapting the present invention to specific applications. Such variations are intended to form part of the present invention insofar as they are within the spirit and scope of the claims.
FIELD OF T~F ~VENTION
The present invention relates to golf putters generally, and in particular relates to putters with a curved striking surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVFNTION
An important aspect of the game of golf is the use of the putter which accounts for a good percentage of all strokes played in a round of golf. Many putter designs and putting techniques have been previously proposed for improving one's chances of getting a golf ball into a hole or cup in as few strokes as possible. Despite all innovations to date, putters in use today typically continue to have a flat striking surface.
The following rules or requirements are typically considered when putting a golfball with a desire to sink it in a cup:
the ball must be hit with the right amount of force, namely hard enough to at least take it to the cup, but soft enough for the ball to follow a desired trajectory on the putting surface and to enter the cup without bouncing off its lip;
the golfer's arms must be swung precisely in a desired direction; and the putter's striking surface must hit the ball squarely to the desired trajectory.
While the first two requirements may be mastered after a reasonable amount of practice, the last requirement generally seems to be more difficult to control because of a natural tendency of the wrist and forearm muscles to twist while swinging one's arms, thus twisting the putter's striking surface out of alignment with the ball and desired trajectory.
What is therefore desired is a novel putter which at least in part compensates for such arm twisting. The putter should have a horizontally curved and a vertically flat striking surface.
CA 0221~689 1997-09-16 .
DESCRIPTION OF T~lF DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a top view of a putter head according to a plefelled embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the putter head of fig. 1 and a shaft connected thereto;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a perspective view, from the rear, of the putter head and shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figures 1- 4 show a p~ ed embodiment of a putter, indicated generally by reference numeral 5, supported or held in a generally vertical or playing orientation. The putter 5 has a putter head 10 which is attached to a putter shaft 30 by a connecting arm 20.
The putter head 10 is preferably made of a durable metal to avoid breakage during play and transportation. It may be cast in a one piece construction that includes the connecting arm 20. The head has a generally vertical surface 40 at the front for striking a golf ball 7 (illustrated in fig.4), and weighted portions or blocks 12 and 16 in the rear typically used to provide a desired balance to the head. The connecting arm 20 is attached to the block 12 near the heel of the putter head at an angle "P" to the putter head. The putter shaft 30 is in turn connected to the connecting arm 20 at an angle "S" to the putter head as shown in fig.2. The shaft 30 is also tilted at an angle "H" to the vertical and is slightly off-set from the connecting arm 20 (see fig.3) to f~çilit~te the visibility of the striking surface 40 when the putter is held by a golfer. Good results have been achieved with the following angles: P and S about 23 degrees, and H about 3 degrees.
The putter head's bottom surface 17 is substantially flat intermediate its curved rear (i.e. heel) and front (i.e. toe) ends, 17a and 17b, respectively, as shown in fig.2. The bottom surface 17 is also cambered slightly upwardly in a transverse direction, namely between the front and rear ends 40 and 44, respectively, as shown in fig.3.
An important aspect of the putter head 10 is the shape of the striking surface 40.
The surface 40 is bowed outwardly in a horizontal plane (i.e. as viewed in fig.1) to form a smoothly curved or "convex" striking surface. The surface 40 is substantially flat in a CA 0221~689 1997-09-16 vertical plane (i.e. as viewed in fig.3). Good results have been achieved using an elliptically shaped striking surface. The use of the putter striking surface 40 which is convex horizontally and fiat vertically appears to provide several advantages over existing conventional putters, including enhanced putting results. First, the combination of a striking surface with a convex horizontal curvature and a flat vertical face provides ease of alignment with the ball, and hence improved accuracy of a putt in the direction struck, as the apex of the convex striking surface of the putter head is directed to strike the apex of the spherical ball, even if the club head twists slightly in the horizontal plane. The curvature also reduces the zone of impact between the club and ball, which should reduce vibration in the club and in turn provide a better and softer feel to hitting the ball. Further, the striking surface 40 imparts a forward roll to the golf ball at impact, thereby reducing the skidding effect normally experienced by the ball as it begins its motion on the grass putting surface. The ball also appears to roll further with a given striking force in comparison to conventional putters.
For ease of the above noted alignment, the putter head's top surface 18 has an alignment sight 46 marked thereon located at the apex of the convex striking surface and roughly equidistant between the heel 13 and toe 15. The sight mark 46 indicates the preferred point of impact, or sweet spot, for hitting the ball. The mark is generally located in alignment with central axis 32 of club shaft 30 (see fig.2) and between the weight balancing blocks 12 and 16, respectively. It may now be better appreciated that as long as a player using the putter head of the present invention strikes the ball in the proper direction and in ~lignment with the mark 46 of the club head, the ball should travel toward the intended target even if the head twists slightly.
The above description is intended in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense and variations to the specific configurations described may be apparelll to skilled persons in adapting the present invention to specific applications. Such variations are intended to form part of the present invention insofar as they are within the spirit and scope of the claims.
Claims (9)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A golf putter comprising:
an elongate shaft having a hand gripping end;
a putter head connected to the shaft opposite said hand gripping end, said putter head comprising a front face for striking a golf ball, said front face having a outwardly curved surface in a longitudinal plane and a flat surface in a transverse plane so that upon striking the golf ball on a putting surface with said front face the golf ball is urged to travel in a desired direction, and a forward roll is imparted to the golf ball with reduced skidding effect.
an elongate shaft having a hand gripping end;
a putter head connected to the shaft opposite said hand gripping end, said putter head comprising a front face for striking a golf ball, said front face having a outwardly curved surface in a longitudinal plane and a flat surface in a transverse plane so that upon striking the golf ball on a putting surface with said front face the golf ball is urged to travel in a desired direction, and a forward roll is imparted to the golf ball with reduced skidding effect.
2. The golf putter of claim 1 wherein said putter head further comprises top and bottom surfaces adjacent said front face, said top surface having a marker for aligning the golf ball with the front face for striking the golf ball, and said bottom surface being generally flat in a longitudinal direction parallel to the front face and cambered in a direction transverse to the front face to avoid interference of the bottom surface with the putting surface when striking the golf ball.
3. The golf putter of claim 2 wherein said marker is located at the apex of said outwardly curved surface on said front face and is aligned with the longitudinal axis of said shaft so that said golf ball travels in said desired direction even if said putter head is twisted slightly upon striking said golf ball.
4. The golf putter of claim 1 wherein said outwardly curved surface is elliptical to reduce the zone of impact between the putter head and the golf ball, and thereby reduce vibration at said hand gripping end and provide a soft feel to the user upon striking the golf ball.
5. The golf putter of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of said putter shaft is tilted away from said flat surface of the putter head to facilitate the visibility of the front face when striking the golf ball.
6. A golf putter for striking a golf ball on a putting surface comprising:
an elongate shaft having a top end for gripping by a user and an opposed bottom end;
a putter head having a top surface connected to said bottom end of the shaft, an opposed bottom surface, and a front face therebetween for striking the golf ball;
said front face having a convex horizontal curvature and a flat vertical profile so that the golf ball is urged to travel in a desired direction and so that a forward roll is imparted thereon with minimal skidding of the golf ball on the putting surface; and said top surface having a marker for aligning the golf ball with the front face, said marker being located at the apex of said convex horizontal curvature and aligned with the longitudinal axis of said shaft so that said golf ball travels in said desired direction even if said putter head is twisted slightly upon striking said golf ball.
an elongate shaft having a top end for gripping by a user and an opposed bottom end;
a putter head having a top surface connected to said bottom end of the shaft, an opposed bottom surface, and a front face therebetween for striking the golf ball;
said front face having a convex horizontal curvature and a flat vertical profile so that the golf ball is urged to travel in a desired direction and so that a forward roll is imparted thereon with minimal skidding of the golf ball on the putting surface; and said top surface having a marker for aligning the golf ball with the front face, said marker being located at the apex of said convex horizontal curvature and aligned with the longitudinal axis of said shaft so that said golf ball travels in said desired direction even if said putter head is twisted slightly upon striking said golf ball.
7. The golf putter of claim 6 wherein said horizontal curvature is elliptical to reduce the zone of impact between the putter head and the golf ball, and thereby reduce vibration at said top end of the shaft and provide a soft feel to the user upon striking the golf ball.
8. The golf putter of claim 6 wherein said bottom surface is generally flat in a longitudinal direction parallel to the front face and cambered in a direction transverse to the front face to avoid interference of the bottom surface with the putting surface when striking the golf ball.
9. The golf putter of claim 7 wherein said bottom surface is generally flat in a longitudinal direction parallel to the front face and cambered in a direction transverse to the front face to avoid interference of the bottom surface with the putting surface when striking the golf ball.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2215689 CA2215689A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Putter with convex striking surface |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2215689 CA2215689A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Putter with convex striking surface |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2215689A1 true CA2215689A1 (en) | 1999-03-16 |
Family
ID=29275019
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2215689 Abandoned CA2215689A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Putter with convex striking surface |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2215689A1 (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-09-16 CA CA 2215689 patent/CA2215689A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 20000918 |