CA2260359A1 - Golf club swing practice apparatus - Google Patents
Golf club swing practice apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2260359A1 CA2260359A1 CA002260359A CA2260359A CA2260359A1 CA 2260359 A1 CA2260359 A1 CA 2260359A1 CA 002260359 A CA002260359 A CA 002260359A CA 2260359 A CA2260359 A CA 2260359A CA 2260359 A1 CA2260359 A1 CA 2260359A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- club
- swing
- golf club
- golf
- masses
- 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
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B60/02—Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass
- A63B60/04—Movable ballast means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B15/00—Clubs for gymnastics or the like, e.g. for swinging exercises
- A63B15/005—Clubs for gymnastics or the like, e.g. for swinging exercises with a weight movable along the longitudinal axis of the club due to centrifugal forces
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
- A63B69/36—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for golf
- A63B69/3623—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for golf for driving
- A63B69/3632—Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
- A63B2071/0625—Emitting sound, noise or music
- A63B2071/0627—Emitting sound, noise or music when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
- A63B2071/0625—Emitting sound, noise or music
- A63B2071/0633—Emitting sound, noise or music without electronic means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B2071/0655—Tactile feedback
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Golf Clubs (AREA)
Abstract
Describes a golf club swing practice apparatus with a golf club of conventional appearance including a grip and club head connected by an elongate club shaft.
The club shaft is hollow containing movable masses, preferably spherical steel bearings which are free to relocate along the shaft during club swing.
Improper golf club swing execution causes the masses to collide with each other and with the golf club shaft producing an audible noise and a tactile sensation which provides feedback to the golfer of improper swing execution.
The club shaft is hollow containing movable masses, preferably spherical steel bearings which are free to relocate along the shaft during club swing.
Improper golf club swing execution causes the masses to collide with each other and with the golf club shaft producing an audible noise and a tactile sensation which provides feedback to the golfer of improper swing execution.
Description
GOLF CLUB SWING PRACTICE APPARATUS
Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a golf club apparatus and more particularly to a golf club practice swing apparatus.
Heretofore, golfers wishing to improve their golf swing have relied on a number of different methods or devices to attain their goal. A direct method is to take a golf club and strike the ball to obtain visual feedback of the ball in flight following hitting the ball with a golf club. On continued practice of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and observing the trajectory of the ball, a golfer's golf swing may improve to provide a desired ball trajectory following impact of the golf club against the golf ball.
In addition to the direct method, golfers may rely on various apparatus or other methods to improve club swing. The club swing may be considered to be executed as a number of phases of the golf swing. The swing phases include pre-hit and post-hit phases. Pre-hit swing phases include club sEa up and execution, that is to say, the back swing and approach swing of the golf club to the golf ball prior to striking the ball. In addition to ball pre-hit club swine, the follow through of the swing following impact with the ball is important. While the club swing follow through is incapable of transmitting any further impact forces to the golf ball, swing follow through affects the golfer's pre-hit club swing phases prior to impact and the positioning of the body in driving the club toward the ball before and during impact.
Certain golf swing apparatus have been relied on to improve these swing phases including a circular cage of approximately six feet in diameter into the diametric approximate center of which the golfer stands, the circular cage forming a plane through which the golf club is intended to swing during the phases of or course of a golf swing. Such a cage is large and cumbersome and not an item which can be readily transported.
Other apparatus have been proposed to supply movable weights along the length of the golf club shaft and in the head of the golf club. Such apparatus alters the swing dynamics of the club in an attempt to impart a larger impulse force to the ball upon 40090201.1 striking. Apparatus of this nature include that disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
5,803,829 to Hyashi which has solid iron pellets or beads which traverse the length of the club into the club head during the course of the swing to aid in the momentum forces which are applied by the golf club to the golf ball. Also, U.S. Patent No.
5,082,279 to Hull et al entitled "liquid filled golf club" providEa a golf club that is substantially hollow and partially filled with a flowable material, such as ball bearings or sand and having different sections to compartmentalize the weights in different sections of the club in the golf head or the handle. Flowable weight golf clubs, including a mass such as mercury, have been disclosed in U.S. IPatent No. 3,843,135 to Andrews;
3,993,314 to Harrington and 4,541,631 of Sasse.
With the flowable weight golf clubs, the dynamics of the club or the "feel" of the club changes during the course of the swing. This change in feel is due to the relocation of the mass to different locations in the club while the club is being swung at the ball.
Thus, these golf clubs provide golf swing dynamics that are very much different than the use of an actual golf club which does not have weights that move or shift during swing execution.
Another form of swing practice is to obtain golf IEasons either individually or as part of a group to obtain professional advice on swing shortcomings and suggestions for swing improvement that are based on observations of the professional of the golf swing of the student.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf swing practice apparatus which eliminates weight shifting and changing golf dynamics during the proper execution of a golf swing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing practice apparatus which provides a biofeedback to indicate to the user of the device when a swing is properly executed and when a swing is not properly executed.
A further object of the invention is to provide golf swing feedback to the user of the present invention without the need for ongoing professional instruction.
40090201.1 Summary of the Invention The golf club practice swing apparatus of the present invention operates as a teaching tool to teach golfers how to apply angular acceleration consistently to a golf S club throughout the golfer's golf swing. The practice club disclosed herein is not intended for actual play and does not provide apparatus to alter the dynamics of a ball's flight. The apparatus provides a biofeedback mechanism comprising an audio and tactile feedback which provides the user with an indication of a proper swing execution and an improper swing execution.
In one of its aspects, the invention provides a golf club conventional in appearance comprising a grip, a club shaft, and a club head: the club shaft forming a hollow cavity having a stopper at the club head end and another stopper positioned near the grip end of the club. The cavity containing a plurality of masses encased therein.
The masses loosely fill the cavity defined by the club shaft and are adapted to freely move throughout the cavity from the hosel stopper to the grip stopper.
The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals reference like features of the invention throughout the various figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a golf club constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the club of Figure 1 taken along cutting line 2-2.
Figure 3 is a drawing of the weights or masses contained within the club of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a swing sequence showing various orientations of the golf club during a practice swing correctly executed.
40090201.1 Figure 5 is the golf club showing an improper up:>wing orientation which is identified by the location of the biofeedback masses of the ~>resent device; and Figure 6 is a downward orientation of a golf club with the movable masses located to operate the biofeedback features of the apparatus of the invention operating.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 shows a plan view of the exterior of the golf club practice swing device of the present invention generally depicted by reference numeral 10. The apparatus has a conventional outward appearance including a grip 12 of conventional construction of a rubber, latex or leather material and placed over the upper end of shaft 14 to provide a surface that a user of the club may use to firmly grasp the club 10. At the distal end of shaft 14 from grip 12 is affixed a club head 16 that has a conventional outward appearance.
Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the club of Figure 1 taken along cutting lines 2-2 taken axially along the length of the club. The shaft 14 is provided with a distal stopper 18 which may be formed from the upper end of club head 16 extending into the shaft 14. Proximal to the grip 12 is an upper stopper 20 which is provided to form a cavity 22 within the interior portion of the club shaft 14. The cavity preferably extends two-thirds of the length of the shaft, that is to say, the stopper 20 is preferably positioned one-third the distance of the shaft 14 from the upper end or grip end of the club 24 and two-thirds of the way up from the heel end of the club 26.
Filling a portion of the interior volume of the cavity 22 are masses 28 that are preferably formed from a very hard material such as hardened steel. The masses have a diameter of 0.02" to 0.70" inches in diameter. The masses are preferably formed of stainless steel or similar highly inelastiic material to cause the masses to rebound upon collision with themselves or with the sides of club shaft 14. The masses 28 are adapted to produce an audio indication in the form of acoustical output when they are colliding and reacting with Each other or with the sides of club shaft 14 which a user of the club can hear. Moreover, the interaction of kinetic forces and collisions between weights 28 and each other as well as collisions with 40090201.1 the shaft 14 produces a tactile sensation within the golf club 10 which causes the user of the club to "feel" the collisions transmitted via grip 12 to the user.
Figure 3 shows a collection of masses 28 outside of club 10. The masses 28 are preferably spherical in shape for ease of movement in cavity 22 and to prevent the weights 28 from packing and locking when they move toward the lower portion of cavity 22 in club shaft 14 to position themselves proximal to the club head 16.
Figure 4 shows a swing sequence from the top of a back swing through to 90 degrees of follow through shown as positions 1 through 9. To commence a golf swing, a club is usually positioned next to the ball in the position shown as position 8.
This club position is sometimes referred to as "addressing the ball". The golfer commences a swing by raising a club from position 8 through successive positions 7 to 1 in what is known as the back swing. The forward swing of the club then occurs when the rotation of the club reverses at swing position 1 to follow through positions 1 through to position 8 again whereupon the ball (not shown) is struck.
Throughout Figure 4, the weights 28 are shown positioned at the distal end of the club proximal to the club head 16. This positioning of the weights ~28 commences with the address of the ball at position 8. In this position, the clutl is stationary and gravity operates on the weights 28 to draw them to the distal end of the club.
Back Swing As the back swing commences, the club moves at an angular velocity that causes the apparent centrifugal forces operating on the weights to keep them positioned at the distal end of the club through to the top of the back swing shown at position 1.
The execution of a back swing which is too slow, will allow the weights to move inwardly from the distal end of the club toward the grip end 12 of the club under force of gravity. This relocation of weights is shown in Figure 5. In this manner gravity operates on the weights to cause them to move away from the distal end of the club when the club is oriented in an upward position as in positions 4, 3, 2 and 1.
When the back swing is executed too slowly, the weighia moving away from the distal end of the club will cause an audio and tactile indication to be produced by the weights 28 in collision with each other and the club shaft 14. Accordingly, the golfer will be 40090201.1 provided with a biofeedback sensation that indicates that the back swing of the club is being executed too slowly.
Swing Transition At the top of the back swing, position 1 of Figure -4, the forward swing of the club will be executed. Even if the back swing angular velocity was sufficient to keep the weights 28 at the distal end of the club near the club head 16, a prolonged hesitation at the top of the back swing in position 1 will again cause the weights 28 to proceed downwardly along the shaft toward grip 12. This will unpack the weights such that when the forward swing commences and the club is undergoing angular acceleration from position 1, to 2, to 3, and so on, the weights 28 will again proceed outwardly, due to apparent centrifugal forces, toward the distal end of the club to again reposition themselves proximal to club head 16. This repositioning of the weights at the distal end of the club will produce a tactile and audio sensation which will provide the golf user with a biofeedback signal that the hesitation at the top of the back swing was too long.
Forward Swing In the forward swing, when the club is undergoing angular acceleration from the top of the back swing, position 1 through positions 2 ... 7 and 8 of Figure 3, it is advantageous for the club to undergo a relatively uniform angular acceleration. It is undesirable to jerk or force the club at any time during the forward swing, but particularly near the bottom of the swing at positions 6 or 7. In some cases golfers try to provide impulse force to attempt to increase the club head angular acceleration, particularly immediately prior to impact. Impulse forces or jerking the club are undesirable. It is preferable to have the angular acceleration applied to the club from position 1 through 8 in a relatively uniform fashion. That is to say, the rate of increase in the club's angular velocity, or club head speed, from position 1 through to position 8 is preferably increased as a relatively constant or uniform angular acceleration during the forward swing phase. It is. undesirable to have different rates of angular acceleration in different positions of the club position during the down or forward phase of the swing. Weights 28 act as a biofeedback accelerometer 40090201.1 _8_ producing an audio and tactile biofeedback sensation to the golf user when the golf club undergoes abrupt changes in angular ;acceleration. Increased angular acceleration, for example immediately prior to impact from position 7 to position 8 will cause the weights to shift due to the abrupt change in angular acceleration thereby producing a feel and a noise which alerts the user of the golf club to an abrupt change in angular acceleration. Similarly, abrupt speed reduction after impact with the golf ball at position 8 in the follow through phase of the club swing, which is shown for example at position 9, will cause the weights to shift thereby producing a tactile and audio sensation to provide a biofeedback signal to the user of the club that the follow through angular deceleration of the club is too abrupt.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended to operate as a teaching aid to provide biofeedback sensations in the form of tactile and audio feedback to users of the club in practice swinging. The club may be advantageously used at a practice area such as a driving range which will allow the golfer to improve his or her technique for swinging a golf club without the need for professional instruction during the course of practising the golf swing. The golf club disclosed herein operates during swing execution and provides immediate: feedback on improper or proper techniques for the operation of the club.
A further refinement of the club apparatus of the present invention is to increase the mass of the club head 16 to counterbalance the presence of the weights or masses 28 in the distal end of the club shaft. By providing a heavier club head 16, the center of mass of the club is maintained near the club head 16 as it is in a conventional club without masses 28. Various amount of additional weight can be incorporated into club head 16 depending on the amount of weight added by movable masses 28.
Additional club head mass of approximately 1 CIO grams may be advantageously used.
Now that the invention has been explained with reference to the preferred embodiment, numerous substitutions and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.
40090201.1
Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a golf club apparatus and more particularly to a golf club practice swing apparatus.
Heretofore, golfers wishing to improve their golf swing have relied on a number of different methods or devices to attain their goal. A direct method is to take a golf club and strike the ball to obtain visual feedback of the ball in flight following hitting the ball with a golf club. On continued practice of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and observing the trajectory of the ball, a golfer's golf swing may improve to provide a desired ball trajectory following impact of the golf club against the golf ball.
In addition to the direct method, golfers may rely on various apparatus or other methods to improve club swing. The club swing may be considered to be executed as a number of phases of the golf swing. The swing phases include pre-hit and post-hit phases. Pre-hit swing phases include club sEa up and execution, that is to say, the back swing and approach swing of the golf club to the golf ball prior to striking the ball. In addition to ball pre-hit club swine, the follow through of the swing following impact with the ball is important. While the club swing follow through is incapable of transmitting any further impact forces to the golf ball, swing follow through affects the golfer's pre-hit club swing phases prior to impact and the positioning of the body in driving the club toward the ball before and during impact.
Certain golf swing apparatus have been relied on to improve these swing phases including a circular cage of approximately six feet in diameter into the diametric approximate center of which the golfer stands, the circular cage forming a plane through which the golf club is intended to swing during the phases of or course of a golf swing. Such a cage is large and cumbersome and not an item which can be readily transported.
Other apparatus have been proposed to supply movable weights along the length of the golf club shaft and in the head of the golf club. Such apparatus alters the swing dynamics of the club in an attempt to impart a larger impulse force to the ball upon 40090201.1 striking. Apparatus of this nature include that disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
5,803,829 to Hyashi which has solid iron pellets or beads which traverse the length of the club into the club head during the course of the swing to aid in the momentum forces which are applied by the golf club to the golf ball. Also, U.S. Patent No.
5,082,279 to Hull et al entitled "liquid filled golf club" providEa a golf club that is substantially hollow and partially filled with a flowable material, such as ball bearings or sand and having different sections to compartmentalize the weights in different sections of the club in the golf head or the handle. Flowable weight golf clubs, including a mass such as mercury, have been disclosed in U.S. IPatent No. 3,843,135 to Andrews;
3,993,314 to Harrington and 4,541,631 of Sasse.
With the flowable weight golf clubs, the dynamics of the club or the "feel" of the club changes during the course of the swing. This change in feel is due to the relocation of the mass to different locations in the club while the club is being swung at the ball.
Thus, these golf clubs provide golf swing dynamics that are very much different than the use of an actual golf club which does not have weights that move or shift during swing execution.
Another form of swing practice is to obtain golf IEasons either individually or as part of a group to obtain professional advice on swing shortcomings and suggestions for swing improvement that are based on observations of the professional of the golf swing of the student.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf swing practice apparatus which eliminates weight shifting and changing golf dynamics during the proper execution of a golf swing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing practice apparatus which provides a biofeedback to indicate to the user of the device when a swing is properly executed and when a swing is not properly executed.
A further object of the invention is to provide golf swing feedback to the user of the present invention without the need for ongoing professional instruction.
40090201.1 Summary of the Invention The golf club practice swing apparatus of the present invention operates as a teaching tool to teach golfers how to apply angular acceleration consistently to a golf S club throughout the golfer's golf swing. The practice club disclosed herein is not intended for actual play and does not provide apparatus to alter the dynamics of a ball's flight. The apparatus provides a biofeedback mechanism comprising an audio and tactile feedback which provides the user with an indication of a proper swing execution and an improper swing execution.
In one of its aspects, the invention provides a golf club conventional in appearance comprising a grip, a club shaft, and a club head: the club shaft forming a hollow cavity having a stopper at the club head end and another stopper positioned near the grip end of the club. The cavity containing a plurality of masses encased therein.
The masses loosely fill the cavity defined by the club shaft and are adapted to freely move throughout the cavity from the hosel stopper to the grip stopper.
The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals reference like features of the invention throughout the various figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a golf club constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the club of Figure 1 taken along cutting line 2-2.
Figure 3 is a drawing of the weights or masses contained within the club of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a swing sequence showing various orientations of the golf club during a practice swing correctly executed.
40090201.1 Figure 5 is the golf club showing an improper up:>wing orientation which is identified by the location of the biofeedback masses of the ~>resent device; and Figure 6 is a downward orientation of a golf club with the movable masses located to operate the biofeedback features of the apparatus of the invention operating.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 shows a plan view of the exterior of the golf club practice swing device of the present invention generally depicted by reference numeral 10. The apparatus has a conventional outward appearance including a grip 12 of conventional construction of a rubber, latex or leather material and placed over the upper end of shaft 14 to provide a surface that a user of the club may use to firmly grasp the club 10. At the distal end of shaft 14 from grip 12 is affixed a club head 16 that has a conventional outward appearance.
Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the club of Figure 1 taken along cutting lines 2-2 taken axially along the length of the club. The shaft 14 is provided with a distal stopper 18 which may be formed from the upper end of club head 16 extending into the shaft 14. Proximal to the grip 12 is an upper stopper 20 which is provided to form a cavity 22 within the interior portion of the club shaft 14. The cavity preferably extends two-thirds of the length of the shaft, that is to say, the stopper 20 is preferably positioned one-third the distance of the shaft 14 from the upper end or grip end of the club 24 and two-thirds of the way up from the heel end of the club 26.
Filling a portion of the interior volume of the cavity 22 are masses 28 that are preferably formed from a very hard material such as hardened steel. The masses have a diameter of 0.02" to 0.70" inches in diameter. The masses are preferably formed of stainless steel or similar highly inelastiic material to cause the masses to rebound upon collision with themselves or with the sides of club shaft 14. The masses 28 are adapted to produce an audio indication in the form of acoustical output when they are colliding and reacting with Each other or with the sides of club shaft 14 which a user of the club can hear. Moreover, the interaction of kinetic forces and collisions between weights 28 and each other as well as collisions with 40090201.1 the shaft 14 produces a tactile sensation within the golf club 10 which causes the user of the club to "feel" the collisions transmitted via grip 12 to the user.
Figure 3 shows a collection of masses 28 outside of club 10. The masses 28 are preferably spherical in shape for ease of movement in cavity 22 and to prevent the weights 28 from packing and locking when they move toward the lower portion of cavity 22 in club shaft 14 to position themselves proximal to the club head 16.
Figure 4 shows a swing sequence from the top of a back swing through to 90 degrees of follow through shown as positions 1 through 9. To commence a golf swing, a club is usually positioned next to the ball in the position shown as position 8.
This club position is sometimes referred to as "addressing the ball". The golfer commences a swing by raising a club from position 8 through successive positions 7 to 1 in what is known as the back swing. The forward swing of the club then occurs when the rotation of the club reverses at swing position 1 to follow through positions 1 through to position 8 again whereupon the ball (not shown) is struck.
Throughout Figure 4, the weights 28 are shown positioned at the distal end of the club proximal to the club head 16. This positioning of the weights ~28 commences with the address of the ball at position 8. In this position, the clutl is stationary and gravity operates on the weights 28 to draw them to the distal end of the club.
Back Swing As the back swing commences, the club moves at an angular velocity that causes the apparent centrifugal forces operating on the weights to keep them positioned at the distal end of the club through to the top of the back swing shown at position 1.
The execution of a back swing which is too slow, will allow the weights to move inwardly from the distal end of the club toward the grip end 12 of the club under force of gravity. This relocation of weights is shown in Figure 5. In this manner gravity operates on the weights to cause them to move away from the distal end of the club when the club is oriented in an upward position as in positions 4, 3, 2 and 1.
When the back swing is executed too slowly, the weighia moving away from the distal end of the club will cause an audio and tactile indication to be produced by the weights 28 in collision with each other and the club shaft 14. Accordingly, the golfer will be 40090201.1 provided with a biofeedback sensation that indicates that the back swing of the club is being executed too slowly.
Swing Transition At the top of the back swing, position 1 of Figure -4, the forward swing of the club will be executed. Even if the back swing angular velocity was sufficient to keep the weights 28 at the distal end of the club near the club head 16, a prolonged hesitation at the top of the back swing in position 1 will again cause the weights 28 to proceed downwardly along the shaft toward grip 12. This will unpack the weights such that when the forward swing commences and the club is undergoing angular acceleration from position 1, to 2, to 3, and so on, the weights 28 will again proceed outwardly, due to apparent centrifugal forces, toward the distal end of the club to again reposition themselves proximal to club head 16. This repositioning of the weights at the distal end of the club will produce a tactile and audio sensation which will provide the golf user with a biofeedback signal that the hesitation at the top of the back swing was too long.
Forward Swing In the forward swing, when the club is undergoing angular acceleration from the top of the back swing, position 1 through positions 2 ... 7 and 8 of Figure 3, it is advantageous for the club to undergo a relatively uniform angular acceleration. It is undesirable to jerk or force the club at any time during the forward swing, but particularly near the bottom of the swing at positions 6 or 7. In some cases golfers try to provide impulse force to attempt to increase the club head angular acceleration, particularly immediately prior to impact. Impulse forces or jerking the club are undesirable. It is preferable to have the angular acceleration applied to the club from position 1 through 8 in a relatively uniform fashion. That is to say, the rate of increase in the club's angular velocity, or club head speed, from position 1 through to position 8 is preferably increased as a relatively constant or uniform angular acceleration during the forward swing phase. It is. undesirable to have different rates of angular acceleration in different positions of the club position during the down or forward phase of the swing. Weights 28 act as a biofeedback accelerometer 40090201.1 _8_ producing an audio and tactile biofeedback sensation to the golf user when the golf club undergoes abrupt changes in angular ;acceleration. Increased angular acceleration, for example immediately prior to impact from position 7 to position 8 will cause the weights to shift due to the abrupt change in angular acceleration thereby producing a feel and a noise which alerts the user of the golf club to an abrupt change in angular acceleration. Similarly, abrupt speed reduction after impact with the golf ball at position 8 in the follow through phase of the club swing, which is shown for example at position 9, will cause the weights to shift thereby producing a tactile and audio sensation to provide a biofeedback signal to the user of the club that the follow through angular deceleration of the club is too abrupt.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended to operate as a teaching aid to provide biofeedback sensations in the form of tactile and audio feedback to users of the club in practice swinging. The club may be advantageously used at a practice area such as a driving range which will allow the golfer to improve his or her technique for swinging a golf club without the need for professional instruction during the course of practising the golf swing. The golf club disclosed herein operates during swing execution and provides immediate: feedback on improper or proper techniques for the operation of the club.
A further refinement of the club apparatus of the present invention is to increase the mass of the club head 16 to counterbalance the presence of the weights or masses 28 in the distal end of the club shaft. By providing a heavier club head 16, the center of mass of the club is maintained near the club head 16 as it is in a conventional club without masses 28. Various amount of additional weight can be incorporated into club head 16 depending on the amount of weight added by movable masses 28.
Additional club head mass of approximately 1 CIO grams may be advantageously used.
Now that the invention has been explained with reference to the preferred embodiment, numerous substitutions and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.
40090201.1
Claims (10)
1. A golf club swing practice apparatus comprising:
a grip and club head connected by an elongate club shaft, the shaft defining an interior volume;
stopper means disposed at opposed ends of said elongate club shaft to seal said interior volume to form a cavity therein; and a plurality of masses dimensioned to loosely fill a portion of said cavity.
a grip and club head connected by an elongate club shaft, the shaft defining an interior volume;
stopper means disposed at opposed ends of said elongate club shaft to seal said interior volume to form a cavity therein; and a plurality of masses dimensioned to loosely fill a portion of said cavity.
2. A golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of said cavity said masses fill approximates fifty percent of the volume of said cavity.
3. A golf club as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said masses are formed from stainless steel.
4. A golf club as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said masses are dimensioned between 0.02 and 0.70 inches.
5. A golf club as claimed in claim 1 wherein said masses comprise a plurality of spherical objects.
6. A golf club as claimed in claim 5 wherein said masses are formed from stainless steel.
7. A golf club as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said masses have a diameter between 0.02 and 0.70 inches.
8. A golf club as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stopper means are disposed proximal to said grip and said club head respectively.
9. A golf club as claimed in claim 1 or 8 wherein said stopper means disposed proximal to said grip is disposed substantially two thirds of the length of said elongate club shaft extending between said grip and said club head.
10. A golf club as claimed in claim 1, 8 or 9 wherein the volume of said cavity is approximately two thirds of the volume of the interior volume defined by said club shaft.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002260359A CA2260359A1 (en) | 1999-01-26 | 1999-01-26 | Golf club swing practice apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002260359A CA2260359A1 (en) | 1999-01-26 | 1999-01-26 | Golf club swing practice apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2260359A1 true CA2260359A1 (en) | 2000-07-26 |
Family
ID=29555038
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002260359A Abandoned CA2260359A1 (en) | 1999-01-26 | 1999-01-26 | Golf club swing practice apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2260359A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2006016855A2 (en) * | 2004-08-13 | 2006-02-16 | Ng, Kee Chew Tommy | Golf swing practice device |
-
1999
- 1999-01-26 CA CA002260359A patent/CA2260359A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2006016855A2 (en) * | 2004-08-13 | 2006-02-16 | Ng, Kee Chew Tommy | Golf swing practice device |
| WO2006016855A3 (en) * | 2004-08-13 | 2006-06-15 | Ng Kee Chew Tommy | Golf swing practice device |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |