EP1450904A2

EP1450904A2 - Elongated golf club grip

Info

Publication number: EP1450904A2
Application number: EP02804445A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Howard Sosin
Original assignee: Feil Golf LLC
Current assignee: Feil Golf LLC
Priority date: 2001-11-30
Filing date: 2002-11-25
Publication date: 2004-09-01
Also published as: WO2003047703A3; AU2002365880A1; US20030104876A1; WO2003047703B1; JP2005511169A; WO2003047703A2

Abstract

The present invention discloses a golf club manufactured with an elongated grip that extends down the length of the shaft. The elongated grip allows the golfer to assume a more comfortable choked down hand position which in turn will promote better choked down golf shots and thus better control of non-standard distances. The grip can be of uniform or varying thickness and have a length selected by the golfer to correspond to his preferred choked down hand positions. The present invention also discloses and promotes the use of a set of two or more golf clubs designed to produce distance differentials that exceed those that come with traditional sets.

Description

ELONGATED GOLF CLUB GRIP

Cross-reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/334,567 filed November 30, 2001, and to the corresponding U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/095,265, filed- March 11, 2002, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to the field of golf clubs and their ^N use, manufacture and modification.

Background of the Invention

In their set of fourteen clubs, most (but not all) golfers carry ten irons, three woods, and a putter. Full swing standard distance goals for male golfers might look like the following:

Table 1

Club Distance vards Distance diff. Loft (degrees) Loft diff.

Driver 255 N/A 9 N/A

3 -wood 235 20 13 4

5 -wood 215 20 17 4

2-iron 195 N/A 19 N/A

3 185 10 22 3

4 175 10 25 3

5 165 10 28 3

6 155 10 32 4

7 145 10 36 4

8 135 10 40 4

9 125 10 44 4

Wedge 115 10 48 4

Sand Wedge 85 30 58 10 Traditionally, sets of golf club irons have been designed to produce approximately 10 yards difference in the distance between consecutive clubs, especially between the numbered clubs, h the set described in Table 1, the 10 yard distance differential is maintained for clubs from the 2-iron to the wedge. While manufacturers vary somewhat in their specifications, in a modern set, the loft on a traditional wedge is approximately 48 degrees and decreases to about 19 degrees for the 2-iron (with 4 degree differentials standard for most clubs and then 3 or less for the longer, i.e. lower numbered, clubs). (Lofts on woods and irons mean different things and therefore loft differentials between woods and irons are not particularly meaningful). The 5 -iron traditionally is approximately 38 inches long and the club head weighs approximately 233 grams. Longer (shorter) clubs traditionally increase (decrease) in length by V inch per club and decrease (increase) by 7 grams per club.

The sand wedge is the outlier. As shown, it can have a 30 yard distance gap and a 10 degree loft gap. The distance gap between the wedge and sand wedge often poses a problem for golfers. Recognizing this gap problem, club makers have introduced "gap wedges" with lofts ranging from 50 to 57 degrees; however, adding this to a traditional set requires sacrificing another club (usually the third wood or the 2-iron) in the set in order to meet the 14 club rule of the USGA. The three woods would usually include a Driver, 3 -wood and a 5 -wood, although other combinations are possible (e.g. a Driver, a 4-wood and a 7-wood, etc.). Depending upon the strength and skill of the golfer, the woods would be put to work spanning distances from 200-250 or more yards and typically would have between 10 and 25 yards of differential in distance between consecutive wood clubs. Drivers typically weigh approximately 200 grams and have a length of 44 to 46 inches. Other woods are typically shorter and weigh slightly more.

The final club in the set would be a putter.

Golfers grip their clubs using three primary grips: interlocking, overlapping or baseball. In each of these grips, the hands are positioned in a contiguous unit (i.e. the hands are touching) with the interlocking and overlapping grips having 9 fingers forming the grip and the baseball grip having 10 fingers forming the grip. Non-standard distances produced by wood and/or iron clubs (e.g. 118 yards which is between the wedge and 9-iron, or 225 yards which is between the full swing distance of the 3 and 5 -wood) and those of less than 85 yards (the full swing distance of the sand wedge in this set) typically are achieved in one of three ways (or in some combination of the three) : by taking a partial swing with a club, by altering the force (either decreasing or increasing relative to "normal") of the swing, or by "choking down" on the shaft of the club thereby shortening the effective length of the shaft and, usually, decreasing distance. The first two methods require exquisite touch. Because wood and iron grips are approximately 10 ^lΛ inches long, the latter choking down method often requires the golfer to grip the club partially on the grip and partially on the exposed shaft thereby altering feel and potentially accuracy.

Therefore, there is a need for the development of a golf club and a set of golf clubs that allow for a comfortable and effective choked down hand position.

Summary of the Invention The present invention discloses an elongated golf club grip that extends down the length of the shaft and its use in designing golf clubs (wood and irons) that are better suited for choked down hand positions and in designing sets of two or more golf clubs having distance differentials between clubs that exceed those of traditional design. In multiple embodiments, the grip can extend more than eleven inches down the shaft, can extend to a specific point above the club head on each club, for example 16 to 20 inches above the club head and preferably 18, or can extend to a length that allows for entirely separate hand positions. When installed as part of a golf club, the inventive elongated grip allows the golfer to assume a more comfortable choked down hand position which in turn will promote better choked down golf shots and thus better control of non-standard distances and in turn better golf scores. In preferred embodiments, the grip is integral to the club in that it is not applied over a pre-existing grip and can be of uniform or varying thickness and have a length selected by the golfer to correspond to his preferred choked down hand positions.

In one aspect, the invention provides a golf club that can be comfortably used in a choked down position. The golf club is adapted to allow a golfer to choke down on the golf club so as to provide for at least one alternative golf club swing option. For example, the inventive golf clubs allow a golfer to comfortably utilize an alternative golf club swing option comprising a hand position on the golf club that is separate from the hand position for a traditional golf club swing but which retains a chosen grip feel and which facilitates a consistent average distance range for a full swing.

In another aspect, the invention provides a set of golf clubs for improved golf play, comprising at least two golf clubs with elongated grips, wherein an average distance range differential for a full swing between consecutive clubs of the golf club set is at least 12 yards between any consecutive pair of golf clubs in the set. The invention further provides methods of using inventive golf clubs and golf club sets as well as other items and methods specified in the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawing

The invention is described with reference to the several figures of the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an iron golf club and a wood golf club with an elongated grip; Figure 2 illustrates a set of wood and iron golf clubs with equal length elongated grips;

Figure 3 illustrates a set of wood and iron golf clubs with elongated grips that extend to a constant distance from the club head;

Figure 4 illustrates a set of wood and iron golf clubs with increased incremental loft and distance differentials;

Figure 5 illustrates multiple hand positions on an elongated grip; and Figures 6A and 6B illustrates various embodiments of grip thicknesses.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As noted above, the present invention provides an elongated golf club grip that extends down the length of the shaft and its use in designing golf clubs (wood and irons) that are better suited for choked down hand positions and in designing sets of two or more golf clubs having distance differentials between clubs that exceed those of traditional design. I have designed a new set of clubs with the following characteristics:

Table 2

Club Distance (yards Distance diff. Loft (degrees) Loft diff.

Driver 255 N/A 9 N/A

3 -wood 235 20 13 4

5-wood 215 20 17 4

2-iron 195 N/A 21 N/A

3 V₂ 180 15 25 4

5 165 15 30 5

6 ¹. 150 15 35 5

8 135 15 40 5

9 Vι 120 15 46 6

Wedgel 105 15 52 6

Wedge2 90 15 58 6

Wedge3 75 15 64 6

Wedge4 60 15 70 6

It should be noted that the lofts and associated distances in this set do not coincide precisely with those of a standard set such as that described in Table 1 (see, e.g. the 2- iron). This is partly a result of my having varied other club parameters (e.g. shaft length and club head weight). The distance differences occur primarily by altering the lofts on these clubs relative to those of a traditional set and employing larger loft differentials (in the example 6, 5 and 4 degree differentials). This new set of clubs spans a wider range of distances for full swings (60 yards to 195 yards). It also maintains equal (e.g. 15 yard) full swing yardage differentials between clubs and avoids the gap that exists between the sand wedge in the traditional set and the wedge in the traditional set. All wedges in this set can be used out of the sand. While avoiding the gap problem, this alternative set exacerbates the problem of achieving intermediate distances and is particularly suited for the choking down method. However, traditional grips are designed to be approximately 10 Vi inches long to accommodate two hands in a single hand position, and are traditionally the same length for each club. (See Appendix I for a description of grips by Staten Island Golf; and Appendix II for a description of golf club design considerations by Horizon Precision Custom Golf Clubs). Choking down therefore results in part or all of at least one hand (the right hand for a right handed golfer) being placed on bare shaft which affects the feel and potentially the accuracy of the shot. As will be described, the inventive grips are therefore particularly useful with this modified club set.

Certain techniques are currently available for extending golf club grips. Such techniques generally involve a covering or sleeve applied over the grip after manufacture. (See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,036,607 to Finegan and 5,626,527 to Eberlein). Such grips, however, are generally used for training purposes and often do not satisfy the requirements of the United States Golf Association (USGA). Appendix II of the USGA 2000-2001 Rules, part 3 states that the grip for clubs, other than putters, must be circular in cross-section and "may be tapered but must not have any bulge or waist." The grips disclosed in the patents to Finnegan and Eberlein do not satisfy these requirements. The present invention provides improved golfing equipment that satisfies USGA requirements, particularly an elongated golf club grip that facilitates a comfortable and effective swing in a choked down position.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing, the figures constitute a part of this specification and illustrate exemplary embodiments to the invention. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates an example wood 20 and an iron 30 golf club each with an integral elongated grip 10 that extends down the length of the golf club shaft. The term integral is used to refer to the fact that the elongated grip is not a covering or sleeve applied over a pre-existing golf club grip. In multiple embodiments, the elongated grip 10 could be installed at the manufacturing stage of the golf club or could be a replacement grip installed at the direction of the user after the manufacture of the golf club. The elongated grip 10 is long enough to accommodate two hands when the hand closest to the golfer during a golf swing is not positioned directly at or very near to (i.e. within one inch of) the edge of the free end of the shaft, hi one embodiment, the grip extends anywhere from 11 to 24 inches from the free end of the shaft and preferably 12 to 18 inches, and most preferably 15 to 16 inches from the free end of the shaft.

Elongated grips do not currently exist for irons and woods (there are specialized grips for putters that can extend beyond normal length, but these are not used by irons and woods as they frequently only meet USGA requirements for putters). Club makers are very concerned by the effect of the grip on the overall weight of the club, the balance of the club (i.e. swing weight, etc.), and the flex of the shaft. Elongating the grip would add to the overall weight, decrease the swing weight, and potentially stiffen the shaft. Additionally, golfers using traditional sets of clubs infrequently engage in a choked down hand position, and if they do, it is only by choking down a short distance.

A set of clubs involving wider distance differentials, for example 12-20 yards between consecutive clubs (see Table 2), would call for more frequent use of choke down shots. Elongated grips could be designed to minimize effects on weight, balance and shaft stiffness, among others. Such techniques are generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art and could include: the use of lighter materials, the use of flexible materials, and air impregnation to reduce weight, among others. Thus, while elongated grips could be made from any materials now used in traditional grips and could come in any size that meet USGA requirements (where the industry uses the word "size" to mean diameter), available materials could be used which could decrease the side effects. Figure 2 illustrates a set of wood and iron golf clubs 40 with elongated grips 10 where the elongated grips 10 are all the same length 12. The extended length could potentially be at least 11 inches, preferably in the range of 11 to 24 inches, and more preferably in the range of 15 to 16 inches. Figure 3 illustrates a set of wood and iron golf clubs 40 with elongated grips 10 where the elongated grips 10 are all designed to extend to a constant distance 14 from the club head, for example 16 to 20 inches above the club head and preferably 18 inches.

The inventive elongated grips may be applied to standard clubs and club sets or, alternatively, may be applied to non-standard clubs or club sets like the set described in Table 2. Figure 4 illustrates a set of non-standard golf clubs 50 that have been modified to produce increased incremental ranges through the use of modified loft angles 52 such as those shown in Table 2. The grips on these golf clubs could potentially be standard grips or elongated grips 10 as shown in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3. Figure 5 illustrates an elongated golf club grip 10 and various examples of choked down hand positions. Position 1 is a standard hand position on a grip while Positions 2 and 3 are choked down hand positions. Positions 2 and 3 exemplify a range of possible hand positions down the length of the shaft. This range of hand positions allows a golfer to hit various average intermediate distances between sequential clubs. For example, using a 5 iron, a golfer may hit an average of 165 yards when the golfer's hands are in Position 1 but may hit an average of 160 yards, when his hands are in Position 2 and 155 yards when in Position 3. Alternatively, a golfer may find, as I have, that instead of trying to achieve such fine tuning, it is usually sufficient to use a choked down hand position approximately midway between Positions 2 and 3 thereby approximating a middle distance.

One area where the present invention will be particularly effective is in chipping where choking down on the shaft, often by a substantial amount, is more common. Improved chipping would lead to improved golf scores. Another area where the present invention would be of particular benefit is putting with wood clubs using a choked down hand position (usually undertaken from off the fringe of the green). Improved putting would lead to improved golf scores.

In another embodiment, the hand position of Position 2 may not overlap at all with the hand position in Position 1 indicating that the elongated grip is of such a length as to allow for at least two entirely separate and distinct hand positions for a person of average hand size. The elongated grip can be made with standardized identifying marks 16 for average hand positions so a golfer may consistently hold the club in the same place when choking down various amounts. Alternatively, the elongated grip can be made of such a material so as to allow the golfer to easily mark his or her various individualized hand positions on the grip.

An elongated grip provides a means for maintaining the proper "feel" of a golf club even when the golfer chooses to choke down on the golf club. With an elongated grip, a golfer may decide to choke down on a golf club without experiencing the negative effects, such as gripping exposed shaft, that such a hand position might have when using an ordinary golf club. In addition, golfers are often very particular about the diameter size of their grip. An elongated grip allows for a golfer to continue to use a grip of desired size even when engaging in a choked down hand position. On a traditional golf club, the golf club shaft underlying the grip often tapers. Figure 6A illustrates one embodiment in which the elongated grip 10 is selected to be of uniform thickness 4 so as maintain the natural taper of the shaft. Figure 6B illustrates another embodiment in which the elongated grip 10 has a non-uniform thickness, as illustrated by thicknesses 6 and 8, such that overall the grip and shaft maintain a constant thickness. The golfer may also select a thickness of the elongated grip to modify the taper of the shaft according to his or her preference as long as the result coincides with USGA rules.

The golfer may independently select the length of an elongated grip for individual clubs. For example, a golfer may prefer one grip length for a 5-iron and another for a 9- iron so as to correspond with his preference for choked down hand positions. The grips may also be chosen in standardized packages in which the grips are all of the same length 12 (see Figure 2). Alternatively, a set of elongated grips may be of such lengths as to extend to the same fixed position 14 on any club (see Figure 3).

Although it is possible to extend the grip all the way down the shaft, the lie characteristic of a golf club means that after a point there is a quickly diminishing return to added grip length. That is, all golf clubs heads are attached to a shaft at an angle towards the golfer called the lie angle. Shorter clubs have greater lie angles - that is, they are held on a steeper angle than are longer clubs. As a golfer chokes down on the shaft he will usually increase the effective lie angle. When the effective lie angle deviates enough from the manufacturers intended lie angle, the flight pattern of the ball will be affected. Steepening the effective lie tends to cause the ball to fly to the right of target. Thus, as one chokes down on the club it may be necessary to slightly alter one's aim. The alteration required becomes increasingly significant the more the club is shortened by choking down. (See Appendix in for a description of design characteristics for golf clubs and grip installation by Clark Systems Custom Golf).

One thing that might be done to reduce the effect of the lie angle that results with a choked down hand position is to intentionally have the clubs be slightly "flat" (e.g. slightly too little lie) at their full length position. This would imply that the effective lie of the choked down club would not be as great. The present invention could be combined with other methods and devices developed by the inventor for improving golf play. For example, U.S.S.N. 09/248,515 entitled "Golf Club and Method of Design" discloses a golf club utilizing the design of a lean angle to allow the golfer to customize the relationship between design and effective loft. U.S.S.N. 09/295,913 entitled "System for Optimization of Golf Clubs" discloses a method of designing a matched set of golf clubs which takes into account both objective parameters which control the motion of the golf ball in response to an impact from a club head, and subjective parameters related to individual preferences in "feel" and idiosyncrasies of a particular golfer's swing. U.S.S.N. 60/276,663 entitled "Tempo Maintaining Golf Clubs" discloses a method for designing a set of golf clubs which provide a golfer with consistent tempo and ball striking quality based on the optimization of the club lengths and club head weights of the set.

Appendix I

Staten Island Golf (http://www.sigolf.com/html/grips.html as of November 29, 2001) Grips

This is an area of club fitting too often taken for granted. The right way to select the best grip is for you to experiment with numerous types and sizes.

Grips are normally 10 ^lA inches long and weigh between 1.5 ounces and 2 ounces. To determine the correct grip size, hold the club in a playing posture using only your left hand.

A) If your middle two fingers just touch your palm, the grip size is correct.

B) If your fingers are unable to touch your palm, the grip size is too large. This can lead to under active wrists, and bring about pushing, slicing, and "losing" the club at the top. Since the grip is your only connection to the club, having the right feel is vital.

C) If your fingers dig into your palm, the grip size is too small. An undersized grip can promote overactive wrists, causing you to pull or hook your shots.

A word on playing with worn out slick grips - "Don't be penny wise and scoring foolish!" Many golfers greatly over control the club because of the excessive grip pressure needed to hold on to old grips. For the average golfer, grips will last between one and three years, depending on the type and the amount of use.

End Appendix I.

Appendix II

Horizon Precision Custom Golf Clubs (http://www.horizongolf.com as of November 29, 2001)

Custom Golf Clubs - Fit to Your Exact Need

• Approximately 80% of your shafts are incorrectly matched! No matter what the shaft label indicates your shafts will typically vary from ladies flex to men's stiff.

• Approximately 38% of your swing weights are incorrect! In some cases you will find your club swing weights vary up to three swing weights from each other. Swing weighting influences the shaft flex and your feel.

• There is approximately a 95% chance the lie angle of your clubs is incorrectly fit to you. Lie angles will deviate greatly even on clubs that are supposedly custom fit. This influences your standing position to the ball, the club's position at impact, and the final result of your shots.

• There is approximately a 99.9% chance that the face lofts of your golf clubs are inaccurate. This inaccuacy will cause inconsistent distance between clubs. Also, face lofts often vary so much that you may have one or more clubs in your bag with the same face loft. • There is approximately a 99% chance that the weight, size, and length of your grips vary from one club to the next. The gram weight of your grips may vary from 47 to 56 grams. This works as a counterbalance to the true swing weight of your clubs. Most manufacturer's place small amounts of weight in the hosel of the golf club to compensate for this inaccuracy. This changes the balance of your club head, moves the sweet spot slightly closer to the neck, creates more vibration in the shaft, and contributes to altering the club shaft's true flex.

• The grip size should be measured for your palm and hand size. Incorrect sizing can contribute to a hook and slice.

• The length of your grip from one club to the next should be exactly the same. If your grip varies in length it will effect the flex and flex point of your shaft. Horizon Golf Clubs Finished Specifications

Variable Tolerance

Shaft flex +/- 1 cpm Shaft weight +/- 2 grams (graphite shaft) Club length +/- 1/64 " Loft angle +/- 0.25 degree Lie angle +/- 0 degrees Bounce angle +/- 0.25 degree Swing weight +/- VΛ of a weight Grip size all the same Grip weight +/- 1/10 gram Grip length all the same

End Appendix H

Appendix HT

Clark Systems Custom Golf (http://home.earthlink.net/~clarksystems/design.htm as of November 29, 2001)

Design Considerations for Custom Clubs

Successful golfers don't seek out a custom clubmaker to find inexpensive clubs, although they may well be a bargain. Custom clubmakers build clubs that are designed and built to fit the unique specifications of an individual golfer. Custom built clubs provide the golfer with the opportunity to play his best golf, confident that his clubs are helping, not hurting his game. The factors that a qualified clubfitter will take into consideration are also factors that all serious golfers should know and understand.

The clubmaker will consider a number of characteristics about the golfer. These include: Height & weight; age; strength; years of playing experience; average score on a full size course (6200 yards for men); current handicap, if official; average 5 iron carry; average driver carry; fingertip to floor measurement; typical ball flight (high, low, hook, draw, straight, fade, slice).

These variables and some discussion will assist the clubmaker in understanding your physical makeup and your capabilities as a golfer. He would also want to know what the golfer hopes to get out of new clubs - more distance, correcting a ball flight problem, more consistent contact, etc.

Clubmakers would also want to have a dynamic fitting session with the golfer if at all possible. This means taking the golfer to a range and having him or her hit balls with clubs of various lies, lengths and shaft flexes (using iron of the same loft and woods of the same loft) in a effort to find the combination of specifications which produces the best ball contact and ball flight. Since more and more of the major manufacturers of golf clubs are offering this service it is easier than ever to find a club professional who can take you through a fitting session and provide you with your ideal specifications.

At this point the golfer and clubmaker begin to consider variations in component design which are best suited to the golfer's needs. Here are some of the variables in the three club components - head, shaft and grip - and how they can have an impact on the performance of your clubs.

Clubheads

Iron heads come in two basic designs, 'blade' and 'cavity back' or 'perimeter weighted'. Blades are compact, simple heads with no cavity or concave section in the back. They have a very small sweet spot and are best suited for very low handicap players who want to maneuver the balls' flight, intentionally curving it right or left, or hitting it high or low. Blades produce good results only for those golfers with a very well developed and precise swing. For others they are very difficult to hit consistently well.

Cavity Back irons range in size from so-called mid to oversize. They have much of the weight of the head distributed around the back edges (perimeter) of the head, creating a cavity, thus the term, perimeter weighting. This design enlarges the sweet spot making the club much more forgiving on off center hits. The clubhead resists twisting, and mis-hit shots fly straighter and farther than with blades. The vast majority of players benefit from cavity back irons, and many low handicappers and pros use them as well.

The lie on irons is a critical factor. Lie is the angle created between the shaft line and the bottom of the clubface. Most heads are built to a standard specification but can be altered to various degrees of upright or flat lies. A taller golfer may need a more upright lie, a shorter one a flatter lie. This specification has a direct and most definite effect on control. Clubs that are too upright for the right handed golfer (toe up at address) will make the ball go left. Too flat a lie (toe down) will make the ball go right. This effect is more pronounced in the shorter irons.

Metal wood heads also employ perimeter weighting but the distribution of weight takes place inside the head. The range of size in today's metal wood is big, bigger and biggest. Larger sizes tend to increase confidence and are particularly beneficial in today's over length drivers. The use of titanium versus steel in the construction of metal heads allows heads to be built larger and lighter while maintaining strength.

Lie is not as much of a factor with woods but face angle is. Heads can be manufactured with a square, open or closed face angle. A closed face angle will make the ball go left, an open face will make it go right. Thus, if you're fighting a slice like most recreational golfers, you want a driver with a closed face. The new Adams Golf line of Flight Control drivers employ this variable of face angle intended to correct consistent ball flight problems. For a great deal on drivers featuring this flight control technology, take a look at the SC Tour on our Woods page.

Wood heads can also employ different face heights, ranging from shallow to deep (or tall). After a long period of dominance by mid to deep face woods such as the Big Bertha and Taylor Bubble, Adams Golf and Orlimar took the infomercial route to promote their low profile, shallow faced woods to the golfing public. It isn't a new idea, of course. h fact, in his autobiography, 30 Year of Championship Golf Gene Sarazen describes his need for a shallow faced wood to help him get the ball airborne more quickly. It was just such a wood that he used to score his famous double eagle at the 15th hole at Augusta National en route to defeating Graig Wood for the 1935 Masters crown.

Shallow faced woods have a lower center of gravity which can come in contact with the ball at a lower point on the ball. This gets the ball up quicker and higher than a deeper faced wood and from worse conditions. A deeper faced wood hits the ball farther and lower that a shallow faced wood with an equal loft angle. Therefore, a golfer looking to replace an existing club may need a stronger club (less loft) or one with a longer shaft when going to a shallow faced wood. The exception is for the slower swinging player. The launch angle of shallow faced woods creates more carry distance for these golfers.

In addition, the Orlimar Tri Metal has a somewhat smaller head overall and a 'V shaped sole. This combination results in a club that can slice through rough with less resistance and less of a tendency to twist. Heads with flatter soleplates are fine off the tee and from clean fairway lies but less effective from more difficult situations, which seem to occur the majority of the time.

Shafts

There those who say that the shaft is the most critical component in a club and with good reason. The major categories of shafts are, of course steel and graphite, the major difference between them being weight. Graphite shafts do not inherently hit the ball farther but, because of their lighter weight, allow clubs to be built longer yet be swung and controlled as easily as a heavier, shorter steel shafted club. Graphite shafts are also more difficult to manufacture to strict, consistent specifications and are not as consistently accurate as steel shafts. This is why you see most pros playing with graphite shafted woods and steel shafted irons. Graphite shafts also have shock absorption capability which makes them appealing to golfers sensitive to the shock of impact. Steel shafts with shock absorption inserts are also available.

Design variables in both steel and graphite include weight, length, flex point and, of course, flex. Forget about the flex rating stamped on a shaft. There is no industry standard for establishing flex - one manufacturers stiff is another's regular. Within the last few years, Callaway changed the flex ratings of their wood shafts up one flex range (what was a regular is now a stiff) without changing the shaft itself! Component suppliers Golfsmith and Dynacraft have developed shaft rating systems which are far more objective and allow the clubmaker to choose a shaft based on a golfers' swing speed.

A shaft can have a high, mid or low flex point. A higher flex point shaft tends to hit the ball lower, has a somewhat stiffer feel and tends to feel less solid on off center hits.

Low flex point shafts are just the opposite, tending toward a higher ball flight, softer feel and more solid feel on off center hits. As you might guess a mid flex point shafts' ball flight tendency is in the middle of these.

The length of the shaft is critical. As mentioned above, dynamic fitting is the best way to find the length that is perfect. Generally, the longer the shaft the farther the ball will fly and the more difficult the club is to control. This same kind of formula applies to weight. The lighter the shaft, the easier the club is to swing, thus the club can be built longer and the farther the ball can be hit, until you reach the point of reduction of control.

Grips

Grips vary in weight, size, design, and composition material. Grips are available in lighter and lighter weights in response to the interest in building longer and longer clubs. The lighter weight results in a lighter overall club that is easier to control, especially at longer lengths. Grip designs can include smooth, rough, multiple texture variations, etc. Composition effects the feel, from soft to more firm. Older golfers or those with arthritic conditions often benefit from larger grips with some shock absorbing capacity. Grip size is a key fitting component. While comfort is very important to playability, proper grip sizing can make more of a difference in performance. If a grip is too small it can cause a golfer to lose control of the club at the top of the swing. A too large grip can stifle wrist action while a smaller one can enhance it. The basic fitting technique is based on how the grip fits the golfer's hand. When you address the ball (for a righty) the ring and middle fingers of the left hand should just brush the heel pad. If they're digging in you may need to move to a larger grip and if there's a gap, perhaps a smaller one.

That's a brief overview that should begin to give you a sense of the kinds of variables in a club that can have a real impact on your game. Certainly, golf is hard enough without having your clubs working against you. Beginners and low handicappers alike benefit from fitted clubs. Take the time to discuss your needs with a clubmaker or contact us at Clark Systems Custom Golf.

Get A Grip on It! - The How-To's on Installing Grips

One of the simplest yet most essential tasks in building and maintaining golf clubs is the process of gripping and re-gripping. Grips, as we all know, don't last forever. If they don't wear out and get slick from use, they get dry, hard and slick from age. The frequent player may need two or more sets of grips a season, and even the infrequent should re-grip yearly simply because grips will dry out and get hard and slippery.

Anyone who is at all handy can regrip clubs. All you need are some simple tools, some basic gripping supplies and a modest understanding of grip fitting. You also need to know -what grips to buy. You have three decisions to make: type of grip, (either rubber, composite or leather); style of grip (wrap, plain, cord, 1/2 cord and dozens of others) and size.

Grip Fitting and Sizing

Grip fitting is fairly simple. The properly fitted grip is one where the two middle fingers of the left hand (for a right handed golfer) just brush the base of the thumb when the club is held normally. The fingers should not dig into the base of the thumb, nor should the fingers fall short of the base of the thumb. A grip that is either too small OR too large will be hard to control and may encourage slippage or a re-gripping of the hand(s) at the top of the swing. If you find that your grips are small according to this standard of measurement, you're in good company. Most amateur golfers play with grips that are too small.

Once the basic size is established, some preference and performance considerations come in to play. It is felt that a larger grip inhibits wrist action and a smaller grip promotes wrist action, so if you're a hooker of the ball, you may want to consider a larger grip size. If you have a poor release (you leave the ball to the right) you may want to consider smaller grips. Older players or those with arthritic hands frequently prefer a larger, softer grip.

Grip size is controlled in several ways. The internal diameter of the grip must match the butt size of the shaft for a normal size grip. The most common butt sizes and internal grip sizes are .580 and .600, so if your shaft's butt diameter is .600 your grip's internal diameter must also be .600 for a normal size grip (as a point of reference, men's standard size is .900" in diameter measured 2" down from the butt of the installed grip).

If you install a grip on a shaft where the internal diameter of the grip is smaller than the outside diameter of the shaft the result will be a slightly oversize grip. A .580 grip on a .600 shaft will yield a grip that is 1/64" oversize. The opposite is also true: a larger grip on a smaller shaft will create an undersize grip. That's one technique for creating oversize / undersized grips, but if that's not what you're after, be certain to match grip and shaft sizes carefully.

If installing an undersized grip on a shaft does not result in a large enough grip, or a small shaft diameter makes this impossible, then you have two alternatives. The principal method is to buy grips that are oversize, and these are fairly common for the most styles of grip, the other approach is to build up the outside diameter of the shaft with masking tape, prior to installing the grip using multiple layers to get the size you want. It takes 2 layers of masking tape to build up the diameter of a grip 1/64". Finally, if you need a very large grip, install a 'jumbo' grip size.

Claims

Gripping Your ClubsWhat You'll Need: Grips, special double sided grip tape designed for golf club gripping, solvent, grease board pen, utility knife, a vice with pads or a rubber vice clamp specially designed for shafts, and a work area with newspaper or a pan to catch spilled solvent. All of the special materials needed are available from any number of golf club component suppliers, including Golfsmith, Dynacraft and Golfworks.A word of caution about safety. If re-gripping you'll need to cut off the old grips with a razor knife. When using a knife, always cut away from your body, never pull the knife toward you. If you're using solvents, as you must, use only in a well ventilated area, like an open garage. Wear protective eyegear.If you're installing grips on new clubs, simply skip steps 1 & 2.

1. Strip off the old grips. Clamp the shaft firmly in a vice with the clubface perpendicular to the ground. This will help in aligning the grip properly. Take care to use a rubber vice clamp or soft wood blocks to cushion the shaft. Don't clamp so tightly as to crush the shaft, obviously. If you have graphite shafts you must use a rubber vice clamp.

If you have steel shafts CAREFULLY take your utility knife and CUTTING AWAY FROM YOUR BODY, slit the grip from the bottom of the grip to the top. Cut all the way through one side of the grip. CLUBMAKERS TD?: go to any hardware store and buy a pack of hook blades for your utility knife (used for cutting linoleum & tiles) . Not only do these make the job MUCH easier, they make it much, much safer. If you have graphite shafts, this is essential since the graphite fibers can easily be damaged with a standard blade, while the hooked blades protect the shaft.

Once the grip is slit it is a simple matter of pulling open the slit and peeling back the old grip. The grip tape usually will remain.

2. Remove the old grip tape. If you're lucky you can simply peel it away. If it doesn't peel, scrape it off with a utility or razor knife. With a graphite shaft, scraping is not acceptable, again because you can damage the graphite fibers. If you have trouble peeling, soak the tape with a solvent like lacquer thinner, then try peeling again. Once the tape is stripped away, clean the shaft with lacquer thinner or other strong solvent.

3. Lay a grip along the shaft with the top end flush with the butt of the shaft and mark a spot on the shaft about 1/2 inch up from the bottom of the grip with your grease board pen (or a crayon, or anything else that will make a mark on a shaft). This tells you where to lay your tape. It's OK to be a little short. If you get too far down toward the end of the grip the tape may stick out and you'll have a devil of a time trimming it back cleanly.

4. Install the grip tape. If using 3/4 tape start at a point under the shaft directly below the mark you made. Run a strip of tape up the shaft to the butt, over the butt and down to the mark on the top side of the shaft. Smooth the tape out carefully and peel off the backing. Flatten out the portion around the butt of the shaft. If using 2" tape, you only need to run a strip of tape on the top of the shaft from your mark to about 1/2" past the butt. Wrap it around the shaft and smooth it out carefully, then twist the end together and tuck it into the butt of the shaft. Using either method you want to seal up the end of the shaft with the tape. This prevents solvents and water (when playing) from getting trapped in the shaft.

Minor wrinkles in the tape will not be noticeable when the grip is installed. If you've got some really gross, thick wrinkles, pull the tape off and start over. Tape is cheap.

5. Install the grip. This step will cause some spillage of solvent so be sure to place some sort of paper or catch basin down on your floor or workbench first.

Cover the hole in the butt end of the grip (with your finger or stick a tee in the hole) and pour a small amount of grip solvent or lacquer thinner in the grip. Cover the other end with your finger and shake the grip to coat the inside of the grip with the solvent. Now slowly pour the solvent over the tape. This will soften and lubricate the tape allowing the grip to slip on. The excess solvent will fall into the pan you've carefully positioned for just this purpose or it will spill onto the floor or workbench (hopefully not on your feet). Pull out the plug. The amount of solvent you pour in the grip is a judgment call - you need enough to soak the inside of the grip and the tape that's on the shaft. Too much is better than not enough. This next move must be done fairly quickly. Align the top of the grip with the clubface and work the open end of the grip over the butt end of the shaft. In one smooth motion, push (don't pull) the grip all the way down, making sure the top of grip is seated against the butt of the shaft. DON'T STOP pushing until the grip is seated or you may not get it moving again. You'll have just a couple of seconds to make any final adjustments in grip alignment because the grip will firm up fairly quickly. Use your solvent to clean up any goo that might get pushed onto the shaft or the grip.

You're done! You should wait a couple of hours, preferably overnight before you play with the club.

End Appendix m.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use with an iron or wood type golf club, comprising, an elongated grip, wherein said elongated grip is an integral part of the iron or wood type golf club and has an extended length.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said extended length comprises at least 11 inches from a free end of a golf club shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said extended length comprises a range of 11 to 24 inches from said free end of the golf club shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said extended length comprises extension to a range of 16 to 20 inches from a golf club head.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising markings on said elongated grip to indicate alternative hand positions .

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongated grip has a constant thickness.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongated grip has a thickness adapted to provide a constant diameter thickness for the elongated grip together with a golf club shaft.

8. An iron or wood type golf club, comprising, an elongated grip, wherein said elongated grip is an integral part of the iron or wood type golf club and has an extended length.

9. The golf club of claim 8 wherein said extended length comprises at least 11 inches from a free end of a golf club shaft.

10. The golf club of claim 9 wherein said extended length comprises a range of 11 to 24 inches from said free end of the golf club shaft.

11. The golf club of claim 8 wherein said extended length comprises extension to a range of 16 to 20 inches from a golf club head.

12. The golf club of claim 8 further comprising markings on said elongated grip to indicate alternative hand positions.

13. The golf club of claim 8 wherein said elongated grip has a constant thickness.

14. The golf club of claim 8 wherein said elongated grip has a thickness adapted to provide a constant diameter thickness for the elongated grip together with a golf club shaft.

15. An iron or wood type golf club for improved golf play, comprising: an elongated golf club grip adapted to allow a golfer to choke down on the iron or wood type golf club so as to provide for at least one alternative golf club grip position, wherein said alternative golf club grip position comprises a hand position on the elongated golf club grip that is separate from a hand position for a traditional golf club swing but which retains a chosen grip feel and which facilitates a consistent average distance range for a full swing.

16. A set of golf clubs for improved golf play, comprising: at least two golf clubs, wherein an average distance range differential for a full swing between consecutive pairs of golf clubs is at least 12 yards; and at least two elongated grips, wherein each of said at least two elongated grips is an integral part of each of said at least two golf clubs and has an extended length.

17. The set of claim 16 wherein said extended length comprises at least 11 inches from a free end of a golf club shaft.

18. The set of claim 17 wherein said extended length comprises a range of 11 to 24 inches from said free end of the golf club shaft.

19. The set of claim 16 wherein said extended length comprises extension to a range of 16 to 20 inches from a golf club head.

20. The set of claim 16 wherein said average distance range differential is achieved by modifying at least one of the characteristics selected from the group consisting of: shaft length, club head weight, loft angle and any combination thereof.

21. The set of claim 16 wherein each of said at least two elongated grips has a constant thickness.

22. The set of claim 16 wherein each of said at least two elongated grips has a thickness adapted to provide a constant diameter thickness for the elongated grip together with a golf club shaft.

23. The set of claim 16 wherein each of said at least two elongated grips has a thickness independently selected by a user for each of said at least two golf clubs.

24. A set of golf clubs for improved golf play, comprising: at least two golf clubs, wherein an average distance range differential for a full swing between consecutive pairs of golf clubs is at least 12 yards.

25. The set of claim 24 wherein said average distance range differential is achieved by modifying at least one of the characteristics selected from the group consisting of: shaft length, club head weight, loft angle and any combination thereof.