GB2197210A - Golf swing practice device - Google Patents

Abstract

A golf swing practice device Fig. 1 comprises: (a) an arcuate flexible track 13 to which a golf club can be made captive; (b) a plurality of ground-based, upwardly-extending supports 12.1 to 12.10 for the track; (c) lateral adjustment means 14 for at least some of the supports whereby their lateral disposition can be adjusted; (d) height adjustment means for at least some of the supports whereby the height of the track above the ground and/or the angle of inclination of the track to the ground can be adjusted as desired; and (e) securement means carried by the upper end portions of the supports to ensure the track at spaced apart locations thereon to the respective supports. A practice golf club Fig. 4 for use with the practice device has a pair of rollers 36,37 pivotally attached to its head 30 and engageable with the track 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Golf swing practice device This invention relates to a golf swing practice device and to golf clubs adapted for use therein.

In one aspect the present invention provides a golf swing practice device which comprises: (a) an arcuate flexible track to which a golf club can be made captive; (b) a plurality of ground-based, upwardly-extending supports for the track; (c) lateral adjustment means for at least some of the supports whereby their lateral disposition can be adjusted; (d) height adjustment means for at least some of the supports whereby the height of the track above the ground and/or the angle of inclination of the track to the ground can be adjusted as desired; and (e) securement means carried by the upper end portions of the supports to secure the track at spaced apart locations thereon to the respective supports.

According to a preferred form of the invention the practice device is particularly useful for the practice of the reflex swing described at pages 61-92 of "Golf: The Technique Barrier" by Mindy Blake (published 1978 by Souvenir Press Limited).

The golfer's driver or other club is made captive to the track (for example, by a wheel, roller or slider engaging the track and attached to the head or other part of the club) and the disposition of the track corresponds to the swing which the golfer wishes to practice.

The plurality or series of supports for the track are provided with the lateral adjustment means whereby the lateral disposition of the supports can be adjusted. Thus, the supports can be moved so as to increase or decrease the size and/or shape of the arc defined by the track. The supports are also provided with the height adjustment means which can be adjusted so that the height of the track above the ground and/or the angle of inclination of the track to the ground can be adjusted as desired.

The device can include banking adjustment means to permit change in the angle of banking of the track with respect to the ground or differential change in. said angle at successive places along the track.

In this specification the term "arc" is not limited to curves which are parts of circles.

In a second aspect the invention provides a practice golf club for use with the practice device of the first aspect of the invention, which comprises a shaft and a head, the head having pivotally attached thereto roller means for rolling captive engagement with the track of the practice device.

There is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, a golf swing practice device according to an embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is intended for the practice of the reflex swing referred to above.

In the drawings: FIGURE 1 isç a perspective view of the device; FIGURE 2 is a perspective detail of lateral adjustment means for one of the support columns of the device; FIGURE 3 is a perspective detail of the upper part of one of the support columns and the height and banking means for the flexible track of the device; FIGURE 3.1 is a perspective detail of the reverse side of the banking means of Figure 3; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a golf club head provided with rollers adapted to engage the track of the device; and FIGURE 5 is a right-angle cross-section of the track.

The device comprises a base board (10) which can, for example, be in two co-operating halves or other parts to facilitate storage and/or transport. The four side edges of the base have reinforcing strips (11) to protect the edges from undue wear and, where the base is in two or more parts, to facilitate their assembly into a single base. If desired, the upper surface of the base (10) can carry a foot pattern or other indication of a preferred disposition which the feet of the golfer should take when using the device. For example, the foot pattern shown in Figure 1 is suitable for use in practising the reflex swing referred to above.

Mounted on the upper surface of the base (10) is a series of support members (12.1) to (12.10) for the flexible track (13) of the device, which will be described below. The supports (12) are, starting from the tallest, terminal support (12.1), of successively decreasing height down to the other terminal support (12.10). The bases of the supports are arranged about an arc which, as will be described in greater detail below, corresponds to the arcuate disposition of the track (13) which itself is shaped so as to accommodate a predetermined arc of a golf club swing. The track is a length of flexible strip material which is conveniently a length of double flanged rail secured to chairs or other engagement means as described below.

The base of each of the supports is provided with lateral adjustment means (14) whereby each support can be separately adjusted in a lateral direction. These several adjustment means enable the arc defined by the bases of the support to be adjusted in several ways: for example, by lateral adjustment of some but not all of the supports the shape of the arc can be changed; alternatively, by lateral adjustment of all of the bases of the supports the size of the arc (its radius in the case of a circular arc) can be adjusted without changing its shape. It will be appreciated that by suitable lateral adjustment of the supports the arc can have both its dimensions and its shape changed.

The lateral adjustment means (14) for the supports conveniently takes the form of a track (14.1) having groove means disposed therein in the direction of intended lateral movement of the support, the groove or grooves co-operating with a slide member (15) secured to the foot of the support ((12.1) by way of example in Figure 2). With reference to Figure 2 the grooves are two horizontally opposed channels (14.2) and the slide member (15) comprises a flat plate the parallel side edges of which engage respectively the channels (14.2).

One edge of member (14.1) has inscribed thereon a scale (16), for example a series of reference numerals to facilitate location of the slide member (15) in a desired position with respect to the track. Figure 2 shows a double scale, extending in opposite directions, from 0 to 6. Securement means (for example thumb screws (17) as in Figure 2) can also be provided to secure the track and slide members in a desired relative position. Conveniently the support (or slide member (15)) has a reference member (18) or other indicium disposed adjacent the reference scale.

Each of the supports other than those at the lower end of the track, for example (12;10) and (12.9), is provided with height adjustment means to enable the inclination of the track as a whole (or in part) to the horizontal to be adjusted. One of the height adjustment means is shown in Figures 3 and 3.1. It comprises a rectangular metal plate (20) secured to the top surface of the support by screws or other suitable means and carries an upwardly extending sleeve (21) in which there is slidably mounted a height adjustment rod (22).The position of the height adjustment rod (22) with respect to the sleeve (21) is variable and when a desired height has been selected the rod can then be fixed with respect to the sleeve by means of thumb screws (28); Adjustment of rod (22) with respect to sleeve (21) (such adjustment including, if desired, relative rotational adjustment) permits the disposition of the track to be varied to a very great extent. The upper end of rod (22) is cranked and the cranked end portion (23) carries a banking means (24) which comprises a block (25) to the rear face (Figure 3.1) of which there is secured by screws or other suitable means a rectangular plate (26) to whose mid-portion there is attached a tubular socket (27) rigidly secured to cranked end portion (23) or in rotatable engagement with it.The banking member (24) carries on one of its major faces the chair (29) (or other securement means) to secure rail (13) in place.

If desired the disposition of the banking member (24) with respect to the height adjustment rod (22) can be fixed by means of thumb screws.

The path taken by the track is preferably one lying in a single plane and the angle made by that plane is normally not more than 55 , for example an angle in the range 50 to 55 .

The securement means (29) comprises two like sub-units of which one (200) is shown in Figure 3. These two sub-units are adapted to secure track (13) in place by engaging respectively the outwardly extending flanges (45, 46) of the track, of which flange (45) is shown in Figure 3. (Both of the flanges (45, 46) are shown in Figure 5). Sub-unit (200) comprises a substantially flat plate (201) having at one end thereof an upturned finger grip in the form of flange (202). The end portion (203) of the plate is cranked to a small extent so as to permit its easy engagement in overlapping relationship with the outwardly extending flange (45). Plate (201) is held in close surface contact with the upper face of block (25) by means of a cotter pin (204) the ends of which are retained respectively within the heads of staples (206) or like securement means carried by the upper face of block (25).The end portion (203) of plate (201) is formed with outwardly extending lugs (205) the purpose of which is to prevent accidental escape of plate (201) from underneath cotter pin (204).

By means of the finger grips (202) the plate (201) of sub-unit (200) (and the plate of the associated sub-unit) can be moved apart to an extent such that the respective end portions (203) of the plates (201) no longer overlap flanges (45, 46) of track (13), and the track can then readily be lifted from block (25).

Similar actuation of the securement means (29) carried by other supports of the device enables track (13) to be removed by lifting without the need to thread it through the several securement means.

The lateral adjustment means for the sup ports and their height adjustment means are preferably calibrated (for example on a scale beginning with zero) so that any desired lateral and height arrangement can be repeated at will. Normally, these scales will be calibrated so that when all of them are in the zero posi tion the disposition of the track corresponds to a standard arc of golf swing for a player of average size. However, the device of this in vention is particularly invaluable in that sepa rate lateral and height adjustments with regard to each support can be obtained, as described above, enabling the device to be adjusted to suit golfers of different heights and reach and, if desired, the use of clubs of different lengths.

With reference to Figure 4, the golf club head 30 which is, by way of example, a num ber 5 iron, is mounted on shaft (31) and has formed therein a narrow, parallel-sided slot (32) extending through the whole thickness of the blade of the head. A circular drilled chan nel (33) extends from the end of the head substantially at right angles to the slot (32) and intersects the slot. Channel (33) accommdoates a cotter pin (34).

A substantially rectangular plate (35) is rotatably mounted in the slot (32) by means of the cotter pin (34) which slidably engages a suitably dimensioned aperture (not shown) in the plate. The upper end of the plate has formed therein two parallel apertures in which are mounted two rollers (36, 37) adapted to run on track (13) of the device. An alternative position which can be taken up by the plate as it rotates on the cotter pin is shown at (38), The plate (35) and its associated rollers (36, 37), when worn, can readily be removed from the club head and replaced.

With reference to Figure 5, the track is, for example, an extruded length of flexible, plastics material. It is conveniently of a channel shape having a U-cross-section, the end portions of the arms of the "U" being formed as inwardly directed flanges adapted to support, for example, the roller or rollers carried by the practice club as described below. The track can have outwardly extending flanges (45, 46) referred to above with reference to Figure 3.

The rollers (36, 37) carried by the practice club are preferably mounted so that their axes of rotation are not restricted with respect to plate (35) and have a degree of freedom which facilitates easy movement of the rollers along track (13). Each of rollers (36, 37) (Figure 4) comprises two wheel portions (which can be integral with each other if desired); said wheel portions run respectively in the parallel tracks (41, 42) provided by inwardly directed flanges (43, 44) of track (13). The respective dimensions of the track (13), and the rollers (36, 37) are normally such that the rollers are captive on the track and can only be disengaged therefrom at one or other end of the track.

A typical way of setting up the device described by way of example above is as follows: The base (having secured thereto the several lateral adjustment means) is assembled, if comprising two or more sub-units, and supported in a horizontal position on the floor.

The supports (12) can then be engaged with their respective lateral adjustment means and, at least in the first instance, each disposed with reference to the zero position. Similarly, the height adjustment means are all set at the zero positions. The flexible track is then put in place, for example by feeding it successively through the chairs or other securement means.

This can be done, for example, by.presenting one end of the track to the chair carried by support (12.1), pushing the track by hand towards the chair carried by support (12.2), engaging that chair and so on until the leading end of the track engages the chair carried by the support (12.10).

The banking means are arranged so as to accommodate the track, the angles increasing, for example, from 0 at support (12.10) to almost 90C at support (12.1).

The golf club head can be attached to the track by engaging its rollers (36, 37) with the track (13).

The golfer then carries out a trial practice of his swing to determine whether the position of the track is appropriate. If, according to a preferred use of the device, he is practising the reflex swing referred to above his feet will normally be placed in accordance with a foot pattern (10.1) marked on the base. The golfer then makes any necessary adjustment to the device using the lateral and/or height and/or banking adjustment means till he is satisfied that the path taken by the track is the one best suited to the golf swing (whether a convention or reflex swing). He then tightens the appropriate locking means in the device and it is ready for practice.

Claims (11)

1. A golf swing practice device which comprises: (a) an arcuate flexible track to which a golf club can be made captive; (b) a plurality of ground-based, upwardly-extending supports for the track; (c) lateral adjustment means for at least some of the supports whereby their lateral disposition can be adjusted; (d) height adjustment means for at least some of the supports whereby the height of the track above the ground and/or the angle of inclination of the track to the ground can be adjusted as desired; and (e) securement means carried by the upper end portions of the supports to secure the track at spaced apart locations thereon to the respective supports.

2. A practice device according to Claim 1, in which the arc followed by the track is such that the device is suitable for practice of the reflex swing.

3. A practice device according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the upper end portions of the supports have banking means for the track whereby the track can be secured at an inclined or banked angle to the horizontal.

4. A practice device according to Claim 3, in which the banking means is adjustable as to said angle.

5. A practice device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the supports are mounted on a common planar base member.

6. A practice device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the lateral adjustment means are each calibrated to a common scale whereby outward (or inward) movement of the supports to the same distance on the respective scales results in the arc described by the track being changed as to size but not substantially as to shape.

7. A golf swing practice device according to Claim 1, substantially as described herein.

8. A golf swing practice device substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 3.1 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A practice golf club for use with the practice device claimed in Claim 1, which comprises a shaft and a head, the head having pivotally attached thereto roller means for rolling captive engagement with the track of the practice device.

10. A practice golf club according to Claim 9, sub stantially as described herein.

11. A practice golf club substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.