GB2254260A

GB2254260A - Golf trainer

Info

Publication number: GB2254260A
Application number: GB9106514A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Gordon Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-03-27
Filing date: 1991-03-27
Publication date: 1992-10-07
Also published as: GB9106514D0; WO1992017248A1; GB2254008A; GB9206334D0; AU1413492A

Description

2254260 - 1 GOLF TRAINER This invention relates to a golf trainer.

Golf practise and teaching aids are well known accessories which basically relate to swing grooving and ball hitting with little or no instructional direction on basic fundamentals.

However training to obtain reasonable, advanced, or championship efficiency to play golf is mainly done by the practise of golf shots or strokes with strict regard for certain fundamentals. Two very important fundamentals are a square and parallel stance and ball position. Instruction on these and other fundamentals is obtained by personal teaching from a professional golf instructor. Other methods are self instruction through books with illustrations and/or photographs, videos, and general observation of other players. However the application of the instruction obtained by all these methods can be difficult to precisely relate to the individuals own practise. All to often unconscious mistakes are made and absorbed into the training practise.

For example the professional instructor may say the line of stance must be parallel to the ball to target line, and demonstrates this by example, or illustrates by laying two golf clubs on the ground, and judging these to be parallel, are given to represent these lines. Likewise illustrations, photographs, and videos may indicate this by having guide lines superimposed on the display.

Similarly instruction will call for the ball to be placed on a certain point and this is usually related to two positions. Firstly on a line of ball to target and on a lateral position on this line relative to the stance; be this the centre line or some intermediate position towards the left or right foot. Secondly at a specific distance from the stance while at right A.ngle to the stance. The ball position is therefore obtained in a similar method to the stance and both bear heavily on visual observation and demonstration. It is left to the individual to re-create these - - 2 positions by visual judgement relative to what was demonstrated. All to often this visual judgement is found to be grossly inaccurate.

Golf training is burdened by many other variations, not least being the variety and number of clubs used. Each is different from the others in many ways$ but mainly in the length and lie of the club. These factors and differences effect the stance and ball position. Visual judgement is again the main resource for the establishment of stance and ball position relative to these club variations. Golf practise and teaching aids, especially considering their lack of factual positional information, are relatively expensive. Moreover each bears heavily on the ability of the user to inject their visual judgement, and suffer from the inherent inaccuracies so caused.

According to the present invention there is provided a parallelogram frame comprising four sides. When the frame is placed on the ground the front and rear sides form two parallel guide lines Means of adjusting the distance between these front and rear guide line sides is provided. A further guide line bar is provided at right angle to these front and rear sides with means of adjusting for positioning along the length of the front and rear sides and either to the left or right of centre. Means of adjusting _between this guide line bar and the rear frame side is provided to allow for the adjustment of distance between the front and rear bars. Ball to target line, ball position and club swing line markers and indicators are provided. The whole frame has means of adjusting for use with differing clu170 and can be folded for ease of carrying in a golf bag. The frame is also adaptable for left handed use.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying three drawings in which:Figure 1 drawing 1/3 shows in perspectivel the golf trainer in position on the ground and set up for use with a 3 wood club. The dotted line represents the ball to target line. This is an imaginary line sighted from the marker on the front end of bar 12 through the centre of the ball to the target. The golfer is playing the ball on a position square to the inside of the left heel and bars 10, 13 and 3 14 ensure a parallel and square stance.

Figure 2 drawing 2/3 shows on plan, the golf trainer on the ground and set up for use with a driver club. Ball position marker 15 is in the forward position for placing and positioning the ball against same. After positioning the ball, marker 15 is pivoted 180 degrees to the club swing line marker position (figure 3 drawing 3/3).

Figure 3 drawing 3/3 shows on plan, the golf trainer in position on the ground and ready for use with a 9 iron club, a parallel and square stance and the ball on a line near to the left heel. Marker 15 is in the club swing position and ready for the striking of the ball with the club.

Figure 4 drawing 313 shows the golf trainer dismantled and folded for ease of carrying. The upper view is on plan and the lower view on edge. Bars 13 and 14 are loose.

Referring to the drawings the golf trainer comprises a parallelogram flat frame 10, 11, 12 and 13; with pivot fixing at all four corners. The two front corners on 10 are fixed pivots, for example a bolt, whereas the two rear corners on 13 are lift off pivot jointal pin and socket or similar means (not shown). A centre guide bar 14 with lift off pin and socket joints to the front side 10 and rear side 13 of the frame. Both sides 11 and 12 have additional socket holes for the forward adjustment of rear side 13. The centre guide bar 14 has additional pins (fig 4 drawing 3/3) to allow for the forward adjustment of rear side 13. Marker bar 15 is fixed pivot jointed to the front end of centre bar 14.

Front side 10 and rear side 13 have socket holes to give varying lateral positions for centre guide bar 14.

The socket holes on sides 11 and 12, and the pins on centre guide bar 14 are graduated and marked (not shown) to give the positions of rear side 13 for the varying clubs.

J To assemble the golf trainer in readiness for practise the frame is laid on the ground or mat or similar, with the front side 10 to the forward position away from the golfer. Sides 11 and 121 with side 12 to the right hand side (right handed golfer), are pivoted backwards to formg with side 109 three sides of the frame. The rear bar 13 is located by the pins at each end (fig 4 drawing 3/3) into the socket holes in sides 11 and 12 relative to the position as marked on sides 11 and 12 for the club to be used in the practise. Bar 14 is laid in the desired position relative to the centre line of the frame, for the required position of the ball to the stance, and with the ball position marker 15 to the front. The front of the frame is lined up to the ball to target line by sighting the line from the marker on side 12 through the centre of the ball to the target (flag or similar). This action, because the frame is a parallelogramy ensures the rear side 13 is parallel to the front side 10. The frame is then checked for square by means of the square line guide on side 12 being aligned to the bottom edge of 10.

To adjust the golf trainer for differing clubs, first lift off bar 14. Rear side 13 is then lifted out of the sockets on sides 11 and 12 and repositioned according to the required club markings (not shown) on sides 11 and 12. Centre guide bar 14 is then re-located accordingly, and always with the front pin on bar 14 located in the socket on the front bar 10 thereby ensuring the correct pin and socket position for bar 14 to rear side 13.

To dismantle and fold the golf trainer, lift off centre bar 14 and rear side 13, then fold inwards sides 11 and 12 to line up with, and under, front side 10. This reduces the frame to three straight pieces. The maximum length when folded being the length of front side 10 plus the projection of the front end of side 12 when pivoted into straight alignment. The folded piece is formed by sides 10, 11 and 12, and the two loose pieces being side 13 and bar 14. Marker 15 is fixed pivoted to bar 14.

The dismantled and folded frame is then easily carried, and if required can be fitted into any standard golf bag.

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Claims

1 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame comprising four sides, means of adjusting the distance between the front and rear sides, and a further guide line bar provided for positioning at right angles to these front and rear sides and with means of adjusting for positioning along the length of these front and rear sides and either to the left or right of centre. Further means of adjusting between this guide line bar and the rear frame side to a llow for the adjustment of the distance between the front and rear sides.

2 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the whole frame and guide line bar has means of adjusting for use with differing golf clubs.

3 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in Claim 1 or. Clairh-2, wherein the adjustment positions are graduated and marked giving the position for use with differing clubs.

4 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a ball to target line sight marker is provided.

An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a ball position indicator is provided.

6 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a club swing line marker and indicator is provided.

7 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there is means of dismantling and folding for ease of carrying in a golf bag.

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8 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there is means of adapting for left handed use.

9 An adjustable parallelogram golf trainer frame substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-4 of the accompanying drawings.

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