GB2393128A

GB2393128A - Golf putting stroke trainer

Info

Publication number: GB2393128A
Application number: GB0312782A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurence Hopper
Original assignee: HOPPER LAURENCE DURRANT
Current assignee: HOPPER LAURENCE DURRANT
Priority date: 2003-06-04
Filing date: 2003-06-04
Publication date: 2004-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-04
Also published as: GB2393128B; GB0312782D0

Abstract

A putting stroke trainer (60) comprises a track (62) for laying on the ground or floor; and a carriage (66) that can run along the track. The carriage is arranged to receive a head (96) of a putter (70), or a portion of the putter adjacent the head, and the track and carriage are such that, with the putter held by a user above the carriage, the user can swing the putter back and forth so that the carriage runs back and forth along the track and so that the track and carriage guide the putter head. The user can therefore acquire a feel for the required stroke. In time, the user can replicate that stroke without the use of the trainer so as to improve their putting stroke when actually playing golf. The carriage can include pairs of flanged wheels co-operating with a track strip, figs 1-3 (not shown), or front and rear wheels (88) co-operating with a vertical track face (78). The track may be upwardly concave, fig 6 (not shown). The putter head may be loosely cradled on the carriage, allowing the head to roll about its transverse axis; a swivel plate can allow the swing to open the head on the backswing.

Description

2393 1 28

. TITLE Golf putting stroke trainer DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to apparatus for assisting a user in achieving a good golf putting stroke, or in other words to a putting stroke trainer.

In golf, the putting stroke is different from the normal swing with irons and woods. The generally accepted correct stroke is one of hack, return and through, either in a straight line or 5 in a slightly upwardlyconcave arc. For many players, this is difficult to achieve. A number of putting stroke trainers have been proposed in the past, but they suffer from various disadvantages. The present invention (or at least specific embodiments of it) seeks to provide a putting stroke trainer that is effective, enables the user's own putter to be used for training, is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct and that takes up little space when not in use.

10 In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a putting stroke trainer comprising: a track for laying on the ground or floor; and a carriage that can run along the track; the carriage being arranged to receive a head of a putter, or a portion of the putter adjacent the head, and the track and carriage being such that, with the putter held by a user above the carriage, the user can swing the putter back and forth so that the carriage runs back 15 and forth along the track and so that the track and carriage guide the putter head. Ihc track and carriage can therefore place required restraints on the movement of the putter head as the putter is swung back and forth, and the user can therefore acquire a feel for the required stroke. In time, the user can replicate that stroke without the use of the trainer so as to improve their putting stroke when actually playing golf.

20 For example, the track and carriage are preferably arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a generally straight line as viewed trom above.

In one embodiment, the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a generally straight line as viewed from the side. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a 2s generally upwardly- concave arc as viewed from the side. In a further embodiment, the track and carriage are arranged not to restrict vertical movement of the putter head, so that the user can

( - 2 adopt their own style of stroke as viewed from the side and yet the trainer can place other restraints on the stroke.

In one embodiment, the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement with the face of the putter head generally square to the direction of swinging 5 movement. In another embodiment, the carriage is arranged to permit swivelling of the putter head about a generally vertical axis, for example so that the user can open the putter face on the back stroke. In this case, the track and carriage may he arranged to permit the user to feel when the face of the putter head is generally square to the direction of swinging movement, so that the user can ensure that the putter face is square at the point of impact. Indeed, the track and 10 carriage may be arranged to restrict such swivelling of the putter head in one direction past a position in which the putter head is generally square to the direction of swinging movement, so that the user can open the putter face on the back stroke and close it to square, but not beyond, on the forward stroke and follow through. In this latter case, said one direction may be selectably reversible, so that the trainer can be used by right-handed and left-handed users.

15 In one embodiment, the track has a generally vertical surface which, in use, faces away from the user and is engaged by the carriage with contact at at least two contact points that are spaced apart along the vertical surface in the direction of swinging movement. In this case, the carriage may have a pair of wheels for so engaging the vertical surface at the two contact pouts, so that the carriage can roll freely along the surface.

20 The track may also have an upwardly-fachg surface which, in use, can be engaged by the carriage. In this case, the carriage may have a further wheel for so engaging the upwardly facing surface. T he further wheel may be removable so that the putting stroke trainer can alternatively he used without it so as not to restrict vertical movement of the carriage.

In one embodiment, the carriage is arranged to receive the putter head by cradling the 25 putter head. This enables the putter head simply to be removed from the carriage after use.

Also, it enables the user to choose either to keep the putter head in downward contact with the carriage during the stroke so that, as viewed from the side, the stroke of the putter head follows the line of the carriage, or to lift the putter on the backstroke and/or on the followthrough so that, as viewed from the side, the stroke is arcuate. The carriage may have abutments to abut 3() the putter head at two spaced locations to either side of the centre of the face of the putter head, either end of the putter head and the rear of the putter head. In this case, at least two of the abutments are preferably adjustable in position relative to each other, to suit different sizes

and/or shapes of putter head. The carriage may comprise a generally horizontal plate for supporting the underside of the putter head with the abutments being upstanding on the plate.

In another embodiment, the carriage is arranged to receive the putter head by being clamped to the hosel of the putter head or to a portion of the shaft of the putter adjacent the 5 putter head.

In one ernbodirnent, the track comprises a strip that is bifurcated part way along its length, so that a golf ball can he placed on the ground or floor between the bifurcations part way along the track, and the user can swing the putter to move the carriage towards the bifurcated end of the strip, strike the golf ball and follow through. The trainer can therefore be 10 used with, or without, striking a ball.

The putting stroke trainer may have an upwardly reflective area disposed, in use, behind the putter head. When the user can see their reflection in the reflective area when addressing the ball, they therefore know that their head is positioned directly above the putter head, which is the position recommended by most experts.

15 Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is an isometric view of a first embodiment of putting stroke trainer; Figure 2 is an isonctric view, on a larger scale, of the carriage and the centre portion of the track of the trainer of Figure 1; 20 Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2, but also showing the head of a putter and golf ball; Figure 4 is a front view of a putter head and a second embodiment of putting stroke trainer; Figure 5 is a side view of the putter head and putting stroke trainer of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is an isometric view, on a smaller scale, of the track of the trainer of Figure 4.

25Referring to the drawings, the first embodiment of putting stroke trainer 10 comprises a track 12 and a carriage 14 movable along the track 12.

The track 12 comprises a rectangular strip 16 having a length of about 1 m and a width of about 100 mm. The strip 16 is bifurcated along about half its length into a pair of bifurcated

- 4 portions 18. The spacing between the bifurcated portions 18 is such that, with the strip 16 lying on the ground, a standard golf ball 20 of 42 mm diameter can roll along the ground between the bifurcated portions 18.

The carriage 14 comprises a chassis plate 22 with a pair of front axle blocks 24 at two s of its four confers and a pair of rear axle blocks 26 at its other two corners. A pair of outwardly-flanged front wheels 28 are mounted in the front axle blocks 24 for rotation about a I common axis, and a pair of outwardly-flanged rear wheels 3() are mounted in the rear axle blocks 26 for rotation about a common axis parallel to the front wheel axis. The gauge between the flanges of the front wheels 28 and the gauge between the flanges of the rear wheels 30 are 10 each slightly larger than the width of the track strip 16, so that the carriage 14 is guided by the flanges of the wheels 28,30 for rolling on the wheels 28,30 in a straight fine along track 12. The front edge of the chassis plate 22 has a notch 32 so that the ball 20 can be received between the front axle blocks 24.

A swivel plate 34 (which is illustrated in Figure 2 as being transparent) lies flat on the I 15 chassis plate 22 and is connected to the chassis plate 22, generally at its centre, by a pivot pin | 36 for swivelling movement around a vertical axis passing through the pivot pin 36. The swivel plate 34 is generally T-shaped with its stem 38 extending rearwardly between the two rear axle blocks 26 and with its arms 40 extending between the axle blocks 24,26 to either side of the carriage 14.

20 In use, the underside of the head 42 of a putter 44 is placed across the anus 40 of the swivel plate 34 with the face 46 of the putter facing forwards and overhanging the notch 32 in the front edge of the chassis plate 22. A pair of upstanding location pins 48 are fixed along the front edge of the swivel plate 34 to either side of the notch 32 for engaging the face 46 of the putter 44 and preventing forward movement of the putter head 42 relative to the swivel plate 34.

25 Another pair of upstanding location pins 50 are fixed to the swivel plate 34, behind the pins 48, for engaging the rear of the head 42 of the putter 44 and preventing rearward movement of the putter head 42 relative to the swivel plate 34. A further pair of upstanding location pins 52 are fixed to the arms 40 of the swivel plate 34 for engaging the near and far ends of the head 42 of the putter 44 and preventing transverse movement of the putter head 42 relative to the swivel 30 plate 34. The putter head 42 is a sufficiently loose fit betwocn the pins 48,50 that it can roll about a transverse horizontal axis parallel to its face 46. It will therefore be appreciated that, with the putter head 42 so located on the carriage, a user perform a putting stroke and (a) the trainer 10 will cause the movement of the putter head 42, as viewed from above, to be in a

/ ! - 5 straight line, i.c. the line of the track, (b) if the user keeps the underside of the putter head 42 on the swivel plate 34, the trainer 10 will cause the movement of the putter head 42, as viewed from the side, to be in a straight horizontal line, (c) the putter head 42 can roll about the transverse horizontal axis parallel to its face 46, and (d) as described so far, the putter head 42 5 can swivel about the axis of the pivot pin 36.

Obviously, at the time when the face 46 -,f the putter 44 strikes the ball 20, the face 46 should be facing in the direction in which the ball is intended to travel, i.e. to be "square".

Many experts consider that (a) during the hack stroke, the putter face 46 should "open", i.e. swivel clockwise as viewed from above for a rightllanded player, (b) it should revert on the 10 forward stroke to being square upon impact and (c) it should remain square, i.e. not close, during the follow through. In order to enable this technique to be trained for a right-handed user, a stop pin 54 is fixed to the chassis plate 22 between the left axle blocks 24,26 and positioned to engage the rear edge of the left arm 40 of the swivel plate 34 when the swivel plate 34 is in the square position shown in the drawings. The swivel plate 34 can still swivel 15 from the square position in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above. Therefore, the user (a) can open on the back stroke, (b) will be able to feel the swivel plate 34 engage the stop pin 54 on the forward stroke and with practice ensure that such engagement occurs just before impact with the ball 20 and (c) will be prevented from closing on the follow through.

A hole 56 is provided in the chassis plate 22 between the right axle blocks 24,26, 20 symmetrical to the stop ph. 50. I;or a Icft-handed player, the stop pin 50 is removed from the left side of the chassis plate 22 and instead fixed in the hole 56. In the case of a user who wishes to train their putting stroke so that the putter head remains square throughout the stroke, stop pins 5() may be used in both positions so that the swivel plate 34 cannot swivel relative to the chassis plate 22.

25 The location pins 48,50,52 are fixed in holes in the swivel plate 34. A range of additional holes may be provided so that the positions of the location pins 48,50,52 (particularly the rear and end locating pins 50,52) can be adjusted to suit different sizes and shapes of putter head 42. Other ways of adjusting the location pins 48,50,52 may also he employed, such as using eccentrically-mounted pins that can be locked in a desired position, for example by a 30 spline or a screw. Other forms of abutment may he used instead of the pins 48,50,52, such as plates. I he abutments may be spring-loaded or mounted by a ratchet mechanism.

- 6 The region shown by the dash-dot line 58 immediately behind the position for the putter head 42 is reflective so that the user can see their reflection and thus ensure that, when addressing the ball, their head is generally directly above the putter head 42.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and developments may be made to the S first embodiment of the invention described above. For example, it is desirable that the putter head 42 is as close to the ground as possible, and in the crnbodhnent described above the height of the underside of the putter head 42 above the ground is dictated by the thickness of the track strip 16, the vertical clearance between the chassis plate 22 and the track strip 16, and the thicknesses of the chassis and swivel plates 22,34. The thickness of the track strip 16 in turn 10 needs to be greater than the height of the flanges on the wheels 28,3(), which in turn need to be sufficiently large to keep the carriage 14 reliably on the track 12. In a modification, the track 12 has rails along its edges of increased thickness relative to the reminder of the track, and the carriage 14 is slung between the rails.

The track may be provided with means to prevent it slipping relative to the ground, for 15 example holes though which it may be pegged to a green by tees, or Velcro to help it grip a carpet. If the facility to open the putter face on the back stroke is not required, the swivel plate 34 may be omitted and the location pins 48,50,52 or other forms of abutment may be fixed directly to the chassis plate 22.

20 The second embodiment of putting stroke trainer 60 will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. The trainer 60 comprises a track 62 that in use is placed on the ground or floor 64 and a carriage 66 that in use is clamped to the lower end of the shaft 68 of a putter 70.

The track 62 comprises a strip 72 of wood or plastics material, about 0.9 m long, that 25 stands on the ground or floor 64 on its lower longitudinal edge and is held upright by a pair of flaps 74. The flaps 74 are hinged to the strip 72 so that the track 62 can be folded Cat when not in use. The upper longitudinal edge 76 is slightly upwardly concave with a radius of curvature of about 1.2 In. The strip may, for example, have a height of 40 mm at its centre and 130 mm at its ends. The edge 76 provides an upwardly concave track surface, and the face 78 of the 30 strip 72 opposite the flaps 74 provides a vertical track surface.

The carriage 66 comprises a clamp 80 that is clamped to the cylindrical lower end of the shaft 68 of the putter 70 and held fast by nuts and bolts or other fasteners. A back plate 82 depends from the clamp 80 behind the hosel 84 of the putter 70. A wheel bracket 86 is connected to the lower end of the back plate 82. The wheel bracket 86 extends f:'re- and-af't of 5 the hosel 84 and has t'ront and rear wheels 88,9() mounted near its extremities, freely rotatable about generally-vertical axes. The wheel bracket 86 also mounts a central wheel 92 to the rear of the wheel bracket 86 and freely rotatable about a generally-horizontal axis. An abutment plate 94 depends from the wheel bracket 86 for engagement with the heel of the trace 96 of the putter 7(). 'I'he abutment plate 94 lies in a plane that is orthogonal to the line connecting the 10 contact points of the front and rear wheels 88,90.

The clamp 80 is pivotally adjustable relative to the back plate 82 in the direction of the arrows 98 about a fore-and-aft axis and is also translationally adjustable fore-and-aft relative to the back plate 82 in the direction of the arrows 100. The position of the clamp 80 along and around the putter shaft 68 is also adjustable in the directions of the arrows 102,104. When the 15 carriage 66 is fitted to the putter, it is adjusted so that (a) the heel of the putter face 96 abuts the abutment plate 94, (b) the hosel 84 engages the edge of the wheel bracket 86 between the front and rear wheels 88,90, and (c) when the central wheel 92 is placed on the centre of the upwardly concave surface 76 of the track 62, the head of the putter 70 is at a desired height above the ground or floor 64.

20 In use, the user stands to the same side of the track strip 72 as the flaps 74 and places the carriage 66 on the track 62 to that the front and rear wheels 8X,'30 engage the vertical track surface 78 and the central wheel 92 engages the upwardly concave track surface 76. The user can then perform a putting stroke and (a) assuming the user keeps both of the front and rear wheels 88,90 in engagement with the vertical track surface 78, the carriage 66 and vertical track 25 surface 78 will guide the movement of the putter head, as viewed from above, to be in a straight line, (b) assuming the user keeps the central wheel 92 in engagement with the upwardly concave track surface 76, the carriage 66 and upwardly concave track surt:ace 76 will guide the movement of the putter head 42, as viewed from the side, to be in an upwardly-concave arc, and (c) assuming the user keeps both of the front and rear wheels 88,90 in engagement with the 30 vertical track surface 78, the carriage 66 and vertical track surface 78 will guide the face 96 of the putter 70 so that it remains square.

Many golfers can readily learn the pendulum movement that is defined in the trainer 60 of Figures 4 to 6 by the upwardly concave track surface 76, but have more difficulty in

- 8 producing a stroke in which the putter face 96 remains square. Once they have learned the desired pendulum movement, the central wheel 92 may be removed so that the trainer 60 can then be used merely to guide the movement of the putter head to be square and, as viewed from above, to be in a straight line.

5 Various modifications and developments may be made to the trainer 60 of Figures 4 to 6. For example, the carriage 66 may he arranged to clamp to the hosel 84 of the putter 70, rather than the lower end of the shaft 68.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention have been described above purely by way of example and that many modifications and developments may be made thereto 10 within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

( - 9 - CLAIM_

1. A putting stroke trainer comprising: a track for laying on the ground or floor; and a carriage that can run along the track; the carriage being arranged to receive a head of a putter, or a portion of the putter adjacent the head, and the track and carriage being such that, with the putter held by a user above the carriage, the user can swing the putter back and forth so that the 5 carriage runs back and forth along the track and so that the track and carriage guide the putter head.

2. A putting stroke trainer as clahned in clairTI 1, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a generally straight line as viewed from above. IO

3. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a generally straight line as viewed from the side.

4. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement in a generally upwardly-concave arc as viewed 15 from the side.

5. A putting stroke trainer as claimed hi claim I or 2, wherein the track and carriage are arranged not to restrict vertical movement of the putter head.

6. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to guide the putter head for movement with the face of the putter head 20 generally square to the direction of swinging movement.

7. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any of claims I to 5, wherein the carriage is arranged to permit swivelling of the putter head about a generally vertical axis.

8. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 7, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to permit the user to feel when the face of the putter head is generally square to the 25 direction of swinging movement.

9. A putting stroke trainer, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

9. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the track and carriage are arranged to restrict such swivelling of the putter head in one direction past a position in which the putter head is generally square to the direction of swinging movement.

( - - 10

10. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 9, wherein said one direction is sclectably reversible.

11. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track has a generally vertical surface which, in use, faces away from the user and is engaged by the 5 carriage with contact at at least two contact points that are spaced apart along the vertical surface in the direction of swinging movement.

12. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carriage has a pair of wheels tor so engaging the vertical surt:ace at the two contact points.

13. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track has an 10 upwardly-facing surface which, in use, can be engaged by the carriage.

14. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carriage has a further wheel for so engaging the upwardly-facing surface.

15. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 14, wherein said further wheel is removable so that the putting stroke trainer can be used therewithout.

15 16. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carriage is arranged to receive the putter head by cradling the putter head.

17. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the carriage is arranged to receive the putter head by being clamped to the hosel of the putter head or to a portion of the shaft of the putter adjacent the putter head.

20 18. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, and having an upwardly reflective area disposed, in use, behind the putter head.

19. A putting stroke trainer, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

At. ll Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS

(the reference nu,'ernls in the claims are not intended to limit the protectio'Z sougIZt or granted) 1. A putting stroke trainer (60) for training a user practicing a putting stroke with a putter (70) having a putter head (96), wherein: the trainer comprises a track (62), a carriage (66), and means (80,82) for attaching the carriage to the putter head or a portion of the putter adjacent the head; 5 the track is arranged for laying on the ground or floor (64) in use between the putter head and the user's feet when practicing the putting stroke, and provides a running surface (78) which in use is generally vertical and faces away from the user; the carriage has a pair of engaging portions (88) which in use face away from the putter head and can both be engaged with the running surface at spaced apart contact points along the 10 running surface and can run back and forth along the running surface when the user is practicing the putting stroke; the attaching means is arranged so that with both engaging portions so engaging the running surface, the putter head can be held square to the running surface by the attaching means; and the track and carriage are arranged so that one or both engaging portions can be lifted 15 horizontally away from the running surface Durham the putthg stroke; whereby: in order to perform a putting strol;e in which the putter head remains square throughout the stroke and the putter head follows a straight line as viewed frown above, the user is required to maintain both engaging portions hi engagement with the running surface throughout the stroke.

2() 2. A putting stroke trainer as clahned hi claim 1, wherein each engaging portion is provided by a respective wheel (88) mounted on the carriage for rotation about a generally vertical axis and arranged for running along the running surface.

3. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the track has an upwardly-

fachg running surface (76) and the carriage has a downwardly-fachg engaging portion (92) that 25 can be engaged with the upwardly-facing running surface and can run back and forth along the upwardly-facing running surface when the user is practishg the putting stroke.

4. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upwardlyfacing rustling surface is concave.

1) 5. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the downwardly-facing engaging portion is provided by a wheel (92) mounted on the carriage for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and arranged for running akng the upwardly-facing running surface.

6. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the downwardly-

5 facing engaging portion is removable so that the putting stroke trainer can be used therewithout.

7. A putting stroke trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the attaching noons is arranged to clamp the carriage to the hoscl (84) of the putter head or to a portion of the shaft (68) of the putter adjacent the putter head.

8. A putting strol;e trainer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track comprises i 10 a strip (72) having an edge for standing on the floor or ground and a face (78) for providing the generally-vertical running surface, and a pair of flaps (74) each hinged to the strip for movement between an out-of-use position lying flat against the strip and an in use position projecting from the strip to steady the strip on the floor or ground.