GB2608798A

GB2608798A - Golf playing aid

Info

Publication number: GB2608798A
Application number: GB2109761.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mcloughlin Enda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-07-06
Filing date: 2021-07-06
Publication date: 2023-01-18
Also published as: GB202109761D0

Abstract

A golf playing aid 100 comprises a body 102 with a planar surface and at least two arms 106, 204 rotatably attached to the planar surface of the body 102, each arm 106, 204 has receiving means 110 for a guide member 202, and the arms 106, 204 are rotatable in a plane parallel to the planar surface for positioning the guide members 202 to form a guide for the head of a golf club. The receiving means 110 may be a slot in the arms 106, 204 and the guide members 202 may be golf tees.

Description

GOLF PLAYING AID

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a golf playing aid and more particularly to a golf playing aid which forms a guide for the head of a golf club.

Background to the Invention

[0002] When playing golf golfers use various clubs to hit golf balls into a hole on the course in the fewest strokes as possible. The golfer swings the club to hit the ball. Ideally the head of the golf club hits the ball in such a manner as that the ball travels along the target line of motion.

[0003] There are a number of different types of golf strokes, such as drives, chips, pitches, and putts. Putts are performed when the golf ball gets close to the hole and is on a putting green. The golfer will choose the target line of motion which they believe will make the ball travel into the hole, adjusting for considerations such as distance and the slope of the putting green. Once the golfer has chosen their target line the centre of the golf club head will be positioned behind the golf ball and the face of golf club will be positioned square to the target line. Ideally the golfer then swings the golf club in a pendular motion such the head of the golf club move aligned with the target line without deviating inwardly or outwardly of the target line. Striking the golf ball squarely (in line with the target line) means that the golf ball will travel along the intended path, or target line, and travel into the hole. If the head of the golf club travels at an angle oblique to the target line the face of the golf club will strike the ball at an angle and the golf ball will not travel in the intended direction. This can lead to the golfer having to take additional strokes to hit the ball into the hole which can lead to the golfer losing the golf match.

[0004] Training aids may be used to train a golfer to have a pendulum like stroke. Known training aids may be large is size such that they are unwieldy to transport and would not readily fit in a pocket or a golf bag. Known training aids may comprise guides for a golf club head which are not fully adjustable such that they can be adjusted depending on the skill level of the golfer. Known training aids may not be adjustable so that they cannot be arranged to help correct golf head deviation from the target line on both the inside and the outside of the target line.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a golf playing aid comprising: a body with a planar surface, at least two arms rotatably attached to the planar surface of the body, each arm has receiving means for receiving a guide member, and the arms are rotatable in a plane parallel to the planar surface, and the ends of the arms can be moved apart for positioning the guide members to form a guide for the head of a golf club.

[0006] The body of the golf playing aid has a planar surface. The planar surface may be substantially flat. The planar surface may include recessed portions. Preferably the planar surface does not have any substantial protrusions which would prevent the arms from rotating to extend from the body in a plane parallel to the planar surface.

[0007] The at least two arms are rotatably attached to the planar surface of the body. The arms may be attached by a rotatable coupling arrangement which allows the arms to rotate. For example the arms may be attached by a hinge joint, a ball and socket joint, a pin, a screw, or a rivet.

[0008] Each arm has receiving means for receiving a guide member. Suitably the receiving member may be dimensioned such that the guide member can be received through the receiving means.

[0009] The at least two arms are rotatable in a plane parallel to the planar surface. Beneficially the arms rotating parallel to the planar surface of the body means that the arms can be rotated to be substantially in contact with the planar surface of the body such that they do not protrude outward from the body. The arms being substantially in contact with the planar surface of the body allows the size of the golf playing aid to be minimised so that it can be easily stored for transport, for example it may fit in a pocket or a golf bag. The arms can be rotated so as to protrude from the body while remaining parallel to the planar surface to form a guide for the head of a golf club.

[0010] When performing a golf stroke, such as a putting stroke, it is beneficial that the motion of the golf club is linearly aligned with the direction in which the golfer wishes the ball to travel, the target line. To accomplish this it is beneficial that the centre of the face of the golf club strikes the ball while the face of the golf club travels directly along target line which the golfer wishes the ball to travel. Some golfers have a tendency to swing the golf club in a direction which is at an oblique angle to the direction they wish the ball to travel, for example the golf club travels on an out-to-in path or an in-to-out path. Striking a golf ball at an oblique angle will cause the ball to travel on a line which is not the intended target line. The ends of the arms can be moved apart for positioning the guide members to form a guide for the head of a golf club. The arms may be rotated such that they move apart. Moving the arms apart to position the guide members allows the golfer to form a guide for the head of the golf club. Beneficially by the moving the arms the golfer can decide the positioning of the guide members depending on their individual requirements. Some golfers may position the guide members to be closer together to form a smaller guide for the golf club head, whereas less skilled golfers can position the guide members further apart. Beneficially each arm can be moved independently so that a golfer can adjust the guide to correct for golfers who have a tendency to move the golf club on an out-to-in path or equally for golfers who have a tendency to move the golf cub on an in-to-out path. Once the arms are moved apart to allow for correctly positioning the guide members, the guide members may be received by the receiving member. Suitably the guide members, once received by the receiving means, extend away from the arms in a manner in which the golfer will hit the guide member if the golf club is not swung straight and in line with the target line.

[0011] The golf club may be a putter.

[0012] The receiving means may be a slot defined in each arm. The receiving means may be a slot through the surface of the arm which is substantially in contact with the planar surface of the body. The slot may extend over substantially the entire length of the arm. Beneficially the receiving means being a slot allow the positioning of the guide members to be further controlled. For example by positioning the guide member in the slot closer to the body the guide for the golf head can be made smaller, whereas positioning the guide member in the slot further from the body allows the guide for the golf head to be made larger.

[0013] The receiving means may be an attachment point which can receive the guide member, for example a through hole through the arm. The receiving means may be a joint which can receive a guide member, for example a hinged joint or a fixed joint.

[0014] In another aspect the invention may comprise at least one guide member received in the receiving means. Suitably the guide member is received in and extends away from the receiving means. The guide member may extend away from the receiving means such as to form a guide for the head of a golf club. The guide member may be permanently attached to the receiving means, for example the guide member may be, integrally formed with, welded or attached by adhesive to the receiving member. The guide member may be removable and/or detachable from the receiving means, for example the guide member may be a golf tee.

[0015] The arms may be rotatable through 360°. Each arm may rotate through substantially 360° such that the arms may be positioned as required to form a guide for the golf club head which is suitable for the skill level of the golfer.

[0016] The body may have a width of from about 100 mm to about 200 mm. Beneficially the body having a width of more than 100 mm means that the body is an adequate size to allow the head of the golf club to pass over the body unimpeded. Beneficially the body having a width of less than 200 mm means that the golf playing aid is portable and may easily fit in a pocket of a garment worn by the golfer or in a golf bag.

[0017] The arms may have a length less than the width of the body. Beneficially arms with a length of less than the width of the body means that the arms can be rotated so as not to protrude from the body. This is beneficial for storage of the golf playing aid as it minimises the size of the golf playing aid and also prevents the arms from being bent while being stored.

[0018] The body may be substantially circular, for example circular with a flat end. The body may be square, oval, rectangular, or triangular.

[0019] The golf playing aid may comprise a mirror on a surface of the body. Beneficially the mirror is on the opposite surface to the planar surface. The golfer can see their reflection in the mirror while they are positioned above the golf ball prior to moving the golf club to strike the ball. The golfer may use the mirror to review their posture, such as their shoulder alignment or eye alignment, and the general alignment of their body with the golf ball before striking the ball. Beneficially correct posture allows the golfer to more easily and repeatably move the head of the golf club in line with the target line and strike the ball cleanly such that the ball travels along the target line.

[0020] The golf playing aid may comprise three or four arms. The golf playing aid may comprise more than four arms. Beneficially additional arms can be used in the same manner as the arms described above. Any or all arms such as the additional arms can be moved apart for positioning guide members to form a guide for the head of a golf club.

[0021] At least two of the arms may be substantially the same length. At least two arm members being the same length may reduce tooling costs as identical arms may be used. Where there are three or more arm members, two arms members may be the same length while the three or more arm members may be a different length. The more than three arm members may be the same length. The arms may not be centred on the device. The arms may be different lengths and when arranged to project outward from the device they project for the same length from the body as they are rotatably attached at different distances from the [0022] In another aspect the invention provides a kit comprising the golf playing aid of the invention and one or more guide members. The one or more guide members may be a golf tee(s).

[0023] In another aspect the invention provides the use of the golf playing aid of the invention to train a golf swing, for example a putting stroke. Beneficially the arms can be moved apart for positioning the guide members to form a guide for the head of a golf club. The guide is adjustable as the arms can be rotated to be closer together or further apart. The golf playing aid can be used by golfers of different skill levels who can adjust the guide as appropriate. The golf playing aid can be used by golfers who have a tendency to move the golf club in an out-to-in path or by golfers who have a tendency to move the golf club in an in-to-out path because the arms are rotatably adjustable and can be moved apart to position guide members according to the golfer needs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0025] Figure 1 shows a golf playing aid, specifically the planar surface of the body with at least two arms rotatably attached thereto, the arms rotated so as not to protrude from the body; [0026] Figure 2 shows a golf playing aid, specifically the planar surface of the body with at least two arms rotatably attached thereto, the arms rotated so as to protrude from the body; [0027] Figure 3 shows a golf playing aid wherein guide members have been received into the receiving means of the arms; [0028] Figure 4 shows a golf playing aid wherein a golf ball is positioned at one end of the golf playing aid; [0029] Figure 5 shows a golf playing aid wherein three a rms are rotated so as to protrude from the body and guide members are positioned in the receiving means of all three arms; [0030] Figure 6 shows a golf playing aid wherein three arms are rotated so as to protrude from the body and guide members are positioned in the receiving means of two arms; [0031] Figure 7 shows a golf playing aid wherein a golf ball is positioned at one end. The ideal target line along which the head of a golf club should ideally move is indicated. Oblique lines are indicated which are not the ideal line the head of the golf club should move along.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

[0032] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the golf playing aid 100 of the invention. The golf playing aid 100 comprises a body 102 with a planar surface 104. The planar surface 104 is shown as substantially flat. It will be appreciated that the planar surface 104 may comprise recesses as long as the recesses do not prevent the arms 106 from rotating. The planar surface 104 should not have any substantial protrusions which would prevent the arms 106 from rotating and extending outward from the body 102. There may be protrusions on the planar surface which do not prevent the arms 106 from rotating and extending outward from the body 102. It is acceptable that there may be protrusions on the planar surface 104 which prevent the arms from rotating through a full 360°so long as the arms 106 are rotatable to a position in which they extend outward from the body 102 for positioning the guide members 202 to form a guide for the head of a golf club 702, and example of such a position is shown in Figure 2. If no such protrusions are present may be possible to arrange the arms such that the arms 106 are rotatable through substantially 360°, for example wherein an arm 106 is not long enough to collide with the second arm 106.

[0033] The arms 106 are rotatably attached to the planar surface 104 of the body 106. The embodiment shown in Figure 1 has four arms 106. It will be appreciated that the arms 106 are rotatably attached to the planar surface 104 of the body 102. The arms 106 are rotatably attached to the planar surface 104 of the body 102 by the rotatable coupling elements 108. The rotatable coupling elements 108 may be any suitable means which rotatably attaches the arms 106 to the planar surface 104 of the body 102. The rotatable coupling elements 108 allow the arms 106 to rotate, they do not need to be rotatable themselves.

[0034] Each arm 106 has a receiving means for receiving a guide member 202. The guide member 202 may be a golf tee. As shown in Figure 2 the receiving means may be a slot 110 defined in each arm. Beneficially the receiving means being a slot 110 allows the guide member 202 to be positioned at any point along the slot. This allows the position of the guide member 202 to be adjusted to be different distances from the body 102. The skilled person will appreciate that the receiving means does not have to be a slot. The receiving means may be any suitable means which can receive a guide member 202. The receiving means may be, for example, an orifice, or a joint which can receive a guide member 202. For example the receiving means may be a hinged element to receive the guide member 202. The receiving means may extend away from the arms 106 to receive the guide member 202.

[0035] The arms 106 are rotatable in a plane parallel with the planar surface 104 of the body 102. The arms 106 can be rotated such that they are stowed on planar surface 104 of the body 102 as shown in Figure 1. The arms can be rotated such that the length of the arms 106 extends beyond the body 102 of the golf playing aid 100 as shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that the arms 106 are independently rotatable. One arm 106 may be stowed while another arm 106 may be extended.

[0036] Figure 3 shows the golf playing aid 100 wherein the ends 204 of the arms 106 are moved apart for positioning the guide members 202 to form a guide for the head of a golf club 702. The guide members 202 may be golf tees. As shown in Figure 3 the guide members 202 are received in the receiving means, in this case the guide members are received in the slot 110. It will be appreciated that the guide members 202 extend away from the arms 106 to form the guide for the head of a golf club 702. The guide members 202 may also be attached to the receiving means of the arm 106, for example they may be hingedly or detachably attached to the receiving means of the arm 106.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2 the body may have a width W of from about 100 mm to about 200 mm. Ideally the body has a width wide enough to allow the head of a golf club 702 to pass over it without being restricted. If the width W is above 200 mm the golf playing aid 100 may be less easily stored and transported.

[0038] The arms 106 as shown in Figure 2 have a length L less than the width W of the body. Beneficially this allows the arms 106 to be stowed in contact with the planar surface 104 of the body 102 to prevent damage to the arms 106 and to reduce the size of the golf playing aid 100 to allow for easy storage or transport.

[0039] The golf playing aid 100 as shown in Figure 4 has a body 102 which is substantially circular and comprises a, for example circular with a flat end 402. The flat end 402 allows the body 102 to sit under a golf ball 404. Beneficially this allows the golfer to mark the ball 404 and the body 102 with marks, for example lines 406, which allow the golfer to position the ball in line with the centre line 408 of the golf playing aid 100. The centre line 404 of the body runs perpendicular to the flat end 402 and divides the body 102 into two sections with the same surface area. Positioning the golf ball 404 in line with the centre line 408 of the golf playing aid means that the ball 404 is correctly positioned to be struck with a golf club, such as a putter.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the centre line 408 of the body is demarcated by a line which forms the junction between a non-reflective side 410 and a mirror 412 on the planar surface 104 of the body 102. Beneficially the mirror 412 helps the golfer to position themselves correctly over the ball 404. The mirror 412 allows the golfer to confirm that they are positioned correctly which may help the golfer to perform their golf stroke repeatably. The mirror 412 may help the golfer to repeatably swing the head of the golf club 702 through the guide members 202 which form the guide for the head of the golf club 702.

[0041] The embodiments shown in Figure 1 to Figure 4 are shown with four arms wherein the ends 204 of the arms 106 can be moved apart for positioning the guide members 202 to form a guide for the head of a golf club 702. It will be appreciated that three arms 106 may also be provided as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. At least two arms 106 are required to form the guide. The guide members 202 may be received in two or more arms 106, for example three guide members 202 are received in three arms as shown in Figure 5. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 two guide members 202 are received in two arms 106 to form a guide for the head of a golf club 702 and no guide member 202 is received in one arm 106.

[0042] The golf playing aid 100 may have at least two of the arms 106 which are substantially the same length. For example in Figure 4 arms 414 are substantially the same length as each other and arms 416 are substantially the same length of each other. It will be appreciated that arms which are substantially the same length may lead to reduced manufacturing costs.

[0043] In one embodiment a kit comprising the golf playing aid 100 according to the invention and one or more guide members 202 is contemplated. The guide members 202 may be golf tees.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7 each arm 106 has receiving means in the form of a slot 110 defined therein for receiving a guide member 202, and the ends of the arms 106 can be moved apart for positioning the guide members 202 to form a guide for the head of a golf club 702. Ideally the golfer wishes to swing the head of the golf club 702 in a pendular motion in line with the target line T. Performing a stroke where the head of the golf club 702 moves in line with the target line T means that the golf ball 404, when struck, will travel along the target line T. Golfers may have a tendency to swing the head of the golf club 702 along a line which is oblique OB to the target line T. Performing a stroke where the head of the golf club 702 moves obliquely OB to the target line T means that the golf ball 404, when struck, will not travel along the target line T. The golfer may miss their shot and take more strokes to putt the ball 404.

[0045] As shown in Figure 7 where the receiving means are slots 110 defined in the receiving means the guide members 202 can be received in the slots 110 closer or further from the body 102 as required depending on the requirements, for example the skill level of the golfer.

[0046] The golf playing aid 100 may be used for training a golf swing, for example a putting stroke by training the golfer to move the head of the golf club 702 through the guide formed to guide the head of the golf club 702.

[0047] The words "comprises/comprising" and the words "having/including" when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0048] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Claims

Claims 1. A golf playing aid comprising: (a) a body with a planar surface, (b) at least two arms rotatably attached to the planar surface of the body, each arm has receiving means for receiving a guide member, and the arms are rotatable in a plane parallel to the planar surface, and the ends of the arms can be moved apart for positioning the guide members to form a guide for the head of a golf club.
2. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein the receiving means is a slot defined in each arm.
3. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim further comprising at least one guide member received in the receiving means.
4. The golf playing aid according to claim 3 wherein the at least one guide member is a golf tee.
5. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein the arms are rotatable through substantially 360°.
6. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein the body has a width of from about 100 mm to about 200 mm
7. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein the arms have a length less than the length of the body.
8. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein the body is substantially circular, for example circular with a flat end.
9. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim comprising a mirror on a surface of the body.
10. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim comprising three or four arms.
11. The golf playing aid of any preceding claim wherein at least two of the arms are substantially the same length.
12. A kit comprising the golf playing aid according to any of claims 1 to 11 and one or more guide members.
13. The kit of claim 12 wherein the one or more guide member is a golf tee.
14. Use of the golf playing aid of any of claims 1 to 11 for training a golf swing, for example a putting stroke.