JP2010533508A - Putter with enhanced alignment visualization - Google Patents

Abstract

The putter and putter head better camouflage the head body and / or emphasize the alignment aid. The top surface of the head (when viewed from the ball's address orientation) is optionally dark and / or non-reflective in one or more colors selected to blend or match the golf green color Can be finished with a matte finish. At least a portion of the shaft member can be similarly colored and finished. These features are useful for visualizing the alignment aid (and the alignment aid can be designed to aid in alignment). If desired, the color and finish of the club head and / or shaft can be adjusted to a specific golf course green, a specific geographical area green, a specific grass type green, a specific time of day or a specific condition green Can be customized based on etc.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally manufactured to better avoid visual disturbances during alignment and / or swing and suppress false visual cues and / or better emphasize putter alignment aids. The present invention relates to a golf putter and a putter head.

Background The importance of the human eye's response to vision and light during motor activity cannot be overlooked. In recent years, progress has been made to better enable athletes to see objects during athletic activities. For example, in US Pat. Nos. 6,631,987 (Patent Document 1) and 6,893,127 (Patent Document 2) belonging to Dr. Alan W. Reichow et al., Optical filters that enhance visual perception by a wearer of objects such as golf balls and the like Eyewear including such a filter is described. Each of these patent documents is fully incorporated herein by reference.

  The sports equipment itself can also be designed to improve its interaction with light and / or the manner in which the athlete sees it during athletic activity. For example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0170920A1 (Patent Document 3) describes a ball structure such as a soccer ball with enhanced visibility, which includes a region having a color with enhanced visibility. In US Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0185066A1 (Patent Document 4), a face protection mask (for example, for baseball or softball catchers, for football, etc.) having a multi-colored inner surface in harmony with the visual characteristics of its use environment is disclosed. Are listed. Each of these patent publications is also fully incorporated herein by reference.

  As with other sports, accurate vision is very important in golf. In many golf activities, especially for golf shots, vision is important in properly aligning itself and / or reading the golf green. Despite recent technical advances in golf equipment, putting is still a difficult part of the game for many golfers. In putting, the golfer needs to perform several independent tasks, consider information about several different variables, and then combine these tasks and the results of the analysis into a physical golf stroke. More specifically, the golfer must first “read” the green to determine the desired speed to propel the ball (ie, the force applied to the ball by the putter) and the desired direction to propel the ball. A given putt can generally be propelled at a variety of different speeds and in different directions, and certain combinations of speed and direction (especially on sloping terrain, such as most golf greens) These features are interdependent in that the ball is successfully put into the hole. For example, putting in the first direction may not enter the hole at the first speed (by `` over '' or `` not reaching '' the hole), but at different speeds in the same direction (or A prop that is propelled (within a relatively narrow speed range) may enter the hall. Similarly, a pad can be hit within a range in a different direction on condition that the golfer appropriately adjusts the speed of the putt for hitting in a specific direction. After reading the green (eg considering its “tilt”) and determining the line and speed, the golfer must use the putter to hit the ball at the desired speed in the desired direction. Any of these judgments or misbehavior can lead to a lack of putting.

  Even when a golfer accurately determines the direction in which to put a pad, many factors can cause the golfer to hit the putt in the wrong direction. For example, after the golfer determines the desired line of putts, typically he or she changes the addressing location and then hits the ball. As golfers move their bodies from the position where they read the pat to the pat's address, golfers may lose track of the desired line and / or inadvertently misalign themselves.

  In addition, before or during the swing, the putter head may be twisted or otherwise misaligned, thereby causing the putt to deviate from the desired line. This problem can be exacerbated when the club head itself contains causes of visual disturbances such as shiny surfaces, sharp corners or edges. For example, if these visual disturbances capture the user's eyes as the putter swings, this may cause the golfer's eyes, head, or other parts of the body to move at least slightly, which is a movement of the putter May adversely affect speed and / or direction. In addition, these visual disturbances can obscure the visualization of the club head alignment aid, which is another feature that can adversely affect the putting direction.

  Fatigue can also play a role in the putting process. Visual attention and concentration in long-term activities where fatigue can play a role, such as golf, especially golf under the harsh, varied and changing ambient light conditions encountered during golf For example, when the alignment assisting unit) is brightest in the entire field of view (the strongest visual signal), it is more easily maintained. The disturbing features of the putter head and putter movement as described above can cause additional problems when fatigue begins during a golfer's round.

  Thus, advances in putters that help to keep golfers better aligned during putting and / or avoid visual disturbances are considered welcome in the art.

U.S. Patent No. 6,631,987 U.S. Patent No. 6,893,127 US Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0170920A1 US Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0185066A1

Overview In order to provide a basic understanding of the present invention and its various features, a general overview of aspects of the present invention is presented below. This summary is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, but merely provides a general overview and context for the following more detailed description.

  In general, an aspect of the present invention is a club head body having (a) a ball striking surface and a top surface as viewed from the address direction of the ball, the majority of the top surface being optionally grass on a golf green. Non-reflective matte finish (optionally green, black, brown, dark gray, dark tan) in one or more colors selected to substantially blend in or substantially match (B) an alignment aid provided on the upper surface or integrally formed as part of the upper surface, wherein the alignment head is A `` fluorescent pen '' in which the auxiliary part optionally includes one or more luminescent, reflective, and / or light (e.g. luminescent or fluorescent white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green) (E.g. mold color) An alignment aid (as one or more independent parts) that covers less than most of the top surface of the club head body; (c) is associated with the club head body. A shaft member adjacent to the club head body, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member is optionally non-reflective matte finish (optionally the color of the top surface and / or the grass on the golf green) A shaft member having a color and / or finish selected to substantially blend or substantially match the color; and / or (d) a grip member or handle member engaged with the shaft member A putter and a putter head. Structuring, coloring and finishing of such putters and putter heads to reduce or minimize irrelevant or disturbing visual information on the top surface of the putter and / or better alignment aids It can be done to emphasize and focus the golfer's attention on the alignment aid. Design alignment aids with specific desired shapes; place alignment aids at various desired locations on the top surface of the club head; round corners or edges on top surface (sharp corners) (E.g. to avoid edges, to avoid stepped surface level changes); cover all or substantially all of the top surface with either a matte finish or alignment aid (and thereby other Avoiding visual disturbances); these goals can be further advanced at least partially in some structures according to the present invention, such as by coloring and finishing the shaft as well as the top surface.

  The method according to at least some examples of the present invention may further include the steps involved in selecting a special color for finishing the club head and / or shaft member. Dark colors tend to have relatively little visual disturbance and tend to provide a good background that allows the appearance of highly contrasting alignment aids (eg, in luminescent or fluorescent colors). In some examples according to the invention, the shaft member and / or top surface of the club head is colored and / or finished to better blend into the background in use, ie, golf green. Such methods include, for example, (a) a specific golf green, a specific set of greens (e.g., a green on a specific course, a green on a specific geographical area, a green on a specific type of turf grass, etc.) And (b) creating a finish color for the putter head and / or shaft based at least in part on the color of the grass, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head and / or shaft during its manufacture. May include the steps of: “Investigation” can include spectral analysis of grass color (eg, determination of its light reflectance characteristics, its light absorption characteristics, its emission, etc.). Thus, for example, the color of a particular golf course green, the color of a particular region (e.g., Pacific Northwest, Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc.), a particular grass type (e.g., bentgrass, blue The putter head and / or shaft can be specifically designed to target green color (such as glass), specific time of day or specific lighting conditions, weather conditions, or green color under climatic conditions.

  Such a club head and / or shaft structure can be incorporated into the overall golf club structure in any desired manner, including conventional manners known and used in the art, and / or Or it can be used as a golf club.

  A more complete understanding of the present invention and certain of its advantages can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1A-1D illustrate putter structures including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates another example putter structure that includes features in accordance with at least some example aspects of the invention. 3A and 3B illustrate another exemplary putter structure that includes features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a further exemplary putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a further exemplary putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a further exemplary putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a further exemplary putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a further exemplary putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates another example putter structure that includes features in accordance with at least some example aspects of the invention. FIG. 6 illustrates the movement of a “camouflaged” putter structure including features according to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention.

  Inform the reader that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description of various exemplary structures according to the present invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which 2 illustrates an exemplary golf club head and golf club structure. Further, it is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts and structures can be utilized and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “back”, “side”, “bottom”, “overhead”, etc. to illustrate various exemplary features and elements of the present invention. Can be used herein, but these terms are used herein for convenience, for example based on the exemplary orientations shown in the figures and / or typically used orientations. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a particular three-dimensional or spatial orientation to be within the scope of the invention.

A. General Description of Putter Heads and Putters According to Examples of the Invention Generally, as noted above, aspects of the invention relate to putters and putter heads used in golf. According to at least some aspects of the present invention, a putter head according to the present invention is a club head body having (a) a ball striking surface and an upper surface when viewed from the direction of the address of the ball. A club head body having a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors (such as green, black, brown, dark gray, dark tan); and (b) provided on the top surface or A positioning aid that is integrally formed as part of the top surface, the positioning aid being one or more of the emission color, reflection color, light color (emission color or fluorescent white, yellow, pink) , Purple, orange, blue, or green (e.g., a “fluorescent pen” type color) (e.g., highly contrasting to the color of the other top surface) and the alignment aid is the club head body Alignment, covering less than most of the top surface of An auxiliary part may be included. This combination of spot colors is aligned by controlling the light emission contrast (brightness contrast) and / or color contrast (color contrast) between the club head body, alignment aid, and / or background. Auxiliaries allow the golfer's vision to better “stand out” against the club head and / or background. When incorporated in a putter structure, the shaft member is engageable with the putter head and the grip member or other handle element is engageable with the shaft member.

  While the alignment aids on the putter head according to examples of the present invention can take a variety of forms, more specific examples of alignment aid constructs also form at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention. When viewed from the direction of the address of the ball, the upper surface of the putter head is the front portion of the ball striking surface side (adjacent to the ball striking surface), and the main body side portion extending backward from the ball striking surface side portion and away from the ball striking surface Can be included. According to at least some examples of the present invention, the alignment assisting portion is located on the main body side portion of the upper surface or is formed as a part of the main body side portion of the upper surface. And a second part that is located on the upper surface of the ball striking surface or is integrally formed as part of the upper surface of the ball striking surface. . In some more specific examples according to the present invention, the body side portion of the alignment aid can include a triangular element, which is optionally an isosceles triangle, and also on the ball striking surface. Optionally, it has a flat side surface that is located in close proximity and extends substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, and a single apex area located toward the central rearmost portion of the body side portion. Additionally or alternatively, if desired, the ball striking surface side portion of the alignment aid may be substantially a line or elongated extending along the ball striking surface side portion (optionally parallel to the flat side of the triangular portion). May include polygonal elements.

  According to at least some exemplary aspects of the invention, the top surface of the putter head is colored to minimize irrelevant visual information (such as the majority of the putter head) and to enhance the visual information of the alignment aid. And built. This means that the top surface of the putter head contains little or no other than the non-reflective matte finish color and alignment aid (e.g. little or no other shining or reflective ones; logos, This can be achieved at least in part by constructing such that the model number, or other identifying information is small or absent; little or no other color change. In some examples of the present invention, at least 65% of the top surface (the percentage of the top surface visible from the ball address location) has a non-reflective matte finish, and at least 75% or even at least 85% of the top surface. Has a non-reflective matte finish. With respect to alignment aids, in some embodiments of the invention, less than 35% of the top surface includes alignment aids, and even less than 25% or less than 15% of the top surface constitutes the alignment aid. obtain. In at least some examples of the putter head structure according to the present invention, at least 85% of the coloration on the upper surface comprises a combination of (a) a non-reflective matte finish and (b) an alignment aid, The proportion may be at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or even at least 99%. As is clear from the above discussion, if desired, in the putter head and putter structure according to the present invention, the upper surface of the putter head is colored by (a) a non-reflective matte finish and (b) an alignment aid. Can be essentially from.

  Other features of the putter head and / or putter structure can help reduce or minimize disturbing and / or irrelevant visual information, and highlight the alignment aids according to some examples of the present invention. Can help. For example, when viewed by the human eye, especially when moving the structure, sharp corners and edges in the structure may become more visually apparent. Thus, if desired, the upper surface of the putter head should be constructed so that it contains little (if any) sharp corners and / or stepped surface ridge changes that are visible from the ball's address orientation. Can do. In other words, the upper surface of the putter head can be constructed to have smoothly rounded corners and smoothly changing surface bulge changes. This means that all (or virtually all) top visible circles, fillets, or other corners are rounded or rounded (e.g. at least a radius of 0.25 mm, in some examples at least For example, this can be accomplished by casting, molding, machining, and / or otherwise building the putter head to have 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 5 mm, or even at least 10 mm. Similarly, stepped surface ridge changes (e.g. rounded or rounded edges with a radius of at least 0.25mm, in some cases at least 0.5mm, at least 1mm, at least 2mm, at least 5mm, and even at least 10mm) Rounding all (or substantially all) visible edges and / or other ridge changes present on the top surface of the club head to avoid (e.g., walls with slopes between adjacent surfaces) it can.

  The putter shaft can also cause visual disturbances (eg, because of its typical shining appearance, club head and / or its contrasting color to the ground). According to at least some examples of the present invention, at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the putter head may be in one or more dark colors, such as optionally the color of the majority of the top surface of the club head body and / or Or it can be constructed to have an anti-reflective matte finish with the above colors and finishes selected to substantially match the finish. Although any portion of the putter shaft can be colored and / or finished in this manner, according to at least some examples of the present invention, at least 10% of the total length of the shaft member is the non-reflective matte described above. Colored and / or finished with a finish, and in some more specific examples, at least 25%, at least 50%, or even at least 75% of the total length of the shaft member is thus colored and / or finished Sometimes. If desired, the entire visible portion of the shaft member (or at least substantially the entire visible portion (e.g., excluding printing etc.) optionally matches or substantially matches the color of the top surface of the club head and Includes a non-reflective matte finish in the finish.

  A further aspect of the invention relates to a putter head and putter structure having one or more of the following: (a) a club head body having a ball striking surface and an upper surface when viewed from the address direction of the ball. , Most of the upper surface has a non-reflective matte finish in green, and one or more colors of the matte finish optionally blends substantially or substantially with the grass color on the golf green A club head main body selected so as to harmonize with (b) an alignment auxiliary portion provided on the upper surface or integrally formed as a part of the upper surface, wherein the alignment auxiliary portion is optional (C) a club that is formed of one or more high contrast colors (e.g., light emission color, reflection color, light color, etc.) and covers less than most of the upper surface of the club head body; Engage with the head body At least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body is optionally green (optionally substantially the color and / or finish of the top surface and / or the grass color on the golf green) A shaft member having a non-reflective matte finish with a color and / or finish selected to blend in or substantially match with; and / or (d) a grip member engaged with the shaft member or Handle member. When coloring and / or finishing to better blend into the grass background, this combination of features is a combination of light emission (brightness contrast) and color between the club head body, alignment aids, and / or background. By controlling the contrast (color contrast), the club head can be better blended into the background, and the alignment aid is better "noticeable" with the club head and / or background behind in the golfer's vision Like that. The putter head and / or shaft is one of the other features described above (eg, rounded corners or ends; shaft, alignment aid, and / or matte finish color; alignment aid shape, location And / or other features; such as a matte finish and / or a percentage of the top surface and / or shaft covered with alignment aids).

B. General Description of Exemplary Methods for Making and / or Using Putter Heads and / or Putters According to the Present Invention Further aspects of the present invention provide for (e.g., various types of) putter heads and / or putters according to the present invention. It relates to a method of manufacturing. Such a method may include, for example, one or more of the following steps: (a) a matte surface that is at least the top surface of the club head body when viewed from the address orientation of the ball and is largely non-reflective. Finishing to have a finish (e.g. in one or more dark colors, green, a color selected to substantially match the color of the golf green, etc.); (b) an alignment aid on the top surface Or a part of the upper surface, wherein the alignment assistant is optionally formed of one or more high contrast colors (e.g., emission color, reflection color, light color, etc.) and the club head body (C) engaging the shaft member with the putter head, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the putter head is optionally non-reflective matte finish , Optionally putter head A color and / or finish that substantially matches the color and / or finish of most of the top surface of the door); and / or (d) engaging the grip member with the shaft member. The putter head and / or shaft can be one of the other features described above (e.g., rounded corners or ends; shaft, alignment aid, and / or matte finish color; alignment aid shape, Location, and / or other features; such as a matte finish and / or a proportion of the top surface and / or shaft member covered with alignment aids).

  Some methods according to the present invention may include additional steps to assist in color selection of the top surface and / or shaft member. For example, such methods may include: (a) a specific golf green, a specific set of greens (e.g., a green on a specific golf course, a green on a specific geographic region, a green on a specific type of grass) And (b) creating a finish color of the putter head and / or shaft member based at least in part on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head and / or shaft during its manufacture. It may include an applied process. The investigation may include spectral analysis of grass color (eg, its light reflectance characteristics, its light absorption characteristics, its emission, etc.). Thus, for example, a specific golf course green, a specific region (e.g., Pacific Northwest, Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc.), a specific grass type (e.g., bentgrass, bluegrass, etc.) Putter heads and / or shafts can be specifically designed or customized with colors that correspond to green, specific time of day or green under specific lighting conditions, weather conditions, or climatic conditions.

  Specific examples of the invention are described in more detail below. It should be understood by the reader that these specific examples are disclosed merely to clarify examples of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

C. Specific Examples of the Invention FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a first exemplary putter structure 100 according to the invention. As shown in these figures, the exemplary putter structure 100 includes a club head member 102 that is attached to or integrally formed with the club head body 106. The ball striking surface 104 is included. The shaft member 108 is engaged with the club head member 102 in any desired manner, such as via cement or adhesive; via threaded connectors or other mechanical connectors; via welding, brazing, soldering, or other melting techniques. Match. Further, the shaft member 108 and / or club head 102 may be known and used in the art from any desired number of parts and / or any desired material, including conventional parts, conventional materials. Can be made as a conventional construct.

  FIGS. 1C and 1D better illustrate the top surface 106a of the club head body 106, particularly the portion of the club head surface that appears to the golfer when placing the club head 102 in the ball address orientation when preparing for putting. The top surface 106a has two main parts: a front or ball striking surface side portion 106b (i.e., a portion of the top surface 106a immediately adjacent to the ball striking surface 104) and a rear or body side portion 106c (i.e., ball striking surface). It can be considered as including a part of the upper surface 106a extending from the side portion 106b and away from the ball striking surface 104). The ball striking surface side portion 106b can be made from a different material and / or different parts than the body side portion 106c (actually it can be made from the same piece of physical material that makes up the ball striking surface 104), or a club These various portions of the head 102 can be integrally formed with each other as a single structure. A clear boundary may or may not exist between the surface 104, the ball striking surface side portion 106b, and / or the body side portion 106c.

  According to at least some exemplary aspects of the present invention, a majority of the top surface 106a of the club head body 106 is optionally non-reflective in a dark color such as green, black, brown, dark gray, or dark tan. With a matte finish. A matte finish can be applied to the club head body 106 in any desired manner, such as painting, anodizing or other electroplating techniques, without departing from the invention. The dark and matte finish helps to reduce the golfer's concentration on the body of the putter when the golfer hits the position and / or putts, and also reflects light on the putter head, thereby causing visual disturbances. Help prevent. As used herein, the term "matte finish" is not intended to mean any particular finishing technique or method, but rather any matte or dull tan that reflects little light Generally used to refer to finishing and / or finishing techniques.

  1C and 1D further illustrate the alignment aid 110 included on the upper surface 106a of the putter head 102. FIG. The alignment assisting portion according to at least some examples of the present invention can be manufactured in a high contrast color (for example, a light emitting type or a fluorescent type color that greatly reflects light). The alignment aid 110 may be any desired color, but in at least some examples of the present invention, the high contrast color and / or light color for the remaining matte dark color of the upper surface 106a of the club head body 106. It is produced in a highly contrasting color to the background green, such as luminescent white, or "fluorescent pen" type luminescent or fluorescent colors, eg yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, green, etc.

  The alignment aid 110 may be provided on or formed with the club head 102 in any desired manner without departing from the invention. For example, if desired, the alignment aid 110 can be painted on or otherwise applied to the club head structure 102 or integrally formed as part of the club head structure 102. As another example, if desired, the alignment aid 110 may be mechanically connected to the recess using, for example, a mechanical connector; cement or adhesive; It can be a separate element (eg metal plate, plastic plate, etc.) attached. If desired, the alignment aid 110 can be removable so that it can be replaced with another having, for example, a different size, shape, design, color, etc.

  The combination of a matte dark body color and a bright, high contrast color alignment aid 110 helps avoid and concentrate the golfer's eyes and attention to any visual information associated with the club head body 106. It helps to focus the golfer's eyes and attention on the alignment aid 110. As noted above, most of the upper surface 106a of the club head body 106 can be colored with a dull, dull tan color (as a matte finish), while the rest of the top surface (or substantially the rest). Includes an alignment assisting part 110. If desired, according to at least some examples of the present invention, the top surface 106a of the putter head 102 includes little or no other than it non-reflective matte finish color and alignment aid (e.g. Colored and / or finished so that there is little or no other shining or reflection; logos, model numbers, or other identifying information is small or absent; no visible joints or joints between parts, etc. be able to. In some more specific examples of club head structures according to the present invention, at least 65% of the top surface (the percentage of the top surface visible from the ball address location) has a non-reflective matte finish, At least 75% or even at least 85% have a non-reflective matte finish. With respect to alignment aids, in some embodiments of the invention, less than 35% of the top surface includes alignment aids, and even less than 25% or less than 15% of the top surface constitutes the alignment aid. obtain. In at least some examples of the invention, at least 85% of the top coloration consists of a combination of (a) a non-reflective matte finish and (b) an alignment aid, and in other examples this percentage is at least It can be 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or even at least 99%. As is clear from the above discussion, if desired, in the putter head and putter structure according to the present invention, the upper surface of the putter head is colored by (a) a non-reflective matte finish and (b) an alignment aid. Can be essentially from. Other disturbing visual features on the top surface, such as visible joints between parts, any text information, etc. can be masked, hidden or otherwise at least partially camouflaged or invisible . A portion of the pad structure that is typically not visible in the pad (e.g., the sole) may be colored, designed, and / or otherwise structured in any desired manner without departing from the invention. And / or can include any desired information (such as a logo, see FIG. 1A), but these surfaces have a matte finish if desired, or otherwise a club head It can also be colored to match the rest of the structure.

  The shape of the alignment aid 110 may also be useful in helping to focus the golfer's eyes for alignment purposes. As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the alignment aid 110 of this embodiment has one flat side end 110a that extends substantially parallel to the ball striking face 104 and the center end of the club head body 102. It is a triangle (isosceles triangle) having a vertex 110b located toward the part. The shape of this alignment aid 110 when viewed from above with the ball address orientation helps to attract the viewer's eyes forward toward the ball and ball striking surface 104, and also allows the golfer to club against the ball. Helps align the location of the center of gravity of the head (in this exemplary arrangement 100, the central shaft mount can be considered as forming the second part of the alignment aid). The parallelism of the triangular flat side edge 110a with respect to the ball striking face 104 helps the orientation process.

  FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view (eg, at the address of a ball) of another putter structure 200 according to at least some examples of the present invention. This exemplary putter 200 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1A-1D (e.g., a body member 206 having a putter head 202, a ball striking surface 204, a top surface 206a (including a ball striking surface side portion 206b and a body side portion 206c). , As well as shaft 208), there are some significant differences. First, as will be readily apparent, the entire putter head 202 has a different shape than that illustrated in FIGS. Aspects of the invention can be practiced using any desired type of putter structure including mallet type putters, blade type putters, heavy putters, large putters, and the like.

  Furthermore, the putter 200 of FIG. 2 has a different alignment assisting part compared to that of FIGS. The alignment assisting part in FIG. 2 has a plurality of different parts. Specifically, in the illustrated example, the alignment assisting portion is shaped and arranged on the main body side portion 206c of the club head main body 206 in the same manner as the alignment assisting portion 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D. It has a first triangular portion 210 (with a flat side 210a and a vertex 210b). The second portion 212 of the alignment assisting portion in FIG. 2 is included as a part of the ball striking surface side portion 206b of the upper surface 206a of the club head main body 206b. Specifically, in the exemplary structure 200, the second portion 212 of the alignment aid is parallel (or substantially parallel) to the ball striking surface 204 along the ball striking surface side portion 206 and / or Alternatively, it extends as a line (or elongated polygonal structure) parallel (or substantially parallel) to the flat side surface 210a. Similar to the flat side 210a of the alignment aid 210, this elongated line or polygonal structure 212 helps to attract the golfer's eyes and attention forward toward the ball and also better aligns the surface 204 with the golfer. And concentrate on aligning the center of gravity of the club head with the ball. If desired, the position of the center of gravity of the club head can be marked on the upper surface 206a of the club head 202, for example by a notch or other center of gravity designator 214, as shown in FIG. This center-of-gravity designation 214 also helps to attract the golfer's eyes and attention forward towards the ball, and also helps the golfer better identify and concentrate the club head's center of gravity alignment with the ball. The elongated nature of the alignment aid 212 (and its highly contrasting color if so made) provides a good visual indication of the direction of the surface 204 and its orientation relative to the ball.

  FIG. 3A illustrates another exemplary putter structure 300 according to the present invention. In this exemplary structure 300, a two-part alignment aid similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 (including a triangular portion 310 and a line or elongated polygonal alignment aid portion 312) is applied to the blade-type putter body 302. Is done. However, in this exemplary structure 300, the position of the center of gravity is marked on the upper surface 306a of the club head 302 by a contrasting portion 314 applied across a line or elongated polygonal alignment assisting portion 312. This contrasting portion 314 helps attract the golfer's eyes and attention forward toward the ball, and helps the golfer better focus on aligning the club head's center of gravity with the ball. If desired, the center of gravity location 314 can be marked by notches, stars, depressions, or other marks or styles, as opposed to strongly contrasting, without departing from the invention.

  3A and 3B illustrate another feature that can be provided in a putter structure according to at least some examples of the invention. The sharp corners and edges of the element tend to be visually noticeable to the viewer, both when the object is stationary and when the object is moved. In order to reduce visual disturbance to the golfer in the putt, the top surface 306a of the putter structure 300 (or another putter structure described herein) has a sharp corner, sharp end, and / or stepped surface ridge. It can be formed to avoid or reduce the number of changes (and / or reduce the length of any visible sharp edges or stepped surface ridge changes). In other words, at least some of the visible corners and edges of the putter structure 300 can be smoothly rounded to avoid sharp corners and edges. This feature is more clearly illustrated in the side view of the toe tip of the putter 300 of FIG. 3B. As shown in FIG.3B, the rounded end 320 is smooth from the ball striking surface side portion 306b of the upper surface 306a to the ball striking surface 304 without providing stepped (e.g., square) corners or ends. Transition to. Similarly, the rounded end 322 and the rounded end 324 also smoothly transition on the upper surface 306a between the ball striking face side portion 306b and the main body side portion 306c. Similarly, the rearmost end 326 of the visible top surface 306a is also rounded and smoothly transitions between the body side portion 306c and the club head sole 316.

  If desired, putter head 300 (and / or other putter heads described herein) having rounded corners and / or ends, such as casting, molding, machining, Or you can build by building otherwise. In this way, the visible corners of all (or substantially all) top surfaces are rounded or rounded (e.g. a radius of at least 0.25 mm, in some cases at least 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, The putter head 300 can be constructed to have at least 2 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 15 mm, or even at least 20 mm. Similarly, all (or substantially all) ends present on the top surface of the club head can be rounded to avoid stepped surface bulge changes (e.g., a radius of at least 0.25mm, some Examples of at least 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 15 mm, and even at least 20 mm rounded or rounded edges; wall surfaces with slopes between adjacent surfaces, etc.). The smooth and rounded nature of the top surface helps to keep the eye on the alignment aid (eg 310, 312, 314) and the ball and better focus the golfer's attention on it. As noted above, any joints between the club head components visible from the top can be hidden or at least somewhat camouflaged.

  Other alignment aid structures or features may be used without departing from the present invention. For example, FIG. 4 shows a three-part alignment auxiliary part, that is, a triangular body side part alignment auxiliary part 410, a linear ball striking surface side part alignment auxiliary part 412, and other alignment auxiliary parts 410 and A putter structure 400 is shown, including an intermediate alignment aid 414 located between 412. In this exemplary structure 400, the triangular alignment aid 410 includes a contrasting boundary region 410a and a slightly different color inner region 410b (e.g., the inner region 410b is the same general color as the boundary region 410a). You get, but it's probably a faint or less fluorescent hue).

  FIG. 4 generally illustrates another feature that can be provided in a putter structure according to at least some examples of the present invention. Specifically, the putter according to an example of the present invention has the same color and / or finish as the majority of the upper surface 406 of the club head body 402 (e.g., one or more dark colors (green) having a matte matte finish. A shaft member 408 that is colored and / or otherwise finished (such as black, brown, dark gray, and / or dark tan). Putter shafts typically made from steel generally have a chrome, stainless steel, or other bright finish. This can cause visual disturbance to the golfer as the light reflects off this shiny surface. In addition, visual disturbances can occur due to changes in reflectivity, especially when the putter moves during a swing, which can cause the user to sag or move slightly, causing the club head to move off its intended line. And / or the putt may be propelled off its intended line. By providing a dark and / or matte matte finish on at least a portion of the putter shaft 408 located adjacent to the club head 402, the reflectivity at the shaft 408 is reduced and the shaft 408 is driven by the club head body 402. It blends well (and thereby reduces visual disturbances).

  As noted above, at least a portion of the shaft 408 closest to the club head body 402 is optionally non-reflective matte with a dark color such as green, black, brown, dark gray, or dark tan It can be formed to have a finish. This feature can be applied to any of the specific putter head structures described and / or illustrated herein and in the drawings. A matte finish can be applied to the shaft 408 in any desired manner, such as painting, anodizing or other electroplating techniques, without departing from the invention. If desired, in an "integrated" manner with club head 402, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0252572A1 owned by NIKE, Inc., fully incorporated herein by reference, The shaft 408 can be manufactured in the form of a “Unitized” putter series putter product commercially available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon.

  FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate additional putter structures 500 and 600, respectively, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4, but with slightly different alignment aid structures (510 and 610, respectively). These figures illustrate that the alignment aid can take a wide variety of different configurations without departing from the invention. In these exemplary structures, the rearward alignment aids 510 and 610 generally take a triangular appearance through a series of parallel lines. The different lengths of the various lines and their different thicknesses help to attract the golfer's eyes toward the front center of the club head body in a manner similar to the triangular structure described above. These figures also illustrate the overall club head 500/600 and various other potential variations of the previously positioned alignment aid structure that can be provided in accordance with at least some examples of this invention.

  FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate further exemplary putter structures 700 and 800, respectively, having yet another type of alignment aid in high contrast colors for their respective top surfaces 706 and 806, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, this blade-type putter head 702 includes a generally triangular back-alignment aid 710, which has two halves 710a and 710b with an intermediate portion 710c extending downwardly along its length. It is divided into. This middle portion 710c may be the same color as most of the top surface 706, or may be a different color (eg, a contrasting color for the top surface 706 or the two halves 710a and 710b). In this illustrated exemplary alignment aid 710, each of the two halves 710a and 710b is generally a right triangle, but the long sides (or hypotenuses) of these triangle halves 710a and 710b need not be straight. , It may be slightly curved. Nevertheless, in addition to the two triangular halves 710a and 710b, the entire alignment aid 710 is also generally triangular (optionally with one or more curved side edges).

  FIG. 8 illustrates a putter structure 800 having a rear alignment aid 810 similar to that shown in FIG. 7 (e.g., having two generally right triangle halves 810a and 810b), but for this mallet-type putter head 802 ( Since the dimension in the front-rear direction is longer, the rear alignment assisting portion 810 is longer. In this exemplary structure 800, the back alignment aid 810 is located on a ridge 818 that extends along the putter head 802 from the surface 804 to the back center area. To reduce the weight of the putter head 802 (and optionally to place weights at other desired locations on the putter head body 802, e.g. towards the rear corners), the center / side area along the ridge 818 The thickness of 820 and 822 can be reduced or even removed completely (this opens two holes through the head 802 and exposes the ground through the head 802). Also, the back alignment aid 810 of this exemplary structure 800 extends completely into the putter surface 804, which can be formed integrally with the putter head body 802, or formed separately. (And, for example, cement or adhesive; mechanical connectors; engage with it, such as by welding, soldering, brazing, or other melting techniques). This type of mallet-type putter may appear in a variety of overall shapes, sizes, and configurations without departing from the invention.

  If desired, the putter structure of FIG. 8 (or indeed any of the putter structures described herein) may be a port or other for receiving one or more removable and / or removable weights. Or can be designed to include a threaded receptacle, clip, or other retaining structure for receiving a screw element that attaches a weight to the putter head, etc. it can. When this feature is present, the user or club fitter fits or weights the putter head to better match the speed of the green or other play conditions, for example, to compensate for swing defects, to suit user preferences. Can be adjusted specially. If desired, the putter can be sold with one or more weights and a tool to remove / attach the weight, which allows the user to selectively change the weight, change the overall weight of the putter, and position the weight There is a possibility that can be changed.

  As mentioned above, according to at least some examples of the present invention, a large portion of the top surface of the putter head according to the examples of the present invention has a dark color such as green, black, brown, dark gray, dark tan, etc. Can be finished with a matte matte finish. This feature masks the light emission contrast (brightness contrast) between the club head and the ground, and thereby emphasizes the alignment aids for high contrast colors (e.g. light emission and / or light reflection color). And can help to allow golfers to better focus their attention. If desired, something more can be done to “camouflage” the top surface of the club head. Specifically, if desired, according to at least some examples of the present invention, it mimics or blends with the color of grass on a green (and thereby contrasts the emission between the top surface of the putter and the background ( The color of the top surface of the putter can be selected (to block both brightness contrast) and color contrast (color contrast). In this way, when the golfer looks down on the putter from the direction of the ball's address, the top surface of the putter head blends more green (i.e., the background), which means that the alignment aid stands out against the golfer's eyes. It can be further promoted.

  Further, it is not necessary to finish the upper surface of the putter head with a single color. Rather, if desired, multiple colors can be used including: grass color, grass leaves, shades of green, multiple hues of green in matte finish; grass color, grass One or more green hues and / or brown / tan, black / grey, and / or a combination of them in a matte finish that mimics leaves, shading, underlying sand or soil on the ground, etc. Combination with multiple hues; Combination for color and other camouflage.

  FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary putter 900 similar to that illustrated in the other figures. However, in FIG. 9, the top surface 906 of the putter head 902 includes multiple colors (eg, matte and other colors of the background in a gray area) in a camouflaged fashion. Any desired camouflaging pattern of colors (or randomized combinations and / or patterns of colors) can be used without departing from the invention. Similarly, in this exemplary structure 900, at least the tip of the putter shaft 908 adjacent to the putter head 902 is colored and / or finished in the same or similar manner as that of the putter top surface 906. Any desired camouflage pattern and / or combination of colors may also be used on the putter shaft 908. Also, as described above, the alignment aids 910 and 912 (covering less than most of the top surface 906) of this exemplary arrangement are contrasted to stand out on the putter head top surface 906 with respect to the golfer's eyes, Can be manufactured or finished in luminescent and / or reflective colors. Any desired alignment aid or combination of alignment aids, including the features of the various alignment aids described above, in combination with a putter head and / or shaft member with a “grass-colored” top finish, It can be used without departing from the invention.

  FIG. 10 is a putter 1000 that includes a shaft 1008 and an upper surface 806 of a putter head 1002, colored and / or finished to reduce both the light emission contrast and the color contrast with the background 1020 ( That is, the movement of the putter 1000 (colored and / or finished to better match the green grass described above) is illustrated. The putter 1000 can have any of the other various features described above, such as those described in combination with FIGS. As shown in FIG. 10, visual disturbance is reduced by coloring and / or finishing the upper surface 1006 of the putter head 1002 in this manner (and optionally reducing sharp corners or edges). This is because the putter head 1002 is not very “noticeable” to the golfer's eyes with a similarly colored green background 1020 in the back. In addition, this feature makes the alignment aids 1010 and 1012 more prominent to the golfer's eyes and more concentrated on the alignment of the ball 1022 in the desired direction using the alignment aids 1010 and 1012. It helps to make it better.

  The features of the present invention described in conjunction with FIGS. 9 and 10 provide various additional features that can be included in a putter head according to examples of the present invention. For example, the color and / or finish of the putter head top surface can be specifically designed or customized to better match the following: the color of the grass on one or more greens on a particular golf course; Grass color on green in certain geographic regions (eg Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Florida, Arizona, Europe, etc.); grasses on green of a particular type or variety (eg bentgrass, Bermudagrass, etc.) The color of the grass on the green at various different times; the color of the grass on the green at a special play time (e.g. early morning, noon, before evening, dusk, etc.); the special play conditions (e.g. bright sunlight, cloudy or For example, the color of the grass on the green under overcast, rain, dew or fog). The putter according to at least some examples of the present invention can be sold as a kit or system, in which the putter shaft is selectively fitted to the removable head, and the user has a plurality of different colors. Can receive (or make use of) a head (targeted to meet the various different conditions described above), and the user can better match the specific head used during a particular round of golf Can be selected. If desired, place the putter head on a removable top element (covering all or part of the top surface of the putter head) that can be selectively removed and replaced with another color top element rather than replacing the entire head. Can be fitted.

  Additionally or alternatively, if desired, the putter “kit” or “system” allows the user to select a particular shaft to use during a particular round of golf to better suit the conditions. Multiple putter shafts in multiple colors, color combinations, etc. can be included. Putter shaft on removable sleeve element (covers all or part of the visible portion of the shaft), which can be selectively removed and replaced with another color shaft sleeve element, if desired, rather than replacing the entire shaft Can be fitted.

  Trial-and-error methods (e.g., producing putter heads in a variety of different colors, color combinations, finishes, etc.), from which the individual grass color, grass type, time zone, time of day, geographic location Any desired manner of actually selecting the top finish and / or the color of the shaft member can be used without departing from the invention. Instead, if desired, spectral data (e.g., color absorption data, color reflectance data, luminance data, etc.) can be converted to specific grasses (e.g. grasses on specific golf courses; grasses in specific geographic areas; special Varieties or varieties of grass) can optionally be measured under various conditions (e.g. different time periods; different time zones; different play conditions or lighting conditions) and this data can be used to Or it can assist in the selection of paint or other finish colors for the shaft (matching the paint to an existing known color is well known in the paint art). If desired, this type of spectral data can be used to determine the club head top surface and / or shaft color customized for a particular golf course and / or other conditions, if desired. . For example, grass using digital image analysis as described in DE Karcher, et al., “Turfgrass Science: Quantifying Turfgrass Color Using Digital Image Analysis,” Crop Science, Vol. 43, May-June, 2003, pp. 943-951. The color measurement is known and this paper is fully incorporated herein by reference.

  Many modifications can be made to the entire putter head structure and / or the entire putter structure without departing from the invention. For example, many modifications can be made to the one or more parts that make up the club head structure, the materials used to make the club structure, the manner in which the parts of the club head structure are joined together, and the like. Many modifications may also be made to the thickness, weight, shape, size, and / or other physical characteristics of one or more parts that make up the entire club structure. In the manner of making the putter head and its related parts, including modification of the specific process used to make the part, modification of the material used to make the part, modification of the part making and club head assembly sequence, etc. Modifications can be made. Aspects of the invention can be practiced on conventional shapes and / or constructed putter heads and putters, including putter heads and putters in commercial shapes, constructions, and designs. Such putter heads and putters may include various features such as adjustable weight, one or more openings in the body portion through which the green can be seen.

CONCLUSION While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific examples including preferred embodiments in the present invention for practicing the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that there are many variations and permutations on the systems and methods described above. Let's go. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention should be construed broadly as disclosed in the appended claims.

Claims (131)

A club head body having a ball striking surface and an upper surface as viewed from the address direction of the ball, wherein the upper surface has a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; And an alignment auxiliary portion provided on the upper surface or integrally formed as a part of the upper surface, wherein the alignment auxiliary portion is formed of one or more highly contrasting colors and A putter head that includes an alignment aid that covers less than most of the top surface.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the one or more dark colors on the top surface of the club head body include one or more colors selected from the group consisting of green, brown, black, or gray.   3. The putter head according to claim 2, wherein the one or more light colors of the alignment assistant include one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green. .   The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the one or more light colors of the alignment assisting unit include one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green. .   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the club head main body includes a ball striking surface side portion and a main body side portion extending from the ball striking surface side portion and away from the ball striking surface.   6. The putter head according to claim 5, wherein the alignment assisting portion includes a first portion located on the main body side portion or integrally formed as a part of the main body side portion.   7. The putter head according to claim 6, wherein the alignment assisting portion includes a second portion located on the ball striking surface side portion or integrally formed as a part of the ball striking surface side portion.   8. A putter head according to claim 7, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular element.   9. A putter head according to claim 8, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid includes a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   A first portion of the alignment aid is a single side surface located toward the central rearmost portion of the body side portion, with a flat side surface extending close to and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface. 8. A putter head according to claim 7, comprising a triangular element having a vertex area.   The second portion of the alignment aid includes a line or an elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion substantially parallel to the flat side of the first portion of the alignment aid. 11. A putter head according to claim 10, comprising.   6. The putter head according to claim 5, wherein the alignment assisting portion includes a first portion located on the ball striking surface side portion or integrally formed as a part of the ball striking surface side portion.   13. A putter head according to claim 12, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the club head main body does not include a sharp corner that can be seen from the direction of the address of the ball.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the club head main body does not include a step-like surface bulge change visible from the direction of the address of the ball.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the club head main body includes a smoothly rounded corner portion and a smoothly changing surface bulge change.   17. A putter head according to claim 16, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body mainly comprises green.   17. The putter head of claim 16, wherein the one or more dark colors on the top surface of the club head body include one or more colors selected from the group consisting of green, brown, black, or gray.   The putter head of claim 1, wherein at least 65% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes.   The putter head of claim 1, wherein at least 75% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes.   The putter head of claim 1, wherein at least 85% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 35% of the upper surface includes an alignment assisting portion.   2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 25% of the upper surface includes an alignment assisting portion.   The putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 15% of the upper surface includes an alignment assisting portion. The top color is
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
2. A putter head according to claim 1, consisting essentially of (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors.   26. A putter head according to claim 25, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body primarily comprises green. At least 85% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
2. The putter head according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment assisting part formed of (b) one or a plurality of high contrast colors. At least 90% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
2. The putter head according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment assisting part formed of (b) one or a plurality of high contrast colors. At least 95% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
2. The putter head according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment assisting part formed of (b) one or a plurality of high contrast colors. At least 98% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
2. The putter head according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment assisting part formed of (b) one or a plurality of high contrast colors.   31. A putter head according to claim 30, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body primarily comprises green. A club head body having a ball striking surface and an upper surface as viewed from the address direction of the ball, wherein the upper surface has a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors;
An alignment auxiliary portion provided on the upper surface or integrally formed as a part of the upper surface, wherein the alignment auxiliary portion is formed of one or more highly contrasting colors and is an upper surface of the club head main body A putter including an alignment aid covering less than most of the shaft; and a shaft member engaging the club head body.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body comprises one or more colors selected from the group consisting of green, brown, black, or gray.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the one or more light colors of the alignment aid comprise one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the upper surface of the club head body includes a ball striking surface side portion and a body side portion extending from the ball striking surface side portion and away from the ball striking surface.   36. The putter of claim 35, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on the body side portion or integrally formed as part of the body side portion.   37. A putter according to claim 36, wherein the alignment assisting portion includes a second portion located on the ball striking surface side portion or integrally formed as part of the ball striking surface side portion.   38. A putter according to claim 37, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular element.   39. A putter according to claim 38, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid comprises a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   A first portion of the alignment aid is a single side surface located toward the central rearmost portion of the body side portion, with a flat side surface extending close to and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface. 38. A putter according to claim 37, comprising a triangular element having a vertex area.   The second portion of the alignment aid includes a line or an elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion substantially parallel to the flat side of the first portion of the alignment aid. 41. The putter of claim 40, comprising.   36. The putter according to claim 35, wherein the alignment assisting portion includes a first portion located on the ball striking surface side portion or integrally formed as a part of the ball striking surface side portion.   43. A putter according to claim 42, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the upper surface of the club head main body does not include a sharp corner visible from the address direction of the ball.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the upper surface of the club head body does not include a step-like surface bulge change visible from the address direction of the ball.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes smoothly rounded corners and smoothly changing surface ridge changes.   47. A putter according to claim 46, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body primarily comprises green.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 65% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finish.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 75% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finish.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 85% of the top surface has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finish.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein less than 35% of the top surface includes an alignment aid.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein less than 25% of the top surface includes an alignment aid.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein less than 15% of the upper surface includes an alignment aid. The top surface is colored
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
33. A putter according to claim 32 consisting essentially of (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors.   55. A putter according to claim 54, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body mainly comprises green. At least 85% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
33. A putter according to claim 32, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors.   57. A putter according to claim 56, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body mainly comprises green. At least 90% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
33. A putter according to claim 32, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 95% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
33. A putter according to claim 32, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 98% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
33. A putter according to claim 32, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors.   61. A putter according to claim 60, wherein the one or more dark colors on the upper surface of the club head body primarily comprises green.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finish.   63. A putter according to claim 62, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the club head body.   63. A putter according to claim 62, wherein a portion of the shaft member having a non-reflective matte finish comprises at least 10% of the total length of the shaft member.   63. A putter according to claim 62, wherein a portion of the shaft member having a non-reflective matte finish comprises at least 25% of the total length of the shaft member.   63. A putter according to claim 62, wherein a portion of the shaft member having a non-reflective matte finish comprises at least 50% of the total length of the shaft member.   63. A putter according to claim 62, wherein the portion of the shaft member having a non-reflective matte finish comprises at least 75% of the total length of the shaft member.   33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the entire visible portion of the shaft member has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes. Finishing the top surface of the club head body, as viewed from the address direction of the ball, such that the majority of the top surface has a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and an alignment aid on the top surface Or a part of the top surface, wherein the alignment assisting part is formed in one or more high contrast colors and covers less than most of the top surface of the club head body. how to.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the finishing step comprises finishing the upper surface of the club head body with one or more colors selected from the group consisting of green, brown, black, or gray.   71. The method of claim 70, wherein the forming step comprises forming the alignment aid in one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the forming step comprises forming the alignment aid in one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the upper surface of the club head body includes a ball striking surface side portion and a body side portion extending from the ball striking surface side portion and away from the ball striking surface.   75. The method of claim 73, wherein the forming step includes forming the first portion of the alignment aid as part of the body side portion.   75. The method of claim 74, wherein the forming step includes forming the second portion of the alignment aid as part of the ball striking surface side portion.   76. The method of claim 75, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid is formed as a triangular element.   77. The method of claim 76, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid is formed as a line or elongate substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   The forming step is such that the first portion of the alignment assisting portion is positioned toward the flat side surface that extends close to the ball striking surface and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, and toward the central rearmost portion of the body side portion. 76. The method of claim 75, comprising forming as a triangular element having a single apex area.   The forming step extends the second portion of the alignment assisting portion along the ball striking surface side portion substantially parallel to the flat side surface of the first portion of the alignment assisting portion or elongated 79. The method of claim 78, comprising forming as a square element.   75. The method of claim 73, wherein the forming step includes forming an alignment aid on the ball striking surface side portion or including the first portion as part of the ball striking surface side portion.   The method of claim 80, wherein the forming step includes forming the first portion of the alignment aid to include a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion. .   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the upper surface of the club head body does not include sharp corners visible from the address direction of the ball.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the top surface of the club head body does not include stepped surface ridge changes visible from the ball address orientation.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes smoothly rounded corners and smoothly transitioning surface ridge changes.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the finishing step comprises finishing at least 65% of the top surface with a non-reflective matte finish.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the finishing step comprises finishing at least 75% of the top surface with a non-reflective matte finish.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the finishing step comprises finishing at least 85% of the top surface with a non-reflective matte finish.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the forming step includes forming less than 35% of the top surface to include alignment aids.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the forming step includes forming less than 25% of the top surface to include alignment aids.   70. The method of claim 69, wherein the forming step includes forming less than 15% of the top surface to include alignment aids. The top surface is colored
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
70. The method of claim 69, consisting essentially of (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 85% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
70. The method of claim 69, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 90% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
70. The method of claim 69, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 95% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
70. The method of claim 69, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. At least 98% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
70. The method of claim 69, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors. A step of providing a putter head comprising a ball striking surface and an upper surface when viewed from the address direction of the ball, the majority of the upper surface having a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; An alignment aid is included on or as part of the upper surface, the alignment aid is formed as one or more high contrast colors and covers less than a majority of the upper surface of the club head body; and a shaft member A method of manufacturing a putter, comprising the step of engaging a putter with a putter head.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the top surface of the putter head is finished with one or more colors selected from the group consisting of green, brown, black, or gray.   98. The method of claim 97, wherein the alignment aid is formed of one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the alignment aid is formed of one or more colors selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the top surface of the putter head includes a ball striking surface side portion and a body side portion extending from the ball striking surface side portion and remote from the ball striking surface.   101. The method of claim 100, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion formed on or as part of the body side portion.   102. The method of claim 101, wherein the alignment aid includes a second portion formed on or as part of the ball striking surface side portion.   103. The method of claim 102, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid is formed as a triangular element.   104. A method according to claim 103, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid is formed as a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   A first portion of the alignment aid is a single side surface located toward the center rearmost portion of the body side portion, with a flat side extending close to the ball striking surface and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface. 105. The method of claim 102, formed as a triangular element having a vertex area.   The second portion of the alignment aid is a line or elongate substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion and substantially parallel to the flat side of the first portion of the alignment aid. 106. The method of claim 105, wherein the method is formed.   101. The method of claim 100, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion on or as part of the ball striking surface side portion.   108. The method of claim 107, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid comprises a line or elongated substantially polygonal element extending along the ball striking face side portion.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the top surface of the putter head does not include sharp corners visible from the address direction of the ball.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the top surface of the putter head does not include a stepped surface ridge change visible from the ball address orientation.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the top surface of the putter head includes smoothly rounded corners and smoothly transitioning surface ridge changes.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein at least 65% of the top surface is finished with a non-reflective matte finish.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein at least 75% of the top surface is finished with a non-reflective matte finish.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein at least 85% of the top surface is finished with a non-reflective matte finish.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein less than 35% of the top surface includes alignment aids.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein less than 25% of the top surface includes alignment aids.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein less than 15% of the top surface includes alignment aids. The top surface is colored
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
99. The method of claim 96, consisting essentially of (b) one or more high contrast color registration aids. At least 85% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
99. The method of claim 96, comprising (b) one or more high contrast color alignment aids. At least 90% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
99. The method of claim 96, comprising (b) one or more high contrast color alignment aids. At least 95% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
99. The method of claim 96, comprising (b) one or more high contrast color alignment aids. At least 98% of the top coloration
(a) a non-reflective matte finish in one or more dark colors; and
99. The method of claim 96, comprising (b) an alignment aid formed of one or more high contrast colors.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent the putter head has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes.   124. The method of claim 123, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the putter head.   124. The method of claim 123, wherein a portion of the shaft member having an anti-reflective matte finish comprises at least 10% of the total length of the shaft member.   126. The method of claim 125, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the putter head.   124. The method of claim 123, wherein a portion of the shaft member having an anti-reflective matte finish comprises at least 25% of the total length of the shaft member.   124. The method of claim 123, wherein a portion of the shaft member having an anti-reflective matte finish comprises at least 50% of the total length of the shaft member.   124. The method of claim 123, wherein the portion of the shaft member having an anti-reflective matte finish comprises at least 75% of the total length of the shaft member.   99. The method of claim 96, wherein the entire visible portion of the shaft member has one or more dark, non-reflective matte finishes.   131. The method of claim 130, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the putter head.

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