US2456678A - Golf glove - Google Patents

Description

J. D. COLE Dec. 21, 1943.

GOLF GLOVE Filed Sept. 13, 1946 INVENTQR JOHN DANA COLE ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21, 1948 UN I TED S TATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF GLOVE John Dana Cole, Dayton, Ohio Application September 13, 1946, Serial No 696,820

1 Claim. 1

his left hand to initiate and maintain a grip on the shaft of a club. The glove is of considerable assistance in avoiding calluses or other skin irritations and in providing a uniform degree, of grip notwithstanding the presence of slipping factors such as perspiration, unusually smooth skin texture and in the case of abnormally small hands. A glove of this character is made preferably of a fine grade leather, suede, calfskin or pigskin with the finger portions partially cut off and having a large opening for the thumb. The back of the glove is entirely openexcept for the finger portions and a strap is secured at the wrist. Notwithstanding the obvious. advantages of a glove of the type described, such a glove still lacks any facility for improving the grip on the shaft of the club. The glove simply assists in maintaining whatever grip has been applied to the club shaft regardless of whether the grip is correct or not.

On careful investigation of the use of the glove, I have found that one of the reasons the glove does not and cannot serve to improve the gripping technique of the golfer, i. e. the character of the grip as distinguished from maintaining. the grip, is that the glove closely follows the contour of the hand surfaces since it is normally applied tightly to the hand and any disadvantage occasioned by the lack of grip between the hand and the club shaft is still present even when a glove is used. In particular and in accordance with one aspect of my invention, I have noticed certain voids or other areas between the hand and the shaft which preclude a firm and large contact surface between these members and to that extent a definite and substantial amount of control is lost.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved golf glove which is so designed that it will not only have all of the advantages of the ordinary form of glove but will have the distinct and highly desirable advantage of improving the gripping technique.

Another object is to provide an improved golf glove which will serve as a constant reminder to the golfer as to the proper grip throughout the entire execution of the swing and actually may force the wearer to use the proper grip at least insofar as the hand is concerned 01). which the glove is worn.

Still another object is, to provide an improved golf glove which will adapt the hand more readily to th l b haft nd Specifically will fill in the. voids between the hand and the shaft in order that the area over whichcontrol isexercised by the fingers and the palm is substantially iiicreased.

It, is well known in golf technique that there is a tendency for the player to. move. the shaft of the club. too far down on the palm of the hand so that thesensitivity of control which. is most readily exercised through the fingers is substanti'ally lost. Accordingly,another object ofithe invention is. to provide a golf glove in whichthe wearer is forced to move the club shaft to a position as. will overlap not only a portion .of the palm of the hand but also the base portions of the fingers in order that the over-all control of th shaft can be increased.

Still another object is to provide an improved golf glove which indicates not only the proper initial position at which the shaft should contact the hand but also will force the hand to grip the shaft while the latter is in the initial position, whereby the proper position of the shaft within the hand is initiated and the proper grip is maintained on the shaft throughout the entire swing maneuver.

The-"above objects are carried out, in brief, by providing a glove which is adapted normally to fit the control-exercising hand ofthe golfer and onvvhi-ch a parallel set of marks is applied to indicate the initial position of the club shaft against the glove, and an upstanding projection is also provided between the thumb hole and the fingersto fill up the space which is usually present between the palm of the hand and the shaft. The invention will be better understood when reference is made to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a golf glove and looking at the front or palm side.

Figure 2 is a view of the golf glove looking toward'the rear thereof.

Figures shows the first step in the use of the glove'and the manner in which the'club shank is placed against. the. gloveinproper position.

Figure 4 is a. perspective View of a. wearer slhand and the club shank: in place, showing the 1 05i? tion between the shanlzand the void-filling promo on. 7

Figure-5 shows the second step in the use of the improved glove and specifically the act-of clasping, or gripping the shaft within the hand and indicating the manner in which the pro 3 jection fills up the void or space between the hand and shaft in order to improve the grip.

Figure 6 graphically depicts the proper position of the hand aboutthe shaft at the moment of beginning a swing maneuver and employing the improved glove to enhance the gripping effect.

Reference character I designates the frontpiece or palm portion of a glove, preferably made of a soft pliable leather or skin such as buckskin, suede or pigskin. Finger pieces comprising the finger portion 2 are secured to the palm or front piece of the glove, the front portions of these finger pieces preferably being formed in tegral with the front piece of the glove. The rear portions of the finger pieces are preferably made of a rough but soft skin such as suede. Rear portions of the finger pieces 2 are cut-01f at a position directly below the crotches between the fingers to form a round edge 3 as can be seen in Figure 2. There is a large opening 4 in the front piece of the glove to readily accommodate the thumb. A relatively thick but narrow strap 5 is sewed to the end of the front piece of the glove nearer the wrist, the strap having an adjustable buckle 6 and an eyelet I cooperating with the catch 8 so that the strap can encircle the wrist when the ends are connected together and thus hold the glove tightly in place. has been described up to this point is of a general standard construction and is used by golfers as a protection from abrasion or skin-rubbing effect when handling the shaft of the club and such glove is usually worn on the left hand of a right-handed golfer.

I have found that while a glove of this character serves a useful purpose in rendering the game more comfortable from the standpoint of The glove which preventing slippage between the shaft of the club and the hand in the case of excessive perspiration and also from the standpoint of eliminating any tendency to irritate the hand, it is wellknown that the glove does not inany way assist in improving ones game by modifying the grip of the wearer on the shaft.

After intensive study and development, I have found that it is entirely feasible to -have the glove so modified in construction that it will not only have all of the well-known advantages but in addition will assist and in certain cases will actually force the wearer to assume the proper grip on the shaft during the upswing and downswing strokes. The improved glove not only facilitates the maintenance of the proper grip during the swinging movements of the club but also requires the wearer to initiate the proper grip before the swing is undertaken. It is a well-known fact that even if a player had the necessary skill and took adequate time to assume the proper initial grip on the shaft, this grip is often relaxed or actually changed during the backswing. The grip is overlooked or actually forgotten due to the players interest in other details such as the form of the backswing, an interest in knowing where the ball through either ignorance of proper technique or through neglect.

In general, I have found that one of the chief causes for gripping the shaft of the club improperly either initially or at the time that the ball is struck is due to the fact that the shape of the hand does not conform closely to the small circumferential configuration of the club shaft. There is a natural tendency for the hand to assume a position on the club shaft which is a compromise between the proper position and a position forced by limitations of arm and muscular movement.

In accordance with one aspect of my invention, there is provided an improved glove which not only assists in initiating the proper grip about the shaft but also requires the maintenance of this grip throughout the backswing and the downward stroke of the club. This requirement of proper initial position is obtained by marking on the glove, as indicated at 9, in any suitable manner such as by dotted lines of readily discernible width, a path against which the shaft of the club should be placed when the glove is on the left hand preparatory to making a swing or putt. It will be noted that the two dotted lines, 9 cross the glove diagonally and begin well up on the index finger portion extending rearwardly to a position on the palm portion of the front piece of the glove so that the control of the shaft is exercised almost entirely by the fingers as they bend around and grasp the shaft, as indicated in Figure 5.

At a position between the diagonal path 9 and the thumb hole 4, there is a projection l0 extending across the palm portion l of the glove in the diagonal direction and having a generally triangular shape with rounded ends. This projection may extend partly above the upper or outside surface of the front glove portion I and partly below the underside of said front portion. It is most conveniently formed by sewing or otherwise securing a triangularly shaped piece of thin leather or skin to the underside of the front portion of the glove, as indicated at ll (Fig. 2), so as to leave a compartment or recess of this shape for receiving flexible material such as leather chips, padding, sponge rubber, etc. One end of the recess or compartment, preferably the larger or lower end is left unsewed or open so as to receive the leather chips or other padding material until the proper thickness above and below the front portion of the glove has been obtained.

It will be understood that the glove is preferably held with the finger portions down while the recess which forms the projection i6 is being filled from the large end and as the chips are forced into position. The front portion of the glove directly above the chips will be caused to form a projection which extends above the main portion of the glove. A portion of this projection will also extend below the main portion but on the inside of the glove, the latter being constituted of the piece of leather or skin that has been sewed in place. When the recess or compartment has'been filled tight with the leather chips or other padding, the sewing is completed at the top so that a completely enclosed compartment is obtained which holds the leather chips or other padding strictly in place. The shape, size and position of the projection Ill may best be found by experiment but, in general, will be of a triangular configuration with rounded ends and have a total thickness of perhaps measured from both sides of the front piece l and at the larger or wide end, tapering down to a thickness of approximately A at the narrow end.

In general, the shape of the projection is such that when the glove is worn on the left hand and the latter initiates a grip as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 and then passing through the gripping stage shown in Figure 5 to the final grip shown in Figure 6, the projection will completely fill-up the void between the palm of the hand and the shaft of the club. The shape and position of the projection are such that the shaft of the club is at all times forced to a position near the base of the fingers of which the ideal position is shown by the dotted line 9 in Figure 1 so that complete control over the shaft is exercised by the fingers and the extreme upper portion of the palm. Consequently, even if the player were not to have placed the club shaft in the position indicated by the dotted lines 9 at the outset, the projection ID will have forced the shaft to this position when the grip is being undertaken and simultaneously all appreciable voids between the palm and the shaft will be filled or eliminated by the use of the projection.

It is apparent that this projection offers the following and other advantages:

(a) Increases the surface of contact between the left hand and the shaft of the club;

k0) Provides purchase over the shaft or grip of the club;

(0) Reminds the golfer to grip the club in the fingers of the left hand;

(d) Provides a firmer grip, better control, more leverage and less chance of the shaft slipping during swing; and finally,

(e) Prevents losing control of the shaft at the top of the backswing.

One main fault that the improved golf glove will eliminate is that of gradually forgetting that the club should be gripped in the fingers and thereby allowing the shaft to slip up into the palm of the hand where little or no control can be exercised. Due to the greater surface of contact between the hand and the club shaft a greater ratio of transfer power from the body, arm and wrist through the palm of the hand to the golf club shaft can be obtained. The padded or bulge surface of the improved glove in a properly executed grip is across or on all sides of the club shaft, giving a greatly increased lever. age to the left hand in applying power at the moment of uncocking the wrist when impact with the ball is made.

The presence of the bulge portion In and the constant pressure that it exercises against the club shaft while a grip is being maintained serves not only as a constant reminder to the player as to the imperativeness of a proper grip but also forces the player to exercise the proper grip because otherwise the glove might make the wearer uncomfortable. However, when the club shaft has been placed in its proper position initially, as indicated by the dotted lines 9, and the padded projection ID has been properly designed as to shape, size and position completely to fill-up the voids between the palm of the hand and the shaft, the improved glove is fully as comfortable to wear for over long periods of play as the ordinary form of glove. In fact, the wearer will in time become unaware of the bul Ill but the latter will be constantly forcing the wearer to assume a proper gripping position on the shaft during all golfing maneuvers including the grip, stance, back-swing, forward swing and the follow-through.

While I have described the procurement of the bulge or projection ID as being made generally in the form of a pocket which is filled with fiexible material of any suitable type, it will be understood that this bulge or projection can be made or formed in any other manner as will serve the purposes set forth hereinbefore. Indeed, it would be entirely feasible to secure flexible material directly to the outside of the palm portion of the glove without any portion thereof extending to the underside. It is further apparent that a glove of the general character described can also be made to fit the right hand of a left handed golfer when suitable and wellknown changes are made in the finger portions and strap portion, in which case, the bulge or projection Ill would be accordingly revised as to position.

It will be understood that various modifications and arrangements in structure could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and, accordingly, I desire to comprehend such modifications and substitutions of equivalents as may be considered to come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A golf glove comprising an open back, a palm portion and a finger portion, said palm portion having a section removed for the thumb of the user and said finger portion have backs thereon, a projection of triangular shape in plan and of curvilinear shape in section and permanently attached to said palm section with the base of the triangle lying between the removed thumb section and the remotely located side of the glove and extending diagonally across the glove between the said removed thumb section and the finger section so as to leave a diagonally extend ing area between one side of the projection and the finger section whereby said projection causes the club shaft when grasped to lie in proper inclined position adjacent the finger section so as to be firmly held by the users fingers and said projection also fills the void in the palm of the users hand to cause complete gripping contact of the club shaft by said glove during the swing.

JOHN DANA COLE.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,258,999 Nunn Oct. 14, 1941 2,270,882 Link Jan. 27, 1942 2,302,875 Lykins Nov. 24, 1942

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