WO1997020603A1

WO1997020603A1 - A putting aid

Info

Publication number: WO1997020603A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/002971
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Roberts
Original assignee: Martin Roberts
Priority date: 1995-12-01
Filing date: 1996-12-02
Publication date: 1997-06-12
Also published as: AU7704396A; GB9524586D0

Abstract

A putting aid and the method for its use are described. The putting aid includes a resiliently deformable member (22) which is especially adapted to connect a putter (122), a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user. Generally, a three-way securing member (24) is utilised to connect three extensions to the putter, the neck of the user and the substantially fixed part of the user's clothing. The resiliently deformable member is generally secured between the end of the putter and the securing member to give the required elasticity. The putting aid gives general correction by increasing the effective weight of the putter to the hands of the user and by encouraging the unison between putter, head and hands during the putting action.

Description

A PUTTING AID

The present invention relates to a putting aid and, in particular, a putting aid which corrects the putting action by restricting the tendency to make wayward puts.

The putting action of the golfer is vital to his performance. This performance is not only affected by the speed of the hands on the forward action but also by the weight of the putter, the momentum of ball-putter contact, the head-neck-hand connection through the ball and the follow through after connection with the ball. One of the objects of the present invention is to assist or correct these movements to provide an improved putting action.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a putting aid comprising a resiliently deformable member adapted to connect a putter, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a putting aid; having a resiliently deformable member adapted to connect a putter, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user; comprising the steps of:

securing the resiliently deformable member to the neck of the user, attaching the resiliently deformable member to a putter, and attaching the resiliently deformable member to a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing below chest height. According to the third aspect of the present invention there is provided a putting aid comprising; a first member adapted for securement to a putter and a resiliently deformable second member which second member is adapted for simultaneous connection to the said first member, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a putting aid; having a first member adapted for securement to a putter and a resiliently deformable second member which second member is adapted for simultaneous connection to the said first member, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user; comprising the steps of :

securing the resiliently deformable material to the neck of the user, attaching the first member to a putter, and attaching the first member to a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing below chest height.

Preferably, the first member is a weighted extension to the handle of the putter and the second member is an elasticated cord. However, the first member may not be weighted or, alternatively, the first member may be permanently incoφorated into the handle of a stroke play instrument.

Preferably, the resiliently deformable member is an elasticated cord in the form of a loop. The loop may or may not extend to the user's head to rest around the neck at one end so that the other end may be secured to the putter either directly or through the use of the first member. Preferably a three-way securing member is provided so that the resiliently deformable member may be secured thereto and so that further members may extend therefrom to the neck and fixed part of the user's clothing to provide the simultaneous connection. These further members may or may not be resiliently deformable.

The first member may be adapted for securement to a putter by having a radially adjustable circumferential grip protruding from one end thereof, which grip is adapted to be placed over the top of the putter handle and thereafter tightened to secure the first member on the putter. The first member is typically of a similar diameter to that of a putter grip. The first member may be adapted for securement to an elasticated cord by having a hole passing therethrough through which the cord may be threaded. Thus, the manner in which the cord is adapted to be secured to the first member is by virtue of the diameter of the cord which is suitable for threading through the accommodating hole in the said first member. The elasticated cord may then be secured to the user's clothing by way of a hook which is adapted to engage with the belt brace or loop on the user's trousers. In order to allow the second member to extend to the neck of the user, it may consist of a doubled over elasticated cord so that a loop is formed. In such an embodiment the cord is typically first threaded through the first member or the handle of the putter before being formed into a loop. The loop may then be placed over the user's head so that the cord rests around the neck of the user. The hook is thereafter secured to the user's clothing, the first member secured to the putter and position of the first member adjusted so that the putter can be held in the putting position by the user. The first member may of course be secured to the putter at any point in the procedure. Typically the hook is located at the end of an extension off the loop which may or may not be elasticated. The extension may be a fixed length arm. Advantageously, the loop connects the head, the hands and the putter and assists in the putting action by adjusting the weight of the putter and by correcting the head-neck-hand connection through the ball and the follow through after connection with the ball. The arm effectively protects the user's head and face, in the event of the first member disengaging from the putter handle, by restricting the upward movement of the first member or the elasticated cord under the elastic force and thus preventing contact between the first member and the user's head. Alternatively or additionally, the resiliently deformable loop may only extend from the end of the putter to the extension point for the hook and the connection to the user's neck from the extension point may not be resiliently deformable.

Thus, the connection of the resiliently deformable member to the neck is not elasticated and this reduces the likelihood of injury to the user in the event of disconnection of the resiliently deformable member from the end of the putter.

Any suitable securing member may be used at the extension point to connect the resiliently deformable member to the extensions to the body and neck. For instance, a clip may be used.

Preferably, the securing member is held, in use, against the region of the solar plexus. Thus, the extension to the neck and/or body may be adjustable to bring the securing member into contact with the region of the solar plexus. Preferably, the hook is secured to a belt or belt loop around the user's waist. The positioning of the hook at the waist is variable and this affects the correction to the putting action. A hook position on the waist behind the ball corrects overputting by restricting the follow through on the putt and decreasing the momentum of the putter at the point of impact while a hook position forward of the ball corrects underputting by encouraging follow through and increasing the momentum of the putter at the point of impact. In either position and in a central position the putting aid gives general correction by increasing the effective weight of the putter to the hands of the user and by encouraging the unison between putter, head and hands during the putting action.

Furthermore the resiliently deformable member is stretched during the putting action and this introduces a tension or strain into the muscles of the user which are used during the putting action. After a period of practice, this gives a two fold benefit to the user. Firstly a "memory" is formed in the muscles of the correct putting action and, secondly, a flow and ease is introduced into the putting action once the aid is removed. The user may thus be guided by both the memory and the ease of movement to an improved putting action.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Figure 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a securing device in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the securing device of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a cord attachment in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 4 shows a golfer with the aid attached.

Referring to Figure 1 and 2, a securing device 102 comprises a cylindrical cowling 104 and a gripping neck 106 which is partially housed within the cowling 104. The gripping neck 106 depends from a screw threaded shank 108 about which the cowling 104 threadedly engages by way of a threaded hole centrally disposed in the top of the cowling. As the hole 116 is located about the axis of the cowling 104, rotation of the cowling causes it to slidably rotate over the gripping neck 106 resulting in relative axial movement of the cowling with respect to the gripping neck. Depending on the direction of rotation the cowling may thus advance toward or retreat away from the rim of the gripping neck.

The gripping neck 106 comprises four downwardly and outwardly depending resiliently deformable arms 110 (a - d) which are each separated by slots 112 (a - d). As the advancing cowling slides over the wider arms it acts to force the arms toward each other, closing the gap formed by the slots and radially narrowing the neck of the grip.

In practice, the grip is located on the end of a putter 122 with the cowling retracted so that the neck is in its widest configuration. Once the neck has been placed over the end of the putter, the cowling may be rotated forward over the neck forcing the neck to narrow and grip the end of the putter. Advantageously, once the neck has gripped the putter it possesses sufficient frictional resistance to rotation to remain stationery while the cowling is tightened thereover.

The head 114 of the shank 108 protrudes, in use, through the hole 116 in the cowling 104 and has an eye 118 through which an elasticated cord 120 is threaded.

Referring to Figure 3, the elasticated cord 120 is secured, in use, to the user's clothing (not shown) by means of a hook 124 fitted with a one way flap 126. The flap deforms inwardly allowing the user's belt loop or buckle to be secured therein. The hook 124 is secured to the proximal end 134 of an arm 132 which is secured at its distal end 136 to a clip 128 which clip is secured to both ends of the elasticated cord 120 so that the latter forms a loop. Thus the elasticated cord is secured both to the end of the putter and the user allowing the elasticated cord to act during the putting action of the user as is described below.

A clip 128 secures the free end 130 of the elasticated cord 120 so that the cord is formed into a loop between the clip 128 and the eye 1 18. The clip allows the length of the loop to be varied to vary the restraining force applied during the putting action to suit the user's requirements. Adjustment will also be necessary to accord with the most suitable distance between the neck of the user and the end of the putter.

Referring to Figure 4, the top of the putter grip 4 is fitted with an eye

20 through which an elasticated cord 22 is threaded at one end thereof and secured to a clip 24 at the other end thereof. Both ends of the cord are secured in the clip so that the cord forms a loop. The aid is secured to the user's belt buckle 30 by a hook 26 fitted with a one way flap 28. The flap deforms inwardly allowing the user's belt loop or buckle to be secured therein. The hook 26 is secured to the proximal end 34 of an arm 32 which is secured at its distal end 36 to the clip 24 which clip is secured to both ends of the elasticated cord 22 so that the latter forms a loop.

The clip 24 secures the free end of the elasticated cord 22 so that the cord is formed into a loop between the clip 24 and the eye 20 of the grip 4. The end of the loop located opposite to the grip 4 is placed over the user's head so that the elasticated cord 22 acts between the neck of the user and the grip 4. The user then adopts the putting position adjusting the length of the elasticated cord if necessary to suit the degree of elasticated resistance required.

Thus the elasticated cord is secured both to the end of the putter and the user's neck allowing the elasticated cord to act during the putting action of the user.

In an alternative embodiment providing increased safety and a fine level of control, the elasticated cord forms a loop from the end of the putter to a three way securing member and two further adjustable but non-elasticated extensions are provided to the neck and waist of the user respectively. The extensions are adjustable so that the securing member may be brought against the user's body to directly connect the user to the end of the putter through the elasticated cord. As well as providing fine control over the putting region, the embodiment is particularly safe as the eventuality of the elasticated cord becoming free of the end of the putter and hitting the user's face is greatly reduced. In addition to an eye 20 fitted to the end of the extension member 4, other securing means may be employed. For instance, the putting handle 38 may be provided with a hole which passes therethrough or an eye which may be attached thereto and through which the cord may be threaded. Such an arrangement avoids the necessity of an additional eye at the end of the extension member.

Claims

1. A putting aid comprising a resiliently deformable member adapted to connect a putter, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user.

2. A putting aid according to Claim 1 , wherein the resiliently deformable member is an elasticated cord.

3. A putting aid according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the member is in the form of a loop.

4. A putting aid according to any preceding Claim, wherein a three-way securing member is provided so that the resiliently deformable member may be secured from the end of the putter to the said three-way member.

5. A putting aid according to Claim 4, wherein further members extend from the securing member to the neck and fixed part of the user's clothing respectively.

6. A putting aid according to Claim 5, wherein the further members are substantially not resiliently deformable.

7. A putting aid according to any preceding Claim, wherein a further member is provided to secure the resiliently deformable member to the putter handle.

8. A putting aid according to Claim 7, wherein the further member for attachment to the end of the putter has a radially adjustable circumferential grip protruding from one end thereof, which grip is adapted to be placed over the top of the putter handle and thereafter tightened to secure the first member of the putter.

9. A putting aid according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the further member for securement to the end of the putting aid is further adapted for securement to the resiliently deformable member by having a hole passing therethrough through which the resiliently deformable member may be passed.

10. A method of using a putting aid; having a resiliently deformable member adapted to connect a putter, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user; comprising the steps of : securing the resiliently deformable member to the neck of the user, attaching the resiliently deformable member to a putter, and attaching the resiliently deformable member to a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing, below chest height.

1 1. A method according to Claim 10, wherein the resiliently deformable member is secured to the neck and substantially fixed part of the user's clothing by way of further members which extend from a securing member to which the resiliently deformable member is attached.

12. A putting aid comprising :- a first member adapted for securement to a putter, and a resiliently deformable second member, which second member is adapted for simultaneous connection to the said first member, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user.

13. A method of using a putting aid, having a first member adapted for securement to a putter and a resiliently deformable second member which second member is adapted for simultaneous connection to the said first member, a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing and the neck of the user; comprising the steps of :- securing the resiliently deformable member to the neck of the user, attaching the first member to a putter, and attaching the first member to a substantially fixed part of the user's clothing below chest height.

14. A putting aid according to Claim 12, incoφorating one or more of the features of any of Claims 2 to 9.

15. A method of using a putting aid according to Claim 10 or 1 1 , wherein the putting will incoφorate one or more of the features of the putting aid defined in Claims 2 to 9.

16. A method of using a putting aid according to Claim 13, wherein the putting aid incoφorates one or more of the features of Claims 2 to 9.

17. A method of using a putting aid according to any of Claims 10, 1 1 , 13, 15 or 16, wherein the putting aid has a securing member and which step of adjusting the position of the securing member so that it is located against the region of the solar plexus of the user.

18. A putting aid according to any of Claims 5 to 9 and 14, in so far as it is dependent on Claims 5 to 9, wherein the further members from the securing member to the neck and/or substantially fixed part of these as clothing are adjustable.

19. A putting aid according to Claim 1 , wherein the resiliently deformable member includes a securing member and three connection members, each connection member extending from one of the neck, putter of user's clothing to the securing member.

20. A putting aid according to Claim 19, wherein at least one of the connecting members is resiliently deformable.

21. A putting aid according to Claim 12, incoφorating any or all of the features of claims 19 and 20 into the second member.

22. A putting aid as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4.