WO2001089638A1

WO2001089638A1 - Golf alignment device

Info

Publication number: WO2001089638A1
Application number: PCT/AU2000/000494
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Ross Martelli
Original assignee: Alberto Ross Martelli
Priority date: 2000-05-24
Filing date: 2000-05-24
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: AU4527500A

Abstract

A golf club alignment device (10) is provided for aligning a golf club player and body position. The device (10) comprises a board (12) having a reflective surface (14) and a grid formed of a target alignment line (16) and spaced lines (18 to 26) which intersect the line (16), and a laser generator (28) positioned on the board (12) for emitting a laser beam (32) in alignment with the line (16) towards a target. The reflective surface (14) allows a user to visually check shoulder positions by the reflection of his/her shoulders on the surface (14). The lines (16 to 26) form a grid for correcting shoulder positions and for club face alignment.

Description

GOLF ALIGNMENT DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS invention relates to a golf alignment device for golf club alignment and for golfer body alignment. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golfers generally acknowledge that initial body alignment and club face alignment are important to hitting a golf ball to travel in a line towards a target which may be a desired area of a fairway or a hole on a golf course.

Many systems have been developed to help golfers to improve their body and club face alignments. Some of these systems use a laser generator built into a golf club. The laser generator emits a light beam towards a target. When the beam is on the target the club face of the golf club is perpendicular to the line of the intended travel of a golf ball. These systems are generally costly and cannot be used in a normal golf game. One known system uses a board with spaced rails for guiding a golf putter therebetween and a laser beam for aiming at a target. Golfers using this system for practice generally find that they cannot maintain consistency when playing in a normal golf game as they do not have guide rails to assist in maintaining a consistent golf swing. None of the existing systems know to the applicant provide a feed back to the golfers regarding body alignment. OBIECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a golf alignment device which alleviates or reduces to a certain degree one or more of the above prior art disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a golf alignment device comprising a board having a reflective surface, a target alignment line provided on said reflective surface and a laser generator provided on the board for emitting a laser beam along said target alignment line. In use, a golfer positions the board so that the laser beam is aimed at an intended remote target location and places a ball on or adjacent to said target alignment line. The golfer then places a golf club adjacent to the golf ball for aligning with said target alignment line or an imaginary line parallel to said target alignment line and corrects body alignment, if required, by visually checking his/her body parts reflected on the reflective surface relative to said target alignment line.

It is preferred that said body parts include one or a combination of two or more of eyes, head and shoulders.

Preferably said device includes a grid formed by a number of spaced parallel lines intersecting said target alignment line. The grid may be arranged so that the spaced parallel lines provide a guide for extent of golf club swing required to hit the ball to the target location. The grid can also be arranged so that the golfer can easily correct the body alignment by visually checking the reflection of the shoulder positions, eye positions and head position relative to the grid lines. The grid may also be arranged so that any of the parallel lines serves as a guide to positioning the club face perpendicular to the target alignment line.

The target location can be marked by a cross or one of a number of spaced lines on a target screen. The alignment device may be arranged for use with any golf clubs including irons, woods and putters.

The alignment device of the present invention therefore can provide a visual feedback for correcting the body alignment and golf club alignment which are required for a consistently good golf game. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the present invention can be clearly understood and put into practical effect the description will now refer to the drawings which show non limiting embodiments of the invention, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the golf alignment device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a partial schematic view of a golf club provided with an attachment for a laser generator;

Figure 4 shows one example of the marking for the target position; Figure 5 shows another example of the marking for the target position; and

Figures 6 and 7 show respective front and side views of the golf club shown in Figure 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown schematically a golf alignment device 10 according to the present invention. The device 10 has a rectangular board 12 with a reflective surface 14. One the surface 14 is arranged a grid having an alignment line 16 and equally spaced lines 18 to 26 intersecting the line 16. A laser generator 28 is arranged at one end 30 of the board 12. In use, the generator 28 emits a laser beam 32 parallel to and in alignment with the line 16 in a direction towards a target as shown in Figure 4 or one of the targets as shown in Figure 5 on a target screen 34. In use, a golfer positions the board 12 until the laser beam 32 is aimed at the target on the target screen 34. The golfer then stands adjacent to one of the sides 36 or 38 depending on whether he/she is a right or left handed player. A ball (not shown) is then placed on the alignment line 16 and forward of one of the lines 18 to 26 for putting towards the target. A golf club (not shown) is then positioned so that its club face is in alignment with the selected one of lines 18 to 26 just behind the ball.

The golfer checks the positions of his/her shoulders, eyes and head level by visually inspecting the positions reflected on the surface 14 in relation to the grid lines and where necessary make any correction for the body alignment. When the body is in proper alignment as indicated by the reflected positions in relation to the grid lines, the golf performs a putting action to hit the golf ball towards the target. The device 10 therefore allows the golfer to align the golf club in a line of the intended travel of the golf ball and to align his/her body for a correct body position for a golf stroke to hit the golf ball towards the target.

Figure 3 shows a golf putter 40 with an attachment 42 for mounting a laser generator 44 onto the shaft of the putter 40. The front and side view of the putter 40 are respectively shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative examples of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1 . A golf alignment device comprises a board having a reflective surface, a target alignment line provided on said reflective surface and a laser generator provided on the board for emitting a laser beam along said target alignment line; in use a golfer positions the board so that the laser beam is aimed at an intended remote target location and places a golf ball on or adjacent to said target alignment line, and a golf club adjacent to the golf ball for aligning with the said target alignment line or an imaginary line parallel to said target alignment line, and corrects body alignment, if required, by visually checking one or more of his/her body parts reflected on the reflective surface relative to said target alignment line.

2. The device accordingto claim 1 wherein said body parts include eyes and/or shoulders and/or head.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the device including a grid formed by a number of spaced parallel lines intersecting said target alignment line, and the grid being arranged to provide a visual indication of positions of said one or more body parts relative to the grid lines.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the grid is arranged so that any of the parallel lines serve as a guide to club face alignment.

5. The device according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the parallel lines are spaced so that they provide a guide for extent of a golf club swing to hit the ball to the target location.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the target location is marked by a cross or one of a number of spaced lines on a target screen.

7. A golf club alignment device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.