WO2004026414A1

WO2004026414A1 - A device for practicing a golf swing

Info

Publication number: WO2004026414A1
Application number: PCT/NO2003/000314
Authority: WO
Inventors: Truls Malm
Original assignee: Golf Navigate Llc
Priority date: 2002-09-12
Filing date: 2003-09-11
Publication date: 2004-04-01
Also published as: NO20024347L; AU2003265013A1; NO319349B1; NO20024347D0

Abstract

An aid device for practicing a golf swing, comprising a plate with a curved, longitudinal edge. The plate has markings (D1, D2, D3) for specifying the position of the head of a golf club and markings for the placement of the golfer’s feet (B1, B3). The plate’s edge is curved corresponding to the desired line of motion for striking a golf ball in the strike area, and the plate is further marked a corresponding line (D). there is further marked a sight line (A1) directed towards the target. Between the lines, the area (D1, D2, D3) where the club head is to be placed for shots using different clubs, and on the opposite edge there is provided a set of markings for positioning the golfer’s feet (B1, B2, B3).

Description

Aid device for practicing a golf swing

The invention relates to an aid device for practicing a golf swing, comprising a plate with a curved, longitudinal edge wherein the plate is equipped with markings for indicating the position of the head of the golf club, and markings for placement of the golfer's feet.

The aid device is particularly useful for novices and coaches but is also quite practical for more advanced and even professional players.

In order for a golfer to strike a ball in the proper direction, several factors come into play:

a) The direction to the target (sight line) b) The placement of the player's feet (stance) c) The swing-radius of the club head relative to the player (swing track) d) The placement of the ball in relation to the player according to the use of different clubs.

Several devices are known for aiding the stance of a golfer and for teaching the best possible swing motion in connection with striking a golf ball. Golf clubs have different shaft-lengths and in addition different angles of their striking surfaces. It is therefore very important that the ball is positioned correctly in relation to the chosen stance and that the golf club is swung with the correct motion. United States patent 5,417,428 shows a known aid that helps a golfer learn the proper movement pattern. In this known device, a plate is placed on the ground such plate having markings for where the player should place his feet. One side of the plate is curved in an arc that corresponds to the swing radius of the club. In addition, there is a lined-pattern in the area where the ball should be placed. This device is not intended, however, as a teaching tool, but is designed for allowing the golfer to try out various ball-placements in relation to the stance, that the player then becomes comfortable with, and that can then be defined with the help of the lines that cross the plate. This known device is not designed to allow the practicing of the ball placement and shot sorted after different club-types thereby teaching ball placement dependent upon the chosen club.

There is no known aid that a golfer/coach can use for demonstrating the four vital functions that form the basis of a proper shot, combined in the same product. The device described above from US 5,417,428 is primarily designed for practicing the swing arc.

There is also known measurement devices that indicate how far in front of the stance the ball should be placed. There remains, however, the need for an aid that takes into account previously named four functions that are critical for a golf shot, such that the golfer can be taught and aided in practicing the proper positioning necessary to achieve a good shot.

The object of the present invention is to provide an aid, the use of which will help a golfer to practice the placement of the various clubs in preparation for the shot, and practice the correct motion in relation to correct ball placement in relation to the stance, comprising the distance between the feet.

This object is achieved by an aid characterized by the features of the claims. The aid according to the invention is formed such that it may be used by both a right- handed and left-handed person.

As previously discussed, there are four factors that are critical for learning a correct golf swing. In the first instance, it is important that the line of sight to the target, for example the hole the ball is to be shot towards, is gauged correctly. A longitudinal stripe, known as the sight line, is therefore placed in the balls direction of travel. In the middle of this stripe is placed a perpendicular stripe, the so-called mid stripe. A cross-line of this type will make it easier to place the feet, and center one's self in relation to the aid device and sight line. In use, the plate shaped aid device is laid on the ground, such that the sight line points toward the hole/flag or wherever one wishes the ball to go. The player stands behind the plate such that the mid stripe is positioned in the middle of the stance and such that each foot is of equal distance to the sight line. In order to simplify achieving the correct position, and to achieve the correct foot placement in the stance, an advantageous additional feature of the invention includes wing shaped extensions in the ends, whereupon help-lines, parallel to the sight line, are placed. Likewise, there may be provided a similar extension in the middle of the plate, in extension of the mid line; and on this wing there may be marked a line parallel to the sight line. The help-lines allow the golfer to decide how far from the sight line to place his feet. The player will thereby receive he correct initial position (body angle) in order to hit the hole with the ball.

When the player strikes the ball he must have his feet somewhat spread apart, in order to achieve body balance and such that swing direction and follow thorough are correct.

Experience has shown that the width between the feet (heels) should be approximately shoulder width. For particularly tall and thin persons, or particularly short and broad persons, individual adjustments may be necessary, but once this has been tested by the individual/coach then a standard is established. The side of the plate towards the player is provided with one or more sets of foot markings that are placed with equal distance from each side of the mid line. A practical embodiment is three marks on each side of the mid line, where the innermost are intended for short persons, the middle are intended for persons of average height, and the outer markings for tall and stout persons. The allows the aid to be used by several persons, and makes it simple to place the feet at the proper width in relation to the mid line.

The player now has the correct position to execute the shot. When the player is correctly positioned, the club must be swung in front of the body with the correct swing radius. In the first instance, the shot must have an even swing in front of the body, that is, the mid line should point towards the center of the swing and the angle of the arc should be the same from the start of the club motion through the entire decisive part of the shot, in front of the body. To assist the player, the front of the plate of the aid device is rounded off with a marked arc angle (swing track), that from experience is appropriate for most golfers- from the novice to more advanced players. Very advanced players may wish to change their arc angle, and the aid device will be of benefit, providing a correction factor for the entry and exit angle in relation to the placement of the ball.

With the help of the aid deice, the player now has been shown how he should stand (the angle in relation to the hole and distance between the feet), as well as how the club should be swung.

Golfers use different clubs. The clubs have different lengths and the angle of the clubs are different. The most common assortment are "irons" numbered from 3-9, and in addition clubs with large angles of the club head. The different clubs have different shaft lengths, with the lower number having the longest shaft. In addition there are special clubs with large heads and low angles, so called drivers and woods that are intended for long shots and that have particularly long shafts.

Experience has shown that the placement of the ball in relation to the stance is critical for determining the direction the ball will travel, and the position of the ball in relation to the stance is dependent upon which club shall be used. The goal is that the ball should travel along the sight line. If one uses, for example, the number 9 club, the ball should be placed in the middle of the stance, along an extension of the mid line out from the stance. As the club numbers become lower, the ball should be placed increasingly to the left (for right handed players) and in the case of the long clubs such as the driver the ball should be placed in front of the left heel (for right handed players).

At the moment of impact, the ball can reach speeds of 270-280 km/hour. Due to the clubs characteristics and the radius of the swing, a rotation is imparted to the ball (approximately 2500 rotations per minute) that determines its flight through the air. The golf ball is deformed approximately 1.5 cm at the moment of impact. As can be appreciated, there are extreme forces at work at the moment of impact, and the direction the ball travels depends upon how it is placed in relation to the middle of the stance, dependent upon the club that is used. How far the ball should be placed from the mid line is also dependent upon how far apart the legs (heels) are, which in turn depends upon the width of the player's shoulders.

The positioning is of critical importance, and until now one had to visually estimate this. The plate-shaped aid device provides guidance regarding how the ball should be placed in relation to the mid line, for example by placing number markings out from the mid line. A plate with, for example, three markings for foot placement could have three sets of club markings, for example marked with corresponding colors that match the foot markings. A technical solution can also include foot markings that are slidable and that a connecting arm in or over the aid device displaces the number markings in a corresponding manner.

In this manner, the player has, in addition to being shown proper body alignment, leg width and swing radius, been shown proper ball placement in relation to the middle of the stance.

When one wishes to hit a short and high shot with a club that has a large face angle, the ball should be placed slightly ahead of the mid line, and the right handed player should have the right toe slightly behind the mid line.

For a sand shot, the ball should also be placed slightly in front of the mid line, but the left heel should be slightly behind the mid line. The aid device can thus assist with various specialty shots.

The invention has the unique feature of providing, in a simple and clear visual means, a tool for the player/coach that takes into account the needs of the player for achieving the proper basic stance, for "swinging himself in" as well as achieving correct ball placement in relation to the body/club. The technical effect that is achieved allows the player to more quickly progress with basic techniques, frees one from being dependent upon visual estimates to determine the direction to the hole and where one should stand, as well as the aiding in placement of the ball. The aid device also simplifies daily training and play for the more advanced and professional player.

The aid device is shaped as a plate and is constructed for example of a plastic material or the like, and can preferably be folded together two or four times, and is therefore easy to transport. In that the device has, for example, three foot markings and corresponding club markings, the device can be used by several persons at the same time, even if they are of different sizes.

The combination of the alignment and positioning techniques provides an advantage that is a technical advance and that in a simple and practical manner offers an aid that both with its form, educationally-correct visual and combined effect is not obvious in light of the prior art.

The invention shall be described in detail with the help of the embodiments presented in the drawings, which show:

Fig. l A first embodiment of the aid device according to the invention with foot placement and an embodiment that can used by both right handed and left handed individuals.

Fig. 2 An alternative embodiment intended for a right handed individual, with movable club-placement markings, and

Fig 3. An embodiment intended for right handed and left handed individuals with adjustable markings for foot placement.

The aid device according o the invention is shaped as a plate-like element constructed , for example, of a plastic material that preferably has fold lines, for example in the middle, for simplified transport.

A first longitudinal edge of the plate is curved, with an arc that corresponds to the arc traveled by the golf club towards the ball. Along this edge is arranged a corresponding curved line that is marked "C" on the figure, and that is the line the club can follow.

On the opposite side of the plate a straight sight line Al is arranged, which is to be aligned towards the hole, flag or wherever to the ball will be hit. In the shown embodiment, the plate further comprises to end wings and middle wing, whereupon there is placed an additional line marked A2-A3, that indicates a line parallel to the sight line.

When positioning a player with his feet, in other words setting the stance, one can align one's self with these two lines and, for example, align with lines A2-A3. Three markings that in the shown embodiment stand out from the plate element are provided for the width of the stance. These are identified as BI, B2 and B3, and the feet are positioned as shown at marking B2 in order to indicate a stance of average breadth. The club head, depending upon club type, is placed in different positions in relation to the players alignment. These areas are marked "D" on the figure. Right handed individuals use the markings on the left portion of the plate. For the stance at B2 as shown, the correct marking for the club head will be D2. If the stance were at BI then the correct club marking would be Dl. The drawings show merely a general placement of the markings, and not how they would be arranged in actual use. There would be special markings for the driver and for the angled clubs there would be markings in the area near the mid line that go out from A2.

A left handed person would use the markings on the right side of the plate.

Fig.- 2 shows another embodiment that in general corresponds with the embodiment from Fig 1 in terms of the curved edge, the swing line and the sight line as well as the med line. In this instance the plate is expanded, and the markings are incorporated in the plate rather than standing out from it. In addition, the club- placement markings are formed as slides that can be moved back and forth. The plate may include markings that indicate the different spots where the different clubs will strike the ball and the marking can be moved such that it indicates only one club at a time in order to avoid confusion. This embodiment is used in the same manner as the embodiment from Fig 1.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment that is intended for both right and left handed individuals, and where in addition the stance markers are formed as moveable slides. Also here the breadth of the stance will be indicated, however this embodiment provides for individual adjustment.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the back side of the plate will be formed without any markings for the clubs or stance, but only with the sight line and swing line. This side can be used by a coach that can adjust the aid device to suit a particular user by marking himself in an appropriate manner where the clubs should be placed and how wide the of a stance the person should have. The device can thus be suited to the individual.

Many modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, both in regards to the choice of materials for the plate and how the markings should be formed; whether they should be incorporated into the plate or be formed as stickers, etc. The plate does not have to be formed with end wings directed towards the player, but can either have a wide or thin profile.

It should also be noted that the markings for placement of the club head are intended to be guidance in that the ball is placed outside the plate, right outside the markings.

Claims

1. An aid device for practicing a golf swing, comprising a plate with a curved, longitudinal edge, and wherein the plate has markings for specifying the position for the head of a golf club and markings for placement of the golfer's feet, characterized in the curve of said edge of said plate corresponds to the desired line of motion for the striking of a golf ball in the striking area, that the plate comprises a line and further a sight line directed towards the target at which the ball shall be shot, and further that between said lines there is marked an area where the club head shall be placed for shots using various clubs, and that on the opposite edge there are arranged a set of markings for the position of the golfer's feet.

2. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that footmarks are provided for different distances between the feet.

3. The aid device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the club markings are marked with club identifications (club numbers).

4. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that sets of club markings are provided that correspond to the respective foot-placement markings.

5. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate is equipped with wings, directed towards the player, preferably one on each end of the plate, and preferably one intermediate wing, wherein these wings contain line markings parallel to the sight line.

6. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that the foot markings are formed either as stickers applied to the surface or are drawn on the plate.

7. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate is foldable.

8. The aid device according to claim 1, characterized in that the back side of the plate contains a swing line and a sight line, and allowing for individual marking of foot and club position.