WO2005077471A1

WO2005077471A1 - Twist resistant putter

Info

Publication number: WO2005077471A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2005/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simon Garry Moore
Original assignee: Simon Garry Moore
Priority date: 2004-02-17
Filing date: 2005-02-17
Publication date: 2005-08-25

Abstract

This invention describes a center-balanced putter, or very nearly center-balanced putter, where the mass of the putter-head, and the axis of the shaft are arranged so the putter is maximally resistant to rotation.

Description

TWIST RESISTANT PUTTER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to improvements to golf clubs. Specifically this

invention relates to improvements made to golf clubs used as putters.

BACKGROUND ART

Golf has become a popular recreational game. In the game of golf a

ball is played from the teeing ground to the putting green by successive

strokes, and once on the putting green into the hole, using a specialised club

called a putter.

A conventional short putter is between 85 and 90 cm. in total length,

and has a single grip, located at the top end of the shaft. The player grasps the

single grip with both hands when putting the ball with the putter-head.

Whilst the use of a putter is an apparently simple action, it is perhaps the

part of golf found to be least reliable from day to day.

To improve their putting some golfers are no longer using a conventional

short putter, and are now using a long putter in a simple pendulum type putting action, or a belly putter, which is a mid-length putter, which hinges

from the belly button.

As such there are now three distinct types of putter: short, mid., (known as

"belly"), and long. ^;

Like all golf clubs a putter has a "Λ'e angle", defined as the angle between

the shaft, and vertical, when the club is measured in normal playing position.

The lie angle is often 19 degrees. (Common lie angles preferred by golfers

are between 10 degrees and 25 degrees from vertical).

Having the correct lie angle is important as it will better allow the putter-

head to pass over the putting green reliably, without either the heel or toe end,

of the underside of the putter snagging, or catching, on the ground causing a

poor putt.

Parts of putter-head are:

1. The heel end of the putter-head is the end closest to the golfer's feet when using the putter,

2. The toe end of the putter-head is the end farthest from the golfer's • feet when using the putter.

3. The face or front of the putter is that end or side closest to the golfer's target when using the putter, which includes the striking face which hits the golf ball in use. 4. The back of the putter faces away from the target in use, and is farthest from the golfer's target when using the putter

Whilst a few putters only have three parts, (grip, shaft, and putter-head),

most putters have four parts, namely: the grip, the shaft, the putter-head

(which strikes the ball), and usually a "hosel".

A hosel is that part of the putter which joins the putter-head to the shaft.

Hosels are usually substantially straight in their middle section, with bends at

one or both ends. Some putters do not have hosels, and the shaft is merely

inserted, and glued, into a hole in the putter-head.

The putter-head therefore has generally a hosel and a putter body. The

body itself of the putter has a heel area, closest to the golfer in use, a central

section, where the ball striking face generally is, and a toe section,

farthermost from the golfer when in use.

Putters when assembled with their putter-head, shaft, and grip may be one

of three main groups:

1. Face-balanced (popular)

2. Heel-balanced (popular)

3. Center-balanced (new)

With or with out a hosel, all putter-heads have a center of gravity. The

center of gravity is the theoretical point where all the body weight is concentrated, or the theoretical point about which the body weight is evenly

distributed.

A center-balanced putter is a putter where the attached shaft points

directly to the center of gravity of the putter-head. Whilst this is available it is

far more popular to have a face-balanced putter.

An alternative definition of a center-balanced putter is a putter where

the mass of the putter-head/shaft (and grip if attached) is distributed about the

primary central axis of the putter shaft, so that the putter is dynamically

balanced about said shaft axis.

The shaft axis is the central axis of the putter shaft, and extends

through the putter-head to the putter's COG.

An third alternative definition of a center-balanced putter is a putter

where the putter's resistance to rotation is symmetrical, or balanced, about

the primary central axis of the putter shaft, so that the putter is dynamically

balanced about said shaft axis.

Center balancing is defined as the process, or processes, to achieve the

desired goal of a "Center Balanced Putter", using any of the three definitions

above, whether it be merely the shaft/putter-head, with out the grip, or with

the grip. Center balancing can include both investigation, and measuring

processes, and mechanical or other wise adjustment processes, to any part of

the club to achieve center-balancing. Exact center balancing is the goal of such processes but may not be

always attained. Nevertheless the process is to achieve as close a center I

balance as possible/practical. As such a putter that is very nearly center-

balanced, or the intention of the design is to be center-balanced, may be taken

to be center-balanced.

A face-balanced putter is a putter that, when the attached shaft is

rested horizontally, and balanced toward the shaft tip, perhaps on a

horizontally orientated fulcrum such as an out stretched finger, it will exhibit

the property of the putter face being parallel to the ground. A "Ram Zebra™"

brand putter is a well-known face-balanced putter. In a face balanced putter

the shaft would not point at the COG, but instead would point to a point on

the line which runs forwards from the putter's COG towards the target.

In a heel-balanced putter, the attached shaft points to the heel end of

the putter-head, closest to the golfer's shoes when putting a golf ball. With a

heel-balanced putter, when the attached shaft is rested horizontally, and

balanced toward the shaft tip, perhaps on a horizontally orientated fulcrum

such as an out stretched finger, it will exhibit the property of the putter face

not being parallel to the ground. The putter will hang with the toe of the

putter hanging down. A "Ping Anser™" brand putter is a very well known

heel-balanced putter. When putting a ball on a flat putting green the target is the golf hole.

(On a sloping green the hole will not be the target but in the following

discussion the target is the hole)

The ball-target line is the line from the ball to the target.

The COG-target line is the line from the center of gravity of the putter-

head, or putter-head and hosel, where there is a hosel, to the target.

There is often a painted, cast or engraved COG-indicia, commonly a

dot, or a line, on the top of the putter to inform the golfer of the location of

the COG-target line. When a line is used this may serve to not only mark the

sweet-spot location, but also may aid the golfer to aim the putter correctly at

the target. Many golfers like an aiming line as the COG-indicia.

Commonly golfers would say this COG-indicia marks the "sweet-

spot".

The sweet spot is the point where the COG-target line intersects the

putter face. When the ball is struck on the sweet spot there is maximum

efficiency of energy transfer, and minimised unbalanced forces, which may

cause the putter to twist away from facing the target. For the golfer putting, it

is more reliable if the putter's sweet spot strikes the ball, and the impact also

"feels" better for the golfer.

A putt "feels" better when there is less vibration, twisting, and better

energy transfer, on impact with the ball. When the putter, with zero face loft for this discussion, is in use, the

putter is placed behind the ball with the putter face facing the target, and the

COG-target line is then parallel to the ball-target line.

Most computer aided design, "C4D", software is able to calculate the

position of the center of gravity.

To improve a putter's resistance to twisting there have been some

attempts to redistribute the mass of the putter, by using cavities and/or

materials with differing specific gravity values.

One of the earliest and most well known putters to attempt to improve

the putter resistance to twisting was the aforementioned "Ping Anser™"

brand putter. A cavity behind the putter face increased the putter's mass in

the heel and toe parts compared to the central part of the putter

Since the Anser™ other designs have attempted to improve the putter's

dynamic balance. Reed et al (US Patent 5,078,398), describe a heel toe

weighted putter where the shaft points to the COG. Unfortunately with this

design the mass is substantially only redistributed in one dimension - the heel

toe direction. A putter is a three dimensional solid object, and a better design

is a putter where the mass is redistributed in all directions from the COG.

Bolanos (US Patent 5,571,052), describes a putter where the shaft is '

directed to a point closer to the putter face than the putter's COG. Grace (US Patent 6,488,595), describes a frame type putter with a high

moment of inertia, "MOI", in the "12,000-28,000 gm/cm² range". The shaft

axis points to a point on the putter face side of the putter's COG.

Helmstetter et al (US Patent 6,506,125), describes a putter with central

cavity enabling distribution of the mass of the putter rearward - away from

the putter face, which increases resistance to twisting.

Helmstetter, Grace, and Bolanos above, describe ways of redistributing

the weight of the putter in a rearwards direction, away from the putter-face,

but these putters are inherently out of balance other than when the shaft is

horizontal or vertical. The above patents represent approaches to improving a

putter's resistance to twisting, but unfortunately do not center the putter's

mass about the axis of rotation. These designs have been known as "back-

weighted" putters.

The back weighted putters so described may be face-balanced, but in

any case the rearward displacement of the weight is not accompanied by a

corresponding displacement of the axis of the putter shaft in the same

rearward direction. Such putters could appear in good balance if suspended

vertically, or placed horizontally.

However there is a fundamental problem with these back-weighted

designs. Golf putters are almost never used with the shaft either vertical or

horizontal. They are almost universally used with the shaft at the 10 to 25 degree angle to vertical. Putting is dynamic motion, and any imbalance in the

putter can lead to, or exaggerate unwanted rotation of the putter in the act of

putting the golf ball. As the golfer is holding on to the grip, attached to the

shaft, any unbalanced forces may act to rotate the putter shaft during the

putting action, causing a poorer result.

Therefore a back weighted putter in use at the usual lie angle will have

a tendency to rotate offline in the swing away, in a clockwise manner, (as

viewed by the golfer). Then returning to the ball a putter will tend to rotate

clockwise. This rotation can vary, and lead to inconsistency. Even small

errors are critical in putting.

An improved design of golf putter would be center-balanced but

maximise the opportunity for maximising the putter's moment of inertia or

resistance to twisting about an axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: The invention describes a center-balanced putter, or very nearly center-

balanced putter, where the mass of the putter-head, and the axis of the shaft

are arranged so the putter is maximally resistant to rotation.

A preferred embodiment is where the mass of the putter-head is

substantially re-distributed so that the resistance to twisting is maximised, in I

all directions, ie heel to toe and front to back, or indeed in a circular fashion.

A variation could have a massively weighted detail around the extremity of

the putter, farthermost from the axis of the putter shaft. The shaft axis points

directly at the COG, or as close as can be achieved with production

technologies.

A preferred embodiment is a center balanced-putter, or very nearly

center-balanced putter, where the mass of the putter-head, and the axis of the

shaft are arranged so the putter has increased resistant to rotation, creating a

moment of inertia greater than 12,000gm/cm².

An alternative embodiment is a putter, which may be center-balanced,

or not center-balanced, where the mass of the putter and/or moment of inertia

is substantially similar at the heel and toe areas of the putter (in the heel-toe

direction). Likewise the mass of the putter and/or moment of inertia may be

substantially similar at the forward (putter-face) and back areas of the putter(

in the front-back direction). This putter may be considered a front back

weighted putter, if the mass is greater in the latter (forward-backward direction). Such a putter whilst not necessarily center-balanced, is

nevertheless an improvement as the forces are balanced in the direction of the

putting action.

In all of the above embodiments the redistribution of mass could utilise

some or all of the following designs/technologies:

1. One of more cavities/apertures/recesses/details, which reduce the mass of the putter closer to the shaft axis.

2. A shell type construction where the putter is hollow similar to a metal wood, perhaps with appropriately placed heavier parts generally located away from the COG.

3. The use of lighter materials such as plastic, titanium, aluminium, magnesium etc adjacent to the shaft axis, and heavier type materials such as brass, stainless steel, lead, and tungsten etc, further away from the shaft axis.

4. The use of one or more relatively massive or heavy details near the edges of the putter farthermost from the axis of the putter shaft.

A preferred embodiment would have the shaft attached to the putter-

head, and the combined shaft/putter-head unit tested/adjusted for center

balancing. An alternative embodiment would have the shaft attached to the putter-

head, and a grip on the shaft, and the combined grip/shaft/putter-head unit

then tested/adjusted for center balancing.

Methods to test for center balancing may include spinning the

shaft/putter-head unit, along the axis of the putter shaft, and checking for

asymmetry in rotation or vibrations. (An example of this type of technology

is used when balancing a new car tyre on a car wheel rim.) Computers and

software could be used to determine the presence of exact center balancing,

and what adjustment must be made to the putter-head and or putter shaft and

or putter grip.

A further method to test for center balancing could involve securing

the shaft/putter-head unit at the grip end and deflecting the other, putter-heaα

end, thereby temporarily curving the rigid golf shaft, and then releasing the

putter-head end to allow the shaft to regain it's straightened form, and

measuring the frequency of vibration or other physical characteristics of the

shaft/putter-head unit.

A putter-head/shaft (and grip if attached) could be hung vertically and

allowed to rotate freely, by for example being suspended from the grip end by

a fine thread. A putter in perfect center balance would cease movement with

the putter face in random orientations. A similar method to the above simple fine thread method may be used

by the shaft resting on horizontally arranged spaced bearings, or similar, and

by spinning the putter to see if under the influence of gravity the putter is out

of balance.

The above four methods are given by way of example, and other

methods could be used to check for center balancing.

Such equipment, or separate equipment could check the shaft/putter-

head unit for rotational stability such as rotational balance, rotational

deflection and restoration to normal after rotational and or lineal stress (shaft

deflection in approximately the plane of the COG-target line), and/or the

flexibility of the shaft/putter-head unit, in the plane, or approximate plane, of

the COG-target line or another plane, or rotational aspect around the axis of

the putter shaft.

Any method for checking balance or center balancing could also be

used in a retail environment as a retail demonstration aid. For example a

putter that is not center-balanced could be tested - and a putter, which is

center balanced demonstrated.

Adjustments to the putter-head to achieve exact center balancing and

rotational stability may include adding/removing/repositioning weight, or

adding/removing/repositioning plugs or inserts or other means. To meet the Rules of Golf there may need to be a detail, which does

not allow the putter to be adjusted into a configuration where it has a lie

angle of LESS than 10 degrees from vertical.

An alternative embodiment of this invention, would be advantageous

from the stand point of the rule making authorities in the game of golf (the

United States Golf Association, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of

Scotland), is where there is an adjustable hosel, which enables adjustment of

the lie angle or balance of the putter.

The view of putter embodiments of this invention, when viewed from

above, may be round, oval ring shape, with protrusions, or any form to

achieve desired twist resistance.

In this detailed description various ways of distributing mass are

described, and these are by way of example.

Aspects of this present invention have been described by way of

example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions

may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:I Claim:

1. A center-balanced putter, or very nearly center-balanced putter, where the mass of the putter-head, and the axis of the shaft are arranged so the putter has increased resistant to rotation.

2. A putter as in claim 1, where the mass of the putter-head is substantially re-distributed so that the resistance to twisting is maximised, in all directions.

3. A putter as in claim 1, where the mass of the putter-head is substantially re-distributed to the heel and toe areas of the putter.

4. A putter as in claim 1, where the mass of the putter-head is substantially re-distributed to the front and back areas of the putter-head.

5. A putter as in claim 1, where the mass of the putter-head is substantially re-distributed in a circular fashion, away from the center of gravity of the putter-head.

6. A putter as in claim 1, with a massively weighted detail around the extremity of the putter, farthermost from the axis of the putter shaft.

7. A putter as in claim 1, where the shaft axis points directly at the COG, or as close as can be achieved with production technologies.

8. A center balanced-putter, or very nearly center-balanced putter, where the mass of the putter-head, and the axis of the shaft are arranged so the putter has increased resistant to rotation, creating a moment of inertia greater than 12,000gm/cm².

9. A putter, which may be center-balanced, or not center-balanced, where the mass of the putter and/or moment of inertia is substantially similar at the heel and toe areas of the putter (in the heel-toe direction).

10. A putter, which may be center-balanced, or not center-balanced, where the mass of the putter and/or moment of inertia is substantially similar at the forward (putter-face), and back areas of the putter( in the front-back direction).

11.A putter as in any of the claims above, with one or more cavities, apertures, recesses, or details, which reduce the mass of the putter closer to the shaft axis.

12. A putter as in any of the claims above, with a shell type construction where the putter is completely or substantially hollow, similar to a metal wood, perhaps with appropriately placed heavier parts generally located away from the COG.

13. A putter as in any of the claims above, which uses lighter materials, such as plastic, titanium, aluminium, magnesium, etc, adjacent to the shaft axis, and heavier type materials such as brass, stainless steel, lead, and tungsten, etc, further away from the shaft axis.

14. A putter as in any of the claims above, which uses one or more relatively massive or heavy details near the edges of the putter farthermost from the axis of the putter shaft.

15. The method of testing a golf putter for center-balancing, using spinning, deflection, vertical hanging, shaft stress, shaft vibration frequency, or other physical characteristics, with the shaft attached to the putter-head, with or without the putter grip attached.

16. A demonstration aid or device to measure, test for, and/or show presence or relative absence of center balancing of a golf putter.

17. Adjusting a golf putter towards achieving the endpoint of exact center balancing by adding/removing/repositioning weight, and/or adding/removing/repositioning plugs or inserts or other means, and/or altering the putter shaft and/or putter hosel.