WO2007101971A1

WO2007101971A1 - A golf putter

Info

Publication number: WO2007101971A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/000814
Authority: WO
Inventors: David William Hodgkinson
Original assignee: David William Hodgkinson
Priority date: 2006-03-07
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2007-09-13

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gold putter (1) for putting a golf ball. The golf putter comprises a head (2) fixed to a shaft (4). The head has a top surface (8), a bottom surface (10) and a face (12) between the top surface (8) and bottom surface (10). The face (12) includes a striking region (14) for striking a golf ball (16). The head is configured such that the height of the face (12) between the top surface (8) and bottom surface (10) in the striking region (14) is between 2 mm and 10 mm. The height of the top surface (8) from a surface on which the bottom surface (10) is resting does not exceed 20 mm in the striking region (14).

Description

A Golf Putter BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf putter for use when playing golf.

b. Related Art

When playing golf a putter is used to strike a golf ball towards a hole from on or around a green. The golfer addresses the ball with the putter, which is then swung back and forward striking the ball towards the hole on the forward swing. A putter typically comprises a head attached to a shaft, the head having a face for striking the ball. The shaft is gripped by the golfer and the head is used to strike the ball. The face is typically at least 22 mm in height such that when the head is resting on the ground, the head extends to at least a height greater than the height of the centre of the golf ball above the ground as this makes addressing the ball easier. The Rules of Golf specify that a golf ball must have a diameter of not less than 1.680 inches (42.672 mm)

When using a putter, a golfer attempts to strike a golf ball such that it rolls in a direction and with sufficient force and that the ball drops into the hole. To successfully judge such a shot the golfer typically requires good hand-eye coordination. However, many golfers suffer from a condition called the yips which causes them to experience a mild spasm just before the head of the putter contacts the ball which interrupts their calculated stroke.

The term yips relates to involuntary motions of the hand or wrist that can make effective putting all but impossible, even for the most experienced and talented of golfers.

Though some golfers attribute the yips simply to choking on a key putt, research indicates there's more to it. Some researchers suggest that it's a neurological problem (focal dystonia). Others put it down to performance anxiety, while others say it can result from either or a combination of the two.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a golf putter for putting a golf ball, the golf putter comprising a head fixed to a shaft, the head having a top surface, a bottom surface and a face between a front edge of the top surface and a front edge of the bottom surface, the face including a striking region for striking a golf ball, wherein the head is configured such that the height of the face between the top surface and bottom surface in the striking region is between 2 mm and 10 mm and the height of the top surface from a surface on which the bottom surface is resting does not exceed 20 mm in the striking region.

By providing a putter having a face with a striking region having a height of between 2 mm and 10 mm and a height of not more than 16 mm above a surface on which the bottom surface is resting a golfer must use additional judgement when putting to ensure that the striking region of the face is at the correct height to strike the ball at its widest part when viewed from above. The widest part of the substantially spherical ball, when viewed from above, is at a height equal to the radius of the ball above the ground, and the striking region has a height of less than the radius of the bail. By striking the ball at the widest part, the 'cleanest' strike can be achieved which aids judgement of the required force and direction of the strike. In a 'clean' strike to the widest part of the ball, the force applied to the ball does not result in a tendency for the ball to leave the ground (hitting below the widest part), or to try to dent the ground (hitting above the widest part), both of which can alter the trajectory of the ball. It should be understood that to rest on a surface, the entire bottom surface of the putter does not need to be in contact with said surface, a portion of the bottom surface in contact with the surface is sufficient. It has been found that by adding to the complexity of the putting shot by forcing a golfer to judge the height of the head above the ground to obtain a clean strike with the striking region in addition to the other factors, the severity of the yips may be significantly reduced. It is suggested that this reduction in yips is caused by forcing the brain to concentrate on an additional factor.

The shorter the distance between top and bottom surface in the striking region, the more complex the putting shot is made and the greater the reduction in the severity of the yips. It is therefore preferable for the height of face between the front edges of the top surface and bottom surface in the striking region is between 2 mm and 8 mm, most preferably between 2 mm and 6 mm. A particularly preferred depth is 6 mm.

It is further preferred that the height of the top surface from a surface on which the bottom surface is resting does not exceed 16 mm and is preferably less than 8 mm as this further increases the complexity of the shot. It is considered important that a user must raise the club some distance above the ground in order to play a shot rather than the more usual manner of simply skimming the ground with the bottom of the club.

The Rules of Golf published by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews specify a plurality of limitations on the allowed shapes, styles and designs of putter that may be used in competition and it is preferable that the putter according to the invention complies with these rules.

Preferably the bottom surface extends away from the face at an angle of between 100° and 170°, preferably substantially 155° to the face for at least some of the distance the bottom surface extends away from the face, for example in a front portion adjacent the face. It should be understood that the bottom surface need not be substantially planar and could be fabricated to have various profiles. There may be a portion that is substantially perpendicular to the face such that if the bottom surface of the head rests against a surface, the face is substantially perpendicular to said surface. The facilitates addressing the ball as it allows a user to rest the head of the club on the ground behind the ball with the face substantially vertical so that a grip on the shaft can be adjusted and the golfer's stance altered without the club tending to fall forwards or backwards. It should be understood that the bottom surface may extend away from the face at an initial angle which reduces, gradually or otherwise until at least a portion of the bottom surface is substantially perpendicular with the face. A portion of the bottom surface could extend upwards at an acute angle relative to the face so that, for example, the portion of the bottom face furthest from the face is raised above a surface upon which the bottom surface is resting. This can help to reduce the weight at the rear of the head and promote a 'bulge' near the front face of the club both of which causes the centre of gravity towards the face.

It is preferred that the entire face has substantially the same height between the top and bottom surface as in the striking region.

The top face preferably extends from the face upwards away from the face such that a distance between the bottom surface and the top surface increases with distance from the face, at least proximate the face. This creates a perception from above that the head of the club tapers from a deep head at the back towards an edge in the striking region. Such a perception may increase the care with which a golfer using the putter will address the ball and thereby further reduce the severity of the yips. Preferably the top surface extends upwards at an angle of between 100° to 170° to the face, preferably about 125°.

By having a putter head that includes such a feature it is possible that the centre of gravity of the club head could be located some distance behind the face. It is preferred that the centre of gravity is located in the front half of the club head nearest the club face, preferably within the front quarter and preferably less than 10 mm and preferably less than 5 mm behind the striking face and this can be achieved in a plurality of different ways. The rear of the club may be substantially hollow, or only include an upper surface arranged solely to give a user the impression that the depth of the club tapers towards the face. A front portion could be fabricated from, or include inserts of, a heavy material, for example a dense alloy, while a rear could be fabricated from a lightweight material, for example a lightweight alloy as this would tend to cause the centre of gravity of the head of the club to be near the face. If it is desired that the striking face be fabricated from a particular materia! to provide certain desired striking characteristics, it is possible that the remainder of the face could be fabricated from a different material to achieve the desired weight distribution. Essentially, the weight distribution within the head could be adjusted by the use of different materials, weights, inserts, cut- outs or hollow designs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

Figure 1 shows a front view of a golf putter (not to scale);

Figure 2 shows a side view of the golf putter of Figure 1 (not to scale);

' Figure 3 shows a head of a golf putter, the head having a different configuration to the head in Figure 1 (not to scale); and

Figure 4 shows a head of a golf putter, the head having a different configuration to the head in Figure 1 and Figure 3 (not to scale).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a view from the front of a golf putter 1 having a head 2 attached to a shaft 4. The shaft 4 includes a grip 6 by which a golfer (not shown) can grip the putter 1 during use. The head 2 includes a top surface 8, a bottom surface 10 and a face 12 located between a front edge 7 of the top surface 8 and a front edge 7 bottom surface 10.

The face 12 of the head 2 has a striking region 14 for striking a golf ball 16. The striking region 14 has a height 18 between the top and bottom surfaces 8,10 of between 2 mm and 10 mm (in this case 8 mm).

The golf ball 16 has a radius 20 of 21.336 mm and so the equator, or widest part of the ball when viewed from above, is located at 21.336 mm above a surface on which the golf ball 16 rests.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the golf putter 1 of Figure 1. As can be seen, the bottom surface 10 extends from the face at an angle 22 which is substantially 90°. The bottom surface is also substantially flat in this case so that when the head 2 rests on a surface, the face 12 is substantially perpendicular to the surface.

The top surface 8 of the head 2 extends upwards away from the face 12 at an angle 24 such that a distance 26 between the top surface 8 and the bottom surface 10 increases with distance away from the face 12. The angle 24 is, in this case, the 120° to the face 12. It is clear from the design of this particular head that the upper surface 8 of the striking region 14 is less that 16 mm from a surface upon which the bottom surface 10 is resting. In this case, as the bottom surface extends substantially perpendicular to the face so the upper surface at the face is about 8 mm from the surface.

Figure 3 shows a different head 102 for a golf putter 101. The head 102 has a face 112 between a top surface 108 and a bottom surface 110, the face 112 including a striking .region 114. In this case, the face 112 generally has a depth 30 greater than 30 mm except in the striking region 114 where the depth 32 between the top and bottom surface 108,110 is 8 mm. The striking region 114 is located adjacent the bottom surface 110 of the face 112 such that bottom surface 110 is substantially flat. The top surface 108 in this case includes an indent in the striking region resulting from the reduction in height of the face in the striking region. The design of this head 101 allows the centre of gravity to be brought closer to the face of the club as there is a significant amount of material in the face region.

Figure 4 shows a head 202 for a golf putter 201. The head 202 has a face 212 between a top surface 208 and a bottom surface 210, the face 212 includes a striking region.

As can be seen, the bottom surface 210 extends downwards from the face at an angle 122 which is about 155° in a front portion of the head. The bottom surface also includes a substantially flat portion extending substantially perpendicular to the face in so that when the head 202 rests on a surface, the face 212 is substantially perpendicular to the surface.

The top surface 208 of the head 202 extends upwards away from the face 212 at an angle 124 such that a distance between the top surface 208 and the bottom surface 210 increases with distance away from the face 12 in the front portion.

The angle 124 is, in this case, the 125° to the face 12. The upper surface 208 of the striking region is less that 16 mm from a surface upon which the bottom surface 210 is resting.

The head 202 also includes a rear portion in which the bottom surface extends upwards at an acute angle 123 to the face 212.

It should be understood that the invention has been described above by way of example only and that modifications in detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

Claims

1. A golf putter for putting a golf ball, the golf putter comprising a head fixed to a shaft, the head having a top surface, a bottom surface and a face between a front edge of the top surface and a front edge of the bottom surface, the face including a striking region for striking a golf ball, wherein the head is configured such that the height of the face between the top surface and bottom surface in the striking region is between 2 mm and 10 mm and the height of the top surface from a surface on which the bottom surface is resting does not exceed 20 mm in the striking region.

2. A golf putter as claimed in claim 1 , in which the height of face between front edges of the top surface and bottom surface in the striking region is between 2 mm and 8 mm.

3. A golf putter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which height of face between the front edges of the top surface and bottom surface in the striking region substantially 6 mm.

4. A golf putter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least a portion of the bottom surface extends substantially perpendicularly such that if said portion of the bottom surface of the head rests against a surface, the face is substantially perpendicular to said surface.

5. A golf putter as claimed in claim 4, in which the top face extends upwards away from the face such that the a distance between the bottom surface and the top surface increases with distance from the face.

6. A golf putter as claimed in claim 5, in which the top face extends upwards away from the face at an angle of between 100° and 170°.

7. A golf putter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the height of the face between the top surface and bottom surface is substantially the same as in the striking region.

8. A golf putter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the bottom face extends downwards away from the face at an angle of between 100° and 170° to the face.

9. A golf putter as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the face is substantially rectangular.