Golfing aid to improve supination

Abstract

A golf training aid is disclosed that trains a user for proper lead arm supination while a golfer swings a golf club. The golf training aid includes an extension that is applied to a golf club shaft and a stationary object. The user swings the golf club past a ball striking position and supinates the lead arm to rotate the extension around the stationary object. This golf training aid does not rely on a mechanism attached between the golf club and the user's arm to forcibly supinate the golfer's wrists. The extension can easily be secured, adjusted and removed from most golf clubs for practicing. The stationary object can be a removable pole, golf bag, or a plane stick training aid.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a golf training aid. More particularly, the present golf training aid has two components. A first component is secured to a golf club and a second component rests or is inserted into the ground. A user swings the golf club and rotates their forearms and hands such that the first component moves past the second component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most beginning and some experienced golfers need training to improve their golf club swinging technique. Even a beginning golfer finds that making contact with the golf ball is only a portion of the technique. Proper swing, contact and follow through are all essential parts to striking the ball efficiently to ensure the ball travels as far as possible and where desired. One important aspect of striking the ball is to ensure that the lead arm and lead wrist properly supinate. Supination is identified as rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm faces forward or upward and the radius lies parallel to the ulna. This also provides a corresponding movement of the foot and leg in which the foot rolls outward with an elevated arch so that in walking the foot tends to come down on its outer edge. Several golf related inventions have been patented to force or train a golfer to properly supinate. Exemplary examples are disclosed herein.

U.S. published patent application Number 2003/001 3537, published Jan. 16, 2003 to John Michaiel Novosel Sr and U.S. published application 2007/0155523 published Jul. 5, 2007 to John Joseph Lesko both disclose a golf training aid that secures the club to the wrist of a golfer to force the golfer to rotate the club as they make contact with the ball and follow through. While these patents provide training aids to improve the swing of the user the user can use these training aids as a crutch to twist their wrist rather that forcing the user to rotate their wrist under their own power. The golf training aid is not easily movable from one club to another.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,918 issued Aug. 9, 1994 to Thomas J. Rupnik et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,825 issued Feb. 9, 1993 to Terry W. Ruth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,378 issued Mar. 18, 1986 to George S. Backus and U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,850 issued Feb. 28, 2006 to Hsian-Chou Hong all disclose golf club sails type training devices that are secured to a golf club to increase the air resistance of the club while the club is being swung. Some of these patents disclose the ability to orient the sail such that the sail provides air resistance when the club is placed in a particular orientation in respect to the face of the golf club. In particular U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,378 discloses a golf pronation training device that promotes the installation and removal of plugs to alter the torque load of the club being swung. While these patents all disclose an attachment for a golf club. They provide air friction to the club being swung and don't require the user to alter their swing to learn the proper swing technique.

What is needed is a golf training aid that requires the user to learn the proper swing and carry through technique to improve their golf swing. The proposed patent application provides a solution to this problem by providing an golf training aid that is easily installed and removed from a golf club and further allows the user to practice the proper technique without being strapped to the golf club or relying upon the speed of the swing to improve technique.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the golf training aid to provide a tool to train a golfer proper lead arm and wrist supination whereby the golfer trains themselves to rotate their wrists around a physical object. The golf training aid is securable to a golf club and extends from the shaft of the golf club. This method of training does not force the golfer's arms, but allows the golfer to visually see the correct swing motion and correct their swing as they practice.

It is an object of the golf training aid to provide a second member that the golfer uses to supinate their swing around. This second object is separate from the appendage that extends from the golf club and can be placed to provide optimal training. This second object can rest on the ground, be inserted into the ground or be an object such as a golf bag or a tree as long as the angle of the second object and the ground is parallel to the club shaft angle at address.

It is another object of the golf training aid that extends from the golf club shaft is repositionable on the club shaft. The shape can be as simple as a perpendicular arm to a square or triangular shape. The arm may additionally include an angular supporting brace to stabilize the arm.

Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present Golfing aid to improve supination will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the basic two components of the golfing aid secured to a golf club.

FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment of the golfing aid.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed isometric view of the golfing aid wing.

FIG. 4 shows a typical swing using the golfing aid.

FIGS. 5A-5D show the golfing aid being swung using a golf bag as the fixed member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows the basic two components of the golfing aid secured to a golf club. The first member is an appendage 100 that is attached to the attached 110 to the shaft 20 of a golf club. A detailed view of the preferred embodiment of the appendage is shown and described in more detail in FIG. 3. The first member is removably secured to the shaft of the golf club and the position on the golf club can be moved up or down on the golf club. The first member is securable to virtually any golf club including irons, wood and putters, but is primarily intended for use with irons and woods. The first member is situated between the grip 10 and the head 30. The first member is oriented in approximately a planar arrangement with the head of the golf club on the opposite side of the shaft 20. In use, the first member is secured to a golf club shaft, a user swings the golf club, and after passing the golf club in the area where a ball is located, they supinate their arms to rotate the golf club and the first member. The preferred embodiment of the first member is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 but various other embodiments of the first member are contemplated and some of the embodiments are shown and described in more detail in FIG. 2. The second member 40 is located in a position after the contact point of the golf ball and supination of the user's lead arm passes the first member around the shaft 40 of the second member.

The second member is an elongated shaft 40 with either an angled base 50 that supports the shaft 40 in an angle that is similar to the angle of the golf club when the ball is addressed. The elongated shaft may optionally include a spike base 60 for securing the shaft in the ground. FIGS. 4 and 5 show and describe the swing and supination. It is contemplated that the shaft 40 can be extendable for length, and that the spike 60 can be removably threaded into the flat base 50 for placing the second member into the ground or onto a hard surface.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the golfing aid. This variation is a different embodiment of the contemplated golfing aid mounted on a golf club shaft in a position between the grip portion 10 and the head 30. The variations provide different benefits that will be described with each variation. In FIG. 2, the first member 100 has a support or brace 120 that extends at an angle to support the first member and reduce centripetal forces on the first member when it is being swung. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 provides the more structural support and without significantly increasing the wind resistance of the golf club when it is being swung. The first member 100 and the support brace 120 are secured to the shaft with winged type fasteners 130. The end view on FIG. 2 shows the first member in a planar arrangement with the head of the golf club on the opposite side of the golf club shaft 20. From this view that angle of the club and the second member 40 are shown in a parallel relationship when the ball is being addressed. The angular relationship of the second member is altered based upon the golf club that is being used. In general the angle of the second member 40 approximates the angle of the golf club when the ball is being addressed. The second member 40 is generally placed 24 inches forward of the ball and six inches from the ball to the target (ball).

FIG. 3 shows a detailed isometric view of the golfing aid wing. The first member 100, in this preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that the first member extend from the shaft mounting connection 110 a length of between 2 and 18 inches, more preferably 2 to 12 inches, but samples have been made at a length of about 10 inches. The rod connects to the mounting connection 112. A golf club shaft is inserted into the opening 114. A radius 112 exists in the mounting for the round shaft to nest. The radius 112 may include serrations or ribs to improve gripping the golf club shaft. One or more threaded retainers 130 are used to push the golf club shaft into the radius 120 and lock the first member in position. It is also contemplated that the threaded member 131 includes one or more wings or arms to make it easier to apply greater torque to the threaded member(s) 131. The first member can be made from a variety of materials including but not limited to plastics or metals. It is also contemplated that if the first member is formed from plastic the threaded hardware can be eliminated and the connection to the golf club shaft can be with a pinch fit with on the golf club shaft. In still another contemplated embodiment, the wing portion 100 is sufficiently thin enough to flex slightly upon contact with an object.

FIG. 4 shows a typical swing using the golfing aid 100. With the golf club in position 400, the first member is below the head of the golf club shaft 20 as the club is being sung toward the golf ball 70. With the golf club in position 410, the user's lead arm 310 begin to supinate and the first member 100 begins to rotate towards the golfer 300. With the golf club in position 420, the golf club is approaching the golf ball 700 and the lead arm supination 310 continues to rotate the first member closer to the golfer 300. With the golf club in position 430, the golf club is nearly in contact with the golf ball 70. The first member cannot be seen in this position because the supination has rotated the first member on the opposite side of the shaft of the golf club. After the head 30 of the golf club makes contact with the golf ball, the supination continues to rotate the arms 310 of the golfer. The shaft 40 of the second member rises from the base 50 and with the golf club in position 440; the supination rotates the first member 100 around the elongated shaft of the second member 40. With the golf club in position 450, the first member 100 has cleared the elongated shaft 40 and the golfer follows through with the swing.

FIGS. 5A-5D show the golfing aid being swung using a golf bag as the fixed or second member. In these four frames the user 300 uses a golf bag 45 that is tipped back on it's stand but other objects are contemplated for the fixed angled member where the angle approximates the angle of the club shaft to the ground at address. These objects include but are not limited to a chair, a plane stick, or an old shaft. In frame 5A, the golfer 300 is in the beginning of a swing with his body coiled, his arms, and the head 30 of the golf club above his shoulders. The first member 104 is visible on the shaft 20 of the golf club. In FIG. 5B, the golfer 300 is bringing the club around and beginning to supinate his lead arms 310. In FIG. 5C, the golfer is making contact with the golf ball. The first member is not visible because it is located on the opposite side of the shaft 20 of the golf club. In FIG. 5D the golfer has supinated his lead arm 310 and rotated the first member to clear the golf bag 45.

Thus, specific embodiments of a golfing aid to improve supination have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A golf swing training aid comprising:

a first member with a securing means configured for mounting in a perpendicular relation on a golf club without creating appreciable air resistance;

the first member is secured to a golf club in a planar relationship with the face of the golf club in combination with;

a second member with a base configured for allowing the second member to exist in a angled relationship with the ground and placed to the front left of a right handed golfer wherein,

a user swings the golf club in a manner to strike a golf ball and supinate the first member around the second member.

2. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member is an elongated member that extends between two and twelve inches from the golf club.

3. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member is an elongated rectangular member that extends between six and twelve inches from the golf club.

4. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member is a planar member that extends from the golf club between six inches and twelve inches.

5. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the second member is placed 24 inches forward of the ball and six inches from the ball to the second member.

6. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member is removably securable onto the golf club.

7. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member is repositionable on the golf club.

8. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member further includes a supporting arm that extends in an angular relationship between the first member and the golf club.

9. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the second member includes an elongated spike located at the bottom of the second member for mounting the second member in the ground.

10. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein second member includes a flattened base for located at the bottom of the second member for resting the second member in the ground.

11. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the vertical height and the angle to the ground of the second member is adjustable to approximate the angle of the club when the ball is being addressed.

12. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1 wherein the first member exists on the club shaft on the opposite side of the club face.

13. A golf swing training aid comprising:

a first member with a securing means configured for mounting in a perpendicular relation on a golf club;

the first member is secured to a golf club in a planar relationship with the face of the golf club where the first member exists on the opposite side of the golf club shaft from the golf club face without creating appreciable air resistance;

a second fixed member that exists where a golfer is practicing wherein,

a user swings the golf club in a manner to simulate striking a golf ball and supinate the first member around the second fixed member.

14. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member is an elongated member that extends between six and twelve inches from the golf club.

15. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member is an elongated rectangular member that extends between six and twelve inches from the golf club.

16. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member is a planar member that extends from the golf club between six inches and twelve inches.

17. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member is repositionable on the golf club.

18. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member further includes a supporting arm that extends in an angular relationship between the first member and the golf club.

19. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the second member is selected from a group consisting of a deck, a post, a golf bag, or an old golf shaft.

20. The golf swing training aid according to claim 13 wherein the first member exists on the club shaft on the opposite side of the club face.