ADJUSTABLE GOLF IMPLEMENT
Golf implements and methods of adjusting golf implements are provided. In some aspects, a golf implement may be a putter and a user may be capable of initially setting the lie angle of the putter. In other aspects, a golf implement may be a putter and a user may be capable of adjusting the putter between numerous lie angles, hi still other aspects, a method of adjusting a golf implement may include adjusting a putter between multiple lie angles, hi further aspects, a golf implement may be a putter including a shaft, a plurality of necks, and a head. Such a putter may provide a user with a variety of playability options.
The present application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/336,631, filed Jan. 25, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to golf implements and, more particularly, to golf clubs such as putters.
BACKGROUNDThe United States Golf Association (USGA) has strict regulations with respect to golf clubs. For example, the USGA regulates club configuration, club length, club lie angle, etc. With respect to club configuration and club length, the shaft of the club must be one-piece, thereby eliminating any two-piece or telescoping shaft. With respect to club lie angle, the lie angle for all clubs, except a putter, must be permanently set. Lie angle may be defined as the angle between a horizontal plane (e.g., the ground, a flat bottom surface of the club head, etc.) and the shaft of the club as the shaft descends toward the club head. A putter lie angle may be adjustable, but the lie angle must be established by more than a friction set and no gaps may be present in the bonding appendage, which effectively eliminates any controlled looseness potentially serving as a means to bend the putter to a given lie angle. Additionally, the lie angle of the putter must be at least ten degrees off of vertical in either direction, thereby prohibiting the shaft from being positioned in a twenty degree sector centered on vertical.
SUMMARYIn one example, a golf implement is provided.
In another example, an adjustable golf implement is provided.
In yet another example, a golf putter with an adjustable lie angle is provided.
In still another example, a golf putter is provided and includes a shaft, a head, and a neck coupled to and between the shaft and the head. A lie angle of the head may be adjustable.
In a further example, a golf implement is provided and includes a shaft, a neck including a first end and a second end, wherein the neck is coupled to the shaft at the first end, and a head including a golf ball striking portion, a cavity, a first aperture in fluid communication with the cavity, a second aperture in fluid communication with the cavity, and a fastener, wherein the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity and the fastener is positioned in one of the first and second apertures to engage the neck, and wherein adhesive is injected into the other one of the first and second apertures and the adhesive flows into the cavity to engage the neck to adhere the neck to the head.
In yet a further example, a golf implement is provided and includes a shaft, a neck coupled to the shaft, and a head including a golf ball striking portion, wherein the neck is adapted to couple to the head in a plurality of positions and the neck is movable from one of the plurality of positions to another one of the plurality of positions.
In still a further example, a method of adjusting a golf implement is provided and includes coupling a shaft to a first end of a neck, coupling a second end of the neck to a head in a first position, the head including a golf ball striking portion, uncoupling the second end of the neck from the head, moving the neck relative to the head from the first position to a second position different than the first position, and recoupling the second end of the neck to the head with the neck in the second position.
In another example, a golf implement is provided and includes a shaft, a plurality of necks, each of the plurality of necks including a first end, a second end, and a curved portion between the first and second ends, wherein the plurality of necks are adapted to be coupled, one at a time, to the shaft via first ends, and wherein the curved portions have different sized radii relative to one another, and a head including a golf ball striking portion, wherein the plurality of necks are adapted to be coupled, one at a time, to the head via second ends.
Before any independent features and embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONWith reference to
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It should be understood that the illustrated shapes of the front aperture portions 174 of the plurality of plates 160 and the complementarily shaped coupling end 40′ of the neck 26′ are exemplary of a wide variety of possible shapes, and the front aperture portions 174 and the coupling end 40′ may assume any shape and be within the intended spirit and scope of the present invention.
The front aperture portions 174 include similarly shaped peripheries on all the plates 160, however, the front aperture portions 174 are at different rotational positions relative to each other. That is, a first plate 160A illustrated in
It should be understood that the reference line R from which the angles are measured is arbitrarily selected and other points around the front aperture portions 174 may be selected to define angles, however, what is important is that the selected reference line R is the same line on all of the front aperture portions 174 of the plates 160.
It should also be understood that the angles γ, γ+λ, and γ+2λ, and the degree values of γ and λ may be any value and be within the intended spirit and scope of the present invention.
In some exemplary embodiments, the rotational differences between the front aperture portions 174 of the plurality of plates 160 may be at a fixed rotational increment. For example, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the rotational increment from one plate 160 to another plate 160 is the angle λ. This fixed increment of rotation between the first plate 160A, the second plate 160B, the third plate 160C, and any subsequent plates means the neck 26′ may be rotated and secured to the head 28′ at increments of angle λ. In some exemplary embodiments, angle λ may be 2 degrees. In other exemplary embodiments, angle λ may be four degrees.
Alternatively, the rotational increment between plates 160 may not be fixed. For example, the rotational increment from a first plate to a second plate may be angle λ and the rotational increment from the second plate to a third plate may be an angle different than angle λ.
It should be understood that the rotational increments between plates 160 may vary at any rotational value and be within the intended spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, angle λ between the first plate and the second plate may be four degrees and the different angle between the second plate and the third plate may be two degrees.
It should also be understood that the plurality of plates 160 may include plates 160 accommodating both right handed golfers and left handed golfers. The illustrated exemplary plates 160 shown in
With continued reference to
It may be desirable, for a variety of reasons, to readjust the position of the shaft and neck 26′ relative to the head 28′. The exemplary putter 120 illustrated in
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The illustrated exemplary putter 220 includes a plurality of necks 226 interchangeably connectable to the head 28″. The necks 226 may be connected to the head in any of the manners described herein and other alternative manners. With particular reference to
The putter 220 illustrated in
As an example, a golfer may initially connect neck 226B to the head 28″. With the neck 226B connected to the head 28″, the golfer may consistently pull or push putts when the putter 220 includes the neck 226B connected to the head 28″. Thus, the golfer may desire to remedy the push or pull phenomenon by adjusting the putter 220. When the golfer wishes to correct a pull, the golfer may connect neck 226A to the head 28″. Neck 226A has radius R1, which is larger than the radius R2 of neck 226B. With the neck 226A connected to the head 28″, the putter 220 is in an anti-pull condition. As described above, the neck 226A slows the rotational rate of the putter face on the forward swing up to and through the moment of impact with a golf ball, thereby decreasing the propensity of pulling the golf ball. Conversely, when the golfer wishes to correct a push occurring when neck 226B is connected to the head 28″, the golfer may connect neck 226C to the head 28″. Neck 226C has radius R3, which is smaller than radius R2 of neck 226B. With the neck 226C connected to the head 28″, the putter 220 is in an anti-push condition. As described above, the neck 226C increases the rotational rate of the putter face on the forward swing up to and through the moment of impact with a golf ball, thereby decreasing the propensity of pushing the golf ball.
With reference to
The putter 320 illustrated in
100671 It should be understood that the putter 320 illustrated in
It should also be understood that the putter 220 described and illustrated in
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The illustrated exemplary putter 420 includes a head 428 having a different configuration than the heads of the putters illustrated in
The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The descriptions were selected to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although particular constructions of the present invention have been shown and described, other alternative constructions will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the intended scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A golf implement comprising:
- a shaft;
- a neck including a first end and a second end, wherein the neck is coupled to the shaft at the first end; and
- a head including a golf ball striking portion, a cavity, a first aperture in fluid communication with the cavity, a second aperture in fluid communication with the cavity, and a fastener;
- wherein the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity and the fastener is positioned in one of the first and second apertures to engage the neck; and
- wherein adhesive is injected into the other one of the first and second apertures and the adhesive flows into the cavity to engage the neck to adhere the neck to the head.
2. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the golf implement is a putter.
3. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the neck generally has an L-shape with the first end of the neck positioned substantially perpendicular to the second end of the neck.
4. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the golf ball striking portion is positioned near a front of the head, and the cavity is spaced apart from the golf ball striking portion and defined near a rear of the head.
5. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes a longitudinal extent that extends in a substantially horizontal direction.
6. The golf implement of claim 5, wherein the golf ball striking portion includes a longitudinal extent, and wherein the longitudinal extent of the cavity is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the golf ball striking portion.
7. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the first and second apertures include longitudinal extents, and wherein the longitudinal extents of the first and second apertures are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the cavity.
8. The golf implement of claim 7, wherein the first aperture is defined in the head from a bottom surface of the head to the cavity, and wherein the second aperture is defined in the head from one of a right side or a left side of the head to the cavity.
9. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the head further comprises a second fastener, and wherein the second fastener is positioned in the other one of the first and second apertures to engage the neck.
10. The golf implement of claim 1, wherein the neck defines an annular channel and a groove, and wherein the annular channel is spaced from the second end of the neck and the groove extends from the annular channel to the second end of the neck, and wherein the annular channel and the groove are positioned in the cavity when the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity.
11. The golf implement of claim 10, wherein the annular channel is aligned and in fluid communication with the first and second apertures when the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity.
12. The golf implement of claim 11, wherein, when adhesive is injected into the other one of the first and second apertures, the adhesive flows into the annular channel and into the groove toward the second end of the neck.
13. The golf implement of claim 12, wherein the groove is one of a plurality of grooves extending from the annular channel to the second end of the neck and the plurality of grooves are positioned in the cavity when the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity, and wherein, when adhesive is injected into the other one of the first and second apertures, the adhesive flows into the annular channel and into the plurality of grooves toward the second end of the neck.
14. The golf implement of claim 12, wherein the cavity is a first cavity, the head further including
- a second cavity defined in a rear of the head, in fluid communication with the first cavity, and having a larger size than the first cavity, and
- a plate positionable in the second cavity.
15. The golf implement of claim 14, wherein the adhesive flows from the groove into the second cavity and engages the plate when the plate is positioned in the second cavity to adhere the plate to the head in the second cavity.
16. A golf implement comprising:
- a shaft;
- a neck coupled to the shaft; and
- a head including a golf ball striking portion, wherein the neck is adapted to couple to the head in a plurality of positions and the neck is movable from one of the plurality of positions to another one of the plurality of positions.
17. The golf implement of claim 16, wherein the golf implement is a putter.
18. The golf implement of claim 16, wherein the neck includes a first end adapted to couple to the shaft and a second end adapted to couple to the head in the plurality of positions.
19. The golf implement of claim 18, wherein the head defines a cavity, and wherein the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity and moveable within the cavity when the neck is moved from one of the plurality of positions to another one of the plurality of positions.
20. The golf implement of claim 19, wherein the head further comprises a plurality of plates interchangeably engageable with the second end of the neck when the second end of the neck is positioned in the cavity, wherein one of the plurality of plates engages the second end of the neck when the neck is in the one of the plurality of positions and another one of the plurality of plates engages the second end of the neck when the neck is in the another one of the plurality of positions.
21. The golf implement of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of plates defines a plate aperture therethrough adapted to receive the second end of the neck.
22. The golf implement of claim 21, wherein the plurality of plate apertures are complementarily shaped with the second end of the neck.
23. The golf implement of claim 21, wherein the second end of the neck is receivable in only one of the plurality of plate apertures at each of the plurality of positions of the neck.
24. The golf implement of claim 21, wherein the plurality of plates are interchangeably coupled to the second end of the neck with a fastener, and wherein the fastener is insertable through the plurality of plate apertures to interchangeably couple the plurality of plates to the second end of the neck.
25. The golf implement of claim 20, wherein the plurality of plates are interchangeably coupled to the second end of the neck with a fastener.
26. The golf implement of claim 25, wherein the fastener is a threaded fastener and a threaded aperture is defined in the second end of the neck, and wherein the threaded fastener threads into and from the threaded aperture in the neck to interchangeably couple the plurality of plates to the neck.
27. The golf implement of claim 20, wherein the cavity is a first cavity of the head, the head further including a second cavity defined in the head, in fluid communication with the first cavity, and having a larger size than the first cavity, and wherein the plurality of plates are interchangeably positionable in the second cavity where the plurality of plates interchangeably engage the second end of the neck.
28. The golf implement of claim 27, wherein the plurality of plates and the second cavity are complimentarily shaped.
29. The golf implement of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of plates is interchangeably positioned in the second cavity in only a single orientation.
30. The golf implement of claim 18, wherein the neck includes a curved portion between the first and second ends of the neck.
31. The golf implement of claim 18, wherein the neck includes a straight angled portion between the first and second ends of the neck.
32. A method of adjusting a golf implement, the method comprising:
- coupling a shaft to a first end of a neck;
- coupling a second end of the neck to a head in a first position, the head including a golf ball striking portion;
- uncoupling the second end of the neck from the head;
- moving the neck relative to the head from the first position to a second position different than the first position; and
- recoupling the second end of the neck to the head with the neck in the second position.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein coupling a second end of the neck to a head further comprises
- inserting the second end of the neck into a cavity defined in the head,
- moving the neck to the first position,
- providing a plurality of plates,
- selecting one of the plurality of plates, and
- engaging the second end of the neck with the selected one of the plurality of plates, wherein engagement between the second end of the neck and the selected one of the plurality of plates inhibits movement of the neck relative to the selected one of the plurality of plates and the head to maintain the neck in the first position.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein coupling a second end of the neck to a head further comprises securing the selected one of the plurality of plates to the neck with a fastener.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein uncoupling the second end of the neck from the head further comprises
- unsecuring the fastener from the neck, and
- disengaging the selected one of the plurality of plates from the neck.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein recoupling the second end of the neck to the head further comprises
- selecting a second one of the plurality of plates,
- engaging the second end of the neck with the selected second one of the plurality of plates, wherein engagement between the second end of the neck and the selected second one of the plurality of plates inhibits movement of the neck relative to the selected second one of the plurality of plates and the head to maintain the neck in the second position, and
- securing the selected second one of the plurality of plates to the neck with the fastener.
37. A golf implement comprising:
- a shaft;
- a plurality of necks, each of the plurality of necks including a first end, a second end, and a curved portion between the first and second ends, wherein the plurality of necks are adapted to be coupled, one at a time, to the shaft via first ends, and wherein the curved portions have different sized radii relative to one another; and
- a head including a golf ball striking portion, wherein the plurality of necks are adapted to be coupled, one at a time, to the head via second ends.
38. The golf implement of claim 37, wherein the head defines a cavity therein, and wherein the second ends of the plurality of necks are positionable in the cavity, one at a time, to couple the plurality of necks to the head.
39. The golf implement of claim 37, wherein the plurality of necks include a first neck, a second neck, and a third neck, and wherein the first neck includes a first curved portion having a first radius of 1 inch, the second neck includes a second curved portion having a second radius of 1.25 inches, and the third neck includes a third curved portion having a third radius of 1.5 inches.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 14, 2010
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2012
Inventor: Aaron M. Gentes (Schaumburg, IL)
Application Number: 13/522,838
International Classification: A63B 53/02 (20060101);