Golf swing training apparatus

Abstract

A method and device for golf swing training is disclosed wherein a double pendulum model swing is replicated by defining a point on a golfer's chest about which a golfer's swing rotates and extending therefrom a flexible strap for attachment to the grip of a golf club. The flexible strap encourages the golfer to fully extend his arms throughout the golf swing to maintain a proper swing radius without inhibiting the movement of the golfer's wrists; therefore, allowing the golfer to experience the ideal golf swing.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/249,740, filed Nov. 17, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a golf swing training apparatus and method. The disclosed apparatus and method allow golfers of all levels to perfect their golf swing. When used by a golfer the disclosed device encourages the golfer to replicate the ideal double pendulum model golf swing. Additionally, the apparatus provides a golfer with the necessary feedback regarding the feel of a correct golf swing and trains the golfer to consistently execute an ideal swing.

[0003] The United States Golf Association (“USGA”), golf s governing body, utilizes a machine named “Iron Byron” to test golf clubs and balls to ensure that both conform to USGA's regulations. Iron Byron hits a perfect golf shot—long and straight—every time. The ideal golf swing that Iron Byron mimics is a two lever or double pendulum model swing.

[0004] In a double pendulum model swing there are two levers connected by a hinge that is fixed to rotate about a fixed axis. The first lever corresponds to the golfer's shoulders and arms, while the second lever corresponds to the golf club. The hinge corresponds to the golfer's wrists and hands. The present invention has been developed to accurately replicate Iron Byron's double pendulum motion. The first lever is simulated by an adjustable strap that extends between a golfer's chest and his club, attaching to the grip end of the club. The second lever continues to be the golf club and the hinge continues to be the golfer's hands and wrists which are assisted by a clamp that connects the adjustable strap to the golf club.

[0005] The ideal model requires that the golfer's swing in each direction be made in a single inclined plane and that the hands of the golfer rotate around a fixed point somewhere on a golfer's chest. Moreover, angular momentum is conserved throughout the swing and during impact with the golf ball.

[0006] Many devices have been created for training golfers to produce a proper golf swing. Many of the known devices attempt to prevent the golfer from doing something detrimental to his swing, rather than encouraging the golfer to train proactively with his own clubs to create a proper swing. Additionally, known training devices fail to promote a double pendulum model swing motion or to give the golfer necessary feedback regarding the feel of a proper swing. Known devices are generally unable to train the golfer in the proper fundamentals necessary to make a lasting improvement on his golf swing.

[0007] For example, it is known to provide a “jacket” to create a link between the golfer's arms and the golfer's torso to guide him through the full range of motion of a golf swing. Another known device is in the form of an elastic loop that is worn over the golfer's head, rests on his shoulders and hangs in front of his chest and stomach with the lowermost portion of the loop held by the left hand as the left hand grips the golf club.

[0008] Still other training devices include an elastic cord with a grip that is worn over a golfer's head and rests around his neck, with the golfer grasping the grip and the club, and extending his arm applying tension to the cord during the swing. While tension is maintained in the cord throughout the swing, this device does not define the center of the golf swing and does not encourage a double pendulum motion.

[0009] Still yet another known golf swing training apparatus employs a harness and utilizes a weighted shortened shaft for practicing the swing, but may not be used with the golfer's actual golf clubs.

[0010] This, the aforementioned devices inhibit the free motion of a golfer's arms and wrists, are limited in their ability to work with actual clubs, fail to define the center of the golfer's swing, and/or fail to promote a double pendulum swing motion.

[0011] The present invention allows the golfer to reproduce the double pendulum model and reinforces through muscle memory the fundamentals of this ideal swing. One embodiment of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by utilizing a harness with a chest plate to define the point on a golfer's chest about which a golf swing should rotate. A flexible and adjustable strap extends from the chest plate to a golf club requiring the golfer to maintain a proper radius throughout the swing. The present invention does not inhibit the hinged motion of a golfer's wrists which enables the transfer of angular momentum from the club face to the ball at impact. Moreover, a golfer may utilize actual golf clubs and balls while training with this device.

[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate many of the above problems in the prior art and to provide a novel device and method for golf swing training.

[0013] It is another object of the present invention to promote a double pendulum model swing motion.

[0014] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for golf swing training that allows for the free movement of a golfer's hands, wrists and arms.

[0015] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for golf swing training that is adjustable to fit golfers of various sizes and body types.

[0016] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a harness that defines a point on a golfer's chest about which a golfer should swing to initiate power when executing the perfect golf swing.

[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable strap between a golfer's chest and a golfer's club that encourages full extension of a golfer's arm throughout the golf swing and maintenance of a proper swing radius, both creating greater centrifugal force and clubhead spead.

[0018] It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a clamp hinging means which can be attached to a golf club in various positions to control the orientation of the club face, and produce the torques required to vary the curvature of ball flight.

[0019] These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of one embodiment of the present invention from the front thereof with a golf club.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a pictorial illustration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 from the left side.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing at address.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing at the top of the back swing.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing immediately before the clubface impacts the golf ball.

[0025] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 addressing the golf ball.

[0026] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 at the top of the back swing.

[0027] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 immediately before the clubface impacts the golf ball.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] With reference to the drawings, like numerals represent like components throughout the several drawings.

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, a front and side elevational view of one embodiment of the training device is illustrated. The adjustable harness 10 includes two shoulder straps 12 and a chest strap 14 that encircles a golfer's chest. The shoulder straps 12 and the chest strap 14 include adjustment means, 16 and 18, respectively, that may be a fastening tape consisting of a strip of nylon with a surface of minute hooks that fasten to a corresponding strip with a surface of uncut pile, buckles, hooks or other suitable conventional means to adjust the size of the harness 10. The harness 10 is adjustable so that it may fit golfers of various size and must be properly fitted to achieve maximum training benefits.

[0030] With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a chest plate 20 is attached to the chest strap 14 of the harness 10. The chest plate 20 may be sewn, riveted, glued or otherwise secured to the chest strap 14. The chest plate 20 should be attached to the chest strap 14 and when properly fitted should be positioned generally midway between the golfer's shoulders and level with his armpits to define a point about which the golfer should swing. In the ideal golf swing, there is a point generally midway between a golfer's shoulders and level with his armpits about which the ideal golf swing rotates.

[0031] Attached to the chest plate 20 is a flexible strap 22 that includes an adjustment means 24 for altering the length of the flexible strap 22. By making the flexible strap 22 slightly shorter than the actual length of his arms, a golfer will be encouraged to maintain the proper amount of extension and radius away from the chest plate 20 throughout the swing and thus the golfer will learn the “feel” of an ideal golf swing. The flexible strap 22 may be constructed from any flexible fabric or material that can support the tensile forces associated with a golf swing without inhibiting the swing motion. One end of the flexible strap 22 may be attached to the chest plate 20 by a ring 26, or other suitable fastener that will allow for free movement of the strap throughout the swing.

[0032] Connected to the unattached end of the flexible strap 22 is a swivel buckle 28 which secures a club clamp 30 to the flexible strap 22. The swivel buckle 28 is free to rotate with the natural motion of the golfer's arms and wrists throughout a golf swing. When training with this device, an actual golf club is secured to the club clamp 30. Alignment of the club clamp 30 is variable, allowing the golfer to intentionally curve the ball or hit it straight while experiencing the desired amount of club face rotation.

[0033] With reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the double pendulum model golf swing is illustrated at address, at the top of the back swing and immediately before impact, respectively. The essential elements necessary for performing this swing motion include the lower lever 32 and upper lever 34. Connecting the lower lever 32 with the upper lever 34 is the hinge 36. The upper lever 34 rotates about a fixed point 38.

[0034] With reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, a golfer wearing an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated addressing the golf ball, at the top of the back swing and immediately before impact, respectively. The present training device has been developed to accurately replicate the double pendulum model golf swing. A golfer G when wearing the device executes a double pendulum model golf swing as is evident from comparing FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 with FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The golf club A parallels the lower lever 32 and the adjustable strap 22 simulates the upper lever 34. The hinge 36 corresponds to the golfer's hands and wrists B. The fixed point 38 about which the golf swing rotates is the chest plate 20.

[0035] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence, many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof.

Claims

1. A golf swing training device adapted to be worn by a golfer to develop a golf swing in which the golfer's hands move at a proper radius from a point on the golfer's chest without inhibiting the hinged movement of a golfer's wrists, said device comprising:

an adjustable upper body harness with a chest strap adapted to encircle a golfer's chest and a shoulder strap for each shoulder, said body harness being adjustable to accommodate golfers of various sizes;

a chest plate carried by said chest strap so as to be positioned generally midway between a golfer's shoulders and generally level with the top of a golfer's armpits, when the harness is properly fitted;

a plurality of rings carried by said chest plate; and

an adjustable length golf club strap secured to one of said plurality of rings and supporting a swivel buckle with a club clamp on the distal end, said club clamp adapted to be secured to the grip end of a golf club and adjustable to control the orientation of a club face without interfering with the hinged movement of a golfer's wrists,

whereby said one of said plurality of rings defines the fulcrum of a golfer's swing and the maintenance of tension in the golf club strap when worn by a golfer requires a golfer to maintain an extended arm throughout a golf swing and thereby maintain a proper swing radius without inhibiting the movement of a golfer's wrists allowing the golfer to experience a proper two-lever golf swing.

2. A golf swing training apparatus comprising:

an upper body harness defining a point on the chest of the wearer; and

a flexible golf club strap secured to said point at the proximate end thereof and adapted to clamp the grip of a golf club at the distal end thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said upper body harness is adjustable.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein adjustment means of said upper body harness comprises fastening tape consisting of a strip of nylon with a surface of minute hooks that fasten to a corresponding strip with a surface of uncut pile.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said flexible strap is secured to said harness through a plurality of rings.

6. A golf swing training device comprising:

an adjustable strap having a means at the distal end thereof for gripping a golf club at a predetermined location along the shaft of said club, and having a means at the proximate end thereof for maintaining said proximate end at a predetermined point on a golfer's chest to thereby require a golfer to maintain tension in said strap in order to maintain a proper radius between a golfer's hands and a golfer's chest without inhibiting hinged movement of golfer's wrists.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the distal end of said strap further comprising a swivel buckle and an adjustable club clamp.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said adjustable strap is shorter than the actual length of a golfer's arms.

9. A method of improving a golf swing comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an adjustable strap;

(b) securing the proximate end of said strap to a point on a golfer's chest;

(c) clamping a golf club to the distal end of said strap;

(d) maintaining tension in the golf club strap throughout a golf swing, to thereby position the golfer's hands at a desired distance from the golfer's chest during the entire swing.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein said means for gripping a golf club is adapted to grip a golf club at plural locations along the shaft of a golf club to thereby control the rotation of the club face at the point of impact of the club face with a golf ball.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein adjustment means of said upper body harness comprises buckles.