PUTTING ALIGNMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A golf putter alignment system in which a putter has a putter shaft joined to the putter head near the toe and extending upwardly towards the golfer, the shaft having a mark on the shaft, which when visually aligned by the golfer with a centerline mark on the head, ensures that the golfer's eyes are “over the ball”.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation in Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/019,435 filed on Dec. 31, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the game of golf and more importantly to a golf putter having an alignment arrangement to aid a golfer in aligning his or her eyes “over the ball”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Putting plays an important role in a successful round of golf. In order to technically execute a proper putt a golfer's eyes must be properly positioned relative to the ball and to an intended line of the putt.

A putter has a striking face, which should be aligned square to the desired path of the ball travel. The target line is a line extending through the ball, representing the intended path of travel of the ball when putted. It is known to place a centerline marker on the top surface of the putter to indicate the desired area of putter-to-ball impact and to aid a golfer in positioning the face of a putter square to the target line of the putt. Typically, this centerline marker or aiming line is perpendicular to the putter face and is positioned above the desired area of putter to ball impact.

In addition to having the putter face aligned to the intended target line a golfer's eyes and body must be in the proper position relative to the ball to have proper golf technique. It is well-known that the proper putting position requires the golfer to have their eyes directly over the centerline of the putter head, the ball, and the target line or aim line, (see, for example, “Dave Pelz's Putting Bible” (June 2000) by Dave Peiz). When a golfer has his eyes over the centerline of the putter head, the ball, and the target line, it is commonly referred to in golf as having “your eyes over the ball.” The eyes of the golfer should be over the ball so that when the putter is swung and the ball is struck the putter is returned to the proper position to send the ball on its desired target line. This is critical because if a golfer is not in the proper putting position they will compensate their stroke path to what they see; resulting in a pushed or a pulled putt. Tests have proven that golfers with a push stroke subconsciously aim to the left, while those with a pull stroke aim right (for right-handed golfers). Having the golfer's eyes aligned inside or outside the centerline/target-line, (as opposed to being over the ball) causes these errant stroke paths (see, for example, “The First Fundamental of Putting” by Dave Pelz—Golf Magazine™, June 1995). The golfer's body and hands will respond to what the eyes see, therefore, alignment of the golfer's eyes is of paramount importance.

It takes regular practice to develop a putting stance and stroke to propel a golf ball on its intended target line. Golfers of all skill levels have been shown to find correct eye position and putter alignment difficult to maintain over time. In the prior art, to check eye position, you could either drop a ball from beneath your eye or have a friend stand behind you and say when a plumb line hanging from a point below your eyes hovers directly over your target line. However, these are cumbersome and impractical techniques. There exist a number of putting aids in the prior art, however, none of them effectively address the need to align the golfer's eyes over the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,625 issued to Jackson seeks to align a golfer's hands above the sweet spot of the putter head. Jackson is not concerned with eye alignment. Jackson specifically requires that the handle be positioned above the target line, thereby blocking the golfer's view of the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,556, issued to Condon discloses a club having markings on the club head which indicate the desired area of putter-to-ball impact. However, the markings of Condon are not aligned with anything but the ball. The markings have little or no effect on the golfer's body or eye position. The markings of Condon simply help to align the club head with the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,300, issued to Peiz, has a mark on the heel of the club head (i.e. it does not mark a desired area of putter-to-ball impact). Pelz also has a plurality of markings on the shaft. The mark on the heel of the club head and the markings on the shaft are visually aligned by the golfer, however, when this is done the golfer's eyes may be in any one of a number of positions relative to the club and/or ball. The golfer's eyes would not necessarily be over the ball because the mark on the heel of the club head does not indicate the desired area of putter-to-ball impact. In fact, the mark on the heel of the club is not intended to be aligned with the ball in any way; it is simply used for visual alignment with the markings on the shaft. The purpose of Pelz is to aid the golfer in achieving consistent alignment or positioning, not to align the golfer's eyes over the ball.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a putter that can be used to indicate when the proper alignment, having the golfer's eyes over the ball, has been attained for putting a golf ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention there is provided a golf putter having a putter head and an elongated putter shaft. The putter head has a striking face, a sole, a centerline marker marking the desired area of putter to ball impact, a toe positioned remote from a user when in play and a heel opposite said toe. The elongated putter shaft has a grip on one end and, at an opposite end is attached to the putter head between the centerline marker and the toe. At least a portion of the shaft is angled or curved towards the golfer. The putter shaft additionally has a marking thereon which is visually lined up with the center line marker on the putter head when a golfer is holding the putter in a putting position with the golfer's eyes over the center line marker of the putter head.

Preferably, the centerline marker is perpendicular to the striking face and is vertically aligned with the desired area of putter to ball impact of the putter head. The centerline marker is also preferably aligned with the center of gravity of the putter head.

The putter shaft forms an acute angle with the putter head, extending upwards from the toe of the putter head, across the centerline of the putter head, the handle or grip of the shaft terminating in an area generally above the heel of the putter head. In a preferred embodiment the sole of the putter head is flat and the shaft forms an acute angle with the sole of the putter head. The flat sole aids the golfer to properly place the putter on the ground (i.e. with the sole flat on the ground) and therefore to properly align his/her eyes over the ball. The flat sole also helps to ensure consistency in the golfer's positioning. The flat sole allows the putter to be consistently placed parallel to the putting surface which ensures that the line passing through both the centerline marker and the mark on the shaft is at a right angle to the putting surface and to the target line. Once the putter is sitting flat on the ground a golfer need only build his or her stance to the putter with his eyes visually aligned with the centerline marker and the mark on the shaft, and he knows he is in the correct alignment to make a putt. The flat bottom of the putter ensures that the putter sits flat on the ground every time.

In a preferred embodiment, the marking on the shaft marks the center of gravity of the shaft when the putter is in the putting position.

In an alternate embodiment, when the putter is in the putting position, the putter shaft may extend vertically upwards from putter head and then angle towards the golfer. In a further alternate embodiment of the invention, the putter shaft is curved toward the golfer. Such curved or angled embodiments bring the golfer's hands closer to a point directly over the target line and/or the center of gravity of the putter, thereby improving swing mechanics. A further advantage of these two alternate embodiments is that the distance between the marking on the shaft and the centerline marker on the putter head is increased, thereby making it easier for the golfer to visually align them.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of aligning a golfer's eyes over a putter head (and, therefore the golf ball) and a desired line of travel, which includes providing a putter which has a shaft attached proximate a toe of the putter head and at least a portion of which shaft angles or curves back towards a golfer when the golfer and the putter are in the putting position. The method further includes placing a center line marker over the desired area of putter to ball impact of the putter head, and placing a marker on an upper side of the shaft of the putter which is visually aligned with the center line marker when the putter is in the putting position and the golfer's eyes are over the ball.

Finally, the method involves holding the putter in the putting position and then adjusting the position of the golfer's eyes until the mark on the shaft and the center line mark on the putter head are visually aligned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of example, of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing the putter head and a portion of the putter shaft;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the putter head and a portion of the putter shaft showing the shaft mark and the center line mark on the putter head;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view showing a golfer with his eyes aligned with the centerline mark on the putter head and the mark on the shaft;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of the putter having a flat sole;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of the putter having a curved shaft; and

FIG. 6 is an elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of the putter having a shaft having an angle in it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a putter shaft 1 is attached to a putter head 6 proximate a toe 4 of the putter head 6. The putter head also has a heel 5, a sole 8 and a center line mark 3 over the desired area of putter to ball impact of the putter head 6. The shaft extends from its point of attachment proximate the toe 4 across the center line mark 3 towards a golfer when in the putting position.

A mark 2 on the upper side of the shaft 1 is placed so that when the golfer is holding the putter in a putting position, with his or her eyes correctly positioned over the ball, the mark 2 is aligned with the center line mark 3 on the top of the putter head 6. The mark on the top of the putter head is preferably perpendicular to a strike face 7 of the putter head 6 as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, a golfer 8 is in the correct putting position with his eyes positioned over the centerline marker 3 and mark 2 on the shaft 1 of the putter 10. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the correct putting position is completed once the strike face 7 is placed square (i.e. at a right angle) to the desired direction of travel of the golf ball (not shown) and the ball is aligned with the centerline marker 3.

The desired area of putter-to-ball impact, (i.e. sweet spot) is preferably approximately aligned with the center of gravity of the putter head. Therefore, visual alignment by the golfer of the mark 2 on the shaft with the centerline marker 3 on the putter head 6 aligns the sweet spot of the putter head and the golfer's line of sight over the target line.

Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of the putter 10 is shown having a putter head 6 with a flat sole 8. The flat sole 8 is preferably substantially planar, however, it may have features such as indentations, ridges, holes, protrusions, etc, provided they do not detract from the primary function of the flat sole, which is to allow the putter head to sit flat or horizontal on the putting surface. The line from the golfer's eye to the mark 2 on the shaft to the centerline marker 3 on the putter head is perpendicular to the flat sole 8 of the putter head 6. Thus, when the flat sole 8 of the putter head is placed flat on the ground, and the golfer visually aligns the marks 2 and 3, the golfer knows that his line of sight is on a line perpendicular to the ground.

Clearly, the flat, planar sole 8 can have features, which do not detract from its function as an aid to golfer achieving correct eye and body alignment. The essence of the flat, planar sole 8 can be achieved by a number of alternate embodiments. For example an equivalent putter head may have a sole with three bumps thereon, equidistant from one another (i.e. defining the points of a triangle) and of equal height, wherein the bumps act as the points of contact between the putter head and the ground when a golfer rests the sole of the putter head “flat” on the ground, (e.g. when addressing a ball). If the apexes of the bumps define the corners of a triangular plane perpendicular to the golfer's line of sight through the mark on the shaft and the centerline marker then they are equivalent to the flat, planar sole 8 of FIG. 4 for the purpose of helping the golfer to know when his line of sight is perpendicular to the ground. Another equivalent alternative embodiment could have to parallel ridges of equal height extending across the sole of the putter head from the striking face to the opposite face.

A further advantage of the embodiment of FIG. 4 is that it aids the golfer in achieving consistent alignment. Placement of the flat sole 8 of the putter head 6 on the ground ensures that the line extending from the centerline marker 3 through the mark 2 on the shaft is perpendicular to the ground. Therefore, if the golfer visually aligns marks 2 and 3, his/her eyes are consistently placed over the ball, on a line extending perpendicularly from the putting surface through the centerline marker 3 and the mark on the shaft 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, an alternate embodiment of the putter 10 is shown having a curved shaft 1. In FIG. 6, a further alternate embodiment is shown having an angled shaft 1.

A putter's length is measured down the length of the shaft through the head to the bottom of the head. The rules of golf state that a curve in a putter's shaft must occur within 5 inches of the base of the putter. This means that the shaft must be straight above the curve.

One of the advantages of the curved and angled shaft embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 is that (relative to straight-shaft putter of the same length) the golfer's grip is closer to a point directly above the putter center of gravity, thereby making it easier to swing the putter like a pendulum. These embodiments also allow the golfer to putt from a more upright position, bringing the golfer's center of gravity closer to the putter's center of gravity, making it easier to make a pendulum stroke and making it easier to align the golfer's eyes over the ball. The curved or angled shafts also allow for a greater distance between the centerline marker 3 and the mark 2 on the shaft, thereby making it easier for the golfer to visually align them.

Curved or angled shafts are useful and sometimes necessary for putters having certain putter head shapes (e.g. gable-shaped putter heads having an apex over the sweet spot).

Accordingly, while this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A golf putter, comprising:

(a) a putter head having a striking face, a substantially planar sole, a centerline marker on an upper surface of said putter head marking a desired area of putter to ball impact, a toe positioned remote from a user when said putter is in play, and a heel opposite said toe; and

(b) a shaft having a grip on one end and, at an opposite end being attached to said putter head between said centerline marker and said toe, said shaft having a mark thereon;

wherein said centerline marker and said mark on said shaft are positioned such that they both lie on a straight line perpendicular to said substantially planar sole and wherein visual alignment of said centerline marker and said marker on said shaft by the user indicates that eyes of the user are over the ball.

2. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein the centerline marker is square to the striking face and is aligned with the desired area of putter to ball impact of said putter head.

3. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein said putter shaft extends from proximate said toe at an acute angle with the sole of said putter head.

4. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said putter shaft is one of curved and angled.

5. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein said substantially planar sole has one or more of a bump, a ridge and an indentation.

6. A golf putter, comprising:

(a) a putter head having a striking face, a sole, a centerline marker marking a desired area of putter to ball impact, a toe positioned remote from a user when said putter is in play, and a heel opposite said toe; and

(b) a shaft having a grip on one end and, at an opposite end being attached to said putter head between the centerline marker and said toe, said shaft having a mark thereon;

wherein a portion of said shaft proximate said putter head is one of curved and angled;

wherein said centerline marker and said mark on said shaft are positioned such that they both lie on a straight line perpendicular to a putting surface when the user addresses a golf ball at rest on the putting surface;

and wherein visual alignment of said centerline marker and said mark on said shaft by the user indicates that eyes of the user are over the ball.

7. The golf putter according to claim 6, wherein the centerline marker is square to the striking face and is aligned with the desired area of putter to ball impact of said putter head.

8. The golf putter according to claim 6, wherein said putter shaft extends from proximate said toe at an acute angle with the sole of said putter head.

9. The golf putter according to claim 6, wherein said sole of said putter head is substantially planar.