Hybrid golf club with improved weight distribution for maximum hitting improvement and alignment configurations
A hybrid golf club head with an improved weight distribution to maximize the weight behind the golf ball on impact, an improved sole plate for facilitating the proper movement of the golf club through the hitting zone with the ball, and a specialized alignment system to insure that the golfer using the club head is properly aligning the head with respect to the golf ball, and the target.
The present invention relates to golf clubs and, more particularly, to golf club heads with a somewhat wood shape and appearance, sometimes better known as hybrids, with an improved sole plate configuration, an improved weight distribution in the club head itself, and an improved alignment system to align the club head to the line of sight.
Conventional iron golf clubs have typically had thin blades and a certain loft for the number of the iron and a standard length for the shaft. In recent years, however, there has been the development of “hybrids”, which essentially utilize more of a wood head in conjunction with essentially the same loft for the face and about the same length of shaft as an iron, and this type of club has become quite popular because it is easier to hit as a wood and still has the basic characteristics of the irons for accuracy and higher loft.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONThe present invention provides a golf club known as a “hybrid.” In addition, the club has a unique design by being tapered further from the top of the club face back into the hybrid wood configuration and includes a plurality of aiming lines that extend perpendicular to the face of the club along the back of the hybrid itself so as to optimize the direction of the face of the club and the aiming point for hitting the golf ball. In addition, the center of the sole of the club incorporates at least one recessed groove to facilitate the club moving through the soil and the grass on the direction of motion as the club is brought into contact with the ball, and a slightly flared out, curved configuration from the central point of the club base extending to its toe and the heel so as to facilitate the movement of the club through the grass and/or in creating a divot upon striking the ball.
An object of the present invention is provision of a golf club that is a hybrid design, namely effectively a combination of an iron with a wood head and the same length shaft and loft as conventional thin and flat irons.
A further object of the invention is to have a plurality of lines on the top surface of the head that are perpendicular to the face of the club and act as aiming lines to facilitate having the club face aimed at the proper target to achieve proper direction in hitting the golf ball.
A further object of the invention is to utilize a hybrid that has a unique guiding central contoured configuration on the sole and a tapered, beveled arrangement from the central guiding rib to the heel and the toe of the club to facilitate the club in moving through in grass and following through in a divot.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drives, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms and shapes. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching what is called in the art how to make and/or use the invention.
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An important feature of the invention is shown in
Essentially, I have found that this tapering of the thickness shown in
Thus, it should be understood that the objects of the invention are achieved by providing a uniquely shaped and operative hybrid that has a unique configuration of the sole plate and alignment channel or groove 18 with the flared out sections 24 and 26 on the sole plate itself, the massing of a tapered weight at the optimum point for the center of percussion, this being best seen in
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that its scope is defined in the appended Claims.
Claims
1. A hybrid golf club having a club face, a sole, and a center of percussion, with a head shaped like a wood, having a rearward configured surface gently curved from the face in a partial semi-circle, which is characterized by,
- a plurality of parallel lines extending substantially perpendicular to the club face and providing alignment characteristics of the club face to the intended target, and
- a tapered thickness to the rearward portion of the sole centrally aligned to the center of percussion, extending about one and one-half to two inches across the center of percussion and about three-quarters to one and one-half inches toward the club face to provide a focus of weight momentum to the club face at about the center of percussion.
2. A hybrid golf club according to claim 1 wherein there are strengthening ribs formed into the inside surface of the club face to strengthen the surface and facilitate transfer of energy from the surface to the golf ball.
3. A hybrid golf club according to claim 1 wherein a recessed groove is provided in the bottom center of the sole plate to facilitate guiding the sole plate through high grass and in a divot by having alignment through the center of percussion from the face to the rearward flange of the wood-shaped configuration.
4. A hybrid golf club according to claim 3, which includes dished cavities on the right and left sides of the alignment groove of claim 3, which extend from the bottom of the face to near the top of the face at the rearward portion of the wood-shaped club surface.
5. A hybrid golf club according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of parallel lines is at least three in number and extends over at least one-third of the central surface of the width of the face of the hybrid.
6. A hybrid golf club having a club face, a sole, and a center of percussion, with a head shaped like a wood, having a rearward configured surface gently curved from the face in a partial semi-circle, which is characterized by,
- a plurality of parallel lines extending substantially perpendicular to the club face and providing alignment characteristics of the club face to the intended target.
7. A hybrid golf club according to claim 6 which includes a line extending parallel to the club face across nearly the width of the face and intersecting and perpendicular to the parallel lines.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 27, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 28, 2007
Inventor: John Ford (Naples, FL)
Application Number: 11/318,320
International Classification: A63B 53/00 (20060101);