GOLF CLUB PUTTER HEADS AND GOLF PUTTERS INCLUDING SAME

Abstract

Golf putter heads, gold putting kits, and golf putters including same are described. One putter head comprises a body having a putting face, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a crown, the sole and crown extending away from the face to an aft-mass, the body further having at least one substantially vertical wall extending from the crown to the sole and, with an internal surface of each of the face and the aft-mass, defining at least a port cavity and a starboard cavity. The port cavity opens to the port side of the body and the starboard cavity opens to the starboard side. The crown has an aiming feature on a top external surface thereof. The port and starboard cavities are non-ball-striking features, allowing golfers to pick up a pin flag stick, or another golf club, without stooping, a great benefit to golfers with bad backs and elderly golfers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of golf, and more specifically to apparatus for putting.

2. Related Art

There are many varieties of golf putters and golf putter heads. The following U.S. Patents are representative of the stare of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,059,971; 6,478,690; 6,471,600; 6,960,149; 6,988,955; 7,052,411; 6,878,072; 6,966,845; 5,685,784; 6,896,625; 6,796,911; 6,929,559; 7,048,639; 4,141,556; 4,712,798, as are the following published U.S. patent applications: 2005/0075185; 2006/0148585; 2006/0148584; 2006/0068935. There have also been issued design patents, such as Des. 246,329.

Despite these advances in the art, it would be advantageous and an advance in the golf putter head and golf putter art to provide a combination of putting accuracy features, such as weight, balance, and aiming ability of the putter head and putter, with other functional features, such as the ability to pick up flag sticks and other golf clubs frequently brought onto the putting green using the putter head and putter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, golf putter heads and golf putter clubs including same are described that reduce or overcome limitations of previously known golf putter heads and golf putter clubs. The putter heads and putters including same combine at least one ball-striking feature with at least one non-ball-striking functional feature. As used herein the term “ball-striking feature” means a feature that helps a golfer in his or her putting technique and/or accuracy in making putts (whether actually playing on a golf course or merely practicing putting, for example on carpet into a cup). An example might be an aiming or alignment feature on a top surface of the putter head. On the other hand, the term “non-ball-striking function feature” means the putter head has at least one feature that has noting to do with putting per se, but helps the golfer do something else, for example retrieve a flag stick, or another golf club laying on the green. An example of this might be a cavity in the putter head.

A first aspect of the invention are golf putter heads, one embodiment comprising a body having a putting face, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a crown, the sole and crown each extending away from the purring face to an aft-mass, the body further having at least one substantially vertical wall extending from an internal surface of the crown to an internal surface of the sole and, with internal surface of each of the face and the aft-mass, defining at least a port cavity and a starboard cavity (which may or may not have substantially equal volumes), the port cavity open to the port side of the body and the starboard cavity open to the starboard side of the body; the crown having an aiming feature on a top external surface thereof. The port and starboard cavities are non-ball-striking features, and allow the golfer to pick up a pin flag stick, or another golf club, without stooping, a great benefit to golfers with bad backs and elderly golfers.

Putter heads in accordance with the invention include those wherein the body, when viewed from the top (plan view) is substantially mallet-shaped, and those wherein the body is substantially triangular. In certain embodiments, a port portion and a starboard portion of the sole internal surface may be exposed by the crown portion curving inward toward the center of the body, however this is not required in all embodiments. In certain embodiments, the at least one substantially vertical wall is a single wall centrally located in the body and extending perpendicular to the putting face. In these embodiments, a forward end of the substantially vertical wall provides support to the putting face and may define a “sweet spot” for the golfer, as may be indicated by the aiming feature. The substantially vertical wall need not be constant in thickness, buy may, for example, start thick near its joint with the sole internal surface and gradually become thinner as it approaches a joint with the internal surface of the crown. In other embodiments, the opposite may be true. In yet other embodiments the substantially vertical wall may be thickest near both joints and thinnest in a mid-section of the wall. In certain embodiments, the substantially vertical wall may join with the internal surface of the face in one joint, or in more than one joint, as it may with the aft-mass portion.

In certain embodiments, the face of the body may have a recessed portion in which is placed an insert material. The body and the insert of the putter heads of the invention may each comprise metal, which may be the same or different. The insert material may also be selected from a variety of natural and synthetic polymeric materials, such as natural and synthetic elastomers. Thermoplastic elastomers may be used as insert materials. In certain other embodiments, the putter head face comprises a metal to which a magnetic material may adhere to. In these embodiments, which may be termed putter kit embodiments, the golfer may select a putter face material conductive to the conditions, adhere the chosen putter face material to the putter metal face by magnetic force, and either leave that surface on for the next putt, or remove the selected putter face material. There may be two or more putter face materials in the putter kit, which may be kept in a pouch or bag and carried by the golfer. Alternatively, the golfer may wish to carry the putter face materials on his or her hat, or another article worn by the golfer, such as a waist belt, or arm band, to which the magnetic putter face material adhere for safe keeping when not in use. The putter face materials may be color-coded and/or numbered according to their physical properties (hardness, elasticity, etc.) for ease of selection. In addition, they may or may not have the same shape as that of the putter face; for example, some golfers will want a small circle, so as not to change the weight and balance of the putter substantially; other golfers may want a putter face material as large as the putter head face itself, to maximize the ball striking surface.

A second aspect of the invention are golf putters including one of the inventive putter heads and/or kits.

The various aspects of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the brief description of the drawings, the detailed description of the invention, and the claims that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The manner in which the objectives of the invention and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mallet-shaped putter-head in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view, partially in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along section line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded perspective view, partially in phantom, of an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating one possible kit of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a substantially triangular-shaped putter head in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view, partially in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic side elevation and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings are highly schematic, not necessarily to scale, and illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.

Referring now to the drawing figures, which admittedly are highly schematic and not to scale, and wherein the same reference numerals are used throughout except where noted, FIG. 1 illustrates is a perspective view of a mallet-shaped putter-head 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Putter head 1 includes body 2 having a putting face 4, a heel 6, a toe 8, a crown 10, and a sole 12, the sole 12 and crown 10 each extending away from putting face 4 to an aft-mass 14. Crown 10 includes an aiming feature 16 on or a part of a top external surface thereof. Aiming feature 16 in this embodiment has a diamond shape, having a forward apex pointed toward a center 18 of putting face 4, however the invention is not limited to this particular aiming feature. Sole 12 includes, in this embodiment, dual identical exposed surfaces 15a and 15b (the latter not illustrated), wherein exposed surface 15a is on the starboard side and exposed surface 15b is on the port side, port and starboard being defined relative to direction of travel of the putter head in the ball striking motion. Putter head 1 includes, in this embodiment, a recessed portion 20, which is filled with striking surface material (not illustrated) to form the putting face 4. The striking surface material may be metal or natural or synthetic polymer, as discussed in more detail herein. The striking surface material lies flush with the balance of the putter face. A putter shaft 22 is illustrated in phantom.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of embodiment 1 of FIG. 1, illustrating that body 2 further has at least one substantially vertical wall 24 extending from an internal surface of crown 10 to an internal surface of sole 12 and, with an internal surface of each of face 4 and aft-mass 14, defining at least a starboard cavity 26 and a port cavity 28 of substantially equal volumes. Only port cavity 28 is illustrated in FIG. 2, whereas both cavities 26 and 28 are illustrated in FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view along section line 4-4 of FIG. 2. Port cavity 26 opens to the port side of body 2, and starboard cavity 28 opens to the starboard side of body 2. The port and starboard cavities are non-ball-striking features, and allow the golfer to pick up a pin flag stick, or another golf club, without stooping, a great benefit to golfers with bad backs and elderly golfers. Another feature of this embodiment is an angled take-away surface 23, which aids the player in the backswing in avoiding stubbing the putter.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view, partially in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating one possible position of substantially vertical wall 24, in position directly behind central portion 18 of face 4. This position, which is not necessary, is desirable for supporting face 4 during a ball strike, and provides a degree of balance to the putter head. Other variations include having dual or triple vertical walls 24, or having a single vertical wall but having branches contacting the internal surface of face 4. Aside from strengthening the face portion, wall 24 also prevents a flag stick or golf club from going all the way through the putter head, which may cause the player to fall if the player is not standing in a balanced position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded perspective view, partially in phantom, of an alternative to embodiment 1 of FIG. 1, illustrating one possible kit of the invention. Illustrated is embodiment 100, generally having the same features as embodiment 1 of FIGS. 1-4. Embodiment 100, however, includes a simple flat face 4, to which are adhered (screwed, held by magnets, or the like) any one of a number of putter face covers 32a, 32b, and 32c. For example, face covers 32a and 32b are identical in shape and cover the entire face 4 of putter head 100, although this is not a required feature. Face covers 32a and 32b may each comprise a flexible magnetic material, formulated to have different hardness and/or elasticity, according to the putter “feel” desired by the user. A kit of the invention would include the putter head body 2 attached or attachable to a shaft 22, and one or more exchangeable face covers 32. Alternatively, a single face cover 32 may be more or less permanently secured to face 4, is the user seldom desires to change the face cover material. In this case the face cover may be adhered by screws of glue. The user may still change the face cover between rounds. Face cover 32c is a smaller version, and may be user to denote a sweet spot on the putter face. In addition, it may be desirable to layer two or more face covers 32 onto face 4. For example, face cover 32a is mounted on face 4, and then face cover 32c mounted onto face cover 32a. The face covers may be numbered, or have different colors, or both, according to their properties.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a substantially triangular-shaped putter head embodiment 200 in accordance with the invention. The primary difference between embodiment 200 and embodiments 1 and 100 is the plan view shape, as viewed in FIG. 6. Another difference is the lack of exposed internal surfaces (15a in FIG. 1, 13 in FIG. 5) of sole member 12. One advantage of embodiment 200 may be that the diamond aiming feature 16 has an apex 17 that points in the same direction as the terminal point 19 of the aft-mass portion 14. FIG. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 6, illustrating an optional advertising, trade name or trademark feature 30. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view, partially in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 6, illustrating an insert 20 and a centrally positioned, substantially vertical wall portion 24, which is also illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, which are schematic side elevation and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

The body of the inventive putter heads, or portions thereof, may comprise metals such as aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, and various metal alloys, and in some embodiments hard, durable plastic materials. Fillers such as carbon fibers, graphite, and the like may be present. The aiming feature may comprise the same material of the body which it is formulated integral with the crown, as may the advertising/trade name feature on the sole. This integration may take place during manufacture of the putter heads. In embodiments when these features are not integrated into the body, they may be added on later, such as by use of an adhesive. In these latter embodiments the aiming feature may simply comprise an adhesive label, or decal.

The body of the inventive putter heads may be manufactured using any number of known methods which are not part of the invention. These methods may include one or more of molding, casting, pressing (such as compression molding of thermosetting resins), machining, grinding, polishing, and the like.

The polymeric insert and face covers may comprise natural or synthetic polymeric materials. When a polymeric insert is used, since it is not likely to be changed during the lifetime of the putter head, its physical properties may be selected to be average values within a range of possible values. The hardness of a polymeric insert and face covers may range from about 20 to about 100 (Shore A), while the tensile strength may range from about 500 psi to about 10,000 psi. In kit embodiments of the invention, when two or more face cover materials are present in the kit, face covers may comprise one having a high hardness and high tensile strength, one having low hardness and low tensile strength, and a third face cover somewhere within these ranges. The different properties may be indicated by numbers, colors, letters, logos or some other indicia or combination of indicia.

Polymeric materials useful in the invention may be selected from natural and synthetic polymers, blends of natural and synthetic polymers, and layered versions of polymers, wherein individual layers may be the same or different in composition and thickness. The term “polymeric material” includes composite polymeric materials, such as, but not limited to, polymeric materials having fillers, plasticizers, and fibers therein. The polymeric substrate may comprise one or more thermoplastic polymers, one or more thermoset and/or thermally cured polymers, one or more elastomers, composite materials, and combinations thereof.

One class of useful polymeric materials are the elastomers. “Elastomer” as used herein is a generic term for substances emulating natural rubber in that they stretch under tension, have a high tensile strength, retract rapidly, and substantially recover their original dimensions. The term includes natural and man-made elastomers, and the elastomer may be a thermoplastic elastomer or a non-thermoplastic elastomer. The term includes blends (physical mixtures) of elastomers, as well as copolymers, terpolymers, and multi-polymers. Useful elastomers may also include one or more additives, fillers, plasticizers, and the like. Examples include ethylene-propylene-diene polymer (EPDM), various nitrile rubbers which are copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile such as Buna-N (also known as standard nitrile and NBR). By varying the acrylonitrile content, elastomers with improved oil/fuel swell or with improved low-temperature performance can be achieved. Specialty versions of carboxylated high-acrylonitrile butadiene copolymers (XNBR) provide improved abrasion resistance, and hydrogenated versions of these copolymers (HNBR) provide improve chemical and ozone resistance elastomers. Carboxylated HNBR is also known. Other useful rubbers include polyvinylchloride-nitrile butadiene (PVC-NBR) blends, chlorinated polyethylene (CM), chlorinated sulfonate polyethylene (CSM), aliphatic polyesters with chlorinated side chains such as epichlorohydrin homopolymer (CO), epichlorohydrin copolymer (ECO), and epichlorohydrin terpolymer (GECO), polyacrylate rubbers such as ethylene-acrylate copolymer (ACM), ethylene-acrylate terpolymers (AEM), EPR, elastomers of ethylene and propylene, sometimes with a third monomer, such as ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVM), fluorocarbon polymers (FKM), copolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and hexafluoropropylene (VF2/HFP), terpolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride), hexafluoropropylene, and tetrafluoroethylene (VF2/HFP/TFE), terpolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride), polyvinyl methyl ether and tetrafluoroethylene (VF2/PVME/TFE), terpolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride), hexafluoropropylene, and tetrafluoroethylene (VF2/HPF/TFE), terpolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride), tetrafluoroethylene, and propylene (VF2/TFE/P), perfluoroelastomers such as tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroelastomers (FFKM), highly fluorinated elastomers (FEPM), butadiene rubber (BR), polychloroprene rubber (CR), polyisoprene rubber (IR), polynorbornenes, polysulfide rubbers (OT and EOT), polyurethanes (AU) and (EU), silicone rubbers (MQ), vinyl silicone rubbers (VMQ), fluoromethyl silicone rubber (FMQ), fluorovinyl silicone rubbers (FVMQ), phenylmethyl silicone rubbers (PMQ), styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBR), copolymers of isobutylene and isoprene known as butyl rubbers (IIR), brominated copolymers of isobutylene and isoprene (BIIR) and chlorinated copolymers of isobutylene and isoprene (CIIR).

Suitable examples of useable fluoroelastomers are copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene and terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene. The fluoroelastomers suitable for use in the disclosed invention are elastomers that comprise one or more vinylidene fluoride units (VF₂ or VdF), one or more hexafluoropropylene units (HFP), one or more tetrafluoroethylene units (TFE), one or more chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) nits, and/or one or more perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) units (PAVE) such as perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether)(PMVE), perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether)(PEVE), and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether)(PPVE). These elastomers can be homopolymers or copolymers. Particularly suitable are fluoroelastomers containing vinylidene fluoride units, hexafluoropropylene units, and, optionally, tetrafluoroethylene units and fluoroelastomers containing vinylidene fluoride units, perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinyl ether units, and tetrafluoroethylene units, such as the vinylidene fluoride type fluoroelastomer known under the trade designation Aflas®, available from Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. Especially suitable are copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene units. One suitable commercially available fluoroelastomer is that known under the trade designation Technoflon FOR HS® sold by Ausimont USA. This material contains Bisphenol AF, manufactured by Halocarbon Products Corp. Another commercially available fluoroelastomer is known under the trade designation Viton® AL 200, by DuPont Dow, which is a terpolymer of VF₂, HFP, and TFE monomers containing 67% fluorine. Another suitable commercially available fluoroelastomer is Viton® AL 300, by DuPont Dow. A blend of the terpolymers known under the trade designations Viton® AL 300 and Viton® AL 600 can also be used (e.g., one-third AL-600 and two-thirds AL-300).

Thermoplastic elastomers are generally the reaction product of a low equivalent molecular weight polyfunctional monomer and a high equivalent molecular weight polyfunctional monomer, wherein the low equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer is capable, on polymerization, of forming a hard segment (and, in conjunction with other hard segments, crystalline hard regions or domains) and the high equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer is capable, on polymerization, of producing soft, flexible chains connecting the hard regions or domains. Commercially available thermoplastic elastomers include segmented polyester thermoplastic elastomers, segmented polyurethane thermoplastic elastomers, segmented polyamide thermoplastic elastomers, blends of thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplastic polymers, and ionomeric thermoplastic elastomers. “Segmented thermoplastic elastomer”, as used herein, refers to the sub-class of thermoplastic elastomers which are based on polymers which are the reaction product of a high equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer and low equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer.

“Ionomeric thermoplastic elastomers” refers to a sub-class of thermoplastic elastomers based on ionic polymers (ionomers). Ionomeric thermoplastic elastomers are composed of two or more flexible polymeric chains bound together at a plurality of positions by ionic associations or clusters. The ionomers are typically prepared by copolymerization of a functionalized monomer with an olefinic unsaturated monomer, or direct functionalization of a preformed polymer. Carboxyl-functionalized ionomers are obtained by direct copolymerization of acrylic or methacrylic acid with ethylene, styrene and similar comonomers by free-radical copolymerization. The resulting copolymer is generally available as the free acid, which can be neutralized to the degree desired with metal hydroxides, metal acetates, and similar salts.

Another useful class of polymeric materials are thermoplastic materials. A thermoplastic material is defined as a polymeric material (preferably, an organic polymeric material) that softens and melts when exposed to elevated temperatures and generally returns to its original condition, i.e., its original physical state, when cooled to ambient temperatures. During the manufacturing process of a putter head face cover or insert, the thermoplastic material may be heated above its softening temperature, and preferably above its melting temperature, to cause it to flow and form the desired shape of the face cover or insert. After the desired shape is formed, the thermoplastic substrate is cooled and solidified. In this way, thermoplastic materials (including thermoplastic elastomers) can be molded into various shapes and sizes.

Thermoplastic materials may be preferred over other types of polymeric materials at least because the product has advantageous properties, and the manufacturing process may be more efficient. For example, a face cover or insert formed from a thermoplastic material is generally less brittle and less hygroscopic than an element formed from a thermosetting material. Furthermore, as compared to a process that would use a thermosetting resin, a process that uses a thermoplastic material may require fewer processing steps, fewer organic solvents, and fewer materials, e.g., catalysts. Also, with a thermoplastic material, standard molding techniques such as injection molding can be used. This can reduce the amount of materials wasted in construction.

Examples of thermoplastic materials suitable for face covers and face inserts in putter heads of the invention include polycarbonates, polyetherimides, polyesters, polysulfones, polystyrenes, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, acetal polymers, polyamides, or combinations thereof. Of this list, polyamides and polyesters may provide better performance. Polyamide materials are useful at least because they are inherently tough and are relatively inexpensive. Polyamide resin materials may be characterized by having an amide group, i.e., —C(O)NH—. Various types of polyamide resin materials, i.e., nylons, can be used, such as nylon 6/6 or nylon 6. Examples of commercially available nylon resins useable in the present invention include those known under the trade designations “Vydyne” from Solutia, St. Louis, Mo.; “Zytel” and “Minlon” both from DuPont, Wilmington, Del.; “Trogamid T” from Degussa Corporation, Parsippany, N.J.; “Capron” from BASF, Florham Park, N.J.; “Nydur” from Mobay, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.; and “Ultramid” from BASF Corp., Parsippany, N.J. Mineral-filled thermoplastic materials can be used, such as the mineral-filled nylon 6 resin “Minlon”, from DuPont.

Thermoset (thermally cured) polymers may be used to form the putter head body or one or more components thereof. Thermoset molding compositions known in the art are generally thermosetting resins containing inorganic fillers and/or fibers. Upon heating, thermoset monomers initially exhibit viscosities low enough to allow for melt processing and molding of an article from the filled monomer composition. Upon further heating, the thermosetting monomers react and cure to form hard resins with high stiffness. Thermoset polymeric substrates useful in the invention may be manufactured by any method known in the art. These methods include, but are not limited to, reaction injection molding, resin transfer molding, and other processes wherein dry fiber reinforcement plys (preforms) are loaded in a mold cavity whose surfaces define the ultimate configuration of the article to be fabricated, whereupon a flowable rein is injected, or vacuumed, under pressure into the mold cavity (mold plenum) thereby to produce the article, or to saturate/wet the fiber reinforcement preforms, where provided. After the resinated preforms are cured in the mold plenum, the finished article is removed from the mold. As one non-limiting example of a useable thermosettable polymer precursor composition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,782 discloses a curable composition including a functionalized poly(arylene ether); an alkenyl aromatic monomer; and acryloyl monomer; and a polymeric additive having a glass transition temperature less than or equal to 100° C., and Young's modulus less than or equal to 1000 megapascals at 25° C. The polymeric additive is soluble in the combined functionalized poly(arylene ether), alkenyl aromatic monomer, and acryloyl monomer at a temperature less than or equal to 50° C. The composition exhibits low shrinkage on curing and improved surface smoothness.

Dimensions of the putter heads of the invention may vary, but in general the distance from the face to the aft-most part of the aft-mass portion may range from about 75 to about 120 mm; the width, measured at the widest points, may range from about 80 to about 120 mm; and the height of the putter heads (at their highest point) may range from about 20 to about 50 mm. The face insert, when used, may have an area ranging from about 10% to about 90% of the area of the putter head face. The depth of the insert may range from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, measured from the putter face to the largest depth measurement of the recess in which the insert is positioned. The depth need not be the same across the whole insert. For example, the middle portion may be deeper, near the spot where the golfer intends to strike the golf ball, near where the aiming feature points to. The insert may be flush with the balance of the putter face, but this is not strictly required, and may, in certain embodiments, actually protrude a short distance away from the face, or form a concave region. The putter face may have some or no loft; if lofted, the loft may range from just over 0° to about 10°; in most putters the left of the face may range from about 3° to about 10°.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments and features of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible tin the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, no clauses are intended to be in the means-plus-function format allowed by 35 U.S.C. § 112 paragraph 6 unless “means for” is explicitly recited together with an associated function. “Means for” clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising a body having a putting face, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a crown, the sole and crown each extending away from the putting face to an aft-mass, the body further having at least one substantially vertical wall extending from an internal surface of the crown to an internal surface of the sole and, with an internal surface of each of the face and the aft-mass, defining at least a port cavity and a starboard cavity, the port cavity opening to a port side of the body and the starboard cavity opening to a starboard side of the body; the crown having an aiming feature on a top external surface thereof.

2. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the port cavity and starboard cavity have substantially equal volumes.

3. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the body, when viewed in plan view, has a shape selected from substantially mallet-shaped and substantially triangular.

4. The golf putter head of claim 3, wherein the body is substantially mallet-shaped, and the internal surface of the sole comprises a port portion and a starboard portion exposed by the crown portion curving inward toward a center of the body.

5. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the at least one substantially vertical wall is a single wall centrally located in the body and extending substantially perpendicular to the putting face, the substantially vertical wall connecting with the face at a midpoint of the face, as indicated by the aiming feature.

6. The golf putter head of claim 5, wherein the substantially vertical wall has a constant thickness.

7. The golf putter head of claim 5, wherein the substantially vertical wall has non-constant thickness.

8. The golf putter head of claim 1 wherein the substantially vertical wall joins with the internal surface of the face in more than one joint.

9. The golf putter head of claim 1 wherein the face of the body has a recessed portion in which is placed an insert material.

10. The golf putter head of claim 9 wherein the body and the insert each comprise metal, which may be the same or different.

11. The golf putter head of claim 9 wherein the insert material is selected from natural and synthetic polymeric materials.

12. A golf putting kit comprising:

(a) a putter head attached to a shaft, the putter head comprising a body having a putting face, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a crown, the sole and crown each extending away from the putting face to an aft-mass, the body further having at least one substantially vertical wall extending from an internal surface of the crown to an internal surface of the sole and, with an internal surface of each of the face and the aft-mass, defining at least a port cavity and a starboard cavity, the port cavity opening to a port side of the body and the starboard cavity opening to a starboard side of the body; the crown having an aiming feature on a top external surface thereof, wherein the putter head face comprises a metal to which a magnetic material may adhere to;

(b) one or more putter face materials adapted to be adhered to the putter head face by magnetic force.

13. The golf putting kit of claim 12 comprising a pouch or bag and carried by the golfer in which are placed putter face materials not being used.

14. The golf putting kit of claim 12 comprising an article worn by the golfer and which may allow the putter face materials to be removably attached thereto by magnetic force.

15. The golf putting kit of claim 12 wherein each putter face material comprises indicia according to physical properties of the face material for ease of selection.

16. The golf putting kit of claim 12 wherein the face material has same shape as that of the putter face.

17. The golf putting kit of claim 12 wherein the face material has a shape smaller than the putter face.

18. A golf putter club comprising a putter head attached to a gripped shaft, the putter head comprising a body having a putting face, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a crown, the sole and crown each extending away from the putting face to an aft-mass, the body further having at least one substantially vertical wall extending from an internal surface of the crown to an internal surface of the sole and, with an internal surface of each of the face and the aft-mass, defining at least a port cavity and a starboard cavity, the post cavity opening to a port side of the body and the starboard cavity opening to a starboard side of the body, the crown having an aiming feature on a top external surface thereof.

19. The golf putter club of claim 18 wherein the putter head face comprises a metal to which a magnetic material may adhere to.

20. The golf putter club of claim 18 wherein the face of the body has a recessed portion in which is placed an insert material.