GOLF CLUB

Abstract

A golf club is described, in which the weight of the head is increased compared with conventional clubs, and in which the upper part of the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft. Preferably, the weight distribution within the head of the club is such that, with the club balanced about its centre of gravity, the shaft will rotate until the face of the club faces upwardly and preferably essentially parallel with the ground whereby, in striking the ball, the inertia of the head is such as to resist any tendency for the club to rotate or twist about the longitudinal axis of the shaft in the hands of the player.

Description

This invention relates to golf clubs and, in particular, provides a golf club which enables a golf ball to be propelled further and more accurately than with a conventional club.

In playing golf, the common objective in propelling a ball from the tee, and often when propelling the ball from the fairway, is to maximise the travel distance of the ball. Particularly but not exclusively for tee shots, the player will often use a club known as a driver, such clubs having longer shafts than irons and having a face with a relatively low angle of loft, whereby the head is intended to have a higher velocity on hitting the ball, the ball trajectory being relatively low so as not to compromise distance. However, such clubs are traditionally difficult to use with accuracy and, additionally, generally require the ball to be set on a tee piece in order to achieve a clean, positive strike. It is thus difficult to use a driver for fairway shots.

In order to enhance the distance a ball travels, it needs to be hit with more energy. This can be done either by swinging the club faster and/or by using a heavier club, but these solutions are to some extent mutually incompatible since an increase in the weight of the head generally results in a reduction in the swing speed. Usually, therefore, currently-available golf clubs, especially drivers, are made from modern lightweight materials which enable the head size to be increased without adding to the overall weight, thus making it easier to strike the ball cleanly, while maintaining the ability to swing the club fast.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club which is heavier than conventional clubs yet can be swung at least as fast as conventional clubs. The invention may be applied to golf clubs comprising drivers/woods and irons but is not appropriate for putters.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a golf club in which the weight of the head is increased compared with conventional clubs, and in which the upper part of the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft.

By “central zone” is meant that part of the shaft between about 40% and 80% of the overall length between the heel of the head and the upper end of the shaft as measured from the heel. The balance point/centre of gravity of the conventional club will thus be moved from the proximity of the 25% point and re-sited within the central zone, preferably around the 75% point just below the handle of the inventive club.

Preferably, the weight distribution within the head of the club is such that, with the club balanced about its centre of gravity, the shaft will rotate until the face of the club faces upwardly and preferably essentially parallel with the ground. This is referred to as “face-balancing” and requires that the weight distribution in the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass of the head is disposed at or adjacent the heel of the head. This has the advantage that, in striking the ball, the inertia of the head is such as to resist any tendency for the club to rotate or twist about the longitudinal axis of the shaft in the hands of the player.

With golf clubs according to the invention, because the centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone towards the handle/grip and away from the head, the apparent weight on swinging the club is reduced and, accordingly, the swing speed is maintained and remains unaffected, compared with a conventional club of lighter weight.

The increase in the weight of the upper part of the shaft may be provided by incorporating weighting means within that part of the shaft, preferably in the handle portion, beneath the conventional outer grip covering material. Preferably, the weighting means provides a weight differential from the rear to the front of the handle, considered in relation to the direction of travel during the swing, whereby the heavier part is to the rear to enhance the tendency to face-balancing. In one embodiment, the handle portion comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and carrying an outer covering of a grip material, part of the sleeve member being formed from a relatively dense material such as brass or steel and the remaining part of the sleeve member being formed from a relatively light material such as an aluminium-containing alloy or a plastics material. The sleeving member may comprise a right cylinder or may be tapered inwardly towards the head of the club.

The club head may comprise a support member attached to the lower end of the shaft, the support member serving to support a face member on the front-facing side and weights on the rear-facing side, the weights preferably being disposed relatively towards the heel of the head at its attachment point to the shaft, to concentrate the mass of the head at or towards the attachment zone of the shaft. The weights are preferably obscured from view with a cover member which clips or is otherwise attached to the support member; desirably, the cover member is removably attached to the support member and the weights themselves are removable, whereby they can either be replaced with other weights or moved to different positions, to enable the club to be set up to the requirements of the user. For example, to position more weight directly behind the sweet spot would result in an enhanced driving distance, whereas to adjust the weight distribution from top to bottom would affect the height of the trajectory. Adjusting the weights from side to side would influence the fade or draw characteristics of the trajectory, thereby enabling the club to be compensated for the drive tendencies of a particular player.

In a preferred embodiment, the support plate comprises attachment means for the weights, a range of different weights being provided with location means which correspond with the attachment means on the support plate, whereby an appropriate weight for given circumstances can be selected and attached to the support plate before the cover member is itself attached. A primary attachment means will preferably be provided in the outer zone of the head, that is, between the centre and toe end of the head, with subsidiary attachment points optionally being provided at other locations.

Golf clubs according to the invention, while having the lower end of the shaft attached to the heel of the head, as required by golfing regulations, nevertheless have a weight distribution, as between the upper part of the shaft and the head of the club, whereby the club is face balanced, that is, it will balance with the face of the head facing upwards and substantially parallel with the ground, and whereby the centre of gravity lies in the central zone of the shaft.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a representative club according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the handle portion of a golf club, with cross-sectional views at various points;

FIG. 3 is an exploded diagrammatic view showing various components of the head of a club according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates alternative ways of adjusting the weight distribution at the head of the club.

With reference firstly to FIG. 1, a golf club, as conventionally known, has a shaft (1), a grip or handle portion (2) being applied to the upper part of the shaft and a head (3) being attached to the lower end. In a conventional club, the balance print along the shaft is disposed towards the head, as indicated by arrow (4). In a club according to the invention, the balance point is displaced towards the upper end of the shaft, within the central zone (as hereinbefore defined), preferably between 50% and 80% along the shaft from the lower end, for example 75% along, as illustrated by arrow (5).

With reference now to FIG. 2, the handle portion of a golf club shaft is shown generally at (10); the handle portion as illustrated tapers inwardly towards the lower part of the handle. The shaft (11), attached at the lower end to the head of the club, carries at its upper end an annular tapered sleeve formed in two parts, respectively (12, 13), each defined by an arcuate channel-section member the sides of which meet in a notional vertical diametrical plane (14) coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the shaft (see the cross-sectional views). The part (13) is formed from brass and the part (12) is formed from an aluminium alloy, the part (13) being disposed on the rear side of the shaft—that is, that side of the shaft which is remote from the face of the head of the club. The sleeve has an outer covering (15) of rubber, leather or synthetic grip material.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the component parts of the head of the club are shown in an exploded configuration and consist essentially of a support or body member (21), a face member (22), a weight member (23) and a cover member (24). The body member (21) incorporates a socket (25) for receiving the lower end of the shaft (11) (FIG. 1); the socket (25) is formed at the heel end of the head. A through-channel (26) is formed at the opposite or toe end to receive a spigot (27) attached to the weight member and which, in the assembled club head, is located and secured in a socket (28) formed in the face member (22). The spigot (27), which may be supplemented by further spigots or other retainers passing through corresponding holes or apertures in the body member (21) and secured in the rear of the face member (22), may be attached by snap action or other suitable means to render the head components capable of being disassembled. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the weight distribution in the weight member 23 is such that the preponderant part of the mass is biassed towards the heel end of the club head.

The cover member (24) is removably secured to the body member to conceal the weight member and to provide, if appropriate, an attractive shape or appearance to the assembled club head.

FIG. 4 shows alternative ways of altering the weight distribution within the head of the club. As in FIG. 2, the body member, face member and cover member have the same numbering but the weight member consists of a mounting plate (29) with, as illustrated, four different arrangements of weights (30) attached thereto. In each embodiment illustrated, the weights 30 are biassed towards the heel of the head but there may also be a bias towards the upper part or the lower part of the head, according to the characteristics desired of the golf club by the user.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a head and a shaft in which the weight of the head is increased compared with conventional clubs, and in which an upper part of the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft.

2. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the centre of gravity of the club is in that part of the shaft between about 40% and 80% of the overall length between a heel of the head and an upper end of the shaft, measured from the heel.

3. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the weight distribution in the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass of the head is disposed at or adjacent a heel of the head.

4. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the upper part of the shaft includes weighting means beneath a conventional outer grip covering material.

5. A golf club according to claim 4, in which the weighting means provides a weight differential from the rear to the front of a handle portion whereby the heavier part is to the rear.

6. A golf club according to claim 5, in which the handle portion comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and carrying an outer covering of a grip material, part of the sleeving member being formed from a relatively dense material such as brass or steel and the remaining part of the sleeving member being formed from a relatively light material such as an aluminum-containing alloy or a plastics material.

7. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the club head comprises a support member attached to the lower end of the shaft, the support member supporting a face member on the front-facing side and weights on the rear-facing side, the weights being disposed relatively towards the heel of the head at its attachment point to the shaft.

8. A golf club according to claim 7, in which the weights are removable.

9. A golf club according to claim 7, in which the support plate comprises attachment means for the weights, a range of different weights being provided with location means which correspond with the attachment means on the support plate, whereby a required weight can be selected and attached to the support plate before a removable cover member is attached.

10. (canceled)

11. A golf club, comprising:

a shaft having a lower end and an upper end; and

a head attached at the lower end of the shaft, the head having a weight member wherein the weight of the head is increased compared with conventional clubs, and an upper portion of the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the center of gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft.

12. The golf club of claim 11, in which the center of gravity of the golf club is in that part of the shaft between about 40% and 80% of the overall length between a heel of the head and the upper end of the shaft, measured from the heel.

13. The golf club of claim 11 in which the weight distribution in the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass of the head is disposed at or adjacent a heel of the head.

14. The golf club of claim 11, in which the upper portion of the shaft includes weighting means beneath a conventional outer grip covering material.

15. The golf club of claim 14, in which the weighting means provides a weight differential from the rear to the front of a handle portion of the shaft whereby the heavier part is to the rear of the handle portion of the shaft.

16. The golf club of claim 15, in which the handle portion comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and carrying an outer covering of a grip material, part of the sleeving member being formed from a relatively dense material such as brass or steel and the remaining part of the sleeving member being formed from a relatively light material such as an aluminum-containing alloy or a plastics material.

17. The golf club of claim 11, in which the club head comprises a support member attached to the lower end of the shaft, the support member supporting a face member on the front-facing side and the weight member on the rear-facing side, the weights being disposed relatively towards the heel of the head at its attachment point to the shaft.

18. The golf club of claim 17, in which weights are removably positioned about the weight member.

19. The golf club of claim 17 wherein the weight member includes attachment means for the weights, a range of different weights being provided with location means which correspond with the attachment means on the weight member, whereby a required weight can be selected and attached to the weight member before a removable cover member is attached.

20. The golf club of claim 19 wherein the cover member is shaped to the head.