Golf Club

Abstract

A golf club having an elongate member and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light to indicate to a user of the aid the path being followed by the member. The golf club may be a golf club and the elongate member may be the shaft of the golf club. The beams of light may be produced by two oppositely directed lasers each mounted to the golf club.

Description

The present invention relates to a golf club. Advantageously, but not necessarily the aid is incorporated in an otherwise conventional golfclub.

It is well known that the accuracy of play in the game of golf is inherently dependent upon the accuracy with which the golfclub is swung both before and after impact with the golfball. Even minor errors in the accuracy of the swing will impart a thrust on the golfball in the wrong direction and/or impart a spin to the golfball causing an unwanted departure from the intended flight of the golfball. For the golf player, ensuring that the golfclub is swung along a desired and appropriate path having regard to the above requirements is difficult to check. It is an object of the invention to address this problem.

According to the present invention, there is provided a golf club comprising an elongate member and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light to indicate to a user of the aid the path being followed by the member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aid is a golfclub, the elongate member being the hollow shaft of the golfclub. The means for producing the beams of light are laser means advantageously comprising two lasers disposed in line. The lasers are mounted in line within the hollow shaft of the golfclub and the head of the golfclub and the grip of the golfclub both define bores enabling beams of light travelling along the hollow shaft to exit the club. Preferably, one laser is mounted at the grip end of the golf club and points in a direction away from the club head, and the other laser is mounted at the head end of the golf club and points in a direction away from the grip. Advantageously, by mounting the two lasers at opposite ends of the golf club, the affect on the direction of the laser beams caused by flexing of the shaft of the golf club throughout a golf swing is kept to a minimum.

The lasers may form part of a circuit comprising a power source to power the lasers. Preferably, a motion sensor switch is provided in the club to switch on the lasers when the club is lifted. More preferably, a tilt mechanism is provided to switch the lasers on or off depending upon their respective orientation relative to the ground. The tilt mechanism is preferably arranged to switch either laser off when it is pointed away from the ground and on when it is pointed toward the ground. Advantageously, providing a tilt mechanism to activate or deactivate either laser ensures that either laser is not switched on when pointed in a direction that could shine into a user's eye which could result in damage to the user's sight.

The power source preferably comprises a battery and the battery is preferably rechargeable. In an alternative, means are provided to generate power, when the club is moved, to power the lasers. Also, audible means may advantageously be included to indicate departure from the desired path audibly.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view in section of a golf club according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of a conventional golf club;

FIG. 3 shows a block circuit diagram of the circuitry housed within the golfclub of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows use of the golfclub of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 shows a side elevation view in section of an alternative embodiment of a golf club according to the invention;

Referring to FIG. 1, the club 21 comprises the usual head 1, elongate hollow shaft 2 and grip 3. The head is fixed to one end of the shaft 2 and the grip to the other end of the shaft 2 remote from the head 1. The head 1 defines a through bore 4, and the grip 3 defines a through bore 5 for a purpose described later. Housed within the hollow shaft 2 is a light unit 6. In operation, this light unit 6 delivers a beam of light 7 through the bore 4 and a beam of light 8 which is precisely in line with the beam of light 7 through the bore 5.

Referring additionally to FIG. 3, the light unit 6 may take many forms but in this embodiment comprises two lasers 9 and 10 mounted in line within the hollow shaft 2. These are connected in the circuit shown in FIG. 3 with a power supply 11 and a motion sensor switch 12 which responds to a signal from motion sensor 13 conditioned and amplified by signal conditioning electronics, amplifier and delay circuit 14. The power supply is provided by a battery, preferably a rechargeable battery, and means are provided to enable the battery to be recharged from an external power source ideally without removing the battery from the shaft. Alternatively, the battery may be disposed within the shaft to facilitate removal and replacement. Where the battery is not rechargeable, ready removal and replacement must be provided for. In a further embodiment a generator may be provided driven by the motion of the club to generate power to power the lasers obviating the need for battery replacement. In the arrangement described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the motion sensor switch 12 responds to the motion imparted to the club when the club is picked up to close the circuit thus enabling the battery to power the lasers 9 and 10. The switch 12 incorporates a timer ensuring that the lasers remain powered for a time after motion ceases.

A manual switch 50 is provided at the grip end of the club 21 which permits a user to control the operation of the lasers 9, 10. Depressing and holding the switch 50 for a predetermined period of time (such as 3 seconds) activates the lasers 9, 10. Depressing and holding the switch 50 for a further predetermined period of time (such as 3 seconds) deactivates the grip end laser 10 and allows a user to use the head end laser 9 of the club 21 to analyse the lower part of his/her swing. Depressing the switch 50 for a further period of time (such as 3 seconds) deactivates both lasers 9, 10. Alternatively, bringing the club 21 to rest for a period of 30 seconds causes the motion sensor switch 12 to open the circuit and deactivate the lasers 9, 10.

The use of the club will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. Ideally the player 20 stands in the usual way with the club 21 in position to address at position 22. In this position, when activated, laser 9 emits a beam of light 23 (can be red but other suitable colours may be used such as green which has been found to show up better than red in daylight conditions) which impinges on the floor 25 directly in front of the clubhead 1. As the club is swung each beam of light 7,8 moves to indicate to the player the position of the club 21 thus enabling him to check and adjust that position.

Referring to FIG. 4, for an ideal swing the laser beam of light 23 should follow a base line 26 drawn in the horizontal plane on a template on which the player stands. As the club is drawn back (the back swing) the end of the beam of light 23 moves along from the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 27 eventually leaving that line as the clubhead is drawn back through the horizontal position and up over the right hand shoulder (for a right handed player). As the club approaches that raised position the beam 24 from laser 10 progressively comes into play and for an ideal swing, should also follow the base line 26 also in the direction of arrow 27.

As the club is swung from the raised position the beam from laser 10 first follows the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 28. As the club head approaches the point of impact with the ball, the beam from laser 9 takes over also following the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 28 through the impact position and in the first part of the follow through. Moving from that first part to the latter part of the follow through, the beam from laser 10 once again takes over again following the base line 26, the laser beams 23 and 24 enabling the player to check and correct the position of his club by monitoring the position of the beams with respect to the base line throughout the swing.

Referring to FIG. 5, in an alternative embodiment, a borehole 52 is formed in the hosel of the club head 1 and one of the lasers 9 of the light unit 6 is mounted within the borehole 52. The borehole 52 is arranged such that, when the laser 9 is mounted therein, the laser beam 7 is directed out from the hole 52 away from the grip end of the club such that the laser beam is substantially axially aligned with the laser beam 8 of the other laser 10. The laser 9 is mounted by wrapping it with a soft outer core to improve the friction fit with the walls of the borehole 52 and gluing it in place. Mounting the laser 9 securely in this way permits a golf ball to be struck by the club head without affecting the axial alignment of the two laser beams 7, 8. In addition, positioning the lasers 9, 10 at respective ends of the club 21 minimises the potential problem with the embodiment of FIG. 1 which is that flexing of the shaft during the swinging motion can result in the beam of light 7 directed toward the club head 1 striking the internal wall of the shaft 2, thereby causing speckling of the laser beam 7 due to internal reflection or even preventing the beam of light 7 from exiting the club 21 and affecting its ability to provide feedback to the user at a critical point of the swing

In a modification, an audible warning device may also be provided. The device emits a sound of a certain frequency when the club is correctly following the base line. When the club departs from the base line, the frequency of the sound changes to indicate this. The device is magnetic and coacts with a magnetic strip on the base line.

In a further modification, a tilt mechanism is provided which switches a laser off when it is pointed in a direction away from the ground, and on when a laser is pointed toward the ground. The tilt mechanism is arranged such that, when the club passes beyond the horizontal plane relative to the ground, the laser that points away from the ground is switched off and the laser that points toward the ground is switched on. This minimises the chances of a laser beam emitted by a laser of the golf club shining into the eye of a user and causing damage to the user's sight and it also minimises the chances of a stray laser beam from being directed in an upward direction where it can interfere with overhead aircraft.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising an elongate member, a club head adapted to impact a golf ball and a grip fixed at opposite ends of the elongate member, and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light to indicate to a user of the aid a path being followed by the member when the member is moved.

2. A golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for producing the beams of light are laser means.

3. A golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein one laser is mounted at the end of the elongate member to which the grip is fixed and points in a direction away from the head of the golf club, and the other laser is mounted at the head end of the club and points in a direction away from the grip of the golf club.

4. A golf club as claimed in claim 3, wherein the head comprises a hosel and the head end laser is mounted in the hosel.

5. A golf club as claimed in claim 4, wherein the head end laser is held in place by friction fit.

6. A golf club as claimed in 4, wherein the head end laser is held in place by glue.

7. A golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lasers form part of a circuit comprising a power source to power the lasers.

8. A golf club as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a motion switch to switch on the lasers when the club is subject to motion.

9. A golf club as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for generating power when the club is moved to power the means for producing beams of light.

10. (canceled)

11. A golf club comprising an elongate member, a club head adapted to impact a golf ball and a grip fixed at opposite ends of the elongate member, and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light to indicate to a user of the aid a path being followed by the member when the member is moved and wherein the means for producing the beams of light are laser means, the golf club further comprising a tilt mechanism adapted to turn one of the laser means off and the other laser means on depending on the orientation of the golf club.

12. A golf club as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tilt mechanism is arranged to turn off a laser means when it is pointed in a direction away from the ground, and turn on a laser means when it is pointed in a direction toward the ground.

13. A method of training comprising the steps of:

providing a golf club according to claim 1; and

using the golf club to strike a golf ball.