GOLF ALIGNMENT AND SUPPORT SYSTEM AND METHODS

Abstract

The present invention provides for a golf shot alignment and support system using golf shoes which have at least a portion of the front portion of the sole or welt, or both, of the shoe squared off, and aligning the squared off portion to help set up golfer's feet parallel toward an intended target. The golf shoes further provide a point of balance for the golfer at the end of the golf swing. The present disclosure also provides for methods of their use.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to the field of golf shoes and more particularly to golf shoes whose front section contains an inherent and integral squared off sole or welt or combinations thereof allowing golfers to properly align themselves during set up with the golf shoes toe structure further providing a point of balance for the golfer at the end of the golf swing and providing a visual measure of distance to the ball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is axiomatic in the alignment of a golf shot that the proper placement of one's feet perpendicular to an imaginary line between the ball and its intended target is critical. This imaginary line is often referred to as the toe line. While in the past there have been many mechanisms for aiding an individual in the placement of his feet one that is particularly interesting is a patent to Marc Goldstein, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,614 in which a series of predetermined perpendicular longitudinal and angled lines are arranged on the upper portion of the golf shoe or an appliance of a similar design is placed over the upper of the golf shoe suggesting specific positioning of the feet during driving and iron shots. These alignment attachments or designs are not fashionable, are unsightly, and are obvious alignment aids, while not being applicable to all golfers. Moreover, appliances applied to golf shoes are illegal in the professional world of golf in that they constitute an illegal aid and cannot be worn in USGA-sanctioned events.

By the way of further background, every shot in the game of golf requires proper set up. In fact one of golf's grand masters, Jack Nicklaus, wrote in his book, “If you set up correctly, there's a good chance you'll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. If you set up incorrectly, you'll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world.” The set up in golf involves what is commonly known as “GAPP”, Grip, Alignment, Posture and Position of the golf ball. Various aides are available to help guide golfers in making the proper grip, alignment, posture and position of the golf ball when practicing. However, the rules of golf prohibit guiding or alignment equipment to be used during the actual course of play as it would provide an unfair advantage for the users of the aides, as well as slowing the game down and other problems associated with carrying around guiding equipment.

One area that is problematic for most golfers is aligning their feet when addressing a golf ball prior to hitting it; when driving the ball, when hitting a fairway shot, and while putting. Once the feet are aligned to the toe line, parallel to target line, the knees, hips, shoulders, and eyes are then readily alignable.

The golf shot requires extreme hand-eye coordination. Visual prompting when hitting the ball helps the player to coordinate the swing plane and propel the ball along its intended target line. Often proper set up is obtained by visually aligning the ball with a mark in the tee box in front of the ball. The rules do not allow a player to place a mark in front of the ball to aid in alignment; one must find an existing mark. However, no matter how aligned the ball is to the intended target, unless the player striking the ball is also aligned parallel to the intended target, the ball will not follow the intended line. Therefore for proper set up the player's feet need to be aligned perpendicular to the intended target line. At this stage the player is now positioned sideways to the target line. When the player turns his or her head to confirm proper set up, an altered perspective may result that forces the player to readjust his or her set up thus throwing the alignment off-target. One visual method that is often used by golf instructors is known as “railroad tracks”. The feet are visually aligned with toes touching the inner “track” while the ball is placed on the outer “track”, this track visually ending at the hole or other target. Visualizing the “crosstie”, allows for perfect alignment to the ball as well as measuring the proper distance from the golfer's body to the ball.

Often during practice a player will place a golf club or other device to align his or her feet touching an imaginary toe line parallel to a target line. This not only helps to provide proper set up of the feet but also allows the player to concentrate on the myriads of other things that need to be addressed during a golf swing. In play, no alignment aides are allowed, so it is up to the player to ensure proper foot set up when addressing the ball, a set up which can change during the course of a player's addressing the ball as he or she adjusts the set up for other reasons.

Even more important is set up during putting when the player must hit a 1.68 inch diameter ball into a 4.25 inch hole. Obviously the further away from the hole, the harder it is to put the ball into the hole. A small deviation from the intended target line can mean missing the hole completely. Devices and aides have been developed for improving the alignment of a golfer when putting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,600 to Callaway Golf describes what is known as a two-ball putter in which two 1.68 in diameter circles are lined up perpendicular to the putter face so that the player may line up his or her ball with the two circles, thereby visually aligning the ball and club along a chosen target. However if the players feet are not aligned touching an imaginary toe line parallel to the target line created by the ball and putter, the ball may not be on line when stuck. One method to align a player both during a putting stroke has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,802 to Cooper. In this patent, a series of alignment stripes are disposed on the top of the upper section of golf shoes skewed at a slight angle, off set from the longitudinal axis of the golf shoe providing an alignment aid when the heels of the shoes are placed together. However obvious alignment appliances or add-on aids are considered to be illegal by the USGA.

Moreover, the golf fashion industry is a multibillion dollar industry illustrating the fact that while playing well on the course is important, it is also important to look good on the golf course. Thus, wearing golf shoes that have obvious alignment aids in the form of a series of lines disposed across the upper surface of the golf shoes is not a fashionable solution to helping with alignment of the player during the set-up.

Another area that is problematic for most golfers is what's known as the “finish” wherein the golfer finishes the swing standing on the toe of his or her right foot for a right-handed golfer or his or her left foot for a left-handed golfer. When a good swing is executed the toe of the right foot for a right-handed golfer is positioned so that the toe is vertical against the ground providing a golfer with a desired finishing posture confirming proper weight transfer. Examples of training aids to encourage a proper finish position are disclosed in H. Richard Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,442 in which a single square toe attachment or appliance which is removable from the front of a golf shoe is placed on the trailing foot golf shoe to permit the golfer of the attachment to assume the correct foot position in the follow-through phase of the golf swing.

However, such square toe attachments are illegal in the professional world of golf in that they constitute an illegal aid and cannot be worn in USGA-sanctioned events. Moreover, the idea of having to strap on a square toe attachment to a shoe is unsightly and oftentimes inconvenient when trying to attach the device to the shoe itself. Moreover, wearing a single square toe attachment and these types of appliances during play would be awkward and not intended for use during regular play but rather practice situations.

For these reasons the attachment device described in the above-mentioned patent is very rarely used if at all. Even when used in practice for which it was intended, there is no necessary correlation between what the aid teaches the golfer during practice and what the golfer actually uses to execute a shot when on the course. The reason for this disconnect is clear in that he must remove the aid when playing in a USGA-sanctioned tournament. Therefore what he has learned with regard to the use of the square toe attachment is lost during competition.

There is therefore a need to provide a golfer with a system that will aid in the aligning of his golf shot without running afoul of the USGA rules limiting attachments or artificial appendages.

Typical golf shoes having rounded soles do not provide any support at the finish preventing the foot from being stabilized at the end of the swing. If not stabilized in the proper position the golfer tends to move away from good posture during the finish, potentially causing erratic behavior of the ball flight. Additionally a good finishing posture is less stressful on the body.

There is therefore a need to provide golfers with a USGA approved system and method to aid in obtaining proper set up and alignment with the intended target line prior to striking the ball. There is also a need for the golfer to ascertain his distance to the ball for an optimum swing and at the same time to allow a player to remain fashionable. There is further a need for providing golfers with a shoe for supporting a good finishing posture ensuring proper weight transfer that establishes better ball flight as well as less stress on the body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While square-toed shoes have existed in the past, none have been provided with golf cleats. In order to assist golfers in club alignment without violating USGA rules a golf shoe having cleats is provided with an inherent feature in the form of the sole of the golf shoe, namely a squared off toe portion. Since a sole is integral to the golf shoe, whatever shape it has is not equivalent to an add-on alignment device or appliance, even though it can provide that function as an inherent feature. The subject invention thus provides a golf alignment and set up aid and a support system that gives a golfer the ability to achieve proper set up prior to and when striking the ball and also provides support at the finish, or end of the golf swing. In one embodiment, the set up and support system includes a pair of golf shoes which are configured to contain a sole or welt whose front portion is squared off and is perpendicular to the medial axis of the body of the golf shoe.

In a further embodiment the alignment and support system includes a pair of golf shoes which are configured to contain a front portion of the upper which is squared off and which is perpendicular to the medial axis of the body of the golf shoe.

In another embodiment the set up and support system includes a pair of golf shoes which are molded and do not have a discrete sole, However a portion of the molded shoe acts as a conventional sole such that the molded sole includes a front portion which is squared off and is perpendicular to the medial axis of the molded body of the golf shoe.

In another embodiment of the invention is a method of set up which includes a pair of golf shoes which are configured to contain a sole, or welt, or molded sole, whose front portion is a squared off and is perpendicular to the medial axis of the body of the golf shoe.

Moreover, to aid in alignment the top portion of the squared off sole may contain contrasting indicia or an area that has a color or texture in contrast to the remainder of the sole which is clearly visible to the golfer.

In a further embodiment of the invention a method is provided to provide support to a golfer during and after the swing.

Not only does the square toe assist in alignment, at the end of the swing the square portion of the toe is flush with the turf to keep the rear foot vertical. This indicates to the golfer through feel and function that he has properly executed a shot because the weight has properly shifted from the back to the front foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the invention will be better understood in connection with the Detailed Description in conjunction with the Drawings, of which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are isometric drawings of the sole of the subject golf shoe showing a squared off toe, respectively with contrasting indicia and a toe that is textured, colored or shaded in contrast to the remainder of the sole;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are top views of the soles illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the railroad track teaching aid for aligning a drive, iron shot or putt;

FIG. 4A is a diagrammatic illustration of the set-up and alignment procedure beginning with aiming the club face at the target creating a target line and then initial back foot placement creating a toe line parallel to the line to the target.

FIG. 4B is a diagrammatic illustration of the alignment procedure of FIG. 4A showing bringing up the front foot to the toe line of FIG. 4A, resulting in proper placement of both front and back feet when addressing a ball;

FIG. 5A is an expanded view of FIG. 4A showing the bringing up of the back or rear foot to the toe line parallel to the intended line of flight, as shown by a perpendicular to the face of a golf club, illustrating the high visibility of the squared off sole portion of the golfer's rear shoe when viewed by the golfer addressing the ball;

FIG. 5B is an expanded view of FIG. 4B of the bringing up of the front foot to the toe line of FIG. 5A, illustrating the high visibility of the squared off sole portions of the golfer's shoes when viewed by the golfer addressing the ball, in which the back foot is first brought up to a line parallel to the intended line of flight, the toe line, with the alignment of the squared off toe portions of the golf shoe soles indicating the preferred line of flight of the ball when the golfer's feet are properly aligned by viewing the tips of the squared off soles of his shoes;

FIG. 5C is a diagrammatic illustration of the flaring of the front foot after the alignment procedure of FIG. 5B to permit proper body turn and weight transfer during the golf swing;

FIGS. 6A-6H are diagrammatic illustrations of an ideal golf swing from take back, through ball impact, showing the lifting of the rear foot during follow through;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the locking of the squared off toe during follow through to indicate to the golfer by haptic feedback the proper position of the back foot for an ideal swing;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tops of the squared off sole toes showing alignment of the squared off toes with the intended ball path for a putting scenario, also indicating a ball spacing cue indicating the spacing of the ball to the toes of squared off soles; and,

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a squared off golf shoe upper that can be used as part of the subject alignment procedure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein a golf shoe is defined as a shoe commonly used by golfers which have spikes, nubs or other means for providing traction of a golf shoe on the surfaces encountered on a golf course, extending outward from the sole of the shoe, either soft or hard such as of metal, which allow the golfer to obtain traction with the surface upon which he or she stands.

As used herein the medial axis of the shoe is an imaginary line that runs from the center of the heel of each shoe to the center of the toe of each shoe and, when the shoes are placed side-by-side and abutting each other, the medial axes are parallel to each other.

As used herein the term squared off refers to a configuration wherein at least a portion of the sole which is squared off is defined by a straight line.

As used herein the term sole refers to the underside of the shoe which may be a discrete component of the shoe or integrally part of a molded shoe.

As used herein the term welt refers to a strip of material that is used to sew together the shoe's outsole and its insole and upper. The welt can be made to “stick-out” from the sole and further ornament the shoe.

The present invention provides for golf shoes and methods of using the golf shoes that aid in a golfer's ability to set up and align his feet and thus his body parallel to an imaginary intended target line as well as providing support for the golfer during and after the swing. If a golfer's feet are aligned perpendicular to the intended target line, it is easier to align his or her knees, hips, shoulders, head and golf club, allowing the opportunity for the golfer to strike a golf ball along the intended target line. It also allows a golfer to properly position himself from the golf ball so that the golf ball is the proper distance from the golfer's body. Golf shoes typically have rounded soles and welts and also rounded toe caps that do not allow a golfer to visualize the proper set up of his or her feet and the proper distance from the golf ball. In the present invention a sole has a portion or front edge that is squared off relative to the medial axis of the shoe providing for a straight edge which can visually be seen by the golfer when the golfer is addressing the ball and allows the golfer to set up his or her feet by lining up the straight front edges of both golf shoes parallel to the intended target line. The subject system also allows for visualization of proper set up with regard to the distance from the golfer's feet to the golf ball. The same can be said for an upper that has a squared off toe cap such that alignment can be achieved by viewing the squared off toe cap along with the squared off portion of the sole. Alternately, the squared off toe cap can be used by itself for proper alignment.

When setting up for a shot in golf, straight lines and angles are much easier to use to visualize direction and alignment. Since, for example, round toed shoes do not have any straight portions, visualizing straight lines is very difficult. This concept of visualizing parallel lines is used in every alignment aid used in the teaching of golf.

Referring now to FIG. 1A in one embodiment, a golf shoe 10 is indicated as having an upper 12 and sole 14, with the tip of the sole 16 having a squared off portion 18 which in general is perpendicular to the medial axis of the shoe. It will be appreciated that when viewed from the top, the sole that extends forward of the toe 20 of the shoe has a visible squared off edge 22 that is used in the subject alignment procedure.

Whether or not the squared off portion 18 of sole 14 has indicia 24 thereon, it will be appreciated that when viewing the sole from a point when the golfer is addressing a ball edge 22 is highly visible and usable in the alignment process.

It is also possible to provide the top surface of squared-off portion 18 with indicia 24 which is of a contrasting color, texture or surface so that the squared-off direction may be more easily viewed from when the golfer is addressing the ball.

Referring to FIG. 1B, it can be seen that shoe 10 has a squared off portion 18 which has a different color, texture or surface 26 that is visibly different from the remainder of the sole here shown at 14 so that the squared off toe portion of the sole can be even more highly visible by the golfer when he addresses the ball.

Also shown in FIG. 1B is a contrasting indicia color 24′ from the color of surface 26 which may also be utilized as a visual cue in the alignment procedure.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B the shoes of FIGS. 1A and 1B are shown in top view such that edge 22 which is the end of the squared off portion 18 of sole 14 is highly visible from above. As will be seen hereinafter, it is the edge 22 associated with the squared off portion 18 of the shoe 10 that is to be aligned parallel to the intended target line of the ball after it is struck. Again, edge 22 may be used in connection with either indicia 24 or 24′ to give a visual cue to the golfer; or a line 28 is created by the contrasting color between the squared off portion 18 and the sole 14′ that may also be utilized as an alignment aid. As a result, the golfer when viewing the squared-off soles of his shoes has a number of alignment aids relating to the squared off portion of the sole that indicates the intended direction of the ball when struck by a golf club by abutting an imaginary line parallel to the intended target line.

The exact angle of edge 22 to the medial axis of the shoe while important is not a critical factor in view of the variability in determining the medial axis of the shoe. Rather, edge 22 shown by the squared off portion 18 of the sole is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the shoe.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a golfer 30 is taught proper position using the railroad track method utilizing golf clubs to simulate railroad tracks. Here golfer 30 is shown addressing a ball 32 so that his shoes 34 and 36 are brought up perpendicular to a golf club 40 that establishes an imaginary toe line 38 that is parallel to a golf club 42 that lies along the intended direction of flight or path of ball 32, here shown by target line 44.

As illustrated, the railroad track aids that assist in visualizing this imaginary line and are commonly used in instructing individuals when preparing for a swing. In general, this visual cue is provided by parallel golf clubs 40 and 42 which surround ball 32, with club 40 representing a line parallel to the target line and with club 40 being parallel to club 42 pointing in the intended direction of flight of the ball when the ball is struck, namely target line 44.

If the golfer can position his feet in the manner shown in FIG. 3 at least initially his hips, body, shoulders and core will be properly aligned to the target line for an ideal swing.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, here golfer 30 addresses ball 32 and aligns the club head 33 such that its face points in the direction of the target, namely pin 46 in the illustrated embodiment, along a target line 44.

Having positioned the club head appropriately, golfer 30 places his back foot 50 such that edge 22 of sole 14 touches an imaginary line 38 that is parallel to line 44.

Thereafter as shown in FIG. 4B, golfer 30 positions his front foot 52 such that the edge 22 touches imaginary line 38. Since imaginary line 38 is parallel to line 44 proper alignment prior to executing the golf swing is provided.

More particularly and referring now to FIG. 5A, in terms of foot movement an expanded view of FIG. 4A shows golf club 33 having its face 35 perpendicular to the intended line of flight 44. This perpendicularity is shown by dotted line 56. As a first step, the golfer positions his back foot 50 as illustrated by arrow 60 so that the squared off edge 22 touches imaginary line 38 parallel to target line 44.

As seen in FIG. 5B, an expanded view of FIG. 4B is shown, in which like elements any like reference characters with respect to 5A. Here the golfer then places his front foot 52 as illustrated by arrow 62 such that the edge 22 associated with squared off portion 18 of sole 14 is again aligned along imaginary line 38.

It will be appreciated that once having placed the leading front foot in the manner described in connection with FIG. 5B the alignment of the knees, hips, torso and shoulders are now appropriately aligned to the target line prior to executing the swing.

As illustrated in FIG. 5C, once the alignment in FIG. 5B has been achieved front foot 52 may be flared outwardly as illustrated by arrow 64 for the proper rotation of the hips and the body, as well as for proper weight transfer during the execution of the shot.

What is now described in FIGS. 6A through 6H is a diagram of the ideal swing for a golfer seeking to drive the ball along the target line. Here golfer 30 as shown in FIG. 5A addresses ball 32 in the manner described above, after which as illustrated in FIGS. 6B and 6C golfer 30 executes the back swing of golf club 70 until such time as illustrated in FIG. 6D is cocked above the golfer's head.

Thereafter and as shown in FIG. 6E, the down swing is begun such that the weight transfer of the golfer is as illustrated at 30′ with the golf club coming down towards ball 32.

As shown in FIG. 6F, the hips 74 of the golfer are rotated forwardly so as to permit the proper weight transfer through the ball which bears impact of the head 76 of club 70 to drive the ball 32 in the intended direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 6G, the hips 74′ continue to rotate in the follow through of the golf swing in which the golf club 70 moves forwardly as illustrated.

Finally, in FIG. 6H, the hips 74″ are shown during the finish of the swing with the golf club 70 clearly behind the head 72 of golfer 30, and with the heel 80 of the golfer's back foot 82 moving in the direction of arrow 84 during the finish of the golf swing.

It is very important to indicate to the golfer that he has executed an appropriate swing and weight transfer. This is accomplished by feel or haptic feedback provided by the squared off portion 18 of the sole of the back shoe 82 that is flush with the surface whether it be grass or otherwise and has resulted in the appropriate vertical position. This indicates that the weight transfer from the back foot to the front foot has been successful for the ideal swing. It is not often that the golfer can be made to feel that his weight transfer has been proper and is through the fact that the squared off portion of the rear foot sole is neither left nor right, but rather is locked in a vertical position and squared off with the surface of the ground that he is standing on.

This is more clearly shown in FIG. 7 in which the finish position of FIG. 6H is magnified to show that the squared off portion 18 of sole 14 contacts surface 90 of the ground and is square with the surface or at least is frictionally held in position so that the toe of the rear foot is flush with the surface of the ground locking the back foot in the vertical position at the finish of the swing. This locking of the foot to the ground gives the golfer a sense of the position of his foot at the end of the swing and that there has been a proper weight transfer during the finish of the swing.

If the golfer feels that his rear foot is either not firmly locked vertically or if he feels that the shoe is somehow wobbling on the front edge of the squared off toe, then he will understand that the swing may not have been properly executed.

Referring now to FIG. 8, shoes with the squared off soles of FIGS. 1 and 2 are utilized during putting as well as during driving the ball or executing an iron shot on the fairway. Here it can be seen that shoes 34 and 36 are aligned with an imaginary line 100 which is parallel to the path 102 of a ball 104 from the ball to the cup 106. This alignment of the squared off sole portions 18 of shoes 34 and 36 not only aligns the golfer to the cup or to the desired path of the ball to the cup, it also permits the golfer to space himself a distance 106 from the ball 104. Not only is this spacing of the ball from the golfer during putting critical to a proper putt, it is also used in the case of addressing the ball in FIGS. 3-6 in initially permitting the golfer to properly address the ball at an optimal distance of the golfer to the ball. Thus while the distance 106 is important in putting, it is also important in initially addressing a ball with a driver or an iron.

Referring now to FIGS. 9A and 9B, the golf shoes of FIGS. 1A and 1B are shown having an upper carrying a toe cap 20′ which is squared off and has a squared off top edge 120. The squared off top edge runs parallel to the squared off sole portion 18 so that this edge can be utilized in the subject alignment procedure. Since the toe cap is clearly visible by the golfer as he addresses the ball and with the line afforded by the squared off toe cap is parallel to the squared off sole portion 18, foot alignment can be achieved as described above when using the squared off sole.

Thus, in addition to the squared off sole and the indicia thereon, the hard line 120 of the toe cap can be used as a visual alignment tool in the same manner as the squared off sole portions.

It is also important to note in an alternative embodiment that regardless of the configuration of the sole this squared off toe cap may be used in the subject alignment procedure as the configuration of the toe cap is an inherent integral portion of the toe cap this can be used for alignment.

The desired target line may be purposely adjusted to allow for the golfer to obtain an open stance in which the front foot is further away from the desired target line created, for example, by the golf ball to the center of the green or fairway; or a closed stance may be assumed, in which the front foot is closer to the desired target line. The former alignment may be used by the golfer to cause a fade, or small slice, to the ball flight when struck, while the latter may be used by the golfer to cause a draw, or slight hook, to the ball flight when the ball is struck. Aligning the golf shoes in accordance with the subject invention helps the golfer to achieve the desired alignment during these highly specialized and difficult golf shots.

Since a part of the experience of playing golf includes its fashionability, anything that takes away from the fashion of a golf outfit is undesirable. Lines placed on the top of the upper golf shoe, designed for alignment or for other purposes, are unacceptable to golfers who are concerned about fashion. In fact anything that is obviously a game play aid will be undesirable and may not be in compliance with the rules of the USGA as described above. A squared off inherent integral front portion of the sole and/or the welt or upper is very subtle and discreet. Additionally the corners of the front portion of the upper, the sole and/or the welt where the front meets the sides may be rounded to allow for a “softer”, more fashionable look as long as the sight line cue is maintained.

In another embodiment indicia are added to the front portion of the sole that is visible to the golfer. These indicia can be, for example, in the form of a brand name that is integral to the sole, and may be discreetly applied to the squared off sole and/or welt in order to aid in alignment. The indicia however should not detract from the fashionability of the shoe. Such indicia may include a complimentary or contrasting color to the overall color of the shoe or the color of the sole to highlight the squared off feature and make it more visible to the golfer as he or she aligns him/herself. An indicator line of a different color to that of the indicia or that of the remaining portion of the sole may also be used. Note, if the indicia is a brand name, the brand name may be embedded in or embossed on or printed on the sole, with the indicia being perpendicular to the end of the squared-off sole and may be of any complimentary or contrasting color. Note that the color difference between squared off portion of the sole and the remaining portion of the sole may be further used to accentuate the visual cue provided by the squared off tip of the shoe.

As mentioned, the present invention provides a means of support for the golfer during and after the golf swing. For a right handed golfer, a good swing has the golfer pushing off his right foot and finishing with a majority of his weight on the left foot and standing on the toe of his right foot. Deviations from this position, all of which happen in a matter of a few seconds, produce stresses on the golfer's body that can become problematic after repeated swings. The squared off portion of the subject golf shoe provides a support for the golfer's right foot making the proper position and posture easier to achieve. For a right handed golfer, a good golf swing with the right foot ending in a vertical position generally confirms proper balance. Upon achieving a follow-through foot position with the squared off toe portion of the shoe flush with the ground provides the golfer with added stability and confirmation of proper weight transfer.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications or additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A golf position set up and support system comprising a pair of golf shoes for regular and tournament play comprising hard or soft spikes, and comprising a sole that is squared-off, the squared off portion being essentially perpendicular to the medial axis of the shoe and extending fully or partially across the width of the shoe at the toe, wherein the sole extends outwardly from the shoe to expose a top section of the sole onto which indicia is displayed.

2. (canceled)

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicia on the extended top section of the squared off sole is color contrasted to the color of the sole.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the golf shoe is a molded shoe and the sole is molded as a part of the shoe.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. A method of providing desired set up of golfer's feet comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a pair of golf shoes for regular and tournament play comprising hard or soft spikes, having a squared-off front portion of a sole, the squared off portion being essentially perpendicular to the medial axis of the shoe and extending fully or partially across the width of the shoe at the toe, wherein the sole extends outwardly from the shoe to expose a top section of the sole onto which indicia is displayed. and

b) aligning the squared-off extended portion of the sole, with an imaginary line parallel to the line from the ball and an intended target such that the parallel line can be visualized by viewing the line established by the squared off extended portion.

8. A method of providing desired distance between golfer's feet and a golf ball position comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a pair of golf shoes for regular and tournament play having a squared-off front portion of a sole; the squared off portion being essentially perpendicular to the medial axis of the shoe and extending fully or partially across the width of the shoe at the toe, wherein the sole extends outwardly from the shoe to expose a top section of the sole onto which indicia is displayed. and

b) determining a desired distance between golfer's feet and a golf ball by visualizing the distance between the ball and the squared-off extended front portion, thus to permit determining the distance and position of the ball from the golfer's feet.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the indicia on the extended top section of the squared off sole is color contrasted to the color of the sole.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the golf shoe is a molded shoe and the sole is molded as a part of the shoe.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the indicia on the extended top section of the squared off sole is color contrasted to the color of the sole.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the golf shoe is a molded shoe and the sole is molded as a part of the shoe.