GB2308073A - Golf trainer device - Google Patents

Description

GOLF TRAINER DEVICE This invention relates to a golf trainer device for attachment to a golf club, and in particular a putter, to enable the user to improve the backswing and follow through with the putter.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a trainer device for a golf club, the device comprising an elongate sighting arm, and means for removably attaching the sighting arm to the golf club such that the sighting arm extends forwardly of the golf club head along a line generally perpendicular to the shaft of the golf club, the said line lying in a generally vertical plane passing through a predetermined location on the club head; wherein the means for removably attaching the sighting arm to the shaft of the golf club takes the form of a side arm extending between the sighting arm and the shaft1 one end of the side arm being connected to or formed integrally with the sighting arm, and the other end having removable securing means to enable the side arm to be removably secured to the shaft, the side arm and sighting means being in fixed substantially perpendicular relationship such that, when the device is attached to the golf club, the side arm lies over the club head when the sighting arm is disposed perpendicular thereto.

The term forwardly as used herein refers to the forward direction of travel of the golf club head during use.

The predetermined location on the club head is preferably the centre of the sweet spot in the club head, or is at the centre of the club head.

The trainer device is particularly intended for use with putters.

The trainer device preferably is provided with means for removably attaching the sighting arm to the shaft of the golf club.

The securing means can be, for example, in the form of a clip, a clamp, or can take the form of a threaded bolt which passes through the shaft of the club and is secured in place by a nut such as a wing nut.

The side arm can be made telescopic so as to enable it to be used with clubs of differing club head length.

Alternatively, the side arm can be of fixed length for use with a specific size of club head.

The trainer device can be, for example, L-shaped, the L-shape having a longer limb and a shorter limb, the longer limb constituting the sighting arm and the shorter limb constituting the side arm. The side arm can be made collapsible, or can be of fixed length.

In another aspect, the invention provides a golf club fitted with a trainer device as described hereinabove.

The trainer device can be formed from any suitable material including plastics material, metals or wood, but preferably the trainer bar is formed of plastics material for lightness.

In use, the device is attached to the golf club, and in particular the shaft of the golf club. When putting, the putter is positioned such that the sighting arm is in line with the centre of the golf ball. The backswing and follow through of the putter are then controlled such that the sighting arm remains aligned with the centre of the golf ball. Repeated practice using the trainer device in this manner should eventually create the perfect backswing and follow through for the perfect putt.

An important advantage of devices according to the present invention as compared to the known golf trainer devices which provide a sighting arm is that the former are very much easier to align. A device according to the present invention can be aligned by simply rotating the removable fixing about the shaft until the side arm lies above and parallel to the golf club head. Because the sighting arm is perpendicular to the side arm, the sighting arm will then be perpendicular to the head as desired. In known devices, the trainer must be carefully aligned when fitting and the need to maintain this alignment has led the designers thereof to incorporate heavy but firm attachment means. These must often be of metal, and always carry a significant weight penalty. This then affects the swing characteristics of the club.Thus the prior art devices are unnecessarily expensive and do not provide accurate training.

The present invention, on the other hand, provides a device which can be manufactured of a lightweight material, which may be unable to maintain an accurate alignment during play but which can be easily and frequently checked and adjusted. The light weight then means that the swing characteristics do not change when the device is eventually removed.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of example by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the trainer bar in position on the putter; Figure 2 shows the trainer bar from above; Figure 3 illustrates the telescopic part when extended; Figure 4 shows a close-up of the clip; Figure 5 shows a back view of the clip; Figure 6 shows a front view of a practice target according to the present invention; and Figure 7 shows a target as per Figure 6 when in use.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the trainer device comprises a plastic bar 11 which in this embodiment is approximately 240mm long and has a diameter of approximately 7mm. The plastic bar 11 constitutes the sighting arm. It is attached to a telescopic side arm 12 which extends from approximately 30mm up to 100mm. The side arm 12 has a plastic tip 13 on its end, which clips to the putter shaft.

The side arm 12 and sighting arm 11 are formed integrally in a perpendicular relationship, for the reasons set out above.

In the variant form, the side arm 12 is not telescopic but simply formed as a continuous bar.

The entire item is preferably made of a plastics material. Suitable plastics materials are HYPE, polypropylene, polystyrene and nylon. This provides a lightweight device.

Figures 6 and 7 show an optional target for use together with the trainer device of Figures 1 to 5. This comprises a flat base portion 14 from which extends vertically outwardly a target area 15. A hole 16 is formed in the central area of the target area 15. The hole 16 can be a simple circular cut-out at an appropriate height, but in Figure 6 is shown as a vertical slot extending from close to the floor to close to the top of the target area 15.

Figure 7 shows the target in use, placed a little distance ahead of the position of an imaginary golf ball. This trainer allows the trainee golfers to practice their swing in private, for example indoors, by swinging back and forth until they are able to ensure that the sighting on 11 always passes through the hole 16.

The target of Figures 6 and 7 can be made of, for example, plastics or cardboard material. However, it is particularly preferred to form this item of cardboard material, because it can then be integrated into the packaging of the golf club trainer, defined by (e.g.) skip cuts at its edges. The golfer can then press it out of the packaging.

The target of Figures 6 and 7 could of course be used together with a golf club trainer device other than that set out above, such as those known in the prior art.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a golf trainer device comprising a plastic bar which is attached to a plastic telescopic part which extends to the required length to meet the centre of the putter head so that the plastic bar will be directly above the centre of the golf ball when the user of the golf club is practising his or her putting, the plastic telescopic part being attached to a plastic clip which fits to the putter shaft.

It will be readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations may be made to the golf trainer device illustrated in the accompanying drawings without departing from the principles underlying this invention, and all such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this Application.

Claims (17)

1. A trainer device for a golf club, the device comprising an elongate sighting arm1 and means for removably attaching the sighting arm to the golf club such that the sighting arm extends forwardly of the golf club head along a line generally perpendicular to the shaft of the golf club, the said line lying in a generally vertical plane passing through a predetermined location on the club head; wherein the means for removably attaching the sighting arm to the shaft of the golf club takes the form of a side arm extending between the sighting arm and the shaft, one end of the side arm being connected to or formed integrally with the sighting arm, and the other end having removable securing means to enable the side arm to be removably secured to the shaft; the side arm and sighting means being in fixed substantially perpendicular relationship such that, when the device is attached to the golf club, the side arm lies over the club head when the sighting arm is disposed perpendicular thereto.

2. A trainer device as claimed in Claim 1, of generally L-shape, the L shape having a longer limb and a shorter limb, the longer limb constituting the sighting arm and the shorter limb constituting the side arm.

3. A trainer device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the predetermined location on the club head is at or close to the centre of the club head.

4. A trainer device as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the club is a putter.

5. A trainer device as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the securing means is a clip.

6. A trainer device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the securing means is a clamp.

7. A trainer device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the securing means is a threaded bolt which passes through the shaft of the club and is secured in place by a nut such as a wing nut.

8. A trainer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the side arm is telescopic so as to enable it to be used with clubs of differing club head length.

9. A trainer device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the side arm is of fixed length for use with a specific size of club head.

10. A trainer device as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the side arm is collapsible.

11. A trainer device as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the side arm is collapsible of fixed length.

12. A golf club fitted with a trainer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

13. A trainer device substantially as herein described and as described in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A trainer device according to any preceding claim, in combination with a practice target comprising a foot portion supporting an upwardly extending target face, the target face including an aperture.

15. A trainer device according to claim 14 wherein the practice target is of cardboard material.

16. A trainer device according to any one of claims 14 or 15 wherein the golf trainer is provided within a package and the practice target is formed integrally with the package.

17. A trainer device according to claim 16 wherein the shape of the practice target is defined in the packaging by skip cuts.