Abstract:
A golf swing training apparatus and method for improving golf swing tempo and rhythm uses a lighted strip that sequentially illuminates the backswing and foreswing patterns of a desired golf swing tempo. A control unit operatively connected to the light strip is programmed to control and vary the speed and tempo of the lighting sequence of the strip as desired.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/849,988 filed Feb. 7, 2013. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The technology of the invention relates to golf training devices and methods to improve golf swing tempo and rhythm. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known golf is all about rhythm and being in the moment. To become a better golfer establishing a reliable stroke tempo and repeating it on every swing is essential. If a stroke is faster one swing and slower on the next the golf ball will travel inconsistent paths and distances. Improving tempo provides the golfer with a better opportunity to make the best swing and strike a golf ball solidly. A common problem is the rhythm is appropriate one swing and fast on the next and with each attempt the golfer is off balance at the end of the golfer&#39;s motion and catches the golf ball on the heel, toe, high, low or off-center on the golf club face. Balance and rhythm are essential for hitting solid shots. Without balance and rhythm the golfer seldom catches the ball square. The golfer may be able to achieve good positions in the golfer&#39;s backswing with poor swing rhythm, but poor and inconsistent swing rhythm will make it difficult to time the golfer&#39;s swing to be where the golfer wants to be at impact. Further, it is important to hold the finish of a golf swing to show and keep balance. 
     Putting requires a consistent rate of acceleration with the putter. Without consistent acceleration the putter moves into a golf ball different each time, which is a huge factor that prevents one from getting the ball started on the correct line consistently. Often times one will strike with a decelerating stroke. Holding the finish of a putting stroke keeps balance. 
     Cooper et at in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,220 disclose a golf club swing practice device that teaches inside-out swings. A horizontal base is placed on the ground adjacent a golf ball. The base has a guiding member that guides club movement during a swing. 
     Evans in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,723 discloses a metronome timing and tempo golf swing aid having a user-settable metronome attached to the end of a shaft. The metronome makes sound or flashing light to provide proper tempo. Bristles at the end of the device brush a mat during a swing to coincide with the metronome sound or flash. 
     Hamilton in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,920 discloses a putting guide that is located between a golfer and a golf ball. The guide has a vertical front surface that guides the heel of the putter head during a putting stroke. 
     Grossmeyer et at discloses a light-based golf swing trainer having a pad with light-reactive material. An indicator attached to a putter has a light source that strikes the light-reactive material creating a visual representation of light on the pad whereby the path of the putter head is visually illustrated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The golf training device of the invention has a generally linear base member operatively connected to a control unit for controlling a series of light members that illuminate in succession to simulate the speed and tempo of a proper backswing and foreswing tempo for a golf swing or putt. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the golf swing training device of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the golf swing training device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the golf swing training device of  FIG. 1  showing a golfer addressing a golf ball placed adjacent the golf swing training device; 
         FIG. 4  is a side plan view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the golf swing training device of  FIG. 1  showing a golfer during a back swing; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the golf swing training device of  FIG. 1  showing a golfer during golf swing follow through; and 
         FIG. 7  is a modification of the golf swing training device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following detailed descriptions of the golf swing training device, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms a part hereof, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structure changes may be made or other method steps and sequence thereof may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. The golf swing training device is herein described as used in a golf environment. The golf swing training device can have uses other than golfing. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a golf swing training device indicated generally at  20  useable to train a golfer  10  to swing a golf club  11  with a desired tempo while causing golf club head  12  to strike a golf ball  13 . Golf swing training device  20  is also useable as a warm-up aid for golfer  10  to establish a desired swing or putting tempo prior to a round of golf. 
     Golf swing training device  20  has an elongated generally linear channel shaped base member or strip  21  adapted to rest on a support surface, such as the ground, adjacent a golfer  10 . Strip  21  has a top wall having a rearwardly inclined front wall  29  joined to a back wall  30 . A centrally located indicator light  22  and a plurality of laterally spaced lights  23 ,  24  and  26  are mounted on front wall  29  of strip  21 . Lights  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  26  are LED lights. Other types of lighting devices, such as light panels and the like, can be used for lights  22  to  26 . Indicator light  22  is illuminated when training device  20  is in a ready mode prior to golf swing simulation. Upon activation of training device  20 , lights  23 ,  24  and  26  illuminate generally linearly backwardly and then linearly forwardly in succession to simulate a desired golf club swing tempo. Illumination of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  is sequential starting at the middle of strip  21  and continuing generally linearly to the back end of strip  21  and then in the opposite direction generally linearly from the back end of strip  21  to the front end of strip  21 . Lights  23  are a first series of light members equally spaced along the bottom of strip  21  extending in linear alignment from the middle of strip  21  to the back end of strip  21 . Lights  23  illuminate one at a time in succession one after another from the middle of the strip to the back end of strip  21  representing and simulating the back swing of a golf club swing. Lights  24  are a second series of light members equally spaced and linearly aligned along the top of strip  21  and located above lights  23 . Lights  24  illuminate one at a time in succession from the back end of strip  21  to the middle of strip  21  representing and simulating the down stroke of a golf club swing. The illumination of lights  24  accelerates during the down stroke or foreswing sequence of the golf swing. Lights  24  are illuminated following the illumination of lights  23 . Lights  26  are a third series of light members equally spaced and linearly aligned with lights  24  extending from the middle of strip  21  to the front end of strip  21 . Lights  26  are illuminated one at a time in succession from the middle of strip  21  to the front end of strip  21  representing and simulating the follow through of a golf club swing. Lights  26  are illuminated following the illumination of both lights  23  and  24 . Lights  26  remain illuminated after lights  23  and  24  turn off to represent and simulate holding the finish of a golf swing. Lights  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  26  have different colors, such as white, yellow, red and green. Lights  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  26  can have other colors or can be all the same color. The sequential rate or speed of illumination of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  can be constant or the speed of illumination may vary. Illumination of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  can be patterned to follow a right-handed or a left-handed swing. The sequence and speed of illumination of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  can also be patterned after a desired swing, such as the personalized swing of golfer  10  or the swing of a preferred professional player. 
     A control unit  31  operatively connected to strip  21  with electrical wires  27  and  28  controls the operation of golf training swing device  20 . Control unit  31  is a battery-powered device having a port  52  adapted to receive the plug of a battery charging electrical cord. Other electrical powering methods can be used to power control unit  31 . 
     Control unit  31  is programmable to control sequences and duration of the illumination of lights  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  26 . Control unit  31  has a generally rectangular housing  32  having a top wall  33 , front wall  34  and rear wall  36 . A light  37  mounted on the top wall  33  of control unit  31  is operable to indicate when control unit  31  is turned ON. A ON-OFF switch  51  for control unit  31  extends from rear wall  36 . When switch  51  is moved to the ON position light  37  is illuminated. Front wall  34  of housing  32  has openings  38  and  39  accommodating outwardly facing electronic eyes  41  and  42 . Eyes  41  and  42  sense the presence and movement of the head  12  of golf club  11  relative to control unit  31 . Mode select switches  43  and  44  mounted on the top wall  33  of control unit  31  are used to manually change the settings of control unit  31  and vary the tempo of the light sequence. Lights  46 ,  47 ,  48 ,  49  and  50  extending along one end of top wall  33  function to indicate which swing pattern tempo the lighting sequence of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  will have, which can be patterned after a desired professional golfer&#39;s swing, the golfer&#39;s personal swing or otherwise. 
     In use, ON-OFF switch  51  is actuated to turn control unit  31  ON whereby light  37  is illuminated. When golf club head  12  is located and sensed by electronic eyes  41  and  42  to be in the start position adjacent front wall  34  of control unit  31  as golfer  10  addresses golf ball  14  prior to commencement of a golf swing, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , control unit  31  activates training device  20  into a ready mode which is indicated by illumination of light  22 . As golfer  10  begins his or her golf swing movement of golf club head  12  backwardly is sensed by eyes  41  and  42  whereby control unit  31  commences the lighting sequence of lights  23 ,  24  and  26 . Golfer  10  continues the golf swing following or mimicking the simulated swing tempo pattern of the lighting sequence of lights  23 ,  24  and  26  rearwardly and then forwardly, as shown by arrow  53 ,  54 ,  55  and  56  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Lights  26  remain illuminated after lights  23  and  24  are deactivated to simulate holding the finish of the swing to show and keep balance. 
     A first modification of the golf swing training device  120 , shown in  FIG. 7 , has an elongated generally linear channel shaped base member or strip  121  and control unit  131  mounted on a mat  114 , such as a mat for a golf driving range tee area. Lights  122 ,  123 ,  124  and  126  are mounted on the front wall  129  of strip member  121 . Light  122  is used to indicate a ready mode of golf swing training device  120 . Lights  123 ,  124  and  126  sequentially illuminate to pattern a desired backswing, downswing and follow through of a golf swing. Lights  126  remain illuminated to simulate holding the finish of the swing to keep balance. Golf ball  113  is positioned on mat  114  adjacent the front of control unit  131  prior to activation of golf swing training device  120 . When golf swing training device  120  is activated lights  123 ,  124  and  126  sequentially illuminated to simulate a desired swing pattern. Control unit  131  is operatively connected to strip member  121  with electrical wires  127  and  128 . Electronic eyes  141  and  142  located in the front of control unit  131  sense the presence and movement of the head of a golf club relative to control unit  131  to activate device  120  resulting in the sequential illumination of lights  123 ,  124  and  126  representing and simulating the back swing, down stroke and follow through of a golf swing. Switches  143  and  144  mounted on the top wall of control unit  131  are used to manually change the tempo of the light sequence of lights  123 ,  124  and  126 , as desired. For example, the tempo of the light sequence can be patterned after the personalized swing of golfer  10  or the swing of a preferred professional player. Lights  146  indicate the swing mode setting of golf swing training device unit  120 .