Abstract:
A method and device for golf swing training is disclosed wherein a double pendulum model swing is replicated by defining a point on a golfer&#39;s chest about which a golfer&#39;s swing rotates and extending therefrom a inelastic flexible strap for attachment to the grip of a golf club. The inelastic flexible strap encourages the golfer to fully extend his arms throughout the golf swing to maintain a proper swing radius without inhibiting the movement of the golfer&#39;s wrists; therefore, allowing the golfer to experience the ideal golf swing.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/249,740, filed Nov. 17, 2000, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/988,360 now abandoned filed Nov. 19, 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a golf swing training apparatus and method. The disclosed apparatus and method allow golfers of all levels to perfect their golf swing. When used by a golfer the disclosed device encourages the golfer to replicate the ideal double pendulum model golf swing while also feeling the correct rotation of the clubface necessary to hit golf balls long and straight. Additionally, the apparatus provides a golfer with the necessary feedback regarding the feel of a correct golf swing and trains the golfer to consistently execute an ideal swing. 
   The United States Golf Association (“USGA”), golfs governing body, utilizes a machine named “Iron Byron” to test golf clubs and balls to ensure that both conform to USGA&#39;s regulations. Iron Byron hits a perfect golf shot—long and straight—every time. The ideal golf swing that Iron Byron mimics is a two lever or double pendulum model swing. 
   In a double pendulum model swing there are two levers connected by a hinge that is fixed to rotate about a fixed axis. The first lever (closest to the axis) corresponds to the golfer&#39;s shoulders and arms, while the second lever (below the hinge) corresponds to the golf club. The hinge corresponds to the golfer&#39;s wrists and hands. The present invention has been developed to accurately replicate Iron Byron&#39;s double pendulum motion on a human. The first lever is simulated by an adjustable strap that extends between a golfer&#39;s chest and his club, attaching to the grip end of the club. The second lever continues to be the golf club and the hinge continues to be the golfer&#39;s hands and wrists which are assisted by a “club clamp” that connects the adjustable strap to the golf club; this “club clamp” is designed to “dial-in” a pre-determined torque on the clubface. 
   The ideal model requires that the golfer&#39;s swing in each direction be made in a single inclined plane and that the hands of the golfer rotate around a fixed point somewhere on a golfer&#39;s chest. Moreover, angular momentum is conserved throughout the swing and during impact with the golf ball. 
   Many devices have been created for training golfers to produce a proper golf swing. Many of the known devices attempt to prevent the golfer from doing something detrimental to his swing, rather than encouraging the golfer to train proactively with his own clubs to create a proper swing. Additionally, known training devices fail to promote a double pendulum model swing motion or to give the golfer necessary feedback regarding the feel of a proper swing. Known devices are generally unable to train the golfer in the proper fundamentals necessary to make a lasting improvement on his golf swing. 
   For example, it is known to provide a “jacket” to create a link between the golfer&#39;s arms and the golfer&#39;s torso to guide him through the full range of motion of a golf swing. Another known device is in the form of an elastic loop that is worn over the golfer&#39;s head, rests on his shoulders and hangs in front of his chest and stomach with the lowermost portion of the loop held by the left hand as the left hand grips the golf club. 
   Still other training devices include an elastic cord with a grip that is worn over a golfer&#39;s head and rests around his neck, with the golfer grasping the grip and the club, and extending his arm applying tension to the cord during the swing. While tension is maintained in the cord throughout the swing, this device does not define the center of the golf swing and does not encourage a double pendulum motion. 
   Still yet another known golf swing training apparatus employs a harness and utilizes a weighted shortened shaft for practicing the swing, but may not be used with the golfer&#39;s actual golf clubs and to practice actually hitting golf balls. 
   This, the aforementioned devices inhibit the free motion of a golfer&#39;s arms and wrists, are limited in their ability to work with actual clubs, and hitting balls, fail to define the center of the golfer&#39;s swing, fail to address clubface rotation (which is a key element to striking a golf ball with a “square” clubface directing straight shots at the intended target, and/or fail to promote a double pendulum swing motion. Also, some prior art provides poor upper levers designed as bungee cords or fixed wands or rods that can be dangerous when used and actually promote poor golf fundamentals. 
   The present invention allows the golfer to reproduce the double pendulum model and reinforces through muscle memory the fundamentals of this ideal swing. One embodiment of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by utilizing a harness with a chest plate offering multiple mounting rings options and a uniquely contoured design to fit chests of most sizes of men, women and children, to define the ideal point on a golfer&#39;s chest about which a golf swing should rotate. A flexible yet inelastic and adjustable strap extends from the chest plate to a golf club requiring the golfer to maintain a proper radius throughout the swing. The present invention does not inhibit the hinged motion of a golfer&#39;s wrists which enables the transfer of angular momentum from the club face to the ball at impact. Moreover, a golfer may utilize their actual golf clubs and balls while training with this device. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate many of the above problems in the prior art and to provide a novel device and method for golf swing training. 
   It is another object of the present invention to promote a double pendulum model swing motion. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for golf swing training that allows for the free movement of a golfer&#39;s hands, wrists and arms. 
   It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for golf swing training that is adjustable to fit golfers of various sizes and body types (men, women and children of many ages). 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a harness that defines an ideal point on a golfer&#39;s chest through the use of multiple rings about which a golfer should swing to initiate power when executing the perfect golf swing. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable flexible yet inelastic strap between a golfer&#39;s chest and a golfer&#39;s club that encourages full extension of a golfer&#39;s arm throughout the golf swing and maintenance of a proper swing radius, both creating greater centrifugal force and clubhead speed while eliminating the inherent dangers and other limitations of the prior art. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a clamp hinging means which can be attached to a golf club in various positions to control the orientation of the club face, and produce the torques required to vary hand, wrist and arm rotation, which ultimately affects the curvature of ball flight. 
   These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial illustration of one embodiment of the present invention from the front thereof with a golf club. 
       FIG. 2  is a pictorial illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  from the left side. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing at address. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing at the top of the back swing. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a double pendulum model golf swing immediately before the clubface impacts the golf ball. 
       FIG. 6  is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  addressing the golf ball. 
       FIG. 7  is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  at the top of the back swing. 
       FIG. 8  is an illustration of a golfer wearing the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  immediately before the clubface impacts the golf ball. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the club clamp of the training device of the present invention adjustably mounted on a golf club grip. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the club clamp of the training service of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is an end view of the club clamp of the training device of the present invention showing the latch release thereof. 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the club clamp of the training device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the training device of the present invention on a user and attached to a golf club grip. 
       FIG. 14  is a detailed perspective view of the club clamp of the training device of the present invention on a golf club grip. 
       FIG. 15  is a top view of the attachment to a golf club grip of the club clamp and of the strap of the training device of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference to the drawings, like numerals represent like components throughout the several drawings. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  13 , respectively, a front and side elevational view of one embodiment of the training device is illustrated. The adjustable harness  10  includes two shoulder straps  12  and a chest strap  14  that encircles a golfer&#39;s chest. The shoulder straps  12  and the chest strap  14  include adjustment means,  16  and  18 , respectively, that may be a fastening tape consisting of a strip of nylon with a surface of minute hooks that fasten to a corresponding strip with a surface of uncut pile, buckles, hooks or other suitable conventional means to adjust the size of the harness  10 . The harness  10  is adjustable so that it may fit golfers of various size (men, women and children of most ages) and must be properly fitted to achieve maximum training benefits. 
   With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  13 , a chest plate  20  is attached to the chest strap  14  of the harness  10 . The chest plate  20  may be sewn, riveted, glued or otherwise secured to the chest strap  14 . The chest plate  20  should be attached to the chest strap  14  and when properly fitted should be positioned generally midway between the golfer&#39;s shoulders and level with his armpits to define a point about which the golfer should swing. In the ideal golf swing, there is a point generally midway between a golfer&#39;s shoulders and level with his armpits about which the ideal golf swing rotates. 
   Attached to the chest plate  20  is a inelastic flexible strap  22  that includes an adjustment means  24  for altering the length of the inelastic flexible strap  22 . By making the inelastic flexible strap  22  slightly shorter than the actual length of his arms, a golfer will be encouraged to maintain the proper amount of extension and radius away from the chest plate  20  throughout the swing and thus the golfer will learn the “feel” of an ideal golf swing. The inelastic flexible strap  22  may be constructed from any flexible fabric or material that can support the tensile forces associated with a golf swing without inhibiting the swing motion. Inelastic flexible strap  22  is comprised of a flexible yet inelastic material, preferable a synthetic organic polymer, that is upper lever  34  of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , below. There are inherent dangers of utilizing a rigid tube or wand like structure to guide a golf club while actually striking golf balls. Also there is a need for a perfect balance of flexibility and rigidity to capture the feel needed to duplicate the double pendulum swing model that rigid structures lack. In testing, such rigid devices have caused trauma to the chest arms and wrists of the end user. While these inherent dangers have been overcome in the present invention, a likewise disastrous effect can be seen if the material is made elastic. It has been shown mathematically by using a bungee like elastic material to represent the upper lever  34  of the 2-lever model of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  would produce an infinite number of lever lengths, none of which could be consistently replicated for training resulting in a useless training device. One end of the inelastic flexible strap  22  may be attached to the chest plate  20  by a ring or attachment point  26 , or other suitable fastener that will allow for free movement of the strap throughout the swing. Preferably, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 13 , more than one ring or attachment point  26  are present. Most preferably, two or three rings or attachment points  26  are present, disposed vertically with respect to one another on chest plate  20  such that the training device of the present invention can be employed by golfers having different fulcrum locations of their golf swings with respect to their torsos. The purpose of multiple rings is to offer the golfer an option to properly locate the ideal fulcrum (fixed axis) location of the double pendulum professional swing. 
   Connected to the unattached end of the inelastic flexible strap  22  is a swivel buckle  28  which secures a club clamp  30  to the inelastic flexible strap  22 . The swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  is free to rotate with the natural motion of the golfer&#39;s arms and wrists throughout a golf swing. When training with this device, an actual golf club is secured to the club clamp  30 . Alignment of the club clamp  30  is variable, allowing the golfer to intentionally curve the ball or hit it straight while experiencing the desired amount of club face rotation. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , the double pendulum model golf swing is illustrated at address, at the top of the back swing and immediately before impact, respectively. The essential elements necessary for performing this swing motion include the lower lever  32  and upper lever  34 . Connecting the lower lever  32  with the upper lever  34  is the hinge  36 . The upper lever  34  rotates about a fixed point  38 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  8 , a golfer wearing an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated addressing the golf ball, at the top of the back swing and immediately before impact, respectively. The present training device has been developed to accurately replicate the double pendulum model golf swing. A golfer G when wearing the device executes a double pendulum model golf swing as is evident from comparing  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  with  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 . The golf club A parallels the lower lever  32  and the inelastic flexible strap  22  simulates the upper lever  34 . The hinge  36  corresponds to the golfer&#39;s hands and wrists B. The fixed point  38  about which the golf swing rotates is the chest plate  20 . 
   Next referring to  FIGS. 9 through 15 , the individual components an embodiment of the training device of the subject invention are shown. 
   As shown in the  FIGS. 9 through 12 , club clamp  30  has a hollow body or annulus  40  preferably comprised of a flexible yet resilient material such as, for example a synthetic organic polymer, that allows annulus  40  to be removably yet tightly secured to golf club grip H whereby annulus  40  can be positioned at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of golf club grip H, which often tapers along this longitudinal axis, as well as positioned in numerous locations radially around grip H upon axial rotation of annulus  40 , as best shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   Club clamp  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 through 12 , also includes thumb lever  42 , which is pivotally secured to thumb lever attachment  44  on annulus  40  by attachment pin  46  that passes through eye  47  of thumb lever attachment  44  and through eyes  49  of thumb lever  42  which axially overlap with eye  48  of thumb lever attachment  44 . Attachment pin  48  passes through eyes  50  of band  52  and through eye  54  of thumb lever  42 , eye  54  axially overlapping with eyes  50  of band  52 . Band  52  has lip  56  on its edge remote from eyes  50 . In operation, annulus  40  of club clamp  30  is placed around golf club grip H with band  52  pivotally separated from annulus  40 . Lip  56  is then secured in one of the plurality of grooves  58  radially disposed on annulus  40  as band  52  is pivoted toward annulus  40 . Thumb lever  42  is then depressed toward annulus  40 , closing club clamp  30  at the desired longitudinal and radial location on golf club grip H depending on the diameter of often tapering golf club grip H and the amount of “torqueing effect” (discussed further below) that is desired in order to alter the angular orientation of the club head and club face of the golf club in consistent, reproducible swings in order to elicit a hook or slice effect. 
   Next referring to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , removable attachment of inelastic flexible strap  22  (which is calibrated by numbers along its length to allow the golfer to quickly identify their ideal swing radius) to club clamp  30  by swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  is described. Swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  is attached by ring  60  to the end of inelastic flexible strap  22  remote from the end thereof that is attachable to ring or attachment point  26  of chest plate  20  by snap fastener  62  (which can rotate with respect to inelastic flexible strap  22 ). Body  66  of swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  is attached to axle  64  and ring  60  rotates around axle  64  with respect to body  66 . Body  66  has a substantially C-shaped portion in which shaft  68  of club clamp  30  is sized and shaped to fit. Attachment clasp  70  is also substantially C-shaped and is pivotally secured to body  66  of swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  by pivot point  72  in inverse or “mirror” orientation to the substantially C-shaped portion of body  30  such that, when pivoted in an “open” orientation attachment clasp  70  allows entry of shaft  68  of club clamp  30  into the substantially C-shaped portion of body  66 , and when in a “closed” position attachment clasp  70  secures shaft  68  of club clamp  30  between itself, and the substantially C-shaped potion of body  60 . Shaft  68  of club clamp  30  has head  74  on the end thereof remote from the end of attachment of shaft  68  to annulus  40  of club clamp  30 . Head  74  is sized of a greater diameter than the orifice formed from the substantially C-shaped portion of body  60  and attachment clasp  70  when in their “closed” position such that shaft  68 , and hence club camp  30 , is secured thereto. 
   When club clamp  30  is secured to swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  as described in the previous paragraph, and annulus  40  of club clamp  30  is attached to the golf club grip H, the rotation of ring  60  of swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  with respect to body  66  (and around axle  64 ) is in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of shaft  68  of club clamp  30 , and axle  64  (the axis of rotation of ring  60  of swivel buckle or rotatable fastener  28  with respect to body  66 ) is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of shaft  68  of club clamp  30 . 
   Club clamp  30  and rotatable fastener or swivel buckle  28  thus connect the lowermost portion of upper lever  34  of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  to the uppermost portion of the grip of the golf club in such a way as to:
         a. Accurately duplicate the anatomical hinge point of a golfer.   b. Provide an orientation of attachment perpendicular to the axis of the golf club shaft, which can be axially adjusted around the grip H of the golf club to produce a desired torqueing effect on the hands and clubface when in use, and linearly adjusted to different locations on the grip H of the club. By not limiting the end user to a predetermined mounting location as seen in the prior art, the golfer can now pre-determine the desired “torqueing effect” by rotating the club clamp  30  into a desired position.       

   While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence, many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof.