Grip of a golf club and a manufacturing method thereof

A grip of a golf club according to the present invention prevents slipping, when the grip is grasped by a hand opposite to a whip hand, by applying an area having a plurality of projections to the area of the grip corresponding to the respective bases of the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger of the palm of the hand opposite to said whip hand and to the palm located on the extension of the neighborhood of the base of the little finger of said palm. Also, since there is an area where a plurality of projections or dents are formed being separated independently one by one. Accordingly, when the whole of the element body of the grip is ground from the surface in a uniform depth, the fiber is exposed in the area having a plurality of plane portions and the fiber is not exposed in the area having a plurality of jogs. In this area where the fiber is exposed, a moderate non-slip effect is obtainable and soft grip feeling is presented.

The present invention relates to an improvement of a grip of a golf club. 
It also relates to a grip of a golf club on the surface of which a fiber 
is exposed and a manufacturing method thereof. 
In recent years, a grip which checks slip and gives a pleasant grip feeling 
is being popularized, but is not sufficient to meet the situation as yet. 
In short, when the case of a right-handed player is explained concerning 
gripping, as shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, the right-handed player 
generally grasps a grip G by the left hand L in a stronger manner than the 
right hand R holding it so that the grip G does not turn round or come 
off, and on the other hand, the right hand R is put on the left hand L so 
as to make it possible to control a gold club head (not shown). That is, 
since the grasping power by the left hand L is stronger than that of the 
right hand R, the left hand L particularly rotates in the circumferential 
direction of the grip G and slips out easily in the axial direction, thus 
hindering the play if nonslip is not effected sufficiently. 
Therefore, a grip having projections and dents on a grip surface such as 
disclosed in Utility Model Provisional Publication No. 117651/76, Utility 
Model Provisional Publication No. 120159/78, Utility Model Provisional 
Publication No. 157376/82, or a grip provided with ditches or grooves on 
the grip surface such as disclosed in Utility Model Provisional 
Publication No. 15575/85, Utility Model Provisional Publication No. 
2617/83, has been heretofore proposed. 
In the former type, however, projections and dents are provided 
circumferentially over the entire grip surface. Thus, the whole of the 
palm and bulbs of the player's fingers touch the projections inhibiting a 
dents and pleasant, soft feeling. Accordingly, after extended play, the 
bulbs of fingers often become sore. 
In the latter grip type, non-slip material is applied to the golf club grip 
substantially at the areas which will touch the bases of player's fingers, 
in the circumferential direction, but the grip cannot be prevented from 
coming off because a plurality of paralel ditches are arranged in an axial 
direction. Moreover, since there are a variety of gripping methods used, 
such as natural grip, square grip, strong grip, base grip and weak grip, 
the direction of ditches does not necessarily accord with the hand and 
fingers of the player, thus patent rating insufficient non-slip actioin. 
Furthermore, as to a grip of a golf club on the surface of which a fiber 
is exposed, for example, three types have been heretofore known, as 
follows. 
(1) A fabric with rough texture is buried inside of a rubber layer of the 
main substance of a rubber grip in a hollow cylindrical form along the 
outer surface thereof, of, and a part of the outer surface of the grip 
main substance is cut in a longitudinal direction thereon, to expose the 
fiber of said fabric at the part. (Utility Model Official Gazette No. 
46115/76). 
(2) In a grip in which a sandwiched plate is formed by putting non-slip 
cords woven in a rattan blind form having warps in fine texture and wefts 
in rough texture between rubber plates, a grip is formed by vulcinazation 
molding of said plate with a grip die, and the rubber on the grip surface 
is scraped off so as to expose the non-slip cords beneath the surface. The 
non-slip cords are applied only to the surface of an appropriate portion 
of the grip. (Utility Model Provisional Publication No. 49174/76) 
(3) In a rubber grip having such a structure that an end portion on the 
outermost and, having a large diameter, of a rubber cylinder having 
different diameters at the opposite ends thereof is blocked with a grip 
head. A tire cord layer in a longitudinal direction up to nearly 
intermediate location in the longitudinal direction of the rubber grip 
running from the grip head end to the opposite. (Utility Model Official 
Gazette No. 44525/78). 
All of above mentioned types may be applied to a simple design pattern, 
however, in case of a complicated pattern, the dents become complicated to 
meet the complicated design and grip feeling is deteriorated when cutting 
is done according to the device (1). Therefore, there is a drastic 
restriction in point of design. In embodiments according to devices (2) 
and (3), a pattern in which the cords are exposed on the half of the grip 
surface is adopted, which is simple. However, in order to apply a 
complicated design pattern by such methods, fiber cloth has to be cut 
exactly to the pattern, and the cut fiber has to be adapted to a 
predetermined position of the rubber plate, which is not only troublesome 
in operations, but also positions of cord areas are scattered and the 
quality cannot be maintained stable. 
In other words, it has been difficult to obtain a complicated pattern in 
the area where the cord (fiber) is exposed in accordance with grip 
functions and ways of gripping by hand by abovementioned conventional 
systems. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a grip of 
a golf club which gives a pleasant grip feeling, secures non-slip, and 
causes no pain on the hand and bulbs of fingers. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a grip of a golf 
club which makes it possible to expose the fiber in accordance with 
variety of design patterns and a manufacturing method thereof. 
In a grip of a golf club according to the present invention, there is 
provided an area having a plurality of jogs which, when the grip is 
grasped by the hand opposite to the whip hand in the neighbourhood of the 
respective bases of the middle finger, the ring finger and the little 
finger, and on the extension of the hand palm the little finger and near 
the little finger itself, and an area having a plurality of plane portions 
at a region where fingers and the palm other than the above of the hand 
opposite to the whip hand abuts against the grip. 
According to the present invention, when the grip is grasped by hand 
opposite to the whip hand, the neighbourhood of the middle finger, the 
ring finger and the little finger of the palm of the hand opposite to said 
whip hand and the palm located on the extension of the neighbourhood of 
the base of the little finger and the little finger abuts against 
individual jogs in the area having a plurality of jogs. In particular, 
slipping is prevented by the palm being caught by the edges of individual 
jogs. 
Also, the fingers and the palm other than the above of the hand opposite to 
the whip hand abut against the area having more soft plane portions than 
the area having a plurality of jogs, thus giving a soft feeling to the 
player and causing no pain to the palm and bulbs of fingers. 
Moreover, the grip of a golf club according to the present invention is 
formed in such a manner that in a grip of a golf club wherein a fiber 
layer is buried in a raw material for grip such as rubber or soft 
synthetic resin and the fiber is exposed on the surface by grinding from 
the surface side, an area having a plurality of jogs and an area where the 
fiber is exposed are formed on the grip surface. 
Furthermore, according to a manufacturing method of a grip of a golf club 
of the present invention, such grip having an outer surface; and being 
formed by selecting a raw material a fiber layer inserted between two 
sheets or plates composed of rubber or soft synthetic resin, etc. said 
fiber layer having a substantially the same size as said plates, placing 
said plates having said fiber layer therebetween in a grip forming mold 
and compressing while heating in the grip forming mold, thereby to form a 
grip element body provided with an area having a plurality of continuous 
projections and farther provided with an area having a plurality of plane 
portions, and then uniformly grinding the whole surface of this grip 
element body only until the fiber in the area having a plurality of plane 
portions is exposed. 
According to the present invention, there is an area where a plurality of 
either projections or dents are formed, being separated independently one 
by one. Therefore, in case of a projection, the fiber layer is buried 
further inside of the bottom portion of a dent before grinding, and in 
case of a projection, the fiber layer is buried further inside of the 
bottom portion of grooves running lengthwise and crosswise between 
respective projections. 
That is, there is no such phenonmenon in the area having a plurality of 
plane portions, and the fiber layer is buried at a shallower position than 
the grip surface. 
Accordingly, when the whole of this element body for grip is ground in an 
even depth from the surface, the fiber is exposed in the area having a 
plurality of plane portions and the fiber is not exposed in the area 
having a plurality of jogs.

DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL EMBODIMENTS 
Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereafter with 
reference to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 1 is a development of a grip of a golf club according to the present 
invention. In the Figure, a reference numeral 1 denotes a grip for a 
right-hander. 
This grip 1 is composed of, for example, rubber or soft synthetic resin, 
and includes an area 3 having projections 4 that stand close together on 
the side of a grip end 2 so as to form almost an L-shape is provided. 
These projections 4 are separated independently one by one, and in 
particular, projections 4 in the present embodiment are circular cylinders 
in shape. Thus, these projections 4 are formed integrally with the grip 1 
so that the palm is engaged with the edges of projections 4 one by one 
corresponding to the slip in all directions n 360.degree., and projections 
4 are inclined further and abut against the upper surface and one side 
surface of the palm thereby to prevent the slip. 
As shown in FIG. 2, area 3 is generally the position to have a corn in the 
palm La of the left hand (the hand opposite to a whip hand) L of a player. 
The area 3 is to have an area Lz; including the neighbourhood of the base 
a of the middle finger Lb, the neighbourhood of the base b of the ring 
finger Lc, the neighbourhood of the base c of the little finger Ld in the 
palm La, and the tubercle d located interior of the base of the little 
finger Ld and the little finger Ld on the palm La which area abuts against 
projections 4. 
Accordingly, a' in said area 3 shown in FIG. 1 shows a region which the 
neighbourhood of the base a of the middle finger Lb abuts against, b' 
shows a region which the neighbourhood of the base b of the ring finger Lc 
abuts against, c' shows a region which the neighbourhood of the base c of 
the little finger Ld abuts against, and d' shows a region which the 
tubercle d located on the extension of the neighbourhood of the base c of 
the little finger Ld and the little finger Ld abuts against. 
Further, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, there is provided an area 5 having 
a plurality of plane portions provided appropriately with ditches 6 for 
instance at locations other than the area 3 in a scope Le grasped by the 
left hand L. 
Bulbs of the middle finger Lb, the ring finger Lc and the little finger Ld 
of the left hand L principally abut against this area 5. 
Also, in a scope Rh grasped by the right hand R closer to the club head 
than the scope Le grasped by the left hand L, there is provided an area 7 
having a plurality of plane portions provided appropriately with ditches 6 
for instance in a similar manner as said area 5. 
An identification mark 11 is provided at a front central portion on the end 
of grip 1 near the club head (not shown). 
Next, operations and effects of this embodiment thus composed will be 
explained. 
As shown in FIG. 4, both end portions 8 and 9 are connected by hackneyed 
means, and a seal member 10 is attached to the grip end 2, thus forming 
the grip 1 in a cylindrical form. 
Then, this grip 1 is held by the left hand L and the right hand R as shown 
in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 for instance in a way as described hereunder. First, 
as shown in FIG. 2, regions a, b, c and d where a core is liable to be 
produced in the left hand L are made to abut against regions a', b' and d' 
of the grip 1 in the corresponding area 3, bulbs of remaining fingers Lb, 
Lc and Ld are made to abut against the adjacent regions 5, and the 
forefinger Lg and the tumb Lh are further made to abut against areas 5 and 
7, respectively thus holding the grip tightly. Then, by attaching the 
right hand R to the left hand L, the area 7 is grasped by most of the 
fingers. 
When the grip 1 is grasped in this manner by both hands L and R, regions a, 
b, c and d where a core is liable to be produced contact any of 
projections 4 standing close together at corresponding regions a', b', c' 
and d' in the area 3, and at this time, respective contacting projections 
4 prevent said regions a, b, c and d from slipping in all directions in 
360.degree.. 
Accordingly, the grip 1 will never turn round or come off at the abutting 
position of the left hand L in the area 3. 
Furthermore, since remaining fingers Lb, Lc and Ld of the left hand L abut 
against the area 5 where grip feeling takes precedence over non-slip, the 
bulbs of fingers will never hurt. 
Also, since the right hand R abuts against soft areas 5 and 7 in the 
similar manner as an ordinary grip, pleasant grip feeling is obtainable 
and the palm and the bulbs of fingers will never hurt. In a word, the left 
hand being the main constituent for non-slip, the scope Rn grasped by the 
left hand L may be an area having a plurality of plane portions as shown 
in FIG. 1 thru FIG. 6. 
FIG. 7 shows another embodiment according to the present invention, wherein 
there are provided areas 12 and 13 where a corn is liable to be produced 
on the right hand R in addition to the area 3 where a corn is liable to be 
produced on the left hand L. 
On the right hand R, a corn is liable to be produced in general on a side 
surface e of the first joint of the thumb Ra, a side surface f between the 
second joint and the third joint of the forefinger Rb and a side surface g 
between the first joint and the second joint of the ring finger Rg as 
shown in FIG. 8. 
Therefore, in this embodiment, (FIG. 7) an area 12 provided with a region 
f' which abuts against the side surface f between the second joint and the 
third joint of the thumb Rb and region g' which abuts against the side 
surface g between the first joint and the second joint of the ring finger 
Rg is formed in the scope Rh grasped by the right hand R continuously to 
the area 3 where a corn is liable to be produced on the left hand L, and a 
region 13 provided with a region e' which abuts against the side surface e 
of the first joint of the thumb Ra is formed adjacent thereto. 
With this, operations and effects similar to aforesaid embodiment are 
obtainable in the region which abuts against the left hand L, and any of 
projections 4 standing close together in areas 12 and 13 is contacted in 
respective abutting regions e, f and g on the right hand R, when those 
contacting projections 4 make said regions, e, f and g non-slipping in all 
the directions in 360.degree.. 
Accordingly, this is a preferred grip for a beginner player or a female 
player who has a weak grasping force of the grip 1 by the left hand L. 
FIG. 10 shows an embodiment wherein areas 12 and 13 in FIG. 7 are 
connected. 
In this embodiment, operations and effects similar to FIG. 7 are 
obtainable, too. 
Besides, as to projections 4 having no orientation, the present invention 
is not limited to a cylindrical projections in abovedescribed embodiments, 
but prismatic projections such as shown in FIG. 1 may be adopted. The 
arranging method may also be such that prismatic projections are arranged 
in different directions as shown in FIG. 12 for instance. 
Furthermore, it may also be arranged in such a manner that, for example, 
the projection is formed in a dent in a dimple form by reversing the 
relation between the projections and grooves (produced between 
projections) shown in abovesaid embodiments. 
Also, a right-handed player is described in above-mentioned embodiments, 
but in case of a left-handed player, the same effects are obtainable by 
providing an area which the region where a corn is produced on the right 
hand is made to abut against. 
As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided 
an area having a plurality of jogs which touches the hand when the grip is 
grasped by hand opposite to the whip hand in the neightbourhood of 
respective bases of the middle finger, the ring finger and the little 
finger of the palm of the hand opposite to the whip hand, and on the palm 
positioned on the extension of the neighbourhood of the base of the little 
finger and the little finger of said palm, and an area having a plurality 
of plane portions at a region where fingers and the palm other than the 
above of the hand opposite to the whip hand abuts against the grip. 
Therefore, slipping in all directions including circumferential and axial 
directions may be prevented. Also, the non-slip effect will never be 
reduced for players whose grip grasping directions are different. In 
particular, the bulbs of fingers seldom touch the surface having a 
plurality of projections and contact the surface having a plurality of 
plane surfaces, thus giving a soft feeling. 
FIG. 13 thru FIG. 15 show grips of golf clubs according to the present 
embodiment. In these Figures, a reference numeral 21 denotes a grip for 
the whip hand. 
This grip 21 is composed of, for example, rubber or soft synthetic resin, 
etc. and provided with an area 23 where small protections 24 are made to 
stand close together so as to form almost a crank form from the side of 
the grip end 22 toward the point, and a trapezoidal area 25 where small 
projections 24 connecting with this area 23 are made to stand close 
together. These small projections 24 are separated independently one by 
one, and formed integrally with the grip 21. Almost no fiber 28 is exposed 
on respective small projections 24, being different from an area 26 having 
a plurality of plane portions which will be described later. 
The portion except these areas 23 and 25 is constituted by the area 26 
having a plurality of plane portions provided with ditches 27 in a 
predetermined length in the axial direction at predetermined intervals. In 
this area 26 having a plurality of plane portions, the fiber 28 is exposed 
as shown in FIG. 15. 
According to the grip 21 thus structured in the present embodiment, in 
areas 23 and 25 where small projections 24 are provided, regions abutting 
when the grip 21 is grasped make contact with respective small projections 
24 individually. With this, small projections 24 check movement of regions 
making contact corresponding to all directions in 360.degree. so as to 
prevent slipping. Further, in the remaining regions, it is arranged so as 
to avoid heedless slipping caused by excessive friction applied to hand, 
fingers and palm by the fiber 28 which is exposed to the surface. 
In other words, the areas 23 and 25 having a big non-slip effect and the 
area 26 including a plurality of plane portions having little non-slip 
effect by exposing the fiber 28 are formed integrally in this embodiment. 
Therefore, it is possible to form the areas 23 and 25 at portions where a 
corn is liable to be produced on the palm and fingers of the player and 
tight gripping is required, and to obtain softer grip feeling than the 
areas 23 and 25 at other portions. Furthermore, the area where the fiber 
is exposed and the area where the fiber is not exposed are partitioned off 
by areas 23, 25 and 28, thus obtaining a grip of rich design 
characteristic. It is also possible to design corresponding to different 
grip grasping methods such as natural grip, square grip, strong grip, base 
grip and weak grip, etc. 
In the next place, an example of a manufacturing method of the grip 21 
according to the present embodiment thus composed will be explained in due 
order. 
First, as shown in FIG. 16, two sheets or plates 30, 30 composed of rubber 
or soft synthetic resin, etc. are prepared, and a raw material 32 in which 
a fiber layer (fiber cloth using nylon or cotton was used in this example) 
31 having almost the same size as these plates 30, 30 is sandwiched 
therebetween is manufactured. 
Next, as shown in FIG. 17, two sheets of raw materials 32, such as rubber, 
are put on the upper side and the lower side of a core mold 33 having a 
form of the grip 21, and compression with heating is performed from top 
and bottom with molds 34 and 35 applied with a design pattern as shown in 
FIG. 14. 
By means of such compression with heating, two sheets of materials 32 for 
grip 1 are press fitted to the core mold 33, and thus, as shown in FIG. 
18, an element body 36 for grip including the areas 23 and 25 with small 
projections 24 standing close together on the outer surface thereof and 
the area 26 having a plurality of plane portions is completed. 
Next, a grinding processing is applied using a well-known grinder to the 
gri surface 21A of this element body 36 for grip. In this case, grinding 
is applied to the whole surface to obtain almost a uniform thickness until 
the fiber 28 in the element body 32 for grip is exposed. 
In the area 26 having a plurality of plane portions, a fiber layer 31 
covered by the plate 30 in the raw material 32 for grip is napped only as 
shown with a mark 28 in FIG. 15 by means of this grinding processing and 
will never be scraped off. 
As compared with this, in the areas 23 and 25 where small projections 24 
are provided, these small projections 24 form a small projection group, 
being independent by separation one by one, and grooves running lengthwise 
and crosswise between respective small projections 24 are formed in this 
small projections group. Thus, as shown with a two-dot chain line in FIG. 
18, the fiber layer 31 is buried further inside of the bottom portions of 
grooves running lengthwise and crosswise between respective small 
projections 24 before grinding. 
That is, in the area 26 having a plurality of plane portion, there is 
almost no phenomenon described above, and the fiber layer 31 is buried at 
a position shallower than the grip surface. 
Accordingly, when the whole of this grip element body 36 is ground from the 
surface thereof in a uniform depth, the fiber 28 is exposed on the area 26 
having a plurality of plane portions, and the fiber 28 is not exposed in 
areas 23 and 25 provided with a plurality of small projections 24. 
As the result, as shown in FIG. 15 for instance, the fiber layer 31 
scarcely remains on small projections 24 in the area 23 (25) provided with 
the small projections 24, and the fiber layer 31 is exposed on the area 26 
having a plurality of plane portions. 
With this, it is feasible to provide the grip 21 of a design pattern having 
areas 23 and 25 in special forms provided with small projections 24 on 
which the fiber 28 is scarcely exposed and the area 26 having a plurality 
of plane portions where the fiber 28 is exposed. 
In above described manufacturing method, since grinding processingmay be 
applied under a round state as shown in FIG. 18, grinding work may be 
performed easily. 
Besides, it is also possible to proceed with manufacturing under a 
developed state as shown in FIG. 14, and form into a grip contour by means 
of after-treatment. 
Also, the design pattern of the small projections 24 may be altered 
suitably and is not limited to a pattern shown. Furthermore, the contour 
is not limited to the one shown, but may be formed in a contour shown in 
FIG. 19 or FIG. 20 for instance. Further, a dent such as a dimple may be 
adopted instead of a projection. 
Furthermore, a grip for a whip hand has been described in abovementioned 
description, however, it is a matter of course that this invention may be 
applied for a left-hander. 
As described above, according to the present invention, fiber exposed 
regions having a moderate non-slip effect and a soft grip feeling and jog; 
or projection formed regions having a non-slip effect and making it 
possible to grasp tightly are mixed, thus making grasping of the grip 
secure. 
Also, since a plurality of jogs are arranged in predetermined locations, it 
is possible to have the fiber exposed in the area having a plurality of 
plane portions by means of grinding. Accordingly, even in case of a 
complicated design pattern, it is possible to form regions where the fiber 
is exposed and regions where the fiber is not exposed while keeping the 
grip under a round shape without deforming regions that demonstrate the 
primary function of the grip.