Method and apparatus of determining golfer's effective putter loft

Abstract: An apparatus for practicing a method of determining the effective putter loft of a golf putter as swung by a particular golfer in which the putter (10) has a curved face unit (17) placed on the hitting surface and the putter is then swung by such particular golfer against a hitting cylinder (23). The location of impact (D) between the curved face and hitting cylinder provides data from which the effective loft (B) can be determined.

Description: Background Of The Invention While it has been known for some time that golfers have differing effective putter lofts, no apparatus or method for readily measuring such loft has been disclosed. Document D1:US-A-4 977 680 discloses a clinometer releasably securable to a golf club head to indicate the loft of the golf club head in a static vertical position. The clinometer has sector shape and an arcuate bubble tube as secured to the arcuate top of the device to indicate differing angular orientations of a club head face. Since the clinometer as disclosed in document D1 utilizes a position of the air bubble within the arcuate bubble tube for indicating the loft, the golf putter has to be in a static position during the measurement. Therefore the clinometer of document D1 is not suitable for measuring the effective loft of the golf putter when swung by a golfer. The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for measuring the effective loft of a golf putter and a method of measuring the effective loft of a golf putter. This object is solved by an apparatus with the features of claim 1, a method with the features of claim 2 and the face plate unit with the features of claim 4. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the depending claims. Summary Of The Invention Broadly, the present invention is a method and apparatus for determining the angle of impact between the putter face and the golf ball for a particular golfer. Putters, as manufactured, have selected lofts which lofts may be effectively modified as a particular golfer addresses and swings the putter. The present invention comprises employing a convex curved face plate that is attached to or forms a part of the putter face; placing marking means such as impact tape on the face plate, causing the golfer to swing the putter to impact a stationary hitting puck, recording the location of impact between the face plate and the hitting puck and thereafter calculating the effective putter loft. Brief Description Of The Drawings Fig. 1 is a partial end elevational view of a putter with a head and shaft; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the putter head being swung into impact with a golf ball; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the putter head; Fig. 4(a) is a perspective view of the cylindrical hitting puck; Fig. 4(b) is a perspective view of the putter face plate with an impact tape thereon; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the face plate attached to the putter face; Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the putter with the face plate attached and being swung against the hitting puck; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the putter being swung to create a zero effective loft; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative conical hitting puck; and Fig. 8a is an elevational pictorial presentation showing the relationship of the hitting puck and face plate at zero effective loft. Description Of The Preferred Embodiment In the figures, putter 10 includes putter head 11, hosel 12, shaft 14 and putter face 11a. Putter 10 has a manufactured loft of A measured when shaft axis 14a is in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal (H). A is typically in the range of 2 to 7 degrees. When putter 10 is swung with shaft 14 tilted as shown in Fig. 2, the effective loft of putter 10 is reduced to angle B upon impact with ball 16. Since each golfer's swing varies due to stance, posture and swing pattern, it is useful to be able to measure a particular golfer's effective putter loft. This can be accomplished by creating a test putter or temporarily attaching to a usable putter a face plate unit 17. Unit 17 consists of a body portion 18 with back surface 18a which is attachable to putter face 11a by use of an adhesive or otherwise. Plate unit 17 also includes a curved face 19 defined by a radius R swung through a vertical plane (Fig. 8). Face 19 has attached to it an impact tape 21 having a horizontal median M thus creating a test striking face (see Fig. 4(b) and Fig. 5). Other impact locating means may be used including, for example, electronic sensing devices. Turning now to Fig. 6, putter 10 with face plate unit 17 attached is swung by a golfer using his or her normal swing into contact with stationary cylindrical hitting puck 23 (see Fig. 4(a)). Preferably, puck 23 is approximately the size of a golf ball. Puck 23 is preferably a right circular cylinder, but may be any right cylinder or right cone. Puck continuous cylindrical side 23s is equidistant from vertical axis VA. Side 23s is composed of an infinite number of vertical lines (VL). The golfer's swing illustrated in Fig. 6 is such that tape 21 impacts puck side 23s at point D below median horizontal line M defining the middle of face 19. To determine the effective putter loft from this data, it is first necessary to calculate the sensitivity of the face plate. Fig. 8 shows an alternative hitting puck 30 which is conical in shape. Puck 30 has a hitting surface 30a which is at an angle b for the vertical (V). This angle b is compensated for in making the calculations required as herein disclosed. Turning to Fig. 8a, the sensitivity can be defined as Θ/S, or the angular displacement per unit arc length measured vertically along the curved putter face or face plate. S =  57.3 R Returning to the example of Fig. 6, if R is given as 5.73 inches then the sensitivity is 10 degrees per inch, meaning that every inch of vertical travel along the curved face represents 10 degrees of loft change. The effective loft is now given by where X is the arc length measured between M and D (positive if D is below M) and b is the wall angle of a conical puck as shown in Fig. 8 (positive if the puck is wider at the top). If X is measured as 0.3 inches and the puck is cylindrical, then Effective Loft = .3 in (10 deg/in) + 0 deg = 3 deg Fig. 7 depicts a special case in which the player strikes the cylindrical puck with his hands well forward, such that D and M coincide. In this case, X is zero so the effective loft is also zero. It is also possible to calculate the total range of measurement available with a given face or face plate. Returning again to Fig. 8, the total range Θ can be derived as follows: For the example of Fig. 6, if h is 1 inch, then Through judicious choice of h and R, a putter face or face plate can be designed having both sufficient range and adequate sensitivity.

Claims: Apparatus (17) for measuring the effective loft of a golf putter (10) when swung by a golfer, comprising: a) a putter (10) having i) a shaft (14) ; ii) a curved test striking face (19) defined by a radius (R) swung through a vertical plane in place of the ball striking face; and iii) means (21) for locating the impact point on the curved test striking face (11a); and b) a cylindrical or conical hitting puck (23; 30) having a curved face (23s; 30a), which puck is positioned on a horizontal surface with its axis in a vertical position. Method of measuring the effective loft of a golf putter (10) when swung by a golfer, comprising the steps of a) providing on the putter (10) a curved puck striking face (19) defined by radius (R) swung through a vertical plane; b) positioning a cylindrical or conical hitting puck (23; 30) on a horizontal surface with its axis vertical; c) swinging the golf putter (10) to cause the curved face (19) to engage the puck (23; 30); d) measuring the point on the curved face (19) where it struck the puck (23; 30); and e) thereafter computing the effective loft. Method as defined in claim 2 including in addition the step of attaching an impact tape (21) to the curved puck striking face (19). Face plate unit (17) having a body portion (18) with a back surface (18a) attachable to a putter face (11a) of a golf putter (10), characterised by a curved test striking face (19) defined by a radius (R) swung through a vertical plane, and an impact locating means for measuring the effective loft of the golf putter (10) when swung by a golfer. Face plate unit (17) as defined in claim 4, characterised in that the impact locating means include an impact tape (21) having a horizontal medium (M). Face plate unit (17) as defined in claim 4, characterised in that the impact locating means include electronic sensing devices.

Inventors: AOYAMA STEVEN, CHOU ARTHUR C P, AOYAMA, STEVEN, CHOU, ARTHUR C.P.
Applicants: ACUSHNET CO, ACUSHNET COMPANY
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A63B69
IPC codes: A63B53, A63B69