PUTTER ADAPTED FOR HITTING IN SQUATTING POSITION

Abstract: Putting is greatly improved in accuracy by a simple hitting action by eliminating to the utmost a misalignment of a gap between a ball hitting direction and a line of sight, which has been encountered when using a conventional golf putter, at the time of aiming a ball hitting direction, and a misalignment or a gap between a hitting point and a direction of advance of gripping at the time of hitting. Constitution: secured to the center of the top surface of a head is a shaft which extends upwardly and obliquely toward a player, has respective grips on upper and lower ends thereof and is about 65 cm long, shorter than a conventional shaft.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a putter which will provide an improved accuracy especially for an important putting in golf competitions or tournaments. BACKGROUND ART Many of conventional putters each have a long slender face which is about 20 cm x 10 cm in size, and a shaft which is about 80 cm long. In the conventional putter, there is a long distance between a grip of the putter and a point at which a ball strikes a head of the putter. There is also a large deviation and a gap between a direction for the ball to actually advance forwardly and the sight line for determining such direction. Therefore, it is very difficult for exact putting to occur. Examples of attempts to solve this problem may be seen in both US-A-4163554 and US-A-4523758. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above problem and to improve the accuracy of putting at least to a slight extent. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a kneeling putter, comprising a shaft risen obliquely from a central portion of a top of a putter head at an angle of 10° to 15 ° from a perpendicular line toward a player, the shaft having a length of about 65 cm, and grips provided at two points on the shaft. The putter according to the present invention is used with the player kneeling directly over the ball and therefore, the shaft is shorter than that of the conventional putter. The player s hand on the upper grip is used like a fulcrum activated by a light stroke from the player s shoulder, and the player s hand on the lower grip on the shaft putts the ball at the head with a pendulum-like swing. With the player's eye closer to the ball and the grip (the lower grip that actually putts) closer to the point where the ball is truck, it is possible to putt the ball with a simple swing and an exact aim. Also, in the case of long putts, the putter according to the present invention can be used to putt the ball in a standing posture as assumed in putting with the conventional putter. Further, the putter according to the present invention has opposite faces which allow for right-handed and left-handed putting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.1 is a diagrammatic illustration of situation using a putter according to the present invention; and Fig.2 is a partially broken-away side view of the putter shown in Fig.1. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to Fig.1 showing a situation using the putter according to the present invention, the player's eye is directly above the ball 5 which is about to be putted. One of the player's hands grasps the upper grip 3, and the player s fist is held in light contact with near the shoulder. The other hand grasps the lower grip 4 and simply swings the shaft in a pendulum-like manner. Fig.2 is a side view of the putter according to the present invention. The shaft 2 is fixed to the central portion of the head 1 at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees from a perpendicular line toward the player. The shaft is about 65 cm long. Therefore, the fist grasping the upper grip 3comes just to near the shoulder. Effect of the Invention The putt according to the present invention is constructed and operated in the above-described manner and therefore, when the player is sighting the putting direction, the player's eye can be put closer to the ball, as compared with the case where the conventional putter is used, and thus, the player can have a confidence in the aim. In addition, the putting motion is no longer unstable as in the conventional manner and is a simple pendulum-like movement which will produce no error, thus providing an effective and remarkable improvement in accuracy of putting.

Claims: A kneeling putter comprising a shaft (2) risen obliquely on a top of a putter head (1) at its central portion at an angle of 10° to 15° from a line perpendicular to the underside of the putter head (1), said shaft (2) having a length of about 65cm, and separate grips (3,4) provided at two points on said shaft (2). A kneeling putter according to Claim 1, wherein said grips (3,4) are provided at an upper end portion and a lower end portion of said shaft (2). A kneeling putter according to Claim 2, wherein said grip (3) provided at the upper end portion of said shaft (2) has an upper extremity coincident with the upper extremity of said shaft (2), and said grip (4) at the lower end portion of said shaft (2) has a lower extremity coincident with a lower extremity of said shaft (2) contacting said putter head (1). A kneeling putter according to any preceding claim, wherein said putter has putting surfaces on opposing sides of the putter head (1). A method of golf putting using a kneeling putter in accordance with any of Claims 2 to 4, comprising the steps of: kneeling and gripping said putter with one hand such that the hand is proximate both the end of the shaft (2) remote from said putter head (1) and a shoulder of the player, the other hand gripping the shaft (2) proximate to the putter head (1) so that the hands are widely spaced apart; aligning the eyes vertically over a golf ball to be struck; and holding the remote end of the shaft (2) relatively still to provide a fulcrum, and moving the hand proximate the putting head (1) so as to move the putter head (1) back from and then toward the ball in a pendulum-like motion.

Inventors: NOMURA SUEKI, NOMURA, SUEKI
Applicants: NOMURA SUEKI, NOMURA, SUEKI
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A63B53
IPC codes: A63B53