PUTTERS

Abstract: A putter includes a shaft (10) and a head (16) formed as two parts (15 and 17). One (15) of the parts is the lower portion of a connector (11) interconnecting the shaft (10) and the head (16). The connector (11) includes a main body portion (14) having a rear edge which can be aligned visually with the rear face of the head (16) for accurate positioning of the putter.

Description: PUTTERS Field of the Invention This invention relates to putters, i.e. to a golf club used for putting. In order for a golfer to putt accurately, the striking face of the putter must be positioned correctly and it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of putter the design of which is such as to facilitate accurate putting. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a putter which includes a shaft, a head having a front face foπ striking a golf ball and a rear face, and a connector interconnecting the shaft and the head, and in which the connector has a rear edge which can be aligned visually with the rear face of the head by a golfer holding the shaft. The putter head has a toe and a heel, the heel being the end portion of the head which is closer to the golfer when putting and the toe being the end portion of the head which is remote from the golfer when putting. With a conventional putter, the connection to the shaft is at the heel end of the head whereas, with a putter in accordance with the present invention, the connection to the shaft is at the toe end of the head. The connector interconnecting the head and the shaft is preferably formed as an injection moulding integrally with a part of the head of the putter. The injection moulding may be of a graphite- reinforced thermoplastic material. The head of the putter is accordingly preferably formed as two parts, one of which parts provides the striking face of the putter, while the other part is formed integrally with the connector. Said other part preferably provides the upper portion of the rear face of the head. Said one part of the head of the putter is preferably formed as a metal casting so that the head of the putter is of the required weight while, at the same time, the two parts of the head of the putter have contrasting visual appearances facilitating alignment of the rear face of the head of the putter with the rear edge of the connector. Said one part of the head of the putter is preferably releasably attached to the other part of the head of the putter and a golfer is preferably provided with a plurality of different forms of said one part of the head. Thus, if the golfer is playing on a warm dry day, he may employ a part which is lighter in weight than the part he would use when the greens are damp. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of the lower portion of a golf putter, Figure 2 is a side view of the lower portion of the putter, Figure 3 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lower portion of the putter, and Figure 4 is an exploded side view of the lower portion of the putter. Description of the Preferred Embodiment As shown in the drawings, a golf putter comprises a shaft 10 which is provide at its upper end with a hand-grip formation (not shown). At the lower end of the shaft 10 there is a pjastic injection moulding 11 which is of a thermoplastic material impregnated with graphite fibres so that the moulding 11 will have the required strength and flexibility characteristics. The plastics moulding 11 includes an upper portion 12 which is connected to the lower end of the shaft 10, a crank portion 13, a main body portion 14 and a lowermost portion 15, which forms part of the head 16 of the putter. The main body portion 14 is inclined relative to and offset from the axis of the shaft 10 of the putter and the rear edge of the main body portion 14 co-operates with the rear face of the head 16 of the putter to provide a sighting aid. Thus, when the golfer takes hold of the putter and looks down on the rear face of the head 16 of the putter along the line Z - Z, the head 16 of the putter will be correctly positioned, to enable the golfer to putt accurately, when the rear edge of the main body portion 14 is in line with the rear face of the head 16 of the putter. The head 16 of the putter also includes a metal casting 17 which is secured by threaded fasteners 18 and 19 to the lowermost portion 15 of the plastics moulding 11. The metal casting 17 has a flat face 20 for striking the golf ball and is of a colour which contrasts with the colour of the plastics moulding 11. The plastics moulding 11 will typically be black in colour while the metal casting 17 can be of steel or brass. The shape of the metal casting 17 is such as to provide a pocket or cavity 21 within which the lowermost portion 15 of the plastics moulding 11 is a close fit. The metal casting 17 provides the majority of the weight of the head 16 of the putter. A golfer may, however, wish to vary the weight of the head of the putter in dependence on the conditions of the greens on which he is putting. For dry, fast greens he may prefer a head which is light in weight whereas, for damp conditions, he may prefer a heavier head. The putter can accordingly be provided with a number of metal castings 17 of different weights, each having a pocket or cavity 21 of the same configuration to receive the lowermost portion 15 of the plastics moulding 11. The head of a putter has two ends, i.e. the "heel" end which is closer to the feet of the golfer when he is putting and a "toe" end which is remote from the feet of the golfer. In a conventional putter, the shaft is connected to the head of the putter at or adjacent the "heel" end of the head of the putter. With, however, the putter of the present invention, the connection to the stem 10 is at the "toe" end of the head 16 of the putter. The golfer will thus be able to obtain an accurate visual sighting in that he will be able to look at that part of the head 16 of the putter which is furthest from him. He will be able to line up the rear edge of the black main body portion 14 of the plastic moulding 11 with the rear face of the head 16 of the putter, which rear face is of two contrasting colours. As shown in Figure 2, the configuration of the crank portion 13 of the plastics moulding 11 is such as to provide the required offsetting of the rear edge of the main body portion 14 from the axis of the shaft 10 so that the golfer can clearly see the upper portion of the rear face of the head 16. Figure 2 also shows that the front face 20 of the head 16 of the putter is at a small acute angle to the vertical.

Claims: Claims:- 1. A putter which includes a shaft, a head having a front face for striking a golf ball and a rear face, and a connector interconnecting the shaft and the head, and in which the connector has a rear edge which can be aligned visually with the rear face of the head by a golfer holding the shaft. 2. A putter as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the connection to the shaft is at the toe end of the head. 3. A putter as claimed in either of the preceding claims, in which the connector interconnecting the head and the shaft is formed as an injection moulding. 4. A putter as claimed in Claim 3, in which the injection moulding includes a part of the head of the putter. 5. A putter as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the injection moulding is a graphite-reinforced thermoplastic material. 6. A putter as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the head of the putter is formed as two parts. 7. A putter as claimed in Claim 6, in which one of the parts of the head provides the striking face of the putter, while the other part is formed integrally with the connector. 8. A putter as claimed in Claim 7, in which said other part provides the upper portion of the rear face of the head. 9. A putter as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, in which said one part of the head of the putter is formed as a metal casting. 10. A putter as claimed in Claim 9, in which said one part of the head of the putter is releasably attached to the other part of the head. 11. A putter including a visual aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: FIELD CHRISTOPHER HOWARD, FIELD, CHRISTOPHER, HOWARD
Applicants: FIEL LTD, FIELD CHRISTOPHER HOWARD, FIEL LIMITED, FIELD, CHRISTOPHER, HOWARD
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A63B53
IPC codes: A63B53, A63B69