Abstract:
The present invention provides a putter-fitting template that enables fitters to scribe various lines onto test putters. The template fits securely and temporarily onto the putter head and includes line guides for drawing the scribe lines onto the putter. The invention also provides a method for fitting a golfer with a custom-fit putter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/339,699, filed Dec. 11, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Golf has become increasing popular through the years, and as a result more and more golfers are purchasing custom fit golf clubs. Custom fitting may be performed by a golfing professional, a fitting professional, or by a golf store employee. Many different fitting techniques can be employed to find golf clubs that are best suited to a particular golfer&#39;s needs. One golf club for which a professional fitting has become increasingly popular is the putter. Golfers now have a wide variety of a heads, grips, and shaft lengths to choose from when it comes to putters.  
           [0003]    As shown in FIGS.  1 - 16 , putters  10  are available in a number of different shapes and styles. The shapes shown in FIGS.  1 - 16  are intended to be illustrative and non-limiting. As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 1, 2,  3  and  4 , putters having the same shape can be differentiated by the use of scribed lines  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 . These lines are typically used by the golfer to aim the ball. During a custom fitting, the fitter will determine which style of scribed line is most helpful for the golfer. For example, if a golfer tends to aim in one direction or another (i.e. to the left or to the right), a scribed line will often help the golfer aim straight. Fitters typically give a golfer a putter with a particular line combination and test the straightness of the golfer&#39;s putting.  
           [0004]    For example, a golfer may be given a club with a single scribed line on the top of the putter (as shown at  12  in FIGS. 2, 6,  10 , and  14 ). If the golfer putts straight then he or she can be fitted with a putter that has a single scribed line on the top of the putter. If the golfer putts to the left or right, the fitter can try the various other line combinations shown in FIGS.  1 - 16 .  
           [0005]    Of course, it would be very expensive and require significant storage area to maintain different putters with each of the various scribed line combinations. For this reason, it is preferable to only need one putter of each shape. The present invention provides apparatus that allows fitters to temporarily mark putters with scribed lines in order to determine which style of scribed line best suits a particular golfer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is related to the field of golf clubs. More particularly the present invention is related to apparatus for the custom fitting of golf clubs. Specifically, the present invention provides a putter-fitting template. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    FIGS.  1 - 16  provide a plan view of various putter head shapes, including scribed lines.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 17 depicts one embodiment of a putter fitting template according to the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 18 depicts the putter fitting template shown in FIG. 17 positioned on a putter.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 19 depicts another embodiment of a putter fitting template according to the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 20 depicts the putter fitting template shown in FIG. 19 positioned on a putter.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 21 depicts yet another embodiment of a putter fitting template according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 22 depicts a putter suitable for use with the putter fitting template of FIG. 21. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    The present invention provides a putter fitting template and a method for its use. Typically the fitting template is made of a rigid material, includes guidelines for drawing scribed lines in desired places on the putter head, and is adapted to be temporarily positioned on the putter.  
         [0015]    One embodiment of the template is shown in FIG. 17. The template  20  includes a body  22  adapted to be received by a recess  24  in putter  10  (see FIG. 18). Template  20  further includes line guides  28 . When seated in recess  24 , the line guides  28  of template  20  expose regions  30 ,  32 ,  34  of putter head  10  where scribed lines may be marked by the use of a marking implement. Typically, the marking implement is non-permanent, such as a dry-erase or other marker. Alternatively, the scribed lines may be made with a stamp or other suitable marking implement. As will be appreciated, the template may be designed to allow the fitter to place the scribed lines in any desirable location on the putter head. For example, the template may include more or fewer line guides. Alternatively, or additionally, the line guides may be placed at different locations on the template.  
         [0016]    A second embodiment of the template is shown in FIG. 19. Here, instead of the L-shaped body of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, template  120  has a roughly Z-shaped body  122 . (Alternatively, this embodiment may be described as having an L-shaped body with an additional top piece  126 .) As shown, template  120  includes an additional line guide  128 , which exposes a region  136  of putter  10 , shown in FIG. 20, to allow the fitter to draw a scribed line on the top of the putter head.  
         [0017]    Because not all putters have a cavity into which a template may be placed, a third embodiment of the template  220  is shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. In this embodiment, putter head  210  need not have a recess. Instead, the putter head is temporarily affixed to the putter by use of a securing mechanism. The securing mechanism may include pins  202  on the template that can be inserted into orifices  204  in putter head  210  in order to secure the template to the putter head. In the alternative, the pins may be located on the putter head and the orifices may be located on the template. Alternative securing mechanisms may include magnets, temporary screws, or additional conformational changes to the template that enable the template to non-permanently engage the putter head. This embodiment enables the template to be used with a variety of different putter heads, including both those with a cavity and those without a cavity. This provides the golfer with a wider selection of possible putters to choose from.  
         [0018]    For example, a fitter could have a plurality of putters with different shafts and putter heads available for the golfer to use. Each putter head could have a securing mechanism such as a series of orifices adapted to receive and correctly orient the same fitting template. Because the securing mechanism does not rely on the presence of a cavity to which the template must be conformed, the golfer can experiment with a number of different putter heads including those with and without cavities in determining which putter/scribe line combination is most suitable for the golfer.  
         [0019]    The template may be machine milled out of metal or may be formed out of another suitable material. In addition, a single template may be adapted to fit into a number of differently shaped and sized recesses, for example by forming the template or parts of the template from a deformable, moldable, or expandable material.  
         [0020]    It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.  
         [0021]    Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed in a related application. Such claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to any original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.