Abstract:
A golf putter having an improved club head construction comprising a tapered toe and heel, and cut-out portions to distribute weight towards the toe and heal of the club to preventing twisting and to prevent club head interaction with the ground during stroke. In an aspect, the club head further includes alignment indicator lines on an upward facing mounting surface and a alignment indicator line along a shaft connection portion that extends forwardly of the striking face of the club head.

Description:
FILED OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to golf clubs, and more particularly, relating to an improved golf putter. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Putting is an important part of golfing. Accurate putting requires attention to speed/distance and line. Speed/distance is controlled by the velocity and force applied to a ball, while line defines the direction of the moving ball. The line can only be made by the golfer, but the speed can be aided by a more consistent roll. A top spin roll is generally most desired because it is less likely to be affected by bumps on the green which might otherwise effect the line of the ball. Many golf putter designs have attempted to aid the golfer in producing a moving ball that has an appropriate top spin roll. 
         [0003]    Another problem with accuracy in putting is caused by ground interaction. A golfer usually lines up the putter with the ball (“at address”), brings the club back (“takeaway”), and then hits the ball and follows through. The desired results are obtained when the putter is kept exactly as the golfer intended it. However, the putter is usually touching the ground at address. During takeaway, the putter may interact with the ground (“ground interaction”). The golfer aims to keep the putter slightly above the ground during the rest of the takeaway and follow through. However, sometimes the putter does touch the ground. Even the most carefully manicured course includes some irregularities in its greens. This can affect the aiming of the putter, and hence effect the line of the ball. 
         [0004]    Another problem with accuracy in putting is caused by twisting of the putter during the stroke causing the striking face of the to strike the ball at an angle off of the line of ball resulting in an undesired ball trajectory. 
         [0005]    Another problem with accuracy in putting is caused by an incorrect approach to the golf ball to be struck resulting in the ball being off center from the sweet spot or correct strike location on the striking surface. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a golf putter of an improved construction which aids a golfer in striking a golf ball to induce a top spin. 
         [0007]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a golf putter of an improved construction that minimizes surface contact area with the ground and thus preventing the club head from scuffing the ground during stroke. 
         [0008]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention further provide a golf putter of an improved construction that minimizes twisting of the golf putter during stroke. 
         [0009]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention further provide a golf putter of an improved construction that aids in proper golf ball addressing and follow through. 
         [0010]    To achieve these and other advantages, in general, in one aspect, golf putter includes a shaft extending along an axis and a club head attached to the shaft. The club head has a vertical blade portion having a ball striking surface, opposed top and bottom edges, and opposed first and second side edges. The vertical blade portion tapers from wide to narrow in a direction from a vertical center line towards both the first and the second edges, and symmetrically about a longitudinal center line. The vertical blade portion has a first cut-out portion through the thickness of the vertical blade portion inwardly through the top edge, and symmetrically about the vertical center line. The vertical blade portion has a second cut-out portion through the thickness of the vertical blade portion inwardly through the bottom edge and symmetrically about the vertical center line. The first and the second cut-out portions are symmetrical about the longitudinal center line. A back portion extends rearwardly from the vertical blade portion between the first and the second side edges and along the longitudinal center line. The back portion has a thickness about equal to the width of the vertical blade portion as measured along the vertical center line between the first and the second cut-out portions. The back portion has an upwardly facing mounting surface and a rearward edge. The back portion has a third cut-out portion through the thickness of the back portion inwardly into the back portion from the rearward edge and symmetrical about a theta line that is perpendicular to both of the vertical center line and the longitudinal center line. The back portion tapers from wide to narrow along the longitudinal center line in a direction from the theta line towards both the first and the second edges. An arcuate neck portion has a lower end connected to the mounting surface and an upper end, wherein the arcuate neck portion extends upwardly and forwardly from the lower end to the upper end in a direction generally perpendicular to the ball striking surface. The upper end of the arcuate neck portion is located forward of the lower end. The arcuate neck portion is a single continuous curve extending from the lower end to the upper end and has an inward and downward facing surface and an opposed outward and upward facing surface. The lower end of the arcuate neck portion being connected to the mounting surface along the theta line. A shaft connecting portion has a lower end connected to the upper end of the arcuate neck portion and an upper end connected to the shaft, wherein the axis of the shaft extends at angle of between 0 degrees and 17 degrees from vertical and in a plane generally parallel to the ball striking surface when the putter is addressed with the bottom edge of the vertical blade portion disposed in a horizontal orientation. 
         [0011]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
         [0012]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0013]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0014]    For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention, in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a golf putter constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the golf club of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the golf putter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a back elevation view of the golf putter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view another embodiment of a golf putter constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the golf club of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the golf putter of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a back elevation view of the golf putter of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  FIGS. 1-4 , respectively, show front, top, side and back views of a first embodiment of a putter  10  according to the invention. The putter  10  includes a club head  12  and a shaft  14  which can include a handle or other elements allowing gripping of the putter. The head  12  includes a generally vertical blade portion  16  having a forward ball striking surface  18 , a top edge  20 , a bottom edge  22 , and opposed side edges  24  and  26 . Throughout discussion of the putter  10  the description and orientation of various elements of the putter will be made using reference to a longitudinal center line  30 , a vertical center line  32 , and a theta line  34  (extending into and out of the paper in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0025]    The head  12  is symmetrical about the longitudinal center line  30  and the vertical center line  32  when viewed from the front, and is symmetrical about the theta line  34  when viewed from above. The vertical blade portion  16  tapers from wide to narrow along the longitudinal center line  30  in a direction from the vertical center line  32  towards side edges  24  and  26 . A first cut-out portion  36  extends inwardly through the vertical blade portion  16  from the top edge  20 . A second cut-out portion  38  extends inwardly through the vertical blade portion  16  from the bottom edge  22 . Both the first and second cut-out portions  36  and  38  are symmetrical about the vertical center line  32 . Both the first and second cut-out portions  36  and  38  are symmetrical to each other about the longitudinal center line  30 . In one aspect, each cut-out portion  36  and  38  is semi-circular and can have a radius r′ and r″ of about 0.84 inches which is about equivalent to the radius of a typical golf ball. To this end, head  12  is faced balanced with the mass and thus weight of the vertical blade portion  16  is distributed towards side edges  24  and  26  to reduce twisting of the putter  10  during a putting stroke. 
         [0026]    The head  12  includes a back portion  40  that extends rearwardly of vertical blade portion  16  between side edges  24  and  26  and along longitudinal center line  30 . The back portion  40  has a thickness about equal to the width of the vertical blade portion  16  as measured along the vertical center line  32  between the cut-out portions  36  and  38 . The back portion  40  further includes an upwardly facing mounting surface  42  and a rearward edge  44 . The back portion  40  can taper from wide narrow in a direction from the theta line  34  towards side edges  24  and  26 . A third cut-out portion  46  can extend inwardly into the back portion  40  through the rearward edge  44 . Cut-out portion  46  is symmetrical about theta line  34 . In one aspect, cut-out portion  46  can be semi-circular shaped and can have a radius r″ of about 0.84 inches. To this end, the weight and thus mass of the back portion  40  is symmetrically balanced about theta line  34  to further reduce twisting of the putter  10  during a putting stroke. 
         [0027]    As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the amount surface area of bottom edge  22  that is immediately adjacent to the ground surface  48  when the putter is addressed with the bottom edge of the vertical blade portion  16  disposed in a horizontal orientation is reduced to edges  50  defined by the intersection of the beginning and end of cut-out portion  38 . To this end, scuffing of the head  12  along the ground surface during a stroke is reduced. 
         [0028]    A connecting portion  51  such as arcuate neck portion  52  is attached a at lower end  54  to the mounting surface  42  of the back portion  40  and extends upwardly and forwardly from the mounting surface to an upper end  56  in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward ball striking surface  18 , as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The upper end  56  of the neck portion  52  is located forward of the lower end  54  to be about a vertical axis  58  of ball  60  when the ball is address with the putter  1 O. A shaft connecting portion  62  is connected at a lower end  64  to the upper end  56  of the neck portion  52  and at an upper end  66  to the shaft  14 . The shaft connecting portion  62  extends from the neck portion  52  to position axis  68  of the shaft  14  at an angle Ø of between 0 degrees and 17 degrees from vertical  70  and in a plane generally parallel to the ball striking surface  18  when the putter  10  is address with the bottom edge  22  of the vertical blade portion  16  disposed in a horizontal orientation. As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the shaft connecting portion  62 , and thus the shaft  12  is positioned forward of the ball striking surface  18  and generally directly above the vertical axis  58  of the ball  60 . To this end, a golfer is given an additional line of sight to the golf ball to aid in hitting the ball dead center. Additionally, during a stroke of the putter  10 , the golfers hands are positioned forwardly of the striking facing  18  thereby causing an upward strike against the ball imparting a forward spin on the ball, and eliminating back spin on the ball. 
         [0029]    The upper end  54  of the neck portion  52  is positioned approximately above the vertical axis  58  of ball  60  when the ball is address by the putter  10  with the bottom edge  22  of the vertical blade portion  16  disposed in a horizontal orientation and the with the ball striking surface  18  juxtaposed the ball. The neck portion  52  can be a single continuous curve extending from the lower end  54  to the upper end  56 . The neck portion  52  has an inward and downward facing surface  70  and an opposed outward and upward facing surface  72 . The lower end  54  of the neck portion is connected to the mounting surface  42  along the theta line  34  such that the putter  10  is a center shafted putter. 
         [0030]    As best seen in  FIG. 2 , a first pair of spaced alignment lines  74  can be provided on the mounting surface  42  that are visible when the putter  10  is address by a golfer. The alignment lines  74  are spaced a distance approximately equal to golf ball  60 , and are positioned to be symmetrical about theta line  34 . Generally, alignment lines  74  indicate where the circumference of golf ball  60  should be positioned when addressed with putter  10 , i.e. the golf ball  60  should be positioned between alignment lines  74  without any portion of the golf ball extending beyond any one alignment line  74 . A third, center alignment line  76  can be provided along the length of surface  72  of neck portion  52  to further aid in centering the golf ball  60  between alignment lines  74 . Alignment lines  74  can be colored a first color, while alignment line  76  can be colored a different color, i.e. alignment lines  74  could be colored red, and alignment line  76  could be colored blue to further aid in visual acuity in addressing a golf ball with putter  10 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 5-7 , respectively, show front, top, side and back views of another illustrative embodiment of the invention in the form of a putter  10 ′. In these figures, reference numerals with prime marks (′) refer to structure which is somewhat altered from the corresponding structure denoted with the same numerals and discussed in  FIGS. 1-4 . Putter  10 ′ is another faced balanced center shafted blade style putter constructed in accordance with the invention. Connecting portion  51 ′ comprises shaft connecting portion  62  connected at a lower end  64  to mounting surface  42  and at an upper end  66  to the shaft  14 . Shaft connecting portion  62  extends from the mounting surface  42  to position axis  68  of the shaft  14  at an angle Ø of between 0 degrees and 17 degrees from vertical  70  and in a plane generally parallel to the ball striking surface  18  when the putter  10 ′ is address with the bottom edge  22  of the vertical blade portion  16  disposed in a horizontal orientation. 
         [0032]    A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.