Abstract:
A golf swing training apparatus is intended for use in learning the proper technique of swinging a golf club to hit a golf ball and accelerate the golf ball along an intended path. The training apparatus includes a planar reflective panel, such as a mirror for visually identifying a users swing path. The training apparatus also includes a rigid panel for strengthening and supporting the reflective panel. The reflective panel includes markings that represent a person at the important golf club to golf ball impact stage so that a user may compare the user&#39;s positioning to that of the preferred positioning.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a golf swing training apparatus. In particular, this invention relates to a reflective surface with permanent markings thereon that represent an ideal position at a golf club to golf ball interface. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Golf is a very difficult sport to do well at, let alone master. Yet the popularity of the sport continues to grow. As the number of participants increase, so does the demand for training aides so that the experienced as well as, the neophyte may continue to improve their skills. Some of these teaching aides provide a reflective surface with either removable or repositionable lines. The removable or repositionable lines make the teaching aide difficult for repeated use and setup for a particular or even for multiple users. Yet other teaching aides provide for a convex reflective surface. The convex reflective surfaces distort the image of the user and are therefore difficult to achieve an accurate understanding of what the user is doing at any given position along the golf swing. 
   Furthermore, the fixed lines on prior disclosed devices, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,486,003, 5,174,566, 3,917,278 and 5,603,617 do not include an explanation of what the lines represent during the swing. This makes it extremely difficult for a user to understand how to operate the training device and therefore requires training for the training device itself. 
   However, none of the above mentioned devices include a guideline representing the golf swing at impact of the golf ball. This is the most important element of the swing because this position ultimately determines the flight path of the golf ball. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a golf swing training apparatus that includes a planar reflective surface and has graphical representations of the preferred golf swing at impact as well as, alignment lines and instructions that are included so that the user may readily be able to set up and operate such a training device. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The golf swing training apparatus provides a vehicle for a user to observe the users golf swing and compare it to the proper positioning of the golf swing and, particularly, at the important impact of the golf club to golf ball position. This is done by providing a reflective surface with a marking of a representative person making the preferred golf club to golf ball impact imprinted thereon. The reflective surface is tinted to reduce background distractions and includes a key that represents all the important elements that, when all are accomplished together, results in the preferred golf club to golf ball impact and therefore, the preferred golf ball trajectory. The key includes symbols to represent the important elements that are reproduced at the marking of the representative person in the area that is affected by the important element, along with an arrow, to show the proper movement associated with the important element. The golf swing training apparatus may be angled so that any user may be aligned with the markings thereon. The golf swing training apparatus also includes removable placards for reminding the user of the important steps throughout the entire golf swing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a golf swing training apparatus; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the golf swing training apparatus with placards attached; 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric front view of the golf swing training apparatus while in use; 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric rear view of a second embodiment the golf swing training apparatus; and 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric front view of the second embodiment of the golf swing training apparatus while in use. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a golf swing training apparatus is generally shown at  10 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the training apparatus  10  includes a reflective panel  12  and a rigid panel  14 . The rigid panel  14  is fixedly secured to the reflective panel  12  to strengthen and support the reflective panel  12 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the reflective panel  12  is a generally planar reflective device, such as a mirror, but may be produced out of any highly reflective material that allows one to visually observe oneself and accepts a plurality of markings, generally indicated at  16 . The markings  16  are produced by any known method, such as screen-printing, etching, painting, and the like. In the preferred embodiment, the reflective panel  12  is tinted so that reflected lights do not obscure the vision of a user and so other background objects become less distracting while using the training apparatus. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the training apparatus  10  is generally rectangular and is of sufficient size that when placed in front of a hitting surface at an angle, the markings  16  align with a user  36 . The markings  16  include a generally horizontal line  18  that aligns with the head of a user  36  and a generally vertical line  20  that aligns through a golf ball  38  placed on the hitting surface and continues through the shoulder of the user  36 . The horizontal line  18  and the vertical line  20  provide the starting alignment for the user  36 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the markings  16  also have an outline  22  of a person at the optimal positioning during a golf club  40  impact with the golf ball  38 . The outline  22  is preferably in a color that is bolder than the other markings  16  so that the outline  22  is readily apparent to the user  36  at the most important step of the golf swing, the impact of the golf club  40  to the golf ball  38 . The outline  22  comprises several important elements of the golf swing that the user  36  must concentrate on for improvement and are listed separately on a key  24 . The key  24  includes a symbol  26 , such as a number, letter, or the like, for the important element associated with it. The symbol  26  is reproduced on or near the outline  22  at the body location associated with the movement and includes directional arrows  28  for guiding the user through the movement. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the training apparatus  10  further includes a first placard  32  and a second placard  34  positioned in such a way that both placards are easily viewable from the golf stance. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first and second placards  32 ,  34  are removably attached by any known method such as, hook and loop material, removable tape, attachment hooks, suction cups or similar methods. The first placard  32  is positioned on the training apparatus  10  so that it is readily visible during a back swing, that is, when the golf club  40  is taken away from the golf ball  38 , and through a down swing, that is, until the golf club  40  makes contact with the golf ball  38 . The first placard  32  includes graphical and written information that the user  36  requires for the first part of the golf swing, that is, addressing the ball, the golf club take-away, the top of the swing, and down swing that leads to the outline  22  position. The second placard  34  is positioned on the training apparatus  10  so that it is readily visible after the impact of golf club  40  to the golf ball  38 . The second placard  34  includes graphical and written information that the user  36  requires for learning the proper golf swing after the outline  22  position, such as, the follow through and finish steps. 
   In operation, referring to  FIG. 3 , the training apparatus  10  is positioned in front of the hitting surface at an angle so that the reflection of a user  36  is apparent to the user  36 . The first placard  32  and the second placard  34  are attached to the training apparatus  10  such that the first and second placards  32 ,  34  are visible during the portion of the golf swing they are required. A golf ball  38  is placed on the hitting surface such that the vertical line  20  passes through the image of golf ball  38  and the shoulder of the user  36  and horizontal line  18  is aligned with the top of the image of the user&#39;s head. If the horizontal line  18  does not align with the head of the user  36 , the golf ball and user are moved either towards or away from training apparatus  10  so that the alignment is achieved. Alternatively, the training apparatus  10  may be placed at a greater or lesser angle so that proper alignment is achieved. The training apparatus  10  may be adjusted to fit people of various sizes through the angle of the training apparatus  10 . This positioning may be checked against the first placard  32  for reminders and instructions. 
   The first placard&#39;s  32  steps may be utilized to visually compare the reflection during the first part of the golf swing in each of the important steps leading to the outline  22  position. The outline  22  position may then be utilized to observe the reflection in the proper position at the golf club  40  to golf ball  38  impact. The second placard  34  may be utilized to verify the user  36  is in the proper position after the golf club  40  to golf ball  38  impact. 
   If the user  36  notices a difference anywhere along the swing, the user may review either the first placard  32 , the outline  22  and key  24 , or the second placard  34  for reminders on the specific area that needs to be addressed. The user  36  may place another golf ball  38  on the hitting surface and in alignment with the user&#39;s  36  shoulder and the vertical line  20 . The user  36  may also align the top of the head of the user  36  with the horizontal line  18 . The user  36  then repeats the steps above making any corrections that are required along the swing path until the proper technique is achieved. 
   Additionally, if the training apparatus  10  is desired to be utilized for the impact of the golf club  40  to the golf ball  38  only, the step of attaching the first placard  32  and the second placard  34  to the training apparatus  10  may be omitted. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a second embodiment of the training apparatus  50  is shown. Where the training apparatus  50  of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment, new reference numbers will be used. The training apparatus  50  of the second embodiment utilizes a reflective panel  12  and a rigid panel  14  with markings  16 , as the first embodiment. However, the reflective panel  12  and the rigid panel  14  are further strengthened by a frame  52 . The frame  52  includes an upper section  54  and a lower section  56  interconnected and spaced apart by opposing side sections  58 ,  60 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the side sections  58 ,  60  rotatably secure a support rod  62 . The support rod  62  fixedly secures a support leg  64  at a first end  66  and extends to a distal second end  68 . The support leg  64  includes a flexible limiting device  70 , such as a string, rope, chain, or the like. The limiting device  70  extends between a leg end  72 , and a frame end  74 . The leg end  72  is fixedly secured adjacent to the second end  68 . The frame end  74  is fixedly secured to the lower section  56 . The limiting device  70  is for limiting the distance the support leg  64  may extend away from the training apparatus  50 . The lower section  56  further includes at least one limiter post  76  adjacent the frame end  74  of the limiting device  70 . The limiter post  76  is fixedly secured to the lower section  56  and has a generally C-shaped end  78  for accepting a portion of the limiting device  70 . The limiting device  70  may be adjusted for length by wrapping the limiting device  70  around the limiter post  76 , thereby adjusting the angle of the training apparatus  50 . 
   The operation of the second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment after setup of the training apparatus  50  therefore, only the setup portion will be explained. The training apparatus  50  is positioned in front of the hitting surface. The second end  68  of the support leg  64  is extended away from the training apparatus  50  until the limiting device  70  is taught. The first placard  32  and the second placard  34  are attached to the training apparatus  50 . A golf ball  38  is placed on the hitting surface such that the vertical line  20  passes through the golf ball  38  and the shoulder of the user and the horizontal line  18  aligns with the head of the user  36 . If the horizontal line  18  does not align with the head of the user  36 , the user  36  may move the golf ball  38  towards or away from the training apparatus  50  or angle the training apparatus  50  so that the alignment can be made. 
   The adjustment of the training apparatus  50  angle may be done by wrapping the limiting device  70  about the limiter post  76 , thereby, reducing the distance the support leg  64  may be extended, thus requiring the training apparatus  50  to stand more erect. By adjusting the limiting device  70 , the training apparatus  50  may be adjusted to fit multiple size users  36  easily. This positioning may be checked against the first placard  32  for reminders and instructions. The remaining swing steps are similar to those of the first embodiment and therefore, will not be repeated. 
   The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
   Many modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.