Patent Publication Number: US-2004058741-A1

Title: Golf club

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to sports equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to golf clubs.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] There are many designs for golf clubs existing. Some of the problems of existing clubs are that when the ball lands in the rough, buried in the sand, or sitting on dirt, the club must travel through the grass sand, or dirt before striking the golf ball. In conventional golf clubs, the club head may twist due to the influence of the tall grass, sand, or dirt and, as a result, the club hits the ball in a direction unintended by the golfer. For a right-handed golfer, this twist leads to hitting the ball to the right of the intended target.  
       [0005] A further problem in the use of present clubs, particularly for amateurs, is that hitting the ball on the face of the club near the toe of the club as opposed to the vertical centerline of the club imparts twisting of the club head relative to the shaft, resulting in the ball being struck in an unintended direction.  
       [0006] It would be desirable to provide golf clubs which are not subject to twisting when subjected to hitting from the rough, sand, or earth and when hitting the ball near the toe of the club.  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,913, issued Mar. 1, 1960 to Stecher, describes a golf club having a shaft and a head disposed at an obtuse angle thereto with a curved shank connecting the shaft and head. The longitudinal axis of the shaft intersects the head in such a manner that the weight on opposite sides of the axis is substantially equal so that the club head can rotate freely about. The axis of the shaft is extended to intersect the center of gravity of the club.  
       [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,707, issued Apr. 6, 1993 to Knox, describes a golf club design where the shaft axis intersects the club head center axis at the club center of gravity or “sweet spot.” 
       [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,919, issued Oct. 26, 1993, to Johnson, describes a, golf putter club where the shaft axis intersects the sweet spot center of the putter.  
       [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,992, issued Mar. 12, 1996, to Ritke describes a golf club where the shaft is offset, whereby the axis of the shaft extends through the central point of impact with a target on the club head which corresponds with the center of gravity of the club or the “sweet spot.” 
       [0011] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a golf club solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012] The present invention is an improved golf club design. The design is particularly adapted to use in clubs intended to be hit from the course surface, i.e., shots from the fairway, rough, and sand. The design also improves direction and length of drives from the tee. The design provides for the axis of the shaft of the club to intersect the sole at a vertical centerline of the club head defined by a first vertical plane normal to and bisecting the face of the club head and a second vertical plane normal to the first, or for a distance up to one inch along the centerline above the sole. This results in a club in which the club head will not twist from contact with the earth, sand, or tall grass while striking the ball. The counter-weighted effect of the club design will minimize club head twist upon making off-center hits, such as hitting the ball on the toe of the club. Any twisting of the golf club by the golfer from his grip or from his swing is minimized by this design, allowing for straighter drives or shots. More torque from the swing will be transferred to the ball as the shaft will not twist during the swing and contact with the ball, allowing for longer drives or shots. The design provides for a larger area on the golf club face to strike the ball without twisting of the club head. The design allows the golfer to have a softer, more relaxed grip on the golf club without the club twisting upon impact with the golf ball, ground, sand or tall grass.  
       [0013] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a golf club designed to result in longer, straighter drives.  
       [0014] It is another object of the invention to provide a golf club as above which provides for straighter shots from earth, sand, or tall grass.  
       [0015] It is a further object of the invention to provide a golf club as above which allows for a larger hitting area on the club face without resultant twisting of the club head.  
       [0016] Still another object of the invention is to provide a golf club as above which allows the golfer to use a softer, more relaxed grip on the club handle, without the club twisting upon impact with the golf ball, ground, sand or tall grass.  
       [0017] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a golf club as above wherein the effect of any twisting of the golf club by the golfer from his grip or from his swing will be minimized, allowing for straighter drives.  
       [0018] It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     
    
    
     [0019] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0020]FIG. 1 is a fragmented, environmental, elevation view of a golf club according to the present invention with the face hitting a golf ball in deep grass.  
     [0021]FIG. 2A is a fragmented, plan view of a short iron according to the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 2B is a fragmented, front elevation view of the short iron of FIG. 2A.  
     [0023]FIG. 2C is a fragmented, side elevation view of the short iron of FIG. 2A.  
     [0024]FIG. 3A is a fragmented, plan view of a long iron according to the present invention.  
     [0025]FIG. 3B is a fragmented, front elevation of the long iron of FIG. 3A.  
     [0026]FIG. 3C is a fragmented, side elevation view of the long iron of FIG. 3A.  
     [0027]FIG. 4A is a fragmented, plan view of a fairway wood according to the present invention.  
     [0028]FIG. 4B is a fragmented, front elevation view of the fairway wood of FIG. 4A.  
     [0029]FIG. 4C is a fragmented, side elevation view of the fairway wood of FIG. 4A.  
     [0030]FIG. 5 is a fragmented, front elevation view of an iron according to the present invention hitting a ball off-center on the toe.  
     [0031] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0032] The present invention is a golf club design which provides for the axis of the shaft of the club to intersect the vertical centerline of the club at the club sole.  
     [0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A- 2 C, there is shown an environmental, elevation view of short iron  10 , having a high pitch angle, such as an eight iron, nine iron, or wedge, and respective plan, front elevation, and side elevation views of short iron  10 . The golf ball B is located in deep grass G. The iron  10  has a shaft  12  connected with a handle at an upper end(not shown) and with the hozzle (or hosel)  14  at its lower end, the upper portion of hozzle  14  leading to lower hozzle  16  at bend  18 . Iron  10  has a club head  19  having a sole  20 , toe  22  and heel  24  defining face  26  having a high pitch angle relative to the sole  20 . It is noted that the hozzle  14  is bent downward at bend  18  such that lower hozzle  16  is closer to vertical as compared to the shaft  12  and hozzle  14 . A conventional hozzle is a direct extension of the shaft along its centerline to the heel portion of the club head. The inventive club  10  remains similar in overall appearance to the conventional club. The hozzle bend  18  allows the centerline of the shaft to intersect further out on the club, i.e., the sole at the vertical centerline determining the centerline-sole intersection I. As shown in FIG. 1, the golf ball B is resting in deep grass G. The club  10  preferably makes contact with the ball B at point P along club face  26  along the club head vertical centerline.  
     [0034] The vertical centerline is defined by the intersection of a first vertical plane normal to and bisecting the face of the club head and a second vertical plane normal to the first. According to the present invention, the shaft is oriented so that a longitudinal axis through the center of the shaft of the club intersects the vertical centerline either at the sole of the club head or along the vertical centerline up to and including one inch above the sole of the club head.  
     [0035] As is represented by downwardly curved lines, the force F imparted to the club head when swung toward the ball B along its length by the grass G is equal on either side of the centerline, resulting in no twisting moment to be conveyed to the shaft  12 . Thus, the ball B is hit square by the club head  19 . As is seen in FIGS.  2 A- 2 C, the club head is shaped to closely resemble a standard club head. In the case of short iron, the intersection I, as seen in FIG. 2C is located about halfway between the front edge and the rear of the sole  20  along the centerline thereof.  
     [0036] Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and  3 B, there are shown a plan view, a front view, and a side elevation view, respectively, of a long iron, such as a two or three iron. Long iron  40  has a hozzle  44  leading at one end to the shaft  42  and at the other end to lower hozzle  46  at bend  48 . Club head  49  has a sole  50  extending between toe  52  and heel  54  defining face  56  the face having a low pitch relation to the sole  50 . The shaft centerline meets the vertical club head centerline and sole  60  at intersection I. The intersection I is located near the front edge of sole  50  near the club face along said centerline so as to resemble the conventional long iron club configuration, The bend  48  and the steeper than normal intersection of lower hozzle  46  with the heel  54  provides for the intersection I to be located at the intersection of the shaft  12 , the vertical centerline of the club head and the sole  50  according to the invention while resembling a standard long iron.  
     [0037] Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and  4 C, there are shown a plan view, a front elevation view, and a side elevation view, respectively of a driver or fairway wood according to the present invention. Driver or fairway wood club  70  has a shaft  72  having a handle(not shown) at an upper end and a hozzle  74  connecting with club head  76 , the front of which has a toe  78 , and a heel  80  connected by a sole  82  defining club face  84 . The design of the hozzle  74  for the wood differs from that of the irons in that the hozzle  74  is straight and remains in line with the centerline of the shaft. The centerline of the shaft is directed toward the vertical centerline of the wood and the sole  82  of the wood at intersection I by moving the mounting of the shaft  72  and hozzle  74  inward along the upper portion of the head  76 . The resulting wood of the present invention is otherwise similar in appearance to a standard driving or fairway wood. It is noted that intersection I is spaced back away from the edge of the face such that the wood exhibits the characteristics of the invention while remaining similar in overall appearance to the standard wood.  
     [0038] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a front elevation view of a short iron as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the golf ball G is hit at point of contact P at a point spaced toward the toe  22  from the center line and the intersection point I on face  26 . In a standard type club a substantial amount of twist is induced in the shaft when striking the ball, resulting in a misdirected, short shot. In the inventive club as shown, a relatively greater mass of the iron head is located on the inner side of the vertical center line as compared to a standard club, resulting in much less torque being applied to the shaft  12  which results in much less twisting of the shaft and thus a straight, more solid impact with the ball when the club is swung and a better resulting shot.  
     [0039] The materials useful in the inventive clubs may be the same as those employed in a standard set of clubs. The inventive clubs closely approximate the overall appearance of standard clubs which enhance their desirability in use.  
     [0040] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.