Patent Publication Number: US-2012046120-A1

Title: Golf swing training device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/375,387 filed Aug. 20, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a golf swing training device. More particularly, the present invention refers to a golf swing training device that improves the golf player&#39;s posture, head position, and weight distribution during the backward and forward swing for a proper golf swing and improved clubface contact with the golf ball. 
     The requirements of a good golf swing, as set forth in the instructional classic,  Golf My Way  by Jack Nicklaus—who has won 18 major professional golf championships and is considered by many the greatest golfer of all time—with Ken Bowden, are: 1. The head, or at least the neck or the top of the spine, is the fulcrum or hub or axis of the swing. As such, any shifting of it up, down or sideways must inhibit or weaken the spring like coiling of the body on the backswing that is so essential to the generation of proper leverage on the forward swing; 2. Any shifting of the head, at any point from address to impact, will alter the arc and plane of the swing, which, if not a totally destructive factor, is certainly a very complicating one; 3. Movement of the head changes the line of vision, and it tends to force the eyes to alter their image or focus. It is very difficult to hit any object you are not looking at; and 4. As the heaviest part of the body, relative to its size, the head has a strong influence on balance. Few people are agile enough to retain their full balance during the exertion of a full golf swing if their head moves. Jack Nicklaus goes on to say, “When you think about these factors it is easy to see why a steady head is the one fundamental of golf that is universal to all ‘methods’ and to all teaching systems throughout history.” Therefore, failing to follow any of these conditions may result in poor golf swing performance. As can be seen, there is a need for providing a swing training device which will allow a golfer to practice a correct swing technique taking into account all of the conditions required to improve his/her golf swing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a golf swing training device includes a base; a vertical arm connected to the base; a bar secured to the vertical arm; and a ring secured to the bar. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective front view of the golf swing training device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention showing the swing training device in use; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective front view of the swing training device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the swing training device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a detailed view of the swing training device of  FIG. 2  showing an assembly of a ring and a bar; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the ring of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the ring of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective front view of a base of the swing training device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the swing training device taken along line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the swing training device taken along line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a detailed view of the swing training device of  FIG. 2  showing connections between the base, a base connector, an arm, and a base socket post. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a golf swing training device which may allow a golfer to practice a correct swing technique. 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a golf swing training device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The golf swing training device  10  may be used indoors or outdoors. The golf swing training device  10  may be placed on the ground. The golf swing training device  10  includes a base  44 , an arm  18  connected to the base  44 , a bar  14  secured to the other end of the arm  18 , and a ring  12  secured to the bar  14 . As a golfer  36  swings a club  40  back, the golfer  36  may be able to see a golf ball  38  by passing his/her line of sight  42  through the ring  12 . 
     The base  44 , the arm  18 , the bar  14 , and the ring  12  may be made of a sturdy material. In some embodiments, the base  44 , the arm  18 , the bar  14  and the ring  12  may be made of plastic, metal, polymer, composite, or wood. The base  44 , the arm  18 , the bar  14 , and the ring  12  may have a geometrical shape. In some embodiments, the shape of the base  44 ; the arm  18 , the bar  14 , and the ring  12  may be round, square, or rectangular. 
     The base  44  may be easily moved by the golfer  36  around the field. The base  44  may include at least one arm  24  to help stabilize the golf swing training device  10  on the ground. In some embodiments, the base  44  may include two arms. In some embodiments, the arm  24  may be a solid plate. The arm  24  may be a hollow arm. A weighted insert  26  may be slid inside the arm  24  to help stabilize the base  44 . The base  44  may have a swivel connector  20 . The swivel connector  20  may help to connect and rotate the arm  18  with respect to the base  44 . The swivel connector  20  may set the arm  18  at a 110° angle to base  44 . The swivel connector  20  may rotate 360°. The swivel movement may allow the golfer  36  to adjust the position of the arm  18  for practice in different conditions, i.e. side hill, uphill, downhill, or bunker. 
     The bar  14  may be a hollow bar. The bar  14  may be a horizontal bar. The bar  14  may have different lengths. In some embodiments, the bar  14  may be 3.5 inches long. The ring  12  may have different sizes. In some embodiments, the ring  12  may have a 2.5 inch inner diameter.  FIGS. 2-3  and  9  show that a connector  16  may be attached to the other side of the bar  14 . The connector  16  may include a bend  17 . In some embodiments, the connector  16  may be an L-shaped connector. The bend  17  may cause the ring  12  to lie in a plane at substantially a right angle with respect to the arm  18 . The bend  17  of the connector  16  may be a 90° bend. 
     As can be seen on  FIGS. 4-6 , the ring  12  may include a plug  19  that slides inside one end of the bar  14  to attach the ring  12  to the bar  14 . 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 5 , an insert  32  may be clipped inside the ring  12 . The insert  32  may narrow the viewing area of the golfer  36 , giving more advanced feedback, i.e. smaller movements of the golfer  36  may be better detected through the insert  32 . 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 6 , a plate insert  34  may be disposed inside the ring  12 . The plate insert  34  may cover a determined area of the ring  12 . The plate insert  34  may allow the golfer  36  to better understand small movements in the spine and head during a swing. For example, the plate insert  34  may cover the right side of the ring  12  to determine if the golfer  36  is making a small head movement to the right. 
       FIGS. 7-8  and  10  show that the base  44  may have a hollow core  28  and a post  30  at the bottom end. The swivel connector  20  may slide through the hollow core  28 . The post  30  may help secure the swivel connector  20  inside the base  44 . 
     Feedback examples. The examples may be directed to for right-handed golfers. Left-handed golfers may have to invert the results. As the golfer  36  may swing the club  40  back, the golf ball  38  moves through the right of the ring  12 , then the golfer  36  may be swaying back to the right. The golfer  36  may practice on setting the right side more solidly to inside of the right foot. To quote Jack Nicklaus, “I was taught to play, and still do play, from the insides of my feet. This was insurance against losing balance or swaying my head or upper body while hitting the ball hard.” Therefore, avoid swaying to outside of the right foot. As the golfer  36  may swing the club  40  back, the golf ball  38  moves through the left of the ring  12 , then the golfer  36  may be making a reverse pivot or shifting weight to the left side first instead of correctly doing so to the right. The golfer  36  may practice on getting weight to the right side. As the golfer  36  may swing the club  40  back, the golf ball  38  moves through the top of the ring  12 , then the golfer  36  may be raising the head or the spine angle. The golfer  36  may practice on getting a good posture to maintain a constant spine angle by keeping the ball in the ring  12 . A tip may be to comfortably keep buttocks out and chin up and then turning the body and shoulders around the steady spine as if the spine were a fulcrum. As the golfer  36  may swing the club  40  back, the golf ball  38  appears to move through the bottom of the ring  12 , then the golfer  36  may be dropping the head and/or collapsing the spine angle. The golfer  36  may practice on concentrating on a good posture and constant spine angle. A tip may be to keep the shoulder plane on the through swing the same as the back swing. All of the tips provided, may be best accomplished by the golfer  36  keeping site of the golf ball  38  through viewer  12  while making a golf swing. 
     A target stick (not shown) and an aim stick (not shown) may be used with the device  10 . The target stick (not shown) may be placed in front of the golf ball  38  on the imaginary straight line to the target. The target stick (not shown) may help the golfer  36  to point the club  40  face at a target at set up. The aim stick (not shown) may be placed at the golfer&#39;s  36  feet to help square golfer&#39;s  36  shoulders, hips and legs along golfer&#39;s  36  intended aim line. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.