Abstract:
A metal ball is contained in a tubular container having one end of sound deadening material and the opposite end of a material that produces a sound when struck by the ball falling through the tube from the opposite end. The container is arranged for mounting preferably on the leading hand of a practicing golfer, such that the ball impacts the sound-producing end of the tube when the leading hand reaches the desired position at the top of the backswing segment and there pauses for a second or so, and at the desired position of the end of the follow-through segment. The mounting of the container is on a golfer&#39;s leading hand glove, wrist band, or other supporting device, with the sound producing end of the container facing the fingers of the practicing golfer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This Invention relates to the sport of golfing, and more particularly to a golf club swing trainer for use by practicing golfers for perfecting and replicating the attainment of the proper end positions of the top of the backswing and the top of the follow-through. 
     Timing of the end position of the top of the backswing segment of a golf club swing is the most difficult aspect of the game to consistently repeat properly because during the swing it is nearly impossible for the player to measure both his overall tempo and whether or not he makes the important pause at the top. Both are vital for distance and accuracy. 
     The only known prior device alleged to be capable of providing the identification of the end positions of a golf club swing, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,547 which discloses a battery operated arm position monitoring device attachable to the wrist of a practicing golfer and operable to emit an audible electric signal to alert a practicing golfer when the preset positions of a golf club swing are reached. The device is adjustable to accommodate different swing positions of a plurality of golfers. Accordingly, the device is usable only by the person for which it is adjusted. Its primary emphasis is on position instead of the all-important timing pause at the top of the backswing that must occur before starting the downswing. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,245 discloses a device for adjusting the backswing arm positions of a golf player, in which a ball is supported for rolling movement along a guide channel which rotates with movement of the arms and hands of a golfer in the backswing portion of a golf club swing to impact a sound producing surface. The guide channel is adjusted for each player&#39;s top end position of the backswing, and again its emphasis is position instead of timing. Position is important, however, but timing is equally important to maximize club head speed at impact, for distance and accuracy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The golf club swing trainer of this invention includes a container in which a ball may roll or drop freely between one end having a sound deadening material for muffling any sound when impacted by the ball and an opposite end of a material that makes an audible “click” sound when impacted by the ball dropping onto it. The container is mounted by Velcro on a golf glove or other support for attachment to a hand, preferably the leading hand of a practicing golfer, in such position that when a golf club is swung to a desired top end of the backswing segment of a golf club swing and pauses there for a second or so, and subsequently to the desired end of the follow-through segment after properly turning the body and pauses there for a short period of time, as above, the ball makes audible impact with the end of the container opposite the sound deadening material. Positions between the back swing and follow-through end segments of the swing move the ball into impact with the sound deadening material. In this manner, an audible signal is given to the practicing golfer only if the important pause occurs at the top of the backswing. A second signal is heard by the opposite ear of the practicing golfer if the body turn and follow-through is high and sufficiently complete so that the ball will roll to the end of the tube to produce a “click”. 
     The principal objective of this invention is the provision of a golf club swing trainer that provides audible signals to the practicing golfer identifying the end positions of the backswing and follow-through segments of a golf club swing selected as desirable for the practicing golfer, to enable the golfer to recognize consistently when there is a proper pause at the top of the backswing. 
     A further objective of this invention is the provision of a golf club-swing trainer of the class described that is light in weight, portably mountable on a hand of the practicing golfer, and facilitates, through repetition, developing muscle memory of the proper golf club swing. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a golf club swing trainer of the class described in which a ball-containing cylinder may be mounted removably on a hand, preferably the leading hand of a practicing golfer, to provide an audible signal when the golf club swing reaches the terminal ends of the backswing and follow-through segments of the swing of the practicing golfer. 
     Still another objective of this invention is the provision of a golf club swing trainer of the class described in which a ball-containing cylinder is mountable removably on the selected hand of a practicing golfer by any of a wide variety of attaching devices, such as the Velcro closure of a conventional golf glove, or a wrist band. 
     A further objective of this invention is to provide a consistently effective golf club swing trainer of the class described that requires no maintenance or adjustments for any practicing golfer. 
     Still another objective of this invention is the provision of a golf club swing trainer of the class described that is of simplified construction for economical manufacture and consistent precision of performance for all practicing golfers. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a golf club swing trainer embodying the features of this Invention supported on the left hand glove of a practicing golfer. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line  2 — 2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a practicing golfer having mounted on the left hand golf glove of a right handed golfer a golf club swing trainer of this invention at the address position of a golf club swing. 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, with the practicing golfer being shown at the desired end position of the backswing segment of a golf club swing characteristic of the practicing golfer. 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, with the practicing golfer being shown at the desired end position of the follow-through segment of the golf club swing characteristic of the practicing golfer. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the illustrated golf club swing trainer includes a hollow tube  10 , closed by end caps  12  and  14 , and containing a ball  16  or similar object configured to move by gravity freely between the ends of the tube. Adjacent one end of the tube, the end at end cap  12  in the illustration, is located a block or other form of mass  18  of sound deadening material secured or otherwise contained within the tube. The mass  18  serves to muffle any sound when impacted by the ball  16  when dropped through the tube. 
     The end cap  14  at the end of the tube opposite the mass  18  confines a tube end made of a material that makes an audible sound when impacted by the ball  16 . Thus, when the tube is moved to a position which allows the ball to roll or drop by gravity and impact the mass  18 , no audible signal is made. However, when the tube is moved to a position which allows the ball to roll or drop by gravity into impact with the tube end at the cap  14 , an audible sound is clearly heard by the practicing golfer. 
     It will be understood that the end cap  14  may be replaced with an end wall integrated into the tube during manufacture. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  of the drawings, FIG. 3 shows the position of the hands and golf club grip G at the address position of a practicing golfer just prior to the start of the backswing. Means is provided for securing the swing trainer device to a hand of a practicing golfer. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the swing trainer device is mounted on the left hand of a right handed golfer. If the golfer is left handed, then the device preferably is mounted on the right hand. Thus, the device preferably is mounted on the leading hand of a practicing golfer. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the device is secured removably to a conventional left hand golf glove  20 . As Illustrated, the glove is provided with a hook and loop closure of the Velcro type. The loop component  22  is secured to the closure tab  24  of the golf club and the hook component  26  is secured to the backside of the glove. The tube  10  is secured removably between the backside of the glove and the closure tab  24  with the end cap  12  facing toward the fingers of the glove. 
     In the embodiment illustrated (FIG.  2 ), a small piece of aluminum or other firm base sheet material  28  is secured at one end to a central portion of the tube  10  (FIG.  1 ), as by welding, solder, adhesive, etc., and extends laterally of the tube, toward the left in the illustration. The base sheet material  28  preferably is curved to conform to the curvature of the backside of the hand of the practicing golfer. A small piece of loop component  30 , as of Velcro, is secured to the surface of the base sheet material  28  facing away from the tube  10  and a small piece of the hook component  32  is secured to the opposite side surface of the base sheet material. Thus, the loop component  30  may be secured to the hook component  26  on the golf glove  20  (FIG. 1) to secure the tube  10  to the glove  20 . The closure tab  24  with loop component  22  is folded over the hook component  32  on the base sheet material  28 . Thus, the tube  10  is secured positively between the closure tab  24  and backside of the glove, with the cap  12  facing toward the fingers. 
     In the address position of FIG. 3, the left band grips a golf club grip G adjacent the butt end thereof, with the thumb extending down the grip. The end cap  12  thereby faces downward and the ball  16  rests upon the sound deadening mass  18 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the position of the hands and golf club at the top of the backswing desired by the practicing golfer. In this position the arms and hands have moved upward from the address position of FIG.  3  and are located adjacent the right side of the player&#39;s head. The tube  10  has rotated with the hand so that the end cap  14  faces downward. If this position is maintained for the important slight pause, of a second or so, before the downswing is commenced, the ball  16  will have rolled or dropped by gravity into impact with the end of tube  10  at cap  14 . Since the hands are closely adjacent the right ear of the practicing golfer, the audible sound of impact is clearly heard by the golfer, announcing the proper completion of the desired backswing segment of the golf club swing characteristic of the practicing golfer. 
     If the practice swing is too fast or the downswing is started before finishing the backswing, or the backswing is so flat or the wrist is not properly cocked, so that the tube  10  is not inclined sufficiently to afford gravity movement of the ball  16 , the ball does not impact the sound-producing end  14  of the tube. 
     After a number of practice backswings which terminate and pause at the desired top end position, muscle memory establishes the desired top end timing position that is repeatable with consistency, announced by the audible signal of ball  16  striking tube end  14 . This procedure also may be employed for replicating the desired follow-through end position. 
     As the practicing golfer moves into the downswing segment of the golf club swing, the hands and golf club begin to return toward the address position of FIG.  3 . However, this movement differs from that of the backswing movement in that the club head now accelerates to maximum speed at the address position of FIG. 1, which now is the impact position of contact with a golf ball at the accelerated, maximum club head speed of the golf club. This acceleration of the golf club and hands results in movement of the ball  16 , by centrifugal force, into impact with the sound deadening mass  18 . Accordingly, no sound is emitted from the trainer device during the accelerated downswing segment of the golf club swing. 
     FIG. 5 shows the positions of the hands and golf club at the proper high finish of the follow-through segment of the golf club swing characteristic of the practicing golfer. In this position the golfer&#39;s hands are located adjacent the left side of the head and the trainer tube  10  has been rotated to the same cocked position as at the top of the backswing, with end cap  14  facing downward as in FIG.  4 . The ball  16  then will have rolled or dropped by gravity from the mass  18  into impact with the tube end at cap  14 . The audible sound, now clearly heard as a “click” at the left ear of the practicing golfer, announces the attainment of the proper finish position of the follow-through, characteristic of the practicing golfer. 
     It is to be understood that the golf club swing trainer of this invention may be used primarily to detect only the desired position of the top of the backswing segment, since it is that position that determines the maximum speed and proper alignment position of a golf club head upon impact with a golf ball at the end of the downswing segment of the golf club swing. It is also to be understood that, as illustrated in FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , the sloping position of the leading hand on which the golf club supported swing trainer is mounted, is substantially matched by the other hand of the practicing golfer. Accordingly, the golf swing trainer may be mounted on the trailing hand as well, although it is preferred that the mounting be on the leading hand. 
     Further, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described hereinbefore. For example, the diameter of the tube  10  and ball  16  may be varied as desired, and the materials of which the tube and/or ball are made may be chosen from a wide variety, such as steel, aluminum and many others, that are capable of providing a suitable audible sound. The mass  18  may be of any sound deadening material, such as a block of cork, a mass of cotton, or any other substance having the desired sound deadening quality for the purpose. The metal tube may have an internal lining of rubber or other sound deadening material to further deaden the sound of the ball moving from one end to the other. Alternatively, the tube may be made of synthetic resin with one end closed by a metal disc to provide the sound of impact by the ball. The tube may be secured removably to the hand of a practicing golfer by various means other than a golf glove. A simple strap, such as a watch band, may be secured to the tube  10  and mounted at the wrist of the practicing golfer. These and other changes may be made as desired, without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.