Abstract:
A golf putting aid is used with a putter having a handle, a putter head, and an elongated putter shaft. The putting aid includes an elongated member affixed to the putting aid and an attachment member capable of detachably securing the putting aid to the shaft of a putter. 
     The method comprises attaching the putting aid to the shaft of the putter and using a level on the putting aid to determine the slope of a green between two points on the surface of the green. The putting aid may be used either with, or without the putter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
   This is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/055,137, filed Jan. 23, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,109. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a putting aid and a method for using same. 
   In the game of golf, there are three variables with which every golfer must deal during putting. One of these variables is the distance of the ball from the hole. Another is the tendency of the ball to break either to the right or to the left when putted toward the hole. The final variable is the uphill/downhill nature of the putt from the ball to the hole. 
   Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved putting aid and method for using same. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of a simple and easy to use putting aid which can be carried on the golfer&#39;s person and which can be quickly and easily attached to the golfer&#39;s putter shaft. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of a putting aid and method for using same which enables the golfer to determine the distance of the putt, the right or left break of the putt, or the uphill/downhill nature of the putt. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved putting aid and method for using same which enables the golfer to use the putter to determine the correct orientation of vertical relative to the hole and to the putt. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of a putting aid and method which permit the hand held use of the device free from attachment to the putter. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of a putting aid and method for using same which are efficient in operation, durable in use, and simple in construction. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing objects may be achieved by a putting aid for use with a putting hole having opposite margins and/or a golf club having a golf club shaft. The putting aid comprises an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends. A level is mounted to the elongated body. The level includes a longitudinal level axis parallel to or coincident with the longitudinal body axis and a bubble indicator for indicating orientation of the longitudinal body with respect to a level orientation. An attachment mechanism is positioned on the elongated body for detachably holding the golf club shaft of the golf club in a position wherein the club shaft is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body. The elongated body and the attachment mechanism are completely removable from the golf club shaft. A plurality of calibrations are located on the elongated body spaced apart from one another a plurality of distances corresponding to the distance from a hole when two of the calibrations are lined up with the opposite margins of the hole. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the level is located adjacent the first end of the elongated member and the attachment member is a notch located adjacent the second end of the elongated member. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the notch includes first and second opposite side walls positioned to embrace the golf club shaft therebetween. A first side member and a second side member are mounted to the first and second opposite side walls respectively for compressing or frictionally engaging the golf club shaft therebetween in response to the golf club shaft being fitted within the notch. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the elongated body includes an elongated calibration portion. The plurality of calibrations are located on the elongated calibration portion. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the elongated calibration portion includes an elongated calibration portion axis parallel to the longitudinal level axis. 
   According to another feature of the present invention a viewing opening is positioned between the level and the elongated calibration portion. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the level is comprised of an elongated transparent tube having a gas bubble therein. 
   According to another feature of the present invention the attachment mechanism comprises a C-shaped notch in the elongated body, the notch having a pair of spaced apart side walls, an inner notch wall and an open end sized to receive the golf club shaft between the pair of spaced apart side walls. 
   One method of the present invention comprises lining up the first one of the calibrations with a first one of the margins of the hole. Then a second one of the plurality of calibrations is lined up with the opposite margin of the hole while maintaining the first one of the plurality of calibrations lined up with the first margin of the hole. The distance of the ball from the hole is determined by reading the distance between the first and second calibrations. 
   According to another feature of the method of the present invention the elongated body includes an elongated calibration portion on which the plurality of calibrations are placed. The step of lining up the first one of the plurality of calibrations comprises lining up one end of the elongated calibration portion with the first one of the margins of the hole. 
   A further feature of the method of the present invention comprises viewing the hole through an opening in the elongated body. 
   According to another feature of the method of the present invention the elongated body is held at arms length away from the eye during the two lining up steps and the determining step. 
   According to another method of the present invention the elongated body is positioned to one side of a line between the first and second points. The elongated body is used to determine the slope between a first point and a second point. One elongated edge of the elongated body is then aligned with both the first point and the second point. The slope of the green is determined from the first point to the second point by observing if the bubble is left of the center indicia, centered with respect to the center indicia or right of the centered indicia. 
   According to another feature of the method of the present invention the attachment mechanism is a notch in the elongated body. The method comprises placing the shaft of a golf club within the notch so that the shaft of the golf club extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body. In this manner the shaft of the golf club indicates the slope of the green from the first point to the second point by whether or not the shaft is angled towards the first point from the bottom of the shaft to the top, is angled towards the second point from the bottom of the shaft to the top or is straight up and down between the first and second points. 
   According to another feature of the method of the present invention first and second side members on opposite sides of the notch are used to frictionally engage the shaft within the notch so as to attach the elongated body to the notch. 
   According to another method of the present invention the elongated member is positioned to the side of a line extending between a ball on the green and a hole on the green. The steps of lining up the elongated edge of the elongated body with the first and second points respectively comprises lining up the edge of the hole and the ball respectively. 
   According to another feature of the method of the present invention the first point is an imaginary point on the green and the second point is the golf hole. The elongated body is positioned to one side at a line between an imaginary point on the green and the hole on the green. The elongated edge of the elongated member is lined up with the imaginary point and with the hole on the green so as to determine the slope of the green to the left or right from the imaginary point to the hole. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a golf club having a first embodiment of the putting aid detachably mounted thereon. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the putting aid of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the putting aid, the ball, and the hole. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the putting aid taking a reading of the slope of the green between an imaginary point and the golf hole. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the use of the putting aid to determine the distance of the ball from the hole. 
       FIG. 7A  is a sectional view taken along line  7 A— 7 A of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a putter having another embodiment of the putter aid attached thereto. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective enlarged view of the putting aid of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view showing the use of the putting aid to determine the distance of the hole from the ball. 
       FIG. 11  is an elevational view showing the use of the putting aid to determine whether or not the putt will break left to right or right to left. 
       FIG. 12  is an enlarged detail elevational view of the putting aid attached to the shaft of the putter taken along line  12 — 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 13  is an elevational view showing the use of the putting aid in alignment with the ball in order to determine the uphill/downhill nature of the putt. 
       FIG. 14  is a schematic view taken along line  14 — 14  of  FIG. 13 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings the numeral  72  designates one modification of the putting aid of the present invention. The use of this putting aid is shown in  FIGS. 1–7A . In  FIG. 1  a golf club  74  includes a golf club shaft  76  and a golf club head  78 . A golf club grip  80  is mounted on the upper end of the golf club  74 . 
   The putting aid  72  comprises an elongated member  82  having a level  84  therein and a calibration portion  86  ( FIG. 2 ) containing calibrations  88 . A shaft notch  90  surrounds the shaft  76  of golf club  74  and includes notched side walls  92 ,  94  ( FIG. 2 ), an inner end  96  and an open end  98 . Notch  90  is C-shaped in configuration. Attached to the side walls  92 ,  94  are side members  116 ,  118  which may or may not be made of a compressible material. Side members  116 , 118  frictionally engage the shaft  76  of the golf club  74  pressed within the notch  90 . This attaches the shaft  76  within the notch  90  in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  108  of the elongated member  82 . 
   Adjacent the left end of the elongated member  82  as shown in  FIG. 2  is a level cutout  100 . A glass tube  102  having a liquid therein and a gas bubble  104  provide the level  84  of the present invention. The level  84  includes center lines  106  which show when the level  104  is centered. The elongated level  84  includes a level axis  110  which is parallel to the elongated axis  108  of the elongated body. 
   A window or opening  114  is positioned between the elongated tube  102  of level  84  and the calibration portion  86 . It should be noted that the level axis  110 , the elongated body  108 , and the calibration portion axis  112  all are parallel to one another. They may also be coincident with one another. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , a human eye  120  is shown positioned one side of a line  132  between a ball  126  and a hole  128 . The operator holds the putting aid  72  at arms length, and lines up the elongated upper edge  134  of the putting aid  72  with the bottom of the ball  126  and with the bottom edge of the hole  128  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The lines  122 ,  124  represent lines from the eye of the observer across the edge  134  of the putting aid  72  to the ball  126  and the hole  128  respectively. A flag  136  is shown within the hole  128 . 
   Once the lining up has occurred as described above, the observer notes the location of the bubble  104  in the tube  102 . If the bubble  104  is between the center lines  106  and the ball  126 , then the putt is a downhill putt from the ball  126  to the hole  128 . This is the condition shown in  FIG. 4 . If the bubble  104  is centered within markings  106 , then the putt is level. If the bubble is between the lines  106  and the hole  128 , then the putt is uphill. 
   The determination of the uphill/downhill putt can also be determined by the orientation of the putter shaft  76 . If the putter shaft is inclined along axis  138  so that the upper end of the shaft  76  points towards the hole, then the putt is a downhill putt. Similarly if the axis  138  is vertical, then the putt is level. If the axis  138  is inclined to the left with the upper end pointing to the left then the putt is uphill. 
   Either the use of the putter shaft  76  or the use of the bubble  104  can be determinative of whether or not the putt is an uphill putt or a downhill putt. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  show the use of the putting aid  72  to determine whether or not the ball will break right or left as it approaches the hole. First the putting aid  72  is positioned to one side of a line between the hole  128  and an imaginary point  140 . The putting aid  72  should be approximately equidistant between the hole  128  and the point  140 . The upper edge  134  of the putting aid  72  is aligned with the hole  128  and the imaginary point  140 . The ball  126  is shown to the left of the putting aid  72 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the bubble  104  is located between the hole  128  and the center lines  106 , thereby indicating that the ball will break left to right as it approaches the hole  128 . If the bubble  104  were aligned within the center lines  106  that would be an indication that the putt is straight. Similarly if the bubble  104  is located between the center lines  106  and the imaginary point  140 , then the putt will break right to left. 
   The putter shaft  176  can also be utilized to determine the direction that the putt will break. If the axis  138  points to the right at its upper end then the putt will break from left to right. If the shaft is vertical the putt will be straight. If the upper end of the shaft points to the left, then the putt will break from right to left. 
     FIGS. 7 and 7A  show the use of the putting aid  72  to determine the distance of the ball from the hole. As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , the eye of the observer  120  is lined up so that the left margin  142  of hole  128  is lined up with the left edge of the cut out portion  100 . The right margin  144  is lined up with one of the indicia  88 , and the distance between the left margin of the cut out  100  and the indicia  88  at the outer margin  142  of the hole indicate the distance of the putting aid  72  from the hole. The putting aid is aligned over the ball  126 . 
   The putting aid  72  of the present invention can be carried in ones pocket and quickly and easily used to determine the uphill downhill nature of the putt, the left to right break of the putt from the ball to the cup, and the distance of the ball from the cup. This device is simple to use and utilizes a minimum of time in determining the three variables of the putt. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , a putter  10  is shown having a putter grip  12  and a putter head  14  joined by an elongated putter shaft  16 . The numeral  18  designates the longitudinal axis of the putter shaft  16 . 
   Attached to the putter shaft is a putting aid  20  having an elongated member  22 . The numeral  24  designates the longitudinal axis of member  22 . Member  22  is affixed by glue or other means to a level  26  having a longitudinal level axis  28 . The level axis  28  and the member axis  24  are parallel to one another. Connected to the end of the level  26  is an attachment member  30 . Attachment member  30  may be of various constructions without detracting from the invention. The preferred means of attachment is the use of a magnet such as the magnet  30  shown in the drawings. 
   The elongated member  22  includes a plurality of calibrations or indicia spaced apart along its axis  24  and terminates at an inner end  34 . Member  22  also has an outer end  36 . 
   Level  26  includes a level frame  38  having an upper viewing window  40  ( FIGS. 9 ,  10 , and  12 ) and a lower viewing window  42 . Within the level frame  38  is an elongated glass tube  44  having spaced apart level marks  46  thereon and having a liquid containing a bubble  48 . The bubble  48 , when it is centered within the level marks  46  indicates that the longitudinal axes  24 ,  28  are horizontal and level. 
   Magnet  30  includes a concave end  50  as can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  which enables the magnet to embrace the outer curvature of the putter shaft  16  for detachably affixing the putting aid  20  to the putter shaft  16  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , the device is shown for determining the distance of the hole from the ball. The putting aid  20  is attached to the putter shaft  16  and the putter shaft  16  is held at arms length. The outer end  36  of the elongated member  22  is aligned with the left margin  54  of the putting hole  52  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The human eye  58  is used to make this alignment along line  60 . Then the human eye aligns the right-hand margin  56  of hole  52  with one of the indicia  32  on the elongated member  36 . Depending upon which indicia crosses this line  62 , the golfer can determine the distance of the hole  52  from the ball. In making this measurement, the shaft  16  is positioned in vertical alignment above a ball  68 . Thus the indicia on the elongated member  20  tells the golfer the distance of the hole from the ball. Alternatively the right edge  56  of the hole  52  may be aligned with the left end  39  of the level  38  and the line  60  will then intersect one of the indicia  32  to the left of left end  39  so as to indicate distance. 
     FIG. 11  illustrates the use of the putting aid to make the putter  10  into a plumb bob for determining the direction in which the ball will break as it approaches the hole. The level bubble  48  is positioned so that the level is horizontal and this results in the vertical axis  18  of the putter  10  being precisely vertical as in the nature of a plumb bob. The putter is then positioned directly over the ball and in alignment with the center of the hole  52 . The horizon  66  adjacent the hole indicates whether the break is to the right or to the left. This can be visually ascertained by comparing the angle of the vertical plumb bob created by the putter  10  and the line of the horizon  66 . 
   The putter can also be used as a plumb bob to determine the uphill or downhill nature of the putt as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Again the bubble  48  is positioned centered between the markings on the level and this causes the putter shaft  16  to be vertical. The orientation of the uphill/downhill horizon  70  indicates whether the putt is uphill or downhill. In making this assessment the operator stands at a point between the ball  68  and the hole  52  and to one side of a line between the ball  68  and the hole  52  in order to measure this variable. If the ball  68  is above the hole  52 , the putting aid is then held an appropriate distance from the putter&#39;s eye  58  so that the inner end  34  of elongated member  22  is aligned with the ball  68  and the outer end  36  of elongated member  22  intersects the flag stick  64 . If the hole  52  is above the ball  68 , then the outer end  36  is placed on the hole and the inner end  32  is positioned above the ball  68 . In either case the slope can be determined by estimating the number of ball thicknesses the elongated member  22  is above the hole or ball respectively. 
   The horizontal member  22  can also be horizontally aligned with any point on the horizon between the ball  68  and the hole  52  in order to determine the slope at that point. In  FIG. 6  the putting aid  20  is shown attached to the putter shaft  16 , but it also may be hand held and disattached from the putter shaft  16 . 
   The device is simple and easy to use. It can be carried in a golfer&#39;s pocket and can be attached to the shaft of the putter quickly and easily at the time of putting. It enables the golfer to examine the three variables shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , and  13  and described above. The putting aid permits the putter shaft to be used as a plumb bob in a much more accurate fashion then is normally achieved. 
   In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims.