Abstract:
A grip for a golf putter, which grip restores squareness of address of a golf ball by the putter during a swing, where either or both of offset and undercut impair squareness of address. The grip may taper asymmetrically relative to the axis of the shaft of the putter golf club, or symmetrically, so as to impart offset to the right or offset to the left of the shaft. The degree and orientation of imparted offset are selected to compensate for the degree to which the original offset or undercut impair squareness of address. The grip may be circular or non-circular in cross section, and may be tapered along its length.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/445,173, entitled “OFFSET PUTTER GRIP”, filed on Feb. 22, 2011. The entire contents and disclosures of forgoing application are herby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to golf, and more particularly, to a grip for a putter, which grip promotes a pendulum action through the stroke by eliminating wrist turn that is naturally created when the hands swing back and forth through the impact zone during the putting stroke. The grip promotes the unnatural inside to inside wrist turn that allows the putter face to remain square to the target line throughout the putting stroke. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    When making a putting stroke, the face of the putter must be essentially perpendicular to the intended line of the putt. The relationship between the arm angle and the shaft angle of the putter at address, combined with the swing path that is created with the putting stroke, may make it difficult to square the putter face at impact. Putters have been offered by golf club manufacturers to assist the golfer with squaring the putter at impact. For example, the two main types of putters are face balanced putters and toe balanced putters. Face balance putters have the face of the putter pointing upwardly when balancing the shaft. Toe balanced putters have the toe of the putter pointing downwardly when balancing the shaft. These two types of weighted putters were invented with particular putting strokes in mind. The face balanced putter is supposed to be combined with a stroke where the putter face stays square to the target line from the take away, to the impact zone, and on through the follow through. But in order to perform this putting stroke, the hands have to make the unnatural motion of turning inside during the backstroke, coming back to square during impact, and then again turning inside on the follow through. Though the putter face stays square throughout the stroke, in actuality what is happening is the putter face is being shut during the backstroke and is being opened during the follow through. This makes for a timing nightmare because after shutting the putter face during the backstroke, the putter face is then being constantly opened back up in order to keep the putter face square to the target. If the putter face is opened too quickly or not quickly enough, then the face will not stay square through impact, and the putt will not go down the intended target line. With this in mind, golf manufacturers came up with the toe balanced putter. This type of putter was invented to promote the more natural wrist turning action that happens during the putting stroke. The natural tendency of the putting stroke is to open the putter face during the backstroke, square the putter face in the impact zone, and then close the putter face during the follow through. Even though this putting stroke is more natural, it still involves the correct timing through the stroke that brings the putter face back to square in the impact zone. However, constantly changing putters when in actuality it is the putting stroke that is creating the problem can be quite expensive. 
         [0004]    There exists a need for a golf product which will allow a golfer to combine the two best features of the perfect putt: a natural stroke from back stroke through impact to the down the line follow through, along with the continuous, square face, down the line putt. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention answers the above need by providing a putter grip which is configured to make the unnatural square face putting stroke feel natural. The novel grip is readily installed in a traditional fashion on a typical putter shaft. 
         [0006]    The novel grip has an opening for receiving the free end of the shaft. The exterior surface of the grip is tapered such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft of a putter is angularly offset from the axis of the grip. 
         [0007]    The novel grip may be sold commercially or otherwise provided individually. 
         [0008]    The grip is made from a flexible elastic material such as a synthetic resin, rubber, or any other material that is commonly used in the art, and is readily installed upon a putter shaft using known techniques. Therefore, the novel grip is usable with the standard putter shaft available from manufacturers. The novel grip is compact, light, and inexpensive, compared to the alternative of purchasing various putters which are not capable of correcting a naturally flawed stroke. 
         [0009]    It is an object of the invention to provide a putter grip which allows a golfer to perform the perfect putting stroke naturally, regardless of the type of putter the golfer feels most comfortable using. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is that the grip be light, compact, and inexpensive. 
         [0011]    A further object is that the grip be usable with pre-existing putter shafts which are the standard product of a golf club manufacturer. 
         [0012]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
         [0013]    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 
         [0014]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic top plan view of a standard golf putter, showing a golf ball at the point of impact, and with the top of the shaft and grip shown in end cross sectional view. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic to plan view of the golf putter and ball of  FIG. 1 , with a grip according to the present invention installed on the shaft of the putter and shown in end cross sectional view. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but shows the grip in a different orientation on the shaft. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the putter of  FIG. 1 , showing the head of the putter square to the ball at impact. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but shows in exaggerated fashion a potential disruptive tendency of a golfer to elevate the toe of the head at impact, and shows a grip according to at least one aspect of the invention installed on the putter. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but shows in exaggerated fashion a potential disruptive tendency of a golfer to elevate the heel of the head at impact. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of two grips according to at least one aspect of the invention, the two grips differing from one another in dimensions. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a grip according to at least one aspect of the invention, showing a grip which differs in cross sectional configuration from those of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but shows the golf grip of  FIG. 8 , and further showing the golf grip oriented differently on the shaft from the orientation of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but shows the golf grip oriented differently. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but shows the golf grip oriented differently from the orientations of  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but shows the golf grip oriented differently from the orientations of  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a grip installed on a shaft of a putter, according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a grip installed on a shaft of a putter, according to another aspect of the invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 15  is a side view of a grip installed on a shaft of a putter, according to still another aspect of the invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 16  is a top plan view of a grip in one embodiment. 
           [0031]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of a grip in a further embodiment. 
           [0032]      FIG. 18  is a side plan view of a grip in one embodiment. 
           [0033]      FIG. 19  is a side plan view of a grip in a further embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]      FIG. 1  shows a golf putter  10  and a grip  16  conventionally installed on the elongated shaft  12  of the putter  10  at one end, and a putter head  14  fixed to the elongated shaft  12  in conventional fashion at the other end at a hosel  20 . The putter head  14  is shown addressing a golf ball  18  at the moment of impact. The grip  16  may be fabricated from a flexible material such as a synthetic resin which may be solid, closed cell, open cell, or any combination of these. 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows the golf putter  10  modified according to at least one aspect of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , the conventional grip  16  has been replaced by a grip  100 . The grip  100  may be fabricated from a flexible material such as a synthetic polymeric material, leather, others, or a combination of these. The grip  100  is secured to the shaft  12  of the putter  10  conventionally, but differs from the grip  16  in that the external surface  102  of the grip  100  is not concentric with the shaft  12  as is the grip  16 . Rather, when considered in end cross sectional view, as is shown in  FIG. 2 , the grip  100  is seen to project from the shaft  12  more on one side than on another side. 
         [0036]    The grip  100  has a lateral wall having length (which is aligned with the axis  22  of the shaft  12 , as seen in  FIG. 13 ) and an internal bore defined by an internal surface  104  which contacts the shaft  12  along the length of the grip  100 . The wall of the grip is configured to cooperate with the shaft  12  of the putter  10  in conventional fashion. 
         [0037]    The wall of the grip  100  has a thickness dimension between the internal surface  104  and the external surface  102 . This thickness dimension, unlike that of conventional grips, is variable. Notably, thickness of the wall between the internal surface  104  and the external surface  102  on one side of the internal bore is different from thickness of the lateral wall between the internal surface  104  and the external surface  102  on an opposed side of the internal bore when the grip  100  is considered in the end cross sectional view of  FIG. 2 . Thickness characteristics of the grip  100  and other illustrated configurational characteristics of the grip  100  and of other grips may be shown exaggerated for clarity of understanding. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  shows the grip  100  positioned on the shaft  12  of the putter  10  at a different angular orientation on the shaft  12 . For the purposes of this disclosure, the angular orientation may be related to the putter head  14 . The external surface  102  of the grip  100  may have configurational characteristics of a conventional golf club grip. 
         [0039]    Angular orientation of the grip  100  relates to compensating for a golfer&#39;s natural tendency to vary from an ideal body motion during the swing. The correction may relate to offset, or variation in the azimuth from the intended path, or may relate to lie angle, or to both. 
         [0040]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , the putter  10  is shown square to the ball  18  at impact, and at a neutral stance relative to a horizontal environmental surface H. A proper stroke may be made with a conventional grip such as the grip  16  given the situation depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0041]    However, a golfer may naturally hold the putter  10  at an inappropriate lie angle such as that depicted in  FIG. 5 , where it is seen that the toe  24  of the putter head  14  is elevated from and the heel  26  contacting the horizontal environmental surface H. Accordingly, the grip  100  may be offset appropriately for this situation such that the golfer is urged by the offset to modify his swing such that the putter head  14  will be square to the ball  18  at contact, as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  shows the opposite inappropriate lie angle, where it is seen that the toe  24  of the putter head  14  contacts the horizontal environmental surface H, while the heel  26  of the putter head  14  is elevated. It will be seen that the angular orientation of the grip  100  has been reversed from that of  FIG. 5 , so that the golfer is now urged to modify his swing in a way that will compensate for the situation of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0043]    Modifications of grip and of consequent swing motion are at the heart of the operative principle of the invention. It would be possible to introduce variations to both configuration of the grip, such as the grip  10 , and to angular orientation of the grip to its associated shaft such as the shaft  12  to accommodate still other disruptive influences to a squarely struck putt while utilizing the principles of the invention. 
         [0044]    In an example illustrated in  FIG. 7 , it is possible to provide the functional features of the grip  100  in an oversized grip  200 . The difference between the grip  100  and the grip  200  lies in the maximum distance from the shaft  12  to the most distal portion of the respective grip  100  or  200 . A discrepancy in the two maximum distances is called out in  FIG. 7  as a dimension D. 
         [0045]    Another possible variation is in the end cross sectional configuration of the periphery or outer surface  302  of a grip  300 , seen in  FIG. 8 . Whereas the end cross sectional configuration seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  is oval, it is possible to provide a circular end cross sectional configuration, as seen in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0046]    Adjustments of angular orientation are depicted in  FIGS. 9-12 . In  FIG. 9 , projection of the relatively thick portion of the wall of the grip  300  to the upper left, as seen in FIG.  9 , will introduce a correction effect for both lie angle and also offset. Orientation of the grip  300  as shown in  FIG. 9  will compensate for uncorrected offset right and also for the lie angle shown in  FIG. 5 . Orientation of the grip  300  as shown in  FIG. 10  will compensate for offset right and also for the lie angle shown in  FIG. 6 . Orientation of the grip  300  as shown in  FIG. 11  will compensate for both offset left and also for the lie angle of  FIG. 6 . Orientation of the grip  300  as shown in  FIG. 12  will compensate for both offset left and for the lie angle of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0047]    Turning now to  FIG. 13 , the grip  100  is seen to be greater in thickness at the right of the shaft  12  as depicted, but to be of generally constant thicknesses along its length. Alternatively stated, the outer configuration of the grip  100  is such that seen in the side profile of  FIG. 13 , the left and right sides  106  and  108  are parallel. 
         [0048]    As seen in  FIG. 14 , the left and right sides  406  and  408  are both arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the corresponding sides of the shaft  12 , thereby generating a tapered configuration of the grip  400 . 
         [0049]    In  FIG. 15 , it is seen that the left side  506  of the grip  500  is parallel to the sides of the shaft  12 , while the right side  508  is arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the sides of the shaft  12 . 
         [0050]    Non-circular configurations of a grip such as the grip  100  may be oval as shown or alternatively may take other configurations. For example, and referring to  FIG. 16 , the non-circular configuration of a grip  600  may be elliptical, with the left face  606  comprising a straight line which is parallel to the straight line of the right face  608 . By contrast, in an oval, there is no straight line in the periphery. 
         [0051]      FIG. 17  shows a configuration wherein a grip  700  has a non-circular configuration wherein the left face  706  has a straight section which is not parallel to the corresponding straight section of the right face  708 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 18  shows a grip  800  which when seen from a side profile corresponding to that of  FIGS. 13-15  reveals a left side  806  which is straight and a right side  808  which is convexly curved. 
         [0053]      FIG. 19  shows a grip  900  which when seen from a side profile corresponding to that of  FIGS. 13-15  reveals a left side  906  which is straight and a right side  908  which is concavely curved. 
         [0054]    The various configurational characteristics presented herein may be provided in any feasible combination, and not only in the specific configurations shown herein. 
         [0055]    The invention may be thought of either as a grip for a putter, such as the grip  100  and the putter  10 , or alternatively, as a combined putter and grip, such as the putter  10  improved by installation of the grip  100 . 
         [0056]    The invention may also be thought of as a method of modifying grip characteristics of a conventional golf putter  10 , comprising a step of providing a grip such as the grip  100  for the conventional golf putter  10  which has at least one characteristic which after installation on the putter modifies offset performance characteristics of the putter  10 . The method may be restated so as to comprise steps of providing a grip such as the grip  100  with an external surface such as the external surface  102  and an internal bore oriented within the grip such that when the grip is installed on the shaft of the putter such as the putter  10 , orientation of the hands of a golfer gripping the putter causes the putter to be swung in a manner which modifies performance of the swing. 
         [0057]    While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.