Abstract:
A golf work station having a base module with telescoping knee guides and adjustable target knee posts. A rear attachment module having a posture post is removably attached to the base module rear, said posture post being longitudinally extensible and angularly adjustable. A front attachment module having two adjustable swing plane tubes is removably attached to the base module front, said swing plane tubes being vertically and angularly adjustable. A putting module having an adjustable putter shaft slide is removably attached to the base module front, said putter shaft slide being vertically and horizontally adjustable.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicant claims the priority benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/011,250, filed Jan. 16, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a golf training apparatus, and in particular, to an apparatus for aligning a golfer&#39;s body for all aspects of a swing a golf club, including drivers, fairway woods, utility clubs, irons and putters. 
     Golf is an addictive sport and can be very frustrating. It is a sport which relies primarily on technique for effective play. Techniques required for all of the shots required in golf, i.e., driving a ball, fairway wood shots, iron play and putting, have many common elements but also some different elements. For example, the position of the golfer&#39;s body with respect to the golf ball, the position of the golfer&#39;s body itself, i.e., stance, the take away of the golf club and follow through when striking the golf ball, all have similarities and variables for each shot. Although the various techniques may be learned, muscle and mind memory for the various techniques will vary depending upon a golfer&#39;s condition, lapsed time, or many of life&#39;s living challenges faced by all golfers. 
     The prior art is full of a wide variety of training devices for golfers. Each of the devices focuses on one or a few of the technique aspects required for a golf swing. Most of the devices focus on teaching new techniques. Few, if any, focus on refreshing memory of a previously learned technique. For most golfers, access to a wide variety of training devices is just impractical. 
     Golf professionals may have a few training devices to help instruction. However, there is an expense involved, both for the devices themselves but also in time lost setting up each training device for instruction. 
     What is required is a global training apparatus which provides means for teaching and reviewing all of the techniques used in playing golf, including driving a ball, fairway wood shots, iron play and putting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above problems by providing a golf work station which provides comprehensive teaching and review of the techniques required for making golf shots. The workstation teaches lower body stability encouraging proper balance, level hip rotation and delivering the golf club with effortless power. The workstation helps identify improper golfing movements such as sway, lunge, stand up, “come out of the shot”, loss of balance, the “over the top”, “the slide” and “duck under” moves. The present invention establishes correct pattern movement which helps groove a golf swing. The present invention helps improve a golfer&#39;s swing plane by teaching turns in balance, maintaining posture, rotation of shoulders and arms with connection and extension. The workstation assists in teaching proper footwork and clearing of the hip move. The work station putting module gives a golfer the ability to choose the lie angle and the degree of arc to roll his best putt. The present invention provides the means to teach new techniques and review old techniques. 
     The present invention accomplishes the above objects by providing a golf work station having a base module with telescoping knee guides and adjustable target knee posts. A rear attachment module having a posture post is removably attached to the base module rear, said posture post being longitudinally extensible and angularly adjustable. A front attachment module is having two adjustable swing plane tubes is removably attached to the base module front, said swing plane tubes being vertically and angularly adjustable. A putting module having an adjustable putter shaft slide removably attached to the base module front, said putter shaft slide being vertically and horizontally adjustable. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the base module. 
         FIG. 2  is another front perspective view of the base module. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the base module with rear attachment module. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the rear attachment module. 
         FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the rear attachment module. 
         FIG. 6  is a view as shown in  FIG. 5  with a golfer. 
         FIG. 7  is a top rear perspective view of the front attachment module. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of the front attachment module. 
         FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of the front attachment module with the right guide omitted. 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of the front attachment module. 
         FIG. 11  is a front side perspective view of the front attachment module with a golfer. 
         FIG. 12  is a side perspective view of the front attachment module with a golfer. 
         FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the putting module. 
         FIG. 14  is a side perspective view of the putting module attached to the base module with a golfer. 
         FIG. 15  is a front perspective view of the putting module attached to the base module with a golfer. 
         FIG. 16  is a front perspective view of the putting module with a golfer. 
         FIG. 17  is a side perspective view of the putting module with a golfer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown a golf work station  1  comprised of a base module  10 , a rear attachment module  30  attached to the base module, a front attachment module  40  attached to the base module, and a putting module  50  removably attached to the base module. 
     The base module  10  has a front  11 , rear  12 , and two opposite sides  13 , said base module front and rear defining a work station central axis, said base module opposite sides defining a base module transverse axis. The base module  10  is comprised of a base plate  14  having a bottom surface  15  and a top surface  16 . The base plate  14  has a generally rectangular shape and may be made from a marine grade PVC. The base plate bottom surface  15  is adapted to rest on an indoor floor or outdoor surface such as a mat or ground. The base plate bottom surface  15  may have means to prevent slippage. The base module  10  is further comprised of two telescoping knee guides, a left knee guide  17  and a right knee guide  18 , pivotally extending from a base bar  19  fixedly attached centrally to the base plate top surface  16 , said base bar having a longitudinal axis parallel to the base module transverse axis. The base plate  14  has several storage/transport holders  27  fixedly attached to the base plate top surface  16  between the base bar  19  and a rear base plate edge  28 . 
     The right knee guide  18  terminates in an elongated pivot element  20 , said pivot element having a longitudinal axis parallel to the base module transverse axis. The pivot element  20  has an inside end  21  and an outside end  22 , said outside end terminating in a forwarding extending protrusion  23 . The left knee guide  17  terminates in an adjustable target knee rod  24  with an inside end  25  and an outside end  26 , said inside and outside ends defining a target knee rod longitudinal axis, said target knee rod longitudinal axis being parallel to the base module transverse axis. 
     For purposes of exposition, it has been assumed that the golfer using the work station is right handed. The work station is easily adapted for a left handed golfer. In operation, the golfer  2  stands at the base module front  11  forward of the base plate front edge  29 . The right knee guide pivot element  20  is adapted to fit behind the right knee of a golfer  2 , with the pivot element forwarding extending protrusion  23  positioned just to the outside of the golfer&#39;s right knee. The target knee rod inside end  25  is positioned against the outside of the golfer&#39;s left knee. The training purpose of the base module  10  is primarily to eliminate “sway” in a golfer&#39;s swing. The right knee guide pivot element  20  keeps the golfer from “pulling up” and/or swaying rightward during golf club take away. The left knee guide target knee rod inside end  25  places pressure against the outside of the golfer&#39;s left knee thereby halting leftward sway as the golfer striker through the golf ball. See  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     The rear attachment module  30  is comprised of an elongated rear support bar  31  having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base bar  19 . The rear support bar  31  is positioned toward the base module rear  12  and is pivotally connected at each end  32  to the base bar  19 . A posture bar receiver  33  is pivotally attached to the rear support bar  31 . The posture bar receiver  33  is adapted to receive a telescoping posture bar  34 . The posture bar  34  is adapted to receive an elongated foam posture rest  35 . The foam posture rest  35  may be a an expanded plastic tube made from polystyrene and sold under the trademark, STYROFOAM. The posture bar  34  and posture rest  35  have an elongated axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rear support bar  31 . 
     In operation, the rear attachment module  30  is designed to assist the golfer in maintaining a proper posture and body bend during the golf swing. The posture rest  35  is forwardly pivoted to a desire angle which should correspond to the desired body angle bend for a particular golfer. In combination with the base module  10 , the posture rest  35  provides a more complete guide for a golfer&#39;s stance and body during the golf swing. See  FIGS. 3-6 . 
     The front attachment module  40  is comprised of an elongated forward support bar  41  having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base bar  19 . The forward support bar  41  is positioned toward the base module front  11  and is pivotally connected at each end  42  to the base bar  19 . Two generally horizontal telescoping pipes  43  are connected to the forward support bar  41  and extend forward away from the base module front  11 . The horizontal telescoping pipes each terminate in a rotating and adjustable elbow  44 . Each elbow  44  has a swing plane bar  45  extending therefrom. Each swing plane bar  45  is adapted to receive an elongated foam swing plane foam tube  46 . Preferably the foam tube is an expanded plastic made from polystyrene and sold under the trademark, STYROFOAM. 
     In operation, the front attachment module  40  is designed to assist the golfer in maintaining a desired swing plane. The right swing plane foam tube  46  guides the golfer&#39;s club during take away at a desired plane angle. The left swing plane foam tube  46 ′ guides the golfer&#39;s club during follow through after striking the golf ball. In combination with the base module  10  and the posture rest  35 , the swing plane tubes provide a complete guide for a golfer during the golf swing. See  FIGS. 7-12 . 
     The putting module  50  is comprised of the front attachment module elongated forward support bar  41  and the two generally horizontal telescoping pipes  43  connected to the forward support bar  41  and extend forward away from the base module front  11 . The horizontal telescoping pipes  43  each terminate in a rotating and adjustable elbow  44 . Each elbow  44  has a putting height bar  51  extending therefrom. The putting module  50  is further comprised of an elevated support bar  52  having two opposite ends  53 , each elevated support bar end terminating in a said height bar  51 . The elevated support bar  52  has a longitudinal axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the forward support bar  41 . The elevated support bar has three rotating tees  54  attached thereto on an elevated support bar front side  56 , said rotating tees being parallel to each other and lying along a generally horizontal axis. A generally planar putter shaft slide  60  is attached to the first and third rotating tees. The middle rotating tee  54 ′, i.e., second rotating tee, has an adjustable depth element  55 . The putter shaft slide  60  is a generally flat rectangular element having an inside surface  61  and an opposite outside surface  62 . The putting attachment has two opposite short sides  63 , an upper long side  64  and a lower long side  65 . The short sides  63  are generally vertical and the long sides  64 ,  65  are generally horizontal. The putter shaft slide inside surface  61  is attached to the first and third rotating tees  54 . The middle rotating tee depth element  55  is adapted to force the putter shaft slide  60  to curve outward by placing pressure on the inside surface  61  at the approximate mid point of the putter shaft slide. The upper long side  64  has a shoulder arc radius  66  formed therein. 
     In operation, the putting module  50  addresses the one golf shot which is not addressed by the previous modules, i.e., the putt. The curve of the putter shaft slide  60  provides a slide or plane angle for a putter shaft. With a guide clip attached to the shaft of the golfer&#39;s putter and interacting with the shoulder arc radius  66 , the putter movement through the ball accounts for swing plane and shoulder turn. See  FIGS. 13-17 . 
     It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.