Patent ID: 7597631

Claim:
A golf swing training apparatus having a driving module, a short-putt module, and a long-putt module, the driving module comprising: a cylindrical handle configured to assist a user in properly gripping a golf club, the cylindrical handle having a first end connected by a mounting pin to at least one removable weight and a second end having a pivotal joint; a longitudinal shaft attached at an upper end to the pivotal joint and pivotally attached at a lower end to a U-shaped bracket, the shaft having multiple hollow cylindrical sections longitudinally and telescopically mounted therein for extensible and retractable sliding motion with respect to each other, each cylindrical section having upper and lower ends and a hollow interior, the lower end of each cylindrical section being configured to fit closely into the upper end of the adjacent section, the lower end of each of the sections having a cylindrical plug inserted into the hollow interior of that section, the lowest section forming the lower end of the shaft, and each section other than the lowest section having a felt strip about an exterior lower circumference of the respective section and each section other than an uppermost section having a felt strip about an interior upper circumference of the respective section, the felt strips designed to limit air flow into and out of the cylindrical sections when the shaft is telescopically extended or retracted; a nylon cord affixed to the plug of the lowest section and passing through each of the plugs in the cylindrical sections to connect to the plug of the uppermost section; the U-shaped bracket having first and second pivot points, the first pivot point being removably mounted with a quick release pin to a mounting housing, the mounting housing having two parallel counterposed side plates, each of the side plates including a plurality of mounting holes into which the second pivot point may be mounted to permit the longitudinal shaft to be affixed to the mounting housing in a plurality of predetermined angular positions; the short-putt module comprising: a telescoping assembly comprising a stationary tube and a movable tube having a proximate end and a distal end, the proximate end of the movable tube being inserted into the stationary tube; a strap affixed to the distal end and configured to enable the distal end to be removably connected to a putter, a felt strip affixed to at least one of the movable tube and the stationary tube to control air flow, to add friction, to stabilize the movable tube inside the stationary tube, or to reduce noise; and a ball return wedge for accepting a putted ball and returning the ball to the vicinity of the user; whereby a user practices a short putting stroke by causing the movable tube to telescope transversely into and out of the stationary tube along a straight horizontal path; and the long-putt module comprising: a generally arcuate guide; and a bearing assembly moveably connected to the guide and having a means for connecting a putter to the bearing assembly.