Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to golf clubs and in particular to a golf club with a near vertical shaft allowing a more natural and accurate swing. 
     Known golf clubs include an often large angular offset between the golf club shaft and head position, pushing the golf club head away from a golfer during a swing. As a result, in order to align the club head with the ground horizontally, the golfer must hold the club with the golf club shaft at a slant relative to the vertical, angling down and away from the golfer. The golfer grasps the top grip portion of the shaft and assumes a stance with the shaft and grip slanted toward the waist, stomach, or chest area and spaced away from the golfer&#39;s body between approximately two and twelve inches. 
     Using known golfing methods, the head of the club is placed forward of the golfer&#39;s body and behind the ball position, either on the grass of a putting green or on the grass of a fairway. The golfer stands back from the ball position so that the head of the club is generally placed several inches from the toe of the golfer&#39;s shoes, (for example, when using a putter) or up to fifty inches away, (for example, when using a driver). The degree of the shaft&#39;s slant depends on the golfer&#39;s physical height, on the club the golfer is using, and on how much the golfer extends the arms away from the body. Nevertheless, in most cases and situations, the golf club shaft is slanted considerably down and away from the golfer, whether the golfer leans forward to “face” the ball directly or whether the golfer turns their feet or hips a little to the right or to the left. This preparation and positioning, and procedure to make the back swing and the return swing to hit the ball, is commonly referred to as “addressing the ball.” 
     Further, because the golfer holds the club head away from the body, a small lateral torque perpendicular to the swing is present during the swing. While this torque is small, it nevertheless may interfere with the natural “pendulum” motion of the swing and cause a small angular deflection of the club face which the golfer must compensate for. The small angular error in the club face may result in a large position error in the balls final position. 
     Therefore, the known methods for addressing the ball do not provide a natural swing for some golfers and a new golf club allowing a different method for addressing the ball and the swing is needed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a golf club having a bent hosel. The hosel is approximately five inches long and the bend is approximately centered on the hosel. The hosel is connected to the golf club base to angle toward the golfer. At its middle, or approximately two and one half inches above the golf club base, the hosel is bent away from the golfer to a nearly vertical angle. The shaft of the golf club is connected to the upper portion of the bent hosel causing the shaft continue at the nearly vertical angle. The novel angling of the hosel and shaft allow an average golfer to consistently hit straighter shots beginning with a putter, but including golf irons and golf woods. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a golf club providing a more natural swing. The golf club including a head, a hosel, a shaft, and a grip. The head includes a substantially vertical face for hitting a golf ball and a base configured to reside approximately horizontally when the face hits the ball. The hosel is attached to the head at a point on the left side of the head, when viewed facing the face. The hosel includes a lower portion at a first angle between vertical and sloping upward to the left and an upper portion at a second angle between vertical and sloping upward to the right. The shaft extends up from the upper portion of the hosel at a third angle between vertical and sloping upward to the right. The grip is attached at the top of the shaft. The lower portion of the hosel preferably slopes to the left and the upper portion of the hosel preferably slopes to the right, and the shaft is preferably aligned with the upper portion of the hosel. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for a golfer to apply a more natural golf club swing. The method includes: grasping the grip of a golf club, the golf club having a shaft aligned with the grip and attached to a hosel which is attached to a head of the golf club, and swinging the golf club with the head of the golf club passing approximately under the golfer&#39;s grasp. The hosel includes an upper portion aligned with and attached to the shaft and sloping upward and towards the golfer, or vertical, and a lower portion attached to a head of the golf club at a point on the head away from the golfer. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a more accurate golf club using a short back-swing, such as a quarter-back-swing or a half-back-swing. The present invention applies to putters in particular because putting benefits from greater accuracy more than other phases of golf. However, the present invention may be adapted for a “chipper” and several “short irons,” clubs which may be used around the putting green and where accuracy is more important than distance. Further, the present invention may be adapted for any fairway iron where the club is not used to make shots at long distances. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a golf club not requiring a “great arc” type swing. Although prior-art clubs may make accurate shots, they are compromised to also provide leverage and swing speed. One of several ways to achieve swing speed is by swinging with a great arc. In order to make the great arc feasible, club shafts are constructed to slant away from the golfer. In this way, the club head could be a foot to more than a yard away from the golfer&#39;s feet. Having this space from where the golfer stands to where he places the club face behind the ball provides the golfer with the room and freedom to swing his arms and hands in the great arc. This is done in conjunction with a powerful pivot at his hips (including shoulder and back turns), that direct the upper torso toward the intended direction of the ball. The great arc, however, is not necessary for putting or for hitting shots when the golfer is close to the putting green. It is the intention of this novel idea to construct a type of golf club that can be swung without the great arc in order to give the average golfer more consistency in making accurate shots both on the putting green and at the near approach area to a putting green. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a prior art golf club. 
         FIG. 2  shows a golfer holding the prior art golf club. 
         FIG. 3  shows forces present in a swing of the prior art golf club. 
         FIG. 4  is a portion of a golf club according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows the golfer holding the golf club according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows forces present in a swing of the golf club according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows the golfer holding a reverse golf club according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows forces present in a swing of the reverse golf club according to the present invention. 
         FIGS. 9A-9D  show typical prior art golf clubs. 
         FIGS. 10A-10D  show corresponding golf clubs according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
     A rear view of a prior art golf club  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The golf club  10  includes a head  18  having a face  18   a  (see  FIG. 3 ) for striking a golf ball, a grip  12  for grasping the club  30 , a short hosel  16  attached to the head  18 , and a shaft  14  connecting the grip  12  to the hosel  16 . At the point of the swing when the face  18   a  of the head  18  strikes the golf ball, the face is substantially vertical but may slope back from the vertical on some clubs to provide some lift to the golf ball, and the base  18   b  of the head is preferably approximately horizontal. The shaft  14  is generally required to be straight for competitive play, and the hosel  16  may be curved but is short and preferably not more than five inches long. 
     A golfer  20  is shown holding the prior art golf club  10  in  FIG. 2 , and forces F 1  and F 2  present in a swing of the golf club  10  when the club  10  is at a point of making contact with the golf ball  24  are shown in  FIG. 3  with the face  18   a  facing up. The golfer  20  exerts a force F 2  required for the swing and impact of the face  18   a  of the head  18  with the golf ball  24 , but an additional force F 1  is required to hold the head  18  of the club away from the golfer  20 . Although small, the required force F 1  may slightly bias the swing resulting in a slight angling of the face  18   a  of the head  18  and a small variation in the intended trajectory of the golf ball  24 . Because the force F 1  is not a natural part of the swing, it is difficult for some golfers to learn to properly and consistently swing the prior art golf club  10 . 
     A rear view (i.e., the face of the head of the club into the paper) of the golf club  30  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 . The head  18  of the golf club  30  includes a vertical centerline CL horizontally centered on the base  18  and a vertical line V parallel to the centerline CL. The golf club  30  preferably includes a bent (or curved) hosel  36 . The shaft  34  extends from the hosel  36  as with the golf club  10 , on the left side (or heel  17 ) of the head  18  when viewed from the rear of the head  18 . The hosel  36  includes a lower portion  36   a  and upper portion  36   b . The lower portion  32   a  is attached to the head  18  near the heel  17 , i.e., towards the golfer  20 . The lower portion  36   a  preferably is vertical or slopes up and away from the vertical line V and towards the golfer  20 , and more preferably slopes away from the vertical line V at an angle A 2  from vertical, when the base  18   b  of the head  18  is horizontal. The upper portion  36   b  preferably is vertical or slopes slightly towards the vertical centerline CL, and more preferably slopes slightly towards the vertical centerline CL at a small angle A 1  from vertical, when the base  18   b  of the head  18  is approximately horizontal. The angle A 1  is preferably approximately three degrees and the angle A 2  is preferably approximately 21 degrees. The head  18  further includes a toe  19  opposite the head  17 . In use, the heel  17  is the end of the head  18  closest to the golfer  20  and the toe  19  is the end of the head  18  farthest from the golfer  20 . 
     The hosel  36  is preferably connected to the heel  17  of the club head  18  and the lower portion  36   a  points towards the golfer  20  as the golfer  20  normally stands as the golfer addresses the ball  24 . The lower portion  36   a  had a length L 1  which is preferably between two to three inches and more preferably approximately 2.5 inches. The upper portion  36   b  had a length L 2  which is preferably between two to three inches and more preferably approximately 2.5 inches. The overall length L 3  of the hosel  36  is preferably not more than five inches and is more preferably five inches. The shaft  34  is attached to the upper portion  36   b  and is aligned with the upper portion  36   b  and resides nearly vertically at the point of impact of the club head  18  with the golf ball  24  during a swing, at which point of impact the base  18   b  of the head  18  is nearly horizontal. 
     The golfer  20  is shown holding the golf club  30  in  FIG. 5 . The golfer  20  now holds the grip  12  with the grip  12  and shaft  30  nearly vertical when the base  18   b  of the head  18  is horizontal and the grip  12  at the top of the shaft  12  nearly directly above (i.e., the head  18  of the club  30  is not displaced towards or away from the golfer  20  sufficiently to require any noticeable lateral force F 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) to hold the club) on the head  18  at the point of impact and when the base  18   b  of the head  18  of the golf club  30  is nearly horizontal. The grip  12  preferable is at least directly above some portion of the head  18 . The golf club  30  provides a vertical or upright shaft at the point of impact with the ball  24  allowing more accuracy than the golf club  10  having a shaft slanted away from the body as shown in  FIG. 2 . Since leverage and the freedom to create a great arc swing are not essential when using the golf club  30  for making shots that are close to the putting green, the vertical or upright shaft allows the golfer  20  to utilize a more natural and thus more accurate swing. 
     The force F 2  present in a swing of the golf club  30  is shown in  FIG. 6 . Because the shaft  30  is now nearly vertical at the point of impact with the ball  24 , the head  18  is nearly directly below the grip  12 , and the force F 1  of  FIG. 3  is drastically reduced or eliminated. The golfer  20  is now free to swing the golf club  30  in a more natural manner with improved accuracy. 
     The golfer  20  holding a reverse golf club  30 ′ according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7  and forces present in a swing of the reverse golf club  30 ′ are shown in  FIG. 8 . The reverse golf club  30 ′ provides the same advantage as the golf club  30  because head of the club  30 ′ is nearly directly below the grip  12  of the club  30 ′ at the point of impact with the ball  24 , thus minimizing or eliminating the lateral force F 1  of  FIG. 3  freeing the golfer  20  to swing the golf club  30 ′ in a more natural manner with improved accuracy. 
     Four typical prior art golf clubs  10   a - 10   d  are shown in  FIGS. 9A-9D . The golf clubs  10   a - 10   d  all include shafts  14  angled away from vertical upwards and towards the golfer to allow room for a “great arc” type swing. As a result of the angle of the shafts  14 , the golfer must compensate for the resulting torque at the grip  12 , and errors may be introduced into the flight of the golf ball. 
     Four golf clubs  30   a - 30   d  according to the present invention corresponding to the prior art golf clubs  10   a - 10   d  are shown in  FIGS. 10A-10D . The golf clubs  30   a - 30   d  have nearly vertical shafts reducing or eliminating the torque around the grips  12  of the prior art golf clubs  10   a - 10   d  thereby reducing or eliminating the errors introduced into the flight of the golf ball. 
     For the putting shot, a right-handed golfer would address the ball in the normal manner with perhaps a couple of exceptions. First, he would place his left leg so that the left shoe is as close to the ball as possible without it being in the way for a putter striking the ball during the performance of his shot. It is important that the golfer pushes the left hand back into his right hand without “breaking” (or bending) his wrists, and maintaining, without “breaking”, his wrists to make a solid contact during his return swing and follow through. The golfer should mentally “see” his vertical/upright shaft going directly to the target during its vertical/upright follow-through. 
     In regards to the “chipper” iron, and the other “irons,” it is suggested that until a golfer accustoms himself to this new system, that he should adjust his stance to an “open stance” as follows: assuming he is a right-handed golfer, the golfer puts his right foot toe at or near the place where the ball lies on the fairway grass and opens his stance by placing his left foot to partially spread away toward his left flank, thus creating the “open stance.” The open stance may help to prevent “shanking” the ball. The golfer preferably takes his club back with a good pivot and returns the club in his normal manner, but making certain that the vertical/upright shaft is pointing at the target as it is moving through the ball. At about the instant when the two hands are brought down into the ball in the usual manner, the golfer should have in his mind that approximately when the club head makes contact with the ball, that he turns his right hand slightly under his left hand in such a manner that the right forearm feels as if it is coming under the vertical/upright shaft during its movement toward the target. When the follow-through part of the swing is completed, that is to say when the golfer&#39;s hands have been extended to almost shoulder level elevation, the golfer might feel that his right forearm is underneath the shaft guiding it as it is finishes its movement aimed at the target. This final maneuver with this new type of hosel/shaft combination may help the golfer to achieve accuracy when the golfer makes his approach shots to the putting green. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Technology Category: 1