Golf swing-diagnosing system

• US 20050215336A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Onuki, Masahide, Ueda, Masahiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/131
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

A computer (16) for capturing a colored moving image photographed by photographing means (14, 15) has an extraction means for extracting images having necessary swing postures as check-point images from a large number of still images constituting the color moving image; a means for obtaining a coordinate of a position of each of attention-focused points, which operate, in each of the check-point images, while a golfer (11) is swinging; a means for diagnosing a golfer'"'"'s swing form by setting a plurality of diagnosis items for each trajectory pattern obtained by a ball motion measuring apparatus (20) to classify behavior of a golf ball and by comparing numerical data generated from data of the coordinate of the position of each of the attention-focused points with a judgement value set in each of a plurality of diagnosis items; and a means for outputting an advice drill corresponding to a result of a diagnosis.

Claims

1. A golf swing-diagnosing system comprising a computer for capturing a colored moving image by capturing an image in which a golfer swinging by gripping a golf club is photographed,

wherein said computer comprises:

an extraction means for selectively extracting one or more images each showing a swing posture as check-point images such as an address image, a take-back shaft 8 o'"'"'clock image, a take-back shaft 9 o'"'"'clock image, a take-back unskillful arm horizontal image, a top image, a downswing unskillful arm horizontal image, a downswing shaft 9 o'"'"'clock image, an impact image, a follow-through shaft 3 o'"'"'clock image, and a finish image from a large number of still images constituting said color moving image;

a means for obtaining a coordinate of a position of each of attention-focused points, which operate, in each of said check-point images, while said golfer is swinging;

a means for diagnosing a swing form of said golfer by setting a plurality of diagnosis items each including a swing posture and a shaft angle for each trajectory pattern and by comparing numerical data generated from data of said coordinate of said position of each of said attention-focused points in each of said check-point images with a judgement value which is an ideal value inputted to said computer in advance; and

a means for outputting an advice drill corresponding to a result of each of said diagnosis from a data base in which a plurality of advice drills prepared as a practicing method for improving a swing form is registered.

2. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein said trajectory pattern is divided into a pull hook, a pull, a pull slice, a straight hook, a straight, a straight slice, a push hook, a push, and a push slice.

3. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, further comprising a ball motion measuring apparatus for measuring a behavior of a golf ball hit by said golfer so that said trajectory pattern is obtained according to a side spin amount of said golf ball measured by said ball motion measuring apparatus and a deviation angle thereof measured thereby.

4. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 3, wherein said computer has an inquiry means through which said golfer inputs a trajectory pattern said golfer desires to be diagnosed before said golfer hits a golf ball so that when a trajectory pattern obtained from an actual behavior of said golf ball measured by said ball motion measuring apparatus conforms to or similar to said trajectory pattern inputted through said inquiry means, said computer outputs results of said diagnosis and an advice drill.

5. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein a differential silhouette is obtained by executing differential processing between a top image in which a swing posture of a top state is photographed and an image obtained at a predetermined time period after said top image so that a conversion from backswing to forward swing which is made at said top state is diagnosed by using an area of said differential silhouette.

6. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein a conversion from backswing to forward swing made at the top state is diagnosed based on a difference of an angle formed between a shaft line in a downswing unskillful arm horizontal image and a shaft line in an address image when a golfer is seen rearward therefrom in a ball fly line direction.

7. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein it is judged that said golfer has a cock motion when a difference between a wrist angle in a predetermined swing posture and a wrist angle in another swing posture is not less than a predetermined value or when said wrist angle in said predetermined swing posture is not less than a predetermined value.

8. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 1, wherein when a mark set in each of a plurality of diagnosis items satisfies or does not satisfy a judgement value which is an ideal value, said marks are added to each other.

9. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 8, wherein said marks outputted for said respective diagnosis items are added to each other;

and a total of said marks is outputted as a result of a diagnosis.

10. A golf swing-diagnosing system comprising:

a computer for diagnosing a golfer'"'"'s swing form by setting a plurality of diagnosis items including a golfer'"'"'s swing posture and a shaft angle by capturing an image in which a golfer swinging by gripping a golf club is photographed and comparing numerical data generated from data of a coordinate of a position of each of attention-focused points, which move when said golfer swings, in each of check-point images with a judgement value of each of a plurality of diagnosis items, which is an ideal value inputted to said computer in advance; and

a server connected with said computer through a communication network and receiving swing information having results of a diagnosis on a swing form from said computer,

wherein a terminal information apparatus is connected to said communication network so that said golfer can access said server and read said swing information.

11. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein past swing information is stored in time series in a data base of said server by relating said past swing information to said golfer.

12. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein said swing information has one or more check-point images, each showing a swing posture, such as an address image, a take-back shaft 8 o'"'"'clock image, a take-back shaft 9 o'"'"'clock image, a take-back unskillful arm horizontal image, a top image, a downswing unskillful arm horizontal image, a downswing shaft 9 o'"'"'clock image, an impact image, a follow-through shaft 3 o'"'"'clock image, and a finish image selected from among a large number of still images constituting said color moving image.

13. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein said swing information has a result of a trajectory of a golf ball hit by said golf club.

14. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein said swing information has a plurality of advice drills which is prepared in correspondence to each of said diagnosis items as a practicing method for improving a swing form and is selected appropriately in correspondence to a result of a diagnosis on said swing form from a data base in which said advice drills are registered.

15. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 14, wherein each of said advice drills has a sample moving image for explaining a practicing method.

16. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein said swing information has contents of inquiry inputted before hitting a golf ball.

17. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein results of diagnosis on said swing form have a result of a diagnosis on a conversion from backswing to forward swing at said top state which is diagnosed by using an area of a differential silhouette which is obtained by executing differential processing between a top image in which a swing posture of a top state is photographed and an image obtained at a predetermined time period after said top image.

18. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein results of a diagnosis on said swing form have a result of a diagnosis on a conversion from backswing to forward swing made at the top state which is diagnosed based on a difference of an angle formed between a shaft line in a downswing unskillful arm horizontal image and a shaft line in an address image when a golfer is seen rearward therefrom in a ball fly line direction.

19. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 17, wherein results obtained by diagnosing said swing form includes a wrist angle;

and said swing information has information of an optimum golf club shaft chosen from said results obtained by diagnosing said swing direction change-over motion made at the top state and said wrist angle.

20. The golf swing-diagnosing system according to claim 10, wherein said swing information has information of a loft angle of a golf club head selected according to an angle of elevation of a golf ball and a trajectory height thereof measured by a ball motion measuring apparatus.