Method of selecting golf club

• US 20060111197A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masaki, Saegusa, Hiroshi, Miyamoto, Masahiko, Kogawa, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,651,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/151
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club

Abstract

A golf club selecting method includes of measuring a behavior of a golf club during a golf swing performed with the golf club gripped and selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing. At first, a swing information for characterizing the behavior of the golf club during the golf swing performed with the golf club gripped is acquired. Then a golf club is selected in accordance with the golf swing based on the acquired swing information, wherein the acquired swing information contains a movement speed at each of a plurality of predetermined positions which are different from each other on a golf club shaft axis of the golf club, and the movement speed is a speed in an impact state immediately before a golf ball is hit with the golf club.

Claims

1. A golf club selecting method of analyzing a behavior of a golf club during a golf swing performed with the golf club gripped, and selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing, comprising:

a swing information acquiring step of acquiring swing information for characterizing the behavior of the golf club during the golf swing performed with the golf club gripped; and

a golf club selecting step of selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing based on the acquired swing information,

wherein the swing information acquired in the swing information acquiring step contains a movement speed at each of a plurality of predetermined positions which are different from each other on a golf club shaft axis of the golf club, and the movement speed is a movement speed in an impact state immediately before a golf ball is hit with the golf club.

2. The golf club selecting method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined positions are a grip position corresponding to a grip portion of the golf club, and a head position corresponding to a head portion of the golf club.

3. The golf club selecting method according to claim 2, wherein the golf club selecting step includes selecting a golf club having a golf club shaft of a kind fitting for the golf swing.

4. The golf club selecting method according to claim 3, wherein the golf club selecting step includes selecting a golf club having a golf club shaft with characteristics determined in accordance with the golf swing, as the golf club having the golf club shaft of the kind fitting for the golf swing.

5. The golf club selecting method according to claim 4, wherein the characteristics determined in accordance with the golf swing comprises a kind of a kick point of the golf club shaft.

6. The golf club selecting method according to claim 5, wherein:

the selecting step includes selecting a golf club having a golf club shaft of a kick point in accordance with the golf swing from a plurality of golf clubs having golf club shafts of different kick points based on a predetermined determination value;

the predetermined determination value is obtained by dividing a movement speed of the head position in the impact state by a movement speed of the grip position;

as the predetermined determination value becomes larger, a golf club having a golf club shaft of a lower kick point is selected from the plurality of golf clubs, and

as the predetermined determination value becomes smaller, a golf club having a golf club shaft of a higher kick point is selected from the plurality of golf clubs.

7. The golf club selecting method according to claim 2, wherein;

the swing information acquiring step includes calculating a movement speed of the head position in the impact state based on time series data of a position of a grip end of the golf club; and

the time series data of the grip end is time series data in the golf swing of three-dimensional position coordinates of the grip end, and time series data of an orientation direction in the golf swing.

8. The golf club selecting method according to claim 7, wherein

the time series data of the grip end is obtained from a signal output from a three-dimensional magnetic sensor by forming a magnetic field with a known distribution regarding an intensity and a direction within a movement range in the golf swing of the grip end,

wherein the three-dimensional magnetic sensor is fixed at the grip end of the golf club for sensing magnetism in the magnetic field and for outputting a signal in accordance with a three-dimensional position with respect to a predetermined reference position and a direction with respect to a predetermined reference direction when the golf swing is performed using the golf club in the formed magnetic field.

9. The golf club selecting method according to claim 2, wherein the movement speed of the grip position in the impact state and the movement speed of the head position in the impact state are respectively calculated based on movement speeds of measurement positions in the impact state obtained by measuring movement speeds in the impact state at two measurement positions placed between the grip position and the head position on a shaft of the golf club.

10. The golf club selecting method according to claim 9, wherein, assuming that an interval distance of the two measurement positions on the shaft of the golf club is L, a distance from one measurement position on the grip position side of the two measurement positions to the grip position is 1, an interval distance between the grip position and the head position is H, a movement speed in the impact state at the one measurement position is V_a, and a movement speed in the impact state at the other measurement position is V_b, a movement speed V_g in the impact state at the grip position is calculated using the following Expression (1), and a movement speed V_h in the impact state at the head position is calculated using the following Expression (2):

V_g={(L+1)×

V_a−

1×

V_b}/L  

 

(1)
V_h={(L+1−

H)×

V_a+(H−

1)−

V_b}/L  

 

(2).

11. The golf club selecting method according to claim 1, wherein the swing information acquiring step includes acquiring the swing information based on an image obtained by capturing the golf swing.

12. A golf club selecting method of analyzing a behavior of a golf club during a golf swing performed with the golf club gripped, and selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing, comprising:

a swing information acquiring step of acquiring swing information for characterizing the behavior of a golf club during the golf swing performed with the golf club gripped; and

a golf club selecting step of selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing based on the acquired swing information,

wherein the swing information acquired in the swing information acquiring step contains a movement speed of a grip end of the golf club, and the movement speed is a movement speed in an impact state immediately before a golf ball is hit with the golf club.

13. The golf club selecting method according to claim 12, wherein:

the swing information acquiring step includes acquiring time series data on a speed of the grip end of the golf club in a period from a top state to an impact state of the golf swing, and

the swing information which is used for selecting a golf club contains, assuming that a maximum speed of the grip end of the golf club is V_max among the time series data acquired in the swing information acquiring step, an average acceleration of the grip end in a period from the top state to a state where the speed of the grip end reaches V_max, and an average acceleration of the grip end in a period from the state where the speed of the grip end reaches V_max to the impact state.

14. The golf club selecting method according to claim 13, wherein the swing information acquiring step includes acquiring time series movement speed information in the golf swing of the grip end, using time series data on three-dimensional position coordinates of the grip end in the golf swing, the time series data being obtained from a signal output from a three-dimensional magnetic sensor by forming a magnetic field with known a distribution regarding an intensity and a direction in a movement range in the golf swing of the grip end,

wherein the three-dimensional magnetic sensor is fixed at the grip end of the golf club for sensing magnetism in the magnetic field and for outputting a signal in accordance with a three-dimensional position with respect to a predetermined reference position and a direction with respect to a predetermined reference direction when the golf swing is performed using the golf club in the formed magnetic field.

15. The golf club selecting method according to claim 12, wherein the swing information acquiring step includes acquiring the swing information based on an image obtained by capturing the golf swing.