METHOD FOR FITTING GOLF CLUBS TO A GOLFER

• US 20070004527A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Helmstetter, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,226,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/282
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A method (500) for fitting a golf club to a golfer is disclosed herein. The method includes having a golfer hit a test golf club. If the test golf club is preferred, a final golf club is formed that matches the test golf club. Preferably, the final golf club matches the following parameters of the test golf club: volume, mass, mass location, inertial values, center of gravity location, material composition and shape. In a preferred embodiment, a test golf club with an interchangeable shaft is utilized with the method.

Claims

1. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method comprising:

fitting a test golf club to a golfer, the test golf club comprising a test golf club head and an interchangeable shaft placed within the test golf club head, the test golf club having a preferred mass value and a preferred location of mass;

matching a final golf club to the test golf club, the final golf club having a final mass within five grams of the preferred mass value of the test golf club and a mass of the final golf club positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the test golf club.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preferred mass value of the test golf club comprises a preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and a preferred mass value of the test golf club head, and the final golf club comprises a final golf club head with a final golf club head mass value and a final shaft with a final shaft mass value, wherein the final shaft mass value is within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and the final golf club head mass value is within five percent of the preferred mass value of the test golf club head.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the interchangeable shaft has a preferred location of mass and the test golf club head has a preferred location of mass, wherein a mass of the final shaft is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the interchangeable shaft and a mass of the final golf club head is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the test golf club head.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the test golf club further comprises a test hosel insert having an aperture for placement of a tip end of the interchangeable shaft therethrough and positioned within a hosel of the test golf club head, the test hosel insert having a preferred mass value and a preferred location of mass, and wherein the final golf club further comprises a final hosel insert with a final hosel insert mass value within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the test hosel insert and a mass of the final hosel insert positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of a mass of the test hosel insert.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the test golf club further comprises a test grip placed on a butt end of the interchangeable shaft, the test grip having a preferred mass value and a preferred location of mass, and wherein the final golf club further comprises a final grip with a final grip mass value within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the test grip and a mass of the final grip positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of a mass of the test grip.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the test golf head and the final golf club head is composed of a titanium alloy material.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft is composed of graphite.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft is composed of steel.

9. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the test golf head and the final golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft has a length ranging from 30 inches to 50 inches.

11. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the test golf head and the final golf club head has a mass ranging from 175 grams to 250 grams.

12. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft has a mass ranging from 10 grams to 50 grams.

13. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method comprising:

fitting a test golf club to a golfer, the test golf club having a preferred mass value and a preferred center of gravity position;

matching a final golf club to the test golf club, the final golf club having a final mass within five grams of the preferred mass value of the test golf club and a center of gravity position within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred position of the center of gravity of the test golf club.

14. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method comprising:

fitting a test golf club to a golfer, the test golf club having a preferred mass value and a preferred plurality of inertial values;

matching a final golf club to the test golf club, the final golf club having a final mass within five grams of the preferred mass value of the test golf club and each of a plurality of inertial values is within five percent of each corresponding inertial value of the plurality of inertial values of the test golf club.

15. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method comprising:

fitting a test golf club to a golfer, the test golf club having a preferred moment of inertia Izz value and a preferred center of gravity position;

matching a final golf club to the test golf club, the final golf club having a final moment of inertia Izz value within five percent of the preferred moment of inertia value of the test golf club and a center of gravity position within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred position of the center of gravity of the test golf club.

16. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method comprising:

fitting a test golf club to a golfer, the test golf club having a preferred mass value a preferred center of gravity location, a preferred volume, a preferred shape and a preferred plurality of inertial values;

matching a final golf club to the test golf club, the final golf club having a final mass within five grams of the preferred mass value of the test golf club, a center of gravity position within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred position of the center of gravity of the test golf club, a volume equal to the preferred volume of the test golf club, a shape equal to the preferred shape of the test golf club, and each of a plurality of inertial values is within five percent of each corresponding inertial value of the plurality of inertial values of the test golf club.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the test golf club comprises a test golf club head and an interchangeable shaft.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the preferred mass value of the test golf club comprises a preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and a preferred mass value of the test golf club head, and the final golf club comprises a final golf club head with a final golf club head mass value and a final shaft with a final shaft mass value, wherein the final shaft mass value is within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and the final golf club head mass value is within five percent of the preferred mass value of the test golf club head.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the interchangeable shaft has a preferred location of mass and the test golf club head has a preferred location of mass, wherein a mass of the final shaft is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the interchangeable shaft and a mass of the final golf club head is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the test golf club head.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the test golf club further comprises a test hosel insert having an aperture for placement of a tip end of the interchangeable shaft therethrough and positioned within a hosel of the test golf club head, the test hosel insert having a preferred mass value and a preferred location of mass, and wherein the final golf club further comprises a final hosel insert with a final hosel insert mass value within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the test hosel insert and a mass of the final hosel insert positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of a mass of the test hosel insert.