FITTING SYSTEM FOR A GOLF CLUB

• US 20130344973A1
• Filed: 04/16/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Margoles, Ryan, Johnson, Gregory D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• 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: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

A method relating to an improved swing characteristic capturing system that can be used for a golf club shaft fitting system is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention utilizes specific data gathered from the golfer'"'"'s golf swing itself to determine the best performing golf club shaft for this particular golf swing. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to the utilization of cameras to record the location data of a plurality of markers located on a golf club shaft throughout a swing. The current inventive fitting methodology is preferred to the archaic fitting method of using data gathered from the result orientated ball flight data together with a tedious process of having to try numerous different shafts.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of said golf club;

a club head at a terminal end of said golf club;

a shaft, connecting said grip and said club head, juxtaposed between said grip and said club head; and

a camera, placed at a distance of between about 6 inches to about 14 inches from a grip end of said golf club;

wherein said camera is aimed at said club head, and

wherein said club head further comprises of a plurality of two or more markers located on said club head.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said camera is placed at a distance of between about 8 inches to about 12 inches from said grip end of said golf club.

3. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said camera is placed at a distance of about 10 inches from said grip end of said golf club.

4. The golf club of claim 1, further comprising a sensor, placed on or near said camera.

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein said sensor further comprises;

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

6. The golf club of claim 4, wherein said camera has a frame rate of greater than about 75 frames/second.

7. The golf club of claim 6, wherein said camera has a frame rate of greater than about 100 frames/second.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein said camera has a frame rate of greater than about 125 frames/second.

9. The golf club of claim 8, wherein said accelerometer has a measurement range of about ±

8 g'"'"'s.

10. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said plurality of markers are placed on a crown portion of said club head.

11. A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:

positioning a plurality of two or more sensors on a club head portion of a golf club;

positioning a camera a distance of between about 12 inches to about 16 inches from a grip end of said golf club;

capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;

determining a swing profile of said golfer'"'"'s golf swing; and

simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on said swing profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said swing force profile of said golfer comprises a centrifugal force and a deflection force.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said camera is aimed at said club head.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said plurality of sensors are placed on a crown portion of said club head.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of placing one or more sensors on or near said camera.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said sensor further comprises;

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein said gyroscope has a measurement range of less than about 2,000°

/sec.

18. The golf club of claim 17, wherein said gyroscope has a measurement range of less than about 1,800°

/sec.

19. The golf club of claim 16, wherein said accelerometer has a measurement range of between about ±

6 g'"'"'s and about ±

10 g'"'"'s.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein said accelerometer has a measurement range of between about ±

7 g'"'"'s and about ±

9 g'"'"'s.