GOLFER CLASSIFICATION METHOD, GOLFER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND GOLF CLUB SELECTION METHOD

• US 20160361592A1
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: ISOGAWA, Kazuhiko, TAKEUCHI, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US15/176,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20160361592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/14 by matching peak patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

A golfer classification method in which, in order to classify a golfer based on his/her swing behavior, a first head speed HS1 of a short iron when the golfer hits a golf ball with the short iron is measured; a second head speed HS2 and a blow angle of a long iron when the golfer hits a golf ball with the long iron are measured; the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 is calculated; by comparing the blow angle with a first threshold, the golfer is classified into a down blow group or a non down blow group; and by comparing the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 with a second threshold, the golfer classified into the down blow group is further classified into a first down blow group or a second down blow group. A golf club selection method in which, for the golfer classified by the golfer classification method, a suitable golf club is selected.

Claims

1. A golfer classification method for classifying a golfer based on his/her swing behavior, comprising:

a first measuring step of measuring a first head speed HS1 of a short iron when the golfer hits a golf ball with the short iron, by the use of a measuring means,

a second measuring step of measuring a second head speed HS2 and a blow angle θ

of a long iron when the golfer hits a golf ball with the long iron. by the use of the measuring means,

a calculating step of calculating a head speed ratio HS2/HS1 which is the ratio of the second head speed HS2 to the first head speed HS1 by the use of a calculating means,

a first classifying step of classifying the golfer into a down blow group or a non down blow group, by a determining means, based on the blow angle θ

of the long iron and a predetermined first threshold value therefor, and

a second classifying step in which, based on the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 and a predetermined second threshold value therefor, the golfer classified into the down blow group is further classified, by the determining means, into a first down blow group where the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 is more than the second threshold value, or a second down blow group where the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 is not more than the second threshold value.

2. The golfer classification method according to claim 1, wherein the first threshold value is −

0.5 degrees.

3. The golfer classification method according to claim 1, which further comprises a step of determining the second threshold value based on a club length ratio L2/L1 which is the ratio of the club length L2 of the long iron to the club length L1 of the short iron.

4. The golfer classification method according to claim 2, which further comprises a step of determining the second threshold value based on a club length ratio L2/L1 which is the ratio of the club length L2 of the long iron to the club length L1 of the short iron.

5. The golfer classification method according to claim 1, which further comprises a step of determining the second threshold value within a range of from 97% to 103% of a club length ratio L2/L1 which is the ratio of the club length L2 of the long iron to the club length L1 of the short iron.

6. The golfer classification method according to claim 2, which further comprises a step of determining the second threshold value within a range of from 97% to 103% of a club length ratio L2/L1 which is the ratio of the club length L2 of the long iron to the club length L1 of the short iron.

7. The golfer classification method according to claim 1, which further comprises a third measuring step of measuring, by the use of the measuring means, a third head speed HS3 of a non-iron-type club when the golfer hits a golf ball with the non-iron-type club.

8. The golfer classification method according to claim 2, which further comprises a third measuring step of measuring, by the use of the measuring means, a third head speed HS3 of a non-iron-type club when the golfer hits a golf ball with the non-iron-type club.

9. The golfer classification method according to claim 3, which further comprises a third measuring step of measuring, by the use of the measuring means, a third head speed HS3 of a non-iron-type club when the golfer hits a golf ball with the non-iron-type club.

10. The golfer classification method according to claim 4, which further comprises a third measuring step of measuring, by the use of the measuring means, a third head speed HS3 of a non-iron-type club when the golfer hits a golf ball with the non-iron-type club.

11. A golf club selection method for selecting a type of golf club for the golfer classified by the golfer classification method according to claim 1, comprising:

a step of selecting, for the golfer classified into the non down blow group, a non-iron-type club as a golf club corresponding to a low number golf club of an iron set, by a selecting means, and

a step of selecting, for the golfer classified into the first down blow group, a long iron as a golf club Corresponding to a low number golf club of the iron set, by the selecting means.

12. A golf club selection method for selecting a type of golf club for the golfer classified by the golfer classification method according to claim 7, comprising steps implemented by a selecting means which are:

a step of selecting, for the golfer classified into the non down blow group, a non-iron-type club as a golf club corresponding to a low number golf club of an iron set;

a step of selecting, for the golfer classified into the first down blow group, the long iron as a golf club corresponding to a low number golf club of an iron set;

a step of selecting, for the golfer classified into the second down blow group, as a golf club Corresponding to a low number golf club of an iron set, the long iron if the head speed HS3 is not more than a predetermined third threshold value, or a non-iron-type club if the head speed HS3 is more than the third threshold value.

13. A golfer classification system for classifying a golfer based on his/her swing behavior, comprising:

a measuring means for measuring a behavior of a golf club head,

a calculating means for calculating measured data obtained by the measuring means,

a determining means for classifying the golfer based on calculated results obtained by the calculating means and the measured data, wherein

the measuring means measures a first head speed HS1 of a short iron when the golfer hits a golf ball with the short iron, and a second head speed HS2 and a blow angle θ

of a long iron when the golfer hit a golf ball with the long iron,

the calculating means calculates a head speed ratio HS2/HS1 which is the ratio of the second head speed HS2 to the first head speed HS1,

the determining means classifies the golfer into a down blow groups or non-down blow group based on the measured blow angle θ

of the long iron and a predetermined first threshold value therefor, and

the determining means further classifies the golfer belonging to the down blow group into a first-down blow group where the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 is more than a predetermined second threshold value, or a second down blow group where the head speed ratio HS2/HS1 is not more than the second threshold value.