Method for custom fitting golf clubs

• US 4,059,270 A
• Filed: 11/18/1975
• Issued: 11/22/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bernard Sayers
• Original Assignee: Bernard Sayers
• Inventors: Sayers, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/632,950
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/79, 273/80 D, 273/80 A, 273/80.1, 273/162 R, 273/171, 73/379, 73/488, 73/493
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/025 lie angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about an axis parallel to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/026 loft angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

A device utilizing a system of photobeam measurers to detect the speed imparted to a golf ball by a golfer that is utilized with a golf club of adjustable weight and design for determining the optimum club design for a particular individual golfer being tested. The device is used in a method of custom-fitting golf clubs in which the proper swing weight, length, and lie and loft angles of a golf club are determined. The method of fitting consists in a series of steps in which a golfer hits a series of balls through the photobeams with a club which is incrementally lengthened, weighted, and has its lie angle adjusted. The adjustments are made until the point is reached at which the golfer imparts maximum velocity.

Claims

1. A method of custom designing a golf club for a particular individual golfer which will give the maximum distance of ball travel, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing means for adjusting the club head weight, lie angle, and golf club shaft length used by the particular individual golfer during the practicing of this method;

b. providing means for measuring the velocity and loft angle of golf balls hit by the particular individual golfer during the practicing of this method;

c. hitting a series of golf balls with a golf club the club head weight of which is a predetermined minimum and calculating the average velocity of said golf balls;

d. hitting another series of golf balls with a golf club the club head weight of which is incrementally greater than in the previous step and calculating the average velocity of said golf balls;

e. continuing to hit further series of golf balls with golf clubs having club head weights which are incrementally greater than in the previous step and calculating the average velocity of each series until a first maximum velocity is established;

f. calculating the swing weight of the golf club which produced said first maximum velocity;

g. hitting a series of golf balls with a golf club having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity and a shaft the length of which is a predetermined minimum and calculating the average velocity of said golf balls;

h. hitting another series of golf balls with a golf club having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity and a shaft length of which is incrementally longer than in the previous step and calculating the average velocity of said golf balls;

i. continuing to hit further series of golf balls using golf clubs having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity and shafts the lengths of which are incrementally larger than in the previous step and calculating the average velocity of each series until a second maximum velocity is established;

j. hitting a series of golf balls with a golf club having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity and a shaft length producing said second maximum velocity and a predetermined lie angle and calculating the average velocity of said golf balls;

k. continuing to hit further series of golf balls using golf clubs having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity and a shaft length producing said second maximum velocity and a lie angle which is incrementally different than in the previous step and calculating the average velocity of each series until a third maximum velocity is established; and

l. calculating the average lift-off angle of a series of balls hit with a golf club having a swing weight producing said first maximum velocity, a shaft length producing said second maximum velocity, and a lie angle producing said third maximum velocity and determining from said average lift-off angle the optimum loft angle for the particular individual golfer.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 employing golf clubs having adjustable club head weights wherein incremental weights are added to the club head of a single golf club in steps (d) and (e) of claim 1.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 employing golf clubs having adjustable lie angles wherein the lie angles of a single golf club is varied in steps (j) and (k) of claim 1.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 employing golf clubs having adjustable lie angles wherein the lie angle of a single golf club is varied in steps (j) and (k) of claim 1.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 and including the further steps of reducing the club head weight by half the increment added in the previous step and hitting a further series of balls when the most recent addition of an incremental weight has decreased the average velocity of said golf balls.