Golf club swing training method

• US 5,348,304 A
• Filed: 07/12/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John C. Meade
• Original Assignee: John C. Meade
• Inventors: Meade, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US08/089,478
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 359/838, 359/870, 359/871, 359/872, 273/187.6, 273/187 R, 273/187 A, 273/35 A
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/024 with screws or pins in the earth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/12 with mirrors
• 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 69/3629 Visual means not attached to the body for aligning, positioning the trainee's head or for detecting head movement, e.g. by parallax

Abstract

A method of improving a golf club swing by providing a planar reflecting surface having a proximal edge, a forward and back side edge, a distal edge that describes a convex arc, the perpendicular distance to which from the center of the proximal edge is dimensioned to fit between the feet of the golfer and the head of the golf club, the golfer in position to take a swing, the reflecting surface dimensioned to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees; and

support means disposed beneath the distal edge of the reflecting surface of a height sufficient to tilt the reflecting surface toward the golfer to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees;

positioning the device so that the support means and proximal edge of the reflecting surface rest on the ground;

positioning the feet of the golfer on the ground adjacent the proximal edge of the reflecting surface;

positioning the head of the golf club on the around adjacent the forward end of the top edge;

viewing the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

determining a correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders of the golfer;

assuming the correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders;

swinging the golf club backward along the top edge of the reflecting surface, using the hands and wrists;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

rotating the hips and shoulders to take the golf club back so that no portion of the reflecting surface is contacted by the golf club;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface; and

completing the golf swing.

Claims

1. A method of improving a swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer, comprising:

providing a golf training device, comprising;

a planar reflecting surface having a proximal edge, a forward and back side edge, a forward and back angled edge disposed at an angle to the forward and back side edges, respectively, and a top edge, parallel to the proximal edge, the perpendicular distance from the top edge to the proximal edge being dimensioned to fit between the feet of the golfer holding the golf club, the head of the golf club resting on the ground adjacent the top edge, the reflecting surface sufficiently large to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees; and

support means disposed beneath the distal edge of the reflecting surface to tilt the reflecting surface toward the golfer at an angle, the angle of tilt sufficient to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees;

positioning the device so that the support means and proximal edge of the reflecting surface rest on the ground;

positioning the feet of the golfer on the ground adjacent the proximal edge of the reflecting surface;

positioning the head of the golf club on the ground adjacent the forward end of the top edge of the reflecting surface;

viewing the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

determining a correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders of the golfer;

assuming the correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders of the golfer;

swinging the golf club backward along the top edge of the reflecting surface, using the hands and wrists;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

rotating the hips and shoulders to take the golf club along the back angled edge of the reflecting surface;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface; and

completing the golf swing.

2. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 1, wherein determining and assuming the correct alignment further comprise:

providing instructional markings on the planar reflecting surface;

comparing the reflection of the golfer with the position of the instructional markings; and

repositioning the body to conform to the instructional markings.

3. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 2, wherein the reflecting surface comprises:

a top translucent sheet having a first surface and a second surface; and

a bottom opaque sheet having a first surface and a second surface, the opaque sheet affixed to the translucent sheet.

4. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 3, wherein the step of providing instructional markings on the planar reflecting surface comprises providing instructional markings superimposed on at least one of the surfaces of the top translucent sheet and the bottom opaque sheet.

5. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 4, wherein the step of providing instructional markings further comprises providing a plurality of alignment rules disposed parallel and perpendicular to the proximal edge.

6. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 3, wherein the step of providing instructional markings comprises inserting instructional material between the translucent and the opaque sheets.

7. The method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer recited in claim 3, wherein:

the top reflecting sheet comprises a 3/16-inch-thick sheet of high-impact, nonglare acrylic thermoplastic material with rigidity sufficient to maintain planarity when the sheet is under zero stress; and

the bottom opaque sheet comprises a 3/16-inch-thick sheet of opaque high-impact plastic.

8. A method of improving a swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer, comprising:

providing a golf training device, comprising;

a planar reflecting surface having a proximal edge, a forward and back side edge, a distal edge that describes a convex arc, the perpendicular distance to which from the center of the proximal edge is dimensioned to fit between the feet of the golfer and the head of the golf club, the golfer in position to take a swing, the reflecting surface dimensioned to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees; and

support means disposed beneath the distal edge of the reflecting surface of a height sufficient to tilt the reflecting surface toward the golfer to provide a view of the golfer from the head to the knees;

positioning the device so that the support means and proximal edge of the reflecting surface rest on the ground;

positioning the feet of the golfer on the ground adjacent the proximal edge of the reflecting surface;

positioning the head of the golf club on the ground adjacent the forward end of the top edge;

viewing the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

determining a correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders of the golfer;

assuming the correct alignment of the knees, hips, and shoulders;

swinging the golf club backward along the top edge of the reflecting surface, using the hands and wrists;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface;

rotating the hips and shoulders to take the golf club back so that no portion of the reflecting surface is contacted by the golf club;

continuing to view the golfer'"'"'s image in the reflecting surface; and

completing the golf swing.

9. A method of improving the swing of a golf club having a head and held by a golfer, comprising:

providing a golf training device, comprising;

a planar surface having a proximal edge, a forward and back side edge disposed substantially perpendicular to the proximal edge, a forward and back angled edge disposed at 105 degrees to the forward and back side edges, respectively, and a top edge of a length in the range of 8 to 12 inches, disposed at an interior angle of 165 degrees to the angled edges, the perpendicular distance from the top edge to the proximal edge being dimensioned to fit between the feet of the golfer holding the golf club and the head of the golf club, the head of the golf club resting on the ground adjacent the top edge;

positioning the device on the ground;

supporting the top and angled edges so that they are disposed at least 1 inch from the ground;

positioning the feet of the golfer adjacent the proximal edge of the surface;

positioning the head of the golf club on the ground adjacent the forward end of the top edge;

taking the golf club backward along the top edge of the surface;

continuing to take the golf club backward along the back angled edge of the surface;

completing the back swing;

beginning the forward swing;

swinging the golf club forward along the back angled edge of the surface; and

swinging the golf club forward along the top edge of the surface.