Golf putter

• US 5,772,525 A
• Filed: 04/02/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New Vision Golf Corporation
• Original Assignee: New Vision Golf Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Lon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M.
• Application Number:
  US08/825,689
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 473/282, 473/300, 473/304, 473/305, 473/316, 473/319, 473/323, 473/340, 473/292, 473/313
• US Class Current: 473/300
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/021 the shaft axis being forwardly offset relative to the striking face of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/08 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/10 with means for indicating correct holding positions A63B60/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A golf putter comprising a putter head and an elongated shaft having an enlarged diameter gripping end. The shaft may also include a tapered major center length portion intermediate of the grip and hosel ends. A peripheral sighting edge is provided which is structured and arranged to appear when in use tangential to a peripheral edge of the golf ball when the ball is aligned with the sweet spot of the ball-striking surface. The primary longitudinal axis of the shaft passes through the center of the golf ball when the ball is situated contiguous with the ball-striking surface and aligned with the sweet spot.

Claims

1. An improved golf putter for putting a golf ball along a path of desired golf ball travel and of the type having a hosel connecting a head to an elongated shaft,

said elongated shaft comprising a first head end affixed to said putter head and a second grip end, a grip end length portion proximate to said grip end having a substantially constant enlarged transverse dimension between about 1.0 and 1.2 inches, a hosel end length portion proximate to said first head end having a substantially constant reduced transverse dimension between about 0.5 and 0.7 inches, and a tapered center length portion extending from said grip end length portion to said hosel end length portion having transverse dimensions which diminish in size from said enlarged transverse dimension at an end thereof proximate to said grip end length portion to said reduced transverse dimension at an opposite end thereof proximate to said hosel end length portion.

2. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft is a hollow elongated shaft having a wall thickness of between 9 and 15 mils.

3. The golf putter according to claim 1, wherein the center length portion has a length which is greater than a length of the hosel end length portion, and greater than a length of the grip end length portion.

4. An improved golf putter for putting a golf ball along a path of desired golf ball travel and of the type having a head connected to an elongated shaft,

said elongated shaft comprising a first head end affixed to said putter head and a second grip end, a grip end length portion proximate to said grip end having a substantially constant enlarged transverse dimension between about 1.0 inches and 1.2 inches, an end length portion proximate to said first head end having a substantially constant reduced transverse dimension between about 0.5 and 0.7 inches, and a tapered center length portion extending from said grip end length portion to said end length portion having transverse dimensions which diminish in size from said enlarged transverse dimension at an end thereof proximate to said grip end length portion to said reduced transverse dimension at an opposite end thereof proximate to said end length portion.

5. The golf putter according to claim 4, wherein the center length portion has a length which is greater than a length of the end length portion, and greater than a length of the grip end length portion.

6. An improved golf putter golf putter for putting a golf ball along a path of desired golf ball travel and of the type having a hosel connecting a head to an elongated shaft,

said elongated shaft comprising a first head end affixed to said putter head and a second grip end, a grip end length portion proximate to said grip end having a substantially constant oversized transverse dimension, a hosel end length portion proximate to said first head end having a substantially constant reduced transverse dimension, and a tapered center length portion extending from said grip end length portion to said hosel end length portion having transverse dimensions which diminish in size from said oversized transverse dimension at an end thereof proximate to said grip end length portion to said reduced transverse dimension at an opposite end thereof proximate to said hosel end length portion, said reduced transverse dimension being between 40% and 70% of the oversized transverse dimension.

7. The golf putter of claim 6, wherein the enlarged transverse dimension is about 1 inch.

8. The golf putter of claim 6, wherein the enlarged transverse dimension is about 1 inch.

9. The golf putter of claim 6, wherein the enlarged transverse dimension is substantially larger than 0.6 inches, but less than about 1.75 inches.

10. The golf putter according to claim 6, wherein the elongated shaft is a hollow elongated shaft having a wall thickness of between 9 and 15 mils.

11. The golf putter according to claim 6, wherein the center length portion has a length which is greater than a length of the hosel end length portion, and greater than a length of the grip end length portion.

12. An improved golf putter for putting a golf ball along a path of desired golf ball travel and of the type having a head connected to an elongated shaft,

said elongated shaft comprising

a first head end affixed to said putter head,

a second grip end,

a grip end length portion proximate to said grip end

having a substantially constant enlarged transverse dimension, the substantially constant enlarged transverse dimension being substantially greater than 0.6 inches but no greater than 1.75 inches to reduce a likelyhood of excessive wrist action in the putting stroke;

an end length portion proximate to said first head end having a substantially constant reduced transverse dimension between about 0.5 and 0.7 inches, and

a tapered center length portion extending from said grip end length portion to said end length portion having transverse dimensions which diminish in size from said enlarged transverse dimension at an end thereof proximate to said grip end length portion to said reduced transverse dimension at an opposite end thereof proximate to said end length portion.

13. The golf putter according to claim 12, wherein said reduced transverse dimension being between 40% and 70% of the enlarged transverse dimension to provide an optical forshortening effect.

14. The golf putter according to claim 12, wherein the elongated shaft is a hollow elongated shaft having a wall thickness of between 9 and 15 mils.

15. The golf putter according to claim 12, wherein the center length portion has a length which is greater than a length of the end length portion, and greater than a length of the grip end length portion.