Method for matching golfers with a driver and ball

• US 6,658,371 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Dalton, Jeffrey L., Bissonnette, Laurent, Aoyama, Steven, Boehm, Herbert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US10/370,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20030176988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 702/127, 702/141, 702/182, 473/384, 473/252, 473/223, 473/377-383, 733/79, 482/112, 482/118, 273/232, 264/219
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/02 Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00065 located around the pole or the equator
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0016 Specified individual dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0021 Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club

Abstract

A simplified method of matching a golfer to a golf club and a golf ball by measuring the golfer'"'"'s club head speed and comparing that measured value to recorded sets of data which correlates a few key variables that can accurately match the golfer with the most suitable golf club and golf ball designed to achieve optimum driving performance.

Claims

1. A method for matching a golfer to a golf ball and a golf club comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one parameter for the golfer at impact with a ball, wherein the at least one parameter comprises club head speed, ball speed, or a combination thereof,

comparing the measured parameter to a predetermined set of variables, wherein the set of variables comprise;

golf club loft angle;

golf club coefficient of restitution;

golf ball dimple count; and

golf ball dimple diameter;

selecting at least one golf club and at least one golf ball in accordance with the comparison of the club head speed to the set of variables to obtain optimum driving performance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the golf club loft angle based on a linear relationship.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the golf club coefficient of restitution based on a linear relationship.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the dimple count based on a linear relationship.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the golf ball dimple diameter based on a linear relationship.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the club head speed comprises high speed, medium speed, and low speed, and wherein high speed is about 80 miles per hour or greater, wherein the medium speed about 60 miles per hour to about 80 miles per hour and the low speed is about 60 miles per hour or less.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ball speed comprises high speed, medium speed, and low speed, and wherein high speed is about 146 miles per hour or greater, wherein the medium speed is about 144 miles per hour to about 125 miles per hour, and wherein the low ball speed is about 124 miles per hour or less.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of variables further comprises average golf club face thickness, golf club shaft flex, ball weight, ball spin rate, ball compression, lift coefficient, or drag coefficient, wherein the lift coefficient and drag coefficient are measured at a Reynold'"'"'s number of 70,000.

9. A method for matching a golfer to a golf ball comprising a plurality of dimples and a golf club comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one golfer parameter, wherein the at least one parameter comprises swing speed or ball speed;

comparing the measured parameter to at least one predetermined club characteristic comprising club coefficient of restitution, loft angle, shaft flex, or club face thickness and at least one predetermined ball characteristic comprising dimple count, average dimple diameter, ball coefficient of restitution, spin rate, compression, golf ball lift coefficient, or golf ball drag coefficient; and

matching the golfer to at least one golf club and at least one golf ball in accordance with the comparison of the measured parameter to the at least one predetermined club characteristic or the at least one predetermined ball characteristic to obtain optimum driving performance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the at least one predetermined club characteristic based on a linear relationship.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the measured parameter is correlated to the at least one predetermined ball characteristic based on a linear relationship.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the ball speed comprises high speed, medium speed, and low speed, and wherein high speed is about 146 miles per hour or greater, wherein the medium speed is about 144 miles per hour to about 125 miles per hour, and wherein the low ball speed is about 124 miles per hour or less.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the lift and drag coefficients are measured at a Reynold'"'"'s Number of 70,000.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of dimples cover about 80 percent or greater of the ball surface.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least about 80 percent of the plurality of dimples have a diameter greater than about 6.5 percent of the ball diameter, and wherein the dimples are arranged in an icosahedron or an octahedron pattern.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of dimples comprises at least three different dimple diameters.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein at least 10 percent of the dimples have a shape defined by catenary curve.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of dimples have an aerodynamic coefficient magnitude defined by C_mag=(C_L²+C_D²) and an aerodynamic force angle defined by Angle=tan⁻

1(C_LC_D), wherein C_L is the golf ball lift coefficient and C_D is the golf ball drag coefficient, wherein the golf ball comprises;

a first aerodynamic coefficient magnitude from about 0.24 to about 0.27 and a first aerodynamic force angle of about 31 degrees to about 35 degrees at a Reynolds Number of about 230000 and a spin ratio of about 0.085; and

a second aerodynamic coefficient magnitude from about 0.25 to about 0.28 and a second aerodynamic force angle of about 34 degrees to about 38 degrees at a Reynolds Number of about 207000 and a spin ratio of about 0.095.