Method for fitting golf clubs to a golfer

• US 7,354,353 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Cackett, Matthew T., Holt, Denver, Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Erickson, Joel B., Ogg, Steven S., Stevens, Daniel M., Blanke, Jerry V., Wenck, James C., Lenhof, Konrad
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/464,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 473/288, 473/301, 473309-310, 473/312, 473/345, 473298-299, 473/296, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/24 Weighted handles

Abstract

A method (500) for fitting a golf club to a golfer is disclosed herein. The method includes having a golfer hit a test golf club. If the test golf club is preferred, a final golf club is formed that matches the test golf club. Preferably, the final golf club matches the following parameters of the test golf club: volume, mass, mass location, inertial values, center of gravity location, club frequency, orientation, material composition and shape. In a preferred embodiment, a test golf club with an interchangeable shaft is utilized with the method.

Claims

1. A method of fitting a golf club to a golfer, the method compnsing:

creating a fitting golf club for a golfer, the fitting golf club comprising a fitting golf club head, a connection and an interchangeable shaft, the interchangeable shaft removably connected to the fitting golf club head with the connection, the connection comprising a mechanical fastener, a ring and a sleeve, the mechanical fastener and ring securely attached to a tip end of the interchangeable shaft and the sleeve fixed within an internal hosel of the fitting golf club head, the connection having a mass ranging from 4 grams to 7 grams, the sleeve having an upper portion extending upward from an opening in a crown of the fitting club head, the upper portion having external threads for engaging with internal threads of the mechanical fastener, the fitting golf club having a preferred mass value, a preferred location of mass, a preferred center of gravity location of the golf club head, a preferred club length, and a preferred orientation;

matching a final golf club to the fitting golf club, the final golf club having a final mass within five grams of the preferred mass value of the test golf club, a mass of the final golf club positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the test golf club, a center of gravity location of the golf club head of the final golf club within five percent of the of the equivalent position of the preferred location of the center of gravity of the golf club head of the fitting golf club, the final golf club having a final club length within five percent of the of the preferred club length of the fitting golf club, and the final golf club having a final orientation within five percent of the preferred orientation of the fitting golf club.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preferred mass value of the fitting golf club comprises a preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and a preferred mass value of the fitting golf club head, and the final golf club comprises a final golf club head with a final golf club head mass value and a final shaft with a final shaft mass value, wherein the final shaft mass value is within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the interchangeable shaft and the final golf club head mass value is within five percent of the preferred mass value of the fitting golf club head.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the interchangeable shaft has a preferred location of mass and the fitting golf club head has a preferred location of mass, wherein a mass of the final shaft is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the interchangeable shaft and a mass of the final golf club head is positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of mass of the fitting golf club head.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the fitting golf club further comprises a fitting grip placed on a butt end of the interchangeable shaft, the fitting grip having a preferred mass value and a preferred location of mass, and wherein the final golf club further comprises a final grip with a final grip mass value within five weight percent of the preferred mass value of the fitting grip and a mass of the final grip positioned within five percent of the equivalent position of the preferred location of a mass of the fitting grip.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft is composed of steel.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the fifing golf head and the final golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein each of the interchangeable shaft and the final shaft has a length ranging from 30 inches to 50 inches.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preferred center of gravity location of the golf club head of the fitting golf club comprises a center of gravity bias, a center of gravity height relative to a sole of the golf club head, and a center of gravity depth relative to a striking plate of the golf club head, and the golf club head of the final golf club has a center of gravity bias within 0.05 inches of the center of gravity bias of the golf club head of the fitting golf club, a center of gravity height within 0.05 inches of the center of gravity height of the golf club head of the fitting golf club, and a center of gravity depth within 0.05 inches of the center of gravity depth of the golf club head of the fitting golf club.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preferred orientation of the fitting golf club comprises a preferred face angle, a preferred loft angle and a preferred lie angle, and the final golf club has a face angle within 1 degree of the face angle of the fitting golf club, a loft angle within 1 degree of the loft angle of the fitting golf club, and a lie angle within 1 degree of the lie angle of the fifing golf club.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the fitting club further comprises a preferred club frequency and the final golf club has a club frequency within 10 cycles per minute of the preferred club frequency of the fitting club.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the fitting club further comprises a preferred swingweight and the final golf club has a swingweight within 1 point of the preferred swingweight of the fifing club.