Golf club

• US 7,686,705 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dennis L. Foley
• Original Assignee: Golf Science Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Foley, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/852,982
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 473316-323, 473/256, 473/297
• US Class Current: 473/297
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

An improved design for a golf club shaft and method increases stroke accuracy by significantly reducing stroke take-back distance. A ball traveling at a set initial velocity will travel a different distance on different parts of the course due to the friction of the grass on the ball which varies in response to height and moisture level. An inline weight management system that allows the moment of inertia of the club to be adjusted in a predictable manner. An increase in the moment of inertia translates into an increase in force which is in turn proportional to club velocity and resulting ball velocity. As green speed decreases, moment of inertia can be increased so that a stroke with a uniform take-back distance will deliver a shot that travels as far as the same stroke would deliver on a fast green.

Claims

1. A golf club including an inline weight management system comprising:

a head adapted to impact a golf ball when the club is swung;

a grip portion for grasping the golf club for swinging the club; and

a shaft portion connecting the head and the grip portion, the shaft portion further including a weight management system comprising;

one or more weights,

at least one longitudinally oriented slot having a width greater than a thickness and sized to allow insertion of one or more weights into said slot to place the weights entirely within the slot, inline with the shaft, at a plurality of different positions along the length of the shaft portion; and

means for fixing the weights within the slot.

2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the weight management system is formed integrally with the shaft portion.

3. A golf club shaft including an inline weight management system comprising:

an attachment point for a head adapted to impact a golf ball;

a weight management system comprising;

one or more weights,

at least one longitudinally oriented slot having a width greater than a thickness and in said shaft sized to allow insertion of one or more weights into said slot to place the weights entirely within the slot, inline with said shaft, at a plurality of different positions along the length of said shaft; and

means for fixing the weights within the slot.

4. The golf club shaft according to claim 3, wherein the weight management system is formed integrally with the golf club shaft.