Golf club fitting method, device thereof, and analysis method

• US 8,747,257 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroshi, Onuki, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W
• Application Number:
  US13/154,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 473/221, 473/223, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence

Abstract

The analysis method includes steps of acquiring measurement data obtained from swings and values of hitting results (flight distance or the like) (STEP 3); calculating a characteristic value (face angle or the like) from the measurement data (STEP 4); and determining an indicator for selecting a shaft of a golf club from the characteristic value and the values of hitting results (STEP 5). In the step of determining an indicator, when a hitting result of a golf club is an objective variable, and the characteristic value is an explanatory variable together with a predetermined shaft physical property (flex point or the like), and has a statistically significant relation with the hitting result, the characteristic value is determined as the indicator. A relational expression of the indicator and the hitting result is calculated for each value of the physical properties.

Claims

1. A golf club fitting method, comprising steps of:

preparing, by a processor, a relation C1 in which a face angle before or at ball impact and a hitting result are considered, wherein the face angle and the hitting result are measured when a plurality of golf players makes swings using a plurality of golf clubs with different values of shaft physical properties;

obtaining, by the processor, a measurement result of the face angle by a subject (golf player) hitting a ball with a test club; and

determining a shaft physical property which fits the subject on the basis of the relation C1 and the measurement result of the face angle.

2. The fitting method according to claim 1, wherein the relation C1 is a relational expression F1.

3. The fitting method according to claim 2, wherein when a relational expression of the hitting result and the face angle is F11 and a relational expression of the face angle and the shaft physical properties is F12, the relational expression F1 is the relational expression F12 created by using the relational expression F11.

4. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein the relational expression F12 is such a relational expression that the greater the measured face angle is, the lower a recommended shaft flex point is.

5. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein a preferable hitting result at a standard shaft flex point Th is reflected in the relational expression F12.

6. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein two or more types of hitting results are considered in the relational expression F12.

7. The fitting method according to claim 6, wherein the relational expression F12 is created by modifying a relational expression based on a first hitting result, on the basis of a second hitting result.

8. The fitting method according to claim 7, wherein the modification based on the second hitting result is such a modification that the second hitting result is preferable at the standard shaft flex point Th.

9. The fitting method according to claim 7, wherein the first hitting result is a direction of a hit ball, and the second hitting result is flight distance.

10. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein in the relational expression F12,

the measured face angle is a first input variable;

a value showing a relation of a shaft flex point rate of the test club and the standard shaft flex point Th is a second input variable; and

the shaft flex point rate which fits the subject is a result variable.

11. The fitting method according to claim 1, wherein the shaft physical property is a shaft flex point.

12. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein the relational expression F11 and/or the relational expression F12 is a linear expression.

13. The fitting method according to claim 3, wherein the hitting result in the relational expression F11 is a right/left direction in which a ball flies.

14. A golf club fitting method, comprising steps of:

acquiring, by a processor, measurement data and hitting results of a plurality of golf players using a plurality of golf clubs with different values of shaft physical properties;

obtaining, by the processor, characteristic values on the basis of the measurement data;

determining, by the processor, an indicator for selecting a shaft of a golf club from the characteristic values and the hitting results;

obtaining, by the processor, a relational expression F1 of the indicator and the hitting result for each value of the shaft physical properties;

obtaining, by the processor, a measurement result corresponding to the indicator by a subject (golf player) hitting a ball with a test club; and

determining a shaft physical property which fits the subject on the basis of the relational expression F1 and the measurement result,

wherein in the step of acquiring the multiple measurement data pieces and the hitting results,

multiple measurement data pieces are obtained from swings of the golf player and hitting of the swings, and

wherein in the step of determining the indicator,

the characteristic value is determined as the indicator when the hitting result is an objective variable, the characteristic value and the value of the shaft physical property are explanatory variables, and the characteristic value has a statistically significant relation with the hitting result.

15. The fitting method according to claim 14, wherein

in the step of determining an indicator, a plurality of indicators is determined,

the method further comprising steps of:

calculating an accuracy rate of values of shaft physical properties determined from the plurality of indicators; and

selecting an indicator used in fitting of a golf club on the basis of the accuracy rate,

wherein in the step of calculating the accuracy rate of values of shaft physical properties,

a value Xa of a fit shaft is selected based on a relational expression F1 of the indicator and the hitting result;

a value Xb of a fit shaft is determined based on a value of a hitting result to be obtained from the swings; and

a golf player rate for which the value Xa and the value Xb match is calculated, and the rate is an accuracy rate,

wherein in the step of selecting an indicator used in fitting of a golf club,

an indicator with the highest accuracy rate is selected as the indicator used in fitting.

16. The fitting method according to claim 14, wherein

the hitting result is flight distance of a ball;

the shaft physical property is a shaft flex point; and

the characteristic value is a face angle before or at ball impact.

17. The fitting method according to claim 14, wherein

the hitting result is a right/left direction in which a ball flies;

the shaft physical property is a shaft flex point; and

the characteristic value is a face angle before or at ball impact.

18. The fitting method according to claim 17, wherein

a value X of a face angle at which an absolute value of a direction in which a ball flies is 0 is determined, for each value Y of the shaft flex point;

an approximate expression

Y=A1·

X+B

(A coefficient A1 and an intercept B are n constant) which satisfies each relation of the value Y of the flex point of the plurality of shafts and the value X of the face angle is determined; and

the approximate expression is the relational expression F1.

19. The fitting method according to claim 18, wherein the intercept B is modified based on a relation of flight distance of a ball and a value of a face angle.

20. A method for analyzing swings of a golf club, comprising steps of:

performing the following steps by a processor;

acquiring measurement data and hitting results of a plurality of golf players using a plurality of golf clubs with different values of shaft physical properties;

obtaining characteristic values on the basis of the measurement data;

determining an indicator for selecting a shaft of a golf club from the characteristic values and the hitting results; and

obtaining a relational expression F1 of the indicator and the hitting results for each value of the shaft physical properties,

wherein in the step of acquiring the multiple measurement data pieces and hitting results,

multiple measurement data pieces are obtained from swings of golf players and hitting of the swings, and

wherein in the step of determining the indicator

the characteristic value is determined as the indicator, when the hitting result is an objective variable, the characteristic value and the value of the shaft physical property are explanatory variables, and the characteristic value has a statistically significant relation with the hitting result.

21. The method for analyzing according to claim 20, wherein

in the step of determining the indicator, a plurality of indicators is determined,

the method comprising steps of:

calculating accuracy rates of values of shaft physical properties determined from the plurality of indicators; and

selecting an indicator used in fitting of a golf club,

wherein in the step of calculating accuracy rates of values of shaft physical properties,

a value Xa of a fit shaft is selected based on a relational expression F1 of the indicator and the hitting result;

a value Xb of a fit shaft is determined based on a value of a hitting result to be obtained from the swings; and

a golf player rate for which the value Xa and the value Xb match is calculated, and the rate is the accuracy rate,

wherein in the step of selecting an indicator used in fitting of a golf club,

an indicator with the highest accuracy rate is selected as the indicator used in fitting.

22. The method for analyzing according to claim 20, wherein

the hitting result is flight distance of a ball;

the shaft physical property is a shaft flex point; and

the characteristic value is a face angle before or at ball impact.

23. The method for analyzing according to claim 20, wherein

the hitting result is a right/left direction in which a ball flies;

the shaft physical property is a shaft flex point; and

the characteristic value is a face angle before or at ball impact.