Golf swing training aid and method

• US 8,915,792 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GSI Universal, LLC
• Original Assignee: GSI Universal, LLC
• Inventors: Coucher, Robert J., Senecal, Gigi D. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGESSE, NINI F
• Application Number:
  US14/151,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 473/220, 473/223, 473/226, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/220
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00

Abstract

A golf swing training club includes a golf club, with a shaft, a grip and a club head, and a golf swing training aid, with a light beam generator along the shaft placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directed towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the head and toe of the club head. A golfing stroke can be executed over a surface so that the paths of the inside and outside light beams along the surface can be observed during the golfing stroke. A second light beam can be generated generally parallel to the shaft and away from the club head; the path of the second light beam along the surface can also be observed during a backswing portion of the golfing stroke.

Claims

1. A golf swing training aid positionable along the shaft of a golf club, the golf club having a club head at a distal end of the shaft, the club head having a striking face extending between a heel and a toe of the club head, the training aid comprising:

a housing;

a light beam generator carried by the housing and placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directable towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the heel and toe of the club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke throughout the entire golfing stroke; and

both of the inside and outside light beams being oriented to be directed along paths forward of the striking face of the club head.

2. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1, wherein the housing is removably mountable to a golf club shaft.

3. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the golf club shaft constitutes the housing, and the light beam generator is located within the portion of the golf club shaft.

4. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1, wherein the light beam generator comprises a laser light source.

5. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1, wherein the light beam generator generates a further light beam directed generally parallel to the shaft and away from the club head.

6. The golf swing training aid according to claim 1, wherein the inside and outside light beams are directed along other than parallel light beam paths during the golfing stroke to define a non-zero included angle therebetween, the light beam paths being fixed relative to one another during the golfing stroke.

7. The golf swing training aid according to claim 6, wherein the light beam generator comprises a light-dividing device and a light-generating source generating a first light beam directed to the light-dividing device, the light-dividing device creating the inside and outside light beams from the first light beam.

8. A golf swing training aid positionable along the shaft of a golf club, the golf club having a club head at a distal end of the shaft, the club head having a striking face extending between a heel and a toe of the club head, the training aid comprising:

a housing;

a light beam generator carried by the housing and placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directable towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the heel and toe of the club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke;

the light beam generator comprising a light-dividing device and a light-generating source generating a first light beam directed to the light-dividing device, the light-dividing device creating the inside and outside light beams from the first light beam.

9. The golf swing training aid according to claim 8, wherein the light-dividing device comprises a beam splitter.

10. A golf swing training aid positionable along the shaft of a golf club, the golf club having a club head at a distal end of the shaft, the club head having a striking face extending between a heel and a toe of the club head, the training aid comprising:

a housing;

a light beam generator carried by the housing and placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directable towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the heel and toe of the club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke throughout the entire golfing stroke; and

the inside and outside light beams being directed along other than parallel light beam paths during the golfing stroke to define a non-zero included angle therebetween, the light beam paths being fixed relative to one another during the golfing stroke.

11. A golf swing training club comprising:

a golf club comprising;

a shaft having a distal and proximal ends;

a grip at the proximal end; and

a club head at the distal end of the shaft, the club head having a striking face extending between a toe and a heel of the club head;

a golf swing training aid comprising;

a light beam generator along the shaft;

the light beam generator placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directed towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the head and toe of the golf club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke; and

the light beam generator comprising a beam splitter and a light-generating source generating a first light beam directed to the beam splitter, the beam splitter creating the inside and outside light beams from the first light beam.

12. A golf swing training club comprising:

a golf club comprising;

a shaft having a distal and proximal ends;

a grip at the proximal end; and

a club head at the distal end of the shaft, the club head having a striking face extending between a toe and a heel of the club head;

a golf swing training aid comprising;

a light beam generator along the shaft;

the light beam generator placeable in an on state to generate inside and outside light beams directed towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the head and toe of the golf club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke throughout the entire golfing stroke; and

both of the inside and outside light beams being oriented to be directed along paths forward of the striking face of the club head.

13. The golf swing training club according to claim 12, wherein the training aid is removably mountable to a golf club shaft.

14. The golf swing training club according to claim 12, wherein a part of the golf club shaft constitutes the housing, and the light beam generator is located within the portion of the golf club shaft.

15. The golf swing training club according to claim 12, wherein the inside and outside light beams define and an included angle therebetween.

16. The golf swing training club according to claim 12, wherein both of the inside and outside light beams are oriented to be directed along paths forward of the striking face of the club head.

17. The golf swing training club according to claim 12, wherein the light beam generator generates a further light beam directed generally parallel to the shaft and away from the club head.

18. A method for improving the golf club swinging motion of a golfer, comprising:

accessing a golf swing training club including golf club and a golf swing training aid, the golf club comprising a shaft having distal and proximal ends, a club head at the distal end, a grip at the proximal end, the club head having a striking face extending between a toe and a heel of the club head, the golf swing training aid comprising a light beam generator along the shaft;

generating, using the light beam generator, inside and outside light beams directed towards inside and outside positions corresponding to the heel and toe of the club head as the golf club is swung during a golfing stroke throughout the entire golfing stroke;

the light beams generating step being carried out so that both of the inside and outside light beams are directed in front of the striking face;

executing a golfing stroke over a surface using the golf swing training club; and

observing the paths of the inside and outside light beams along the surface during the golfing stroke.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising placing a golf ball on the surface and striking the golf ball with the striking face of the club head during the golfing stroke.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the paths observing step comprises determining the locations of the paths relative to the golf ball.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the paths observing step comprises determining the orientation of the striking face of the club head relative to the golf ball.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising adjusting the directions of the inside and outside light beams.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

generating a further light beam generally parallel to the shaft and away from the club head; and

observing the path of the further light beam along the surface during a backswing portion of the golfing stroke.