Golf club

• US 20060063601A1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Cameron, Don T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/252
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence

Abstract

A golf putter with a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user'"'"'s view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting. Thus, putter disclosed and claimed herein provides both offset and a putting alignment aide.

Claims

1. A golf club, comprising:

a head having an alignment indicia thereon;

a tube having a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to said head; and

a coupling member coupled to said tube second end;

wherein said tube blocks said indicia from a user'"'"'s view at address when said head is aligned properly.

2. The golf club of claim 1, further comprising a shaft coupled to said coupling member.

3. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said shaft has a longitudinal axis and said tube has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said shaft longitudinal axis.

4. The golf club of claim 2, wherein a travel distance from a junction between said shaft and said coupling member to said sole is 5 inches or less.

5. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said shaft is offset from said head.

6. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said coupling member provides said offset.

7. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said tube is coupled to said head at an angle from about 2°

to 45°

as projected onto a vertical plane passing through a heel and a toe of the head.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein said angle is from about 10°

to 30°

.

9. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said indicia includes a plurality of dots.

10. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said tube has a length as measured from a junction with said head to a junction with said coupling member between about 1 inch and 4 inches.

11. The golf club of claim 1, wherein:

said head has a top line with a length; and

said tube is coupled to said top line in a middle third of said length.

12. The golf club of claim 1, wherein:

said head has a top line with a length; and

said first shaft portion is coupled to said top line in a heel-end third of said length.

13. A golf club, comprising:

a head;

a tube coupled to said head, said tube having a first longitudinal axis;

a coupling member coupled to said tube; and

a shaft coupled to said coupling member having a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis.

14. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said shaft is offset from said head.

15. The golf club of claim 14, wherein said coupling member provides said offset.

16. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said coupling member includes projections into which said tube and said shaft are coupled.

17. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said coupling member includes projections over which said tube and said shaft are coupled.

18. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said head includes an alignment indicia thereon.

19. The golf club of claim 18, wherein said indicia is positioned between a strike face of said club head and a vertical plane passing through a heel and a toe of said head and including an intersection of said first longitudinal axis and said head.

20. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are relatively offset from 0.1 inch to 1 inch.

21. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said strike face has a loft angle of 10°

or less.

22. The golf club of claim 21, wherein said loft angle is from 2°

to 6°

.

23. The golf club of claim 13, wherein:

said head has a top line with a length; and

said tube is coupled to said top line in a middle third of said length.

24. The golf club of claim 13, wherein:

said head has a top line with a length; and

said first shaft portion is coupled to said top line in a heel-end third of said length.