SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE TO MEASURE, ANALYZE AND SHARE GOLF SWING CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20130217519A1
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Cottam, Roger J., Wood, Paul D., Henrikson, Erik M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,375,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

Embodiments of systems, methods, computer-readable media and article of manufacture related to putting stroke characteristics are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting data with a portable electronic device related to at least one of position or motion of a golf club at least one of before, during or after at least one golf stroke performed with the golf club, the portable electronic device being attached to the golf club; and

determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the data configured to improve performance at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining at least one stroke characteristic at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke with the portable electronic device based on the data, and determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the at least one stroke characteristic.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining at least one stroke characteristic at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke with the portable electronic device based on the data, the at least one stroke characteristic comprising at least one of closing angle, impact angle, tempo, lie angle or loft angle associated with the at least one golf stroke, and determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the at least one stroke characteristic.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

indicating another golf club having the at least one golf club characteristic;

or

indicating an adjustment to a characteristic of the golf club corresponding to the determined at least one golf club characteristic.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one golf club characteristic is related to at least one of a location of center of gravity of a head of a golf club, a length of a golf club, a loft angle of a golf club, or a lie angle of a golf club.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining the at least one golf club characteristic at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke based on the collected data and receiving with the portable electronic device at least one of the following additional data:

data associated with a physical measurement of an individual;

data associated with an image of an individual;

data associated with at least one characteristic of a putting green;

or

data associated with at least one golf club preference of an individual.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising attaching a portable electronic device holder to the golf club, and attaching the portable electronic device to the portable electronic device holder.

8. A method comprising:

classifying a golf club in at least one golf club category based on at least one golf club characteristic;

associating at least one stroke type with the at least one golf club category; and

indicating a stroke type of the golf club based on the at least one golf club category.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the at least one golf club characteristic is related to at least one of a location of center of gravity of a head of the golf club, a length of the golf club, a loft angle of the golf club, or a lie angle of the golf club.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein indicating a stroke type of the golf club comprises attaching an indicator to the golf club indicative of the stroke type of the golf club.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the at least one golf club category comprises at least one of a face-balance putter category associated with a generally straight stroke type, a mid-hang putter category associated with a generally slight arc stroke type, or a toe-down putter category associated with a generally strong arc stroke type.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein indicating a stroke type on the golf club comprises displaying on the golf club at least one of graphical based information corresponding to the stroke type, color based information corresponding to the stroke type, or alphanumeric based information corresponding to the stroke type.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein indicating a stroke type of the golf club comprises providing a plurality of stroke type indicators on the golf club, wherein one of the stroke type indicators of the plurality of stroke type indicators is configured to be visually identifiable as indicating the stroke type associated with the golf club.

14. A method comprising:

associating a stroke type with each of a plurality of golf club categories, wherein golf clubs associated with each of the plurality of club categories comprise at least one generally common golf club characteristic;

determining a stroke type for at least one golf stroke performed with a golf club based on data collected with a portable electronic device related to at least one of position or motion of a golf club at least one of before, during or after the at least one golf stroke, the portable electronic device being attached to the golf club; and

indicating one of the golf club categories of the plurality of golf club categories based on the stroke type associated with the indicated golf club category generally corresponding to the stroke type of the at least one golf stroke.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising indicating with the portable electronic device the stroke type of the at least one golf stroke with a first stroke type indicator, wherein indicating one of the golf club categories of the plurality of golf club categories comprises indicating the stroke type associated with the indicated golf club category with a second stroke type indicator;

and wherein the first stroke type indicator and the second stroke type indicator are generally similar.

16. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the at least one generally common golf club characteristic is related to at least one of a location of center of gravity of a head of the golf club, a length of the golf club, a loft angle of the golf club, or a lie angle of the golf club.

17. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein indicating one of the golf club categories comprises displaying at least one of graphical based information corresponding to the stroke type associated with the indicated golf club category, color based information corresponding to the stroke type associated with the indicated golf club category, or alphanumeric based information corresponding to the stroke type associated with the indicated golf club category.

18. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein determining a stroke type for the at least one golf stroke comprises determining at least one stroke characteristic with the portable electronic device based on the data, the at least one stroke characteristic comprising at least one of closing angle, impact angle, tempo, lie angle or loft angle associated with the at least one golf stroke, and determining the stroke type based on the at least one stroke characteristic.

19. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein indicating one of the golf club categories comprises at least one of indicating an adjustment to a characteristic of the golf club used for collecting data with a portable electronic device or indicating at least another golf club associated with the indicated golf club category.

20. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising attaching a portable electronic device holder to the golf club, and attaching the portable electronic device to the portable electronic device holder.

21. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

collecting data with a portable electronic device related to at least one of position or motion of a golf club at least one of before, during or after at least one golf stroke performed with the golf club, the portable electronic device being attached to the golf club; and

determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the data configured to improve performance at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke.

22. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining at least one stroke characteristic at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke with the portable electronic device based on the data, and determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the at least one stroke characteristic.

23. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining at least one stroke characteristic at least one of before, during or after a golf stroke with the portable electronic device based on the data, the at least one stroke characteristic comprising at least one of closing angle, impact angle, tempo, lie angle or loft angle associated with the at least one golf stroke, and determining at least one golf club characteristic based on the at least one stroke characteristic.

24. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21, having further instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform at least one of:

indicating another golf club having the at least one golf club characteristic; and

indicating an adjustment to a characteristic of the golf club corresponding to the determined at least one golf club characteristic.

25. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21, wherein the at least one golf club characteristic is related to at least one of a location of center of gravity of a head of a golf club, a length of a golf club, a loft angle of a golf club, or a lie angle of a golf club.

26. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21, wherein determining the at least one golf club characteristic comprises determining the at least one golf club characteristic based on the collected data and receiving with the portable electronic device at least one of the following additional data:

data associated with a physical measurement of an individual;

data associated with an image of an individual;

data associated with at least one characteristic of a putting green;

or

data associated with at least one golf club preference of an individual.