Golf club sighting system and method

• US 5,429,366 A
• Filed: 07/27/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mccabe Golf, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sceptre Golf Company
• Inventors: McCabe, Terrill R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US08/098,475
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 273/187.4, 273/187.6, 273/164.1, 273/171, 273/186.2, 273/167 H
• US Class Current: 473/244
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• 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 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a sight corrected golf club which includes a golf head and a module bearing an alignment indicia thereon. The golf head has a region adapted for receiving the module which is preferably secured to the golf head at the time the golf club is sold to an ultimate purchaser.

Claims

1. A system for providing a golfer with a golf club having a sighting line which compensates for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error with respect to a desired direction for striking a golf ball, said system comprising:

(a) a golf head;

(b) at least one module bearing said sighting line thereon, said sighting line being intended to compensate for a golfer'"'"'s natural sighting error to either lateral side of said desired direction;

(c) a region on said golf head adapted for receiving said at least one module so that said at least one module may be releasably engaged on said golf head,.whereby a golfer may insert a first module and test the golf club to determine whether the sighting line on said first module adequately compensates for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error, whereby said golfer may remove said first module and replace it with a second module having its sighting line disposed at an angle from the desired direction which is different from the angle that the sighting line on said first module is disposed from the desired direction and test the golf club to determine whether the sighting line on said second module adequately compensates for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error, and whereby said golfer may continue to remove and replace modules until the module having the sighting line providing adequate correction for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error is found; and

(d) means for securing said module having the sighting line providing adequate correction for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error to said golf head.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said region comprises a cavity in said golf head.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said cavity is formed by an opening through said golf head which is partially plugged by an index disk during manufacture.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said index disk has a substantially planar top surface, wherein said top surface has a groove formed therein, and wherein when said index disk is installed in said golf head said top surface of said index disk provides a floor of said cavity.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of said modules is an alignment disk having a substantially planar top and a substantially planar bottom, said sighting line being provided on said planar top and said disk further including a projection on said planar bottom which is adapted to mate with the groove in said top surface of said index disk, which top surface is the floor of said cavity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said region is defined by a cavity in said golf head and said module is adapted for disposition in said cavity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said modules and cavity have keying means for assuring proper alignment of said alignment indicia relative to a golf ball striking surface of said golf head.

8. A method for making a golf club which provides correction for a golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error with respect to a desired direction for striking a golf ball, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first alignment compensating module, each module bearing thereon a sighting line intended to compensate for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error;

(b) providing a golf club having a golf head having a region adapted for releasably receiving each module;

(c) inserting said first module and having said golfer test the golf club to determine whether the sighting line on said first module adequately compensates for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error;

(d) removing said first module and replacing it with a second module having its sighting line disposed at an angle from the desired direction which is different from the angle that the sighting line on said first module is disposed from the desired direction and having said golfer test the golf club to determine whether the sighting line on said second module adequately compensates for said golfer'"'"'s is natural lateral sighting error;

(e) continuing to remove and replace modules until the module having a sighting line providing adequate correction for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error is found; and

(f) securing said module having the sighting line providing adequate correction for said golfer'"'"'s natural lateral sighting error to said golf head.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising the additional steps of forming a key member on said modules and an indentation in said region corresponding to said key member, whereby said sighting line remains in place during the testing of said golf club.