Groove configuration for a putter type golf club head

• US 5,709,616 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Madrona Concepts LLC
• Original Assignee: Guerin D. Rife
• Inventors: Rife, Guerin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/655,827
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 473/330, 473/331, 473/290, 473/236
• US Class Current: 473/330
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence

Abstract

A putter type golf club having a series of V-shaped grooves positioned immediately adjacent each other forming outermost ball gripping edges which grip a golf ball when the ball is struck by the putter.

Claims

1. A putter type golf club head, including a club head body with a heel, toe, a planar ball striking face, upper surface and bottom surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

a series of grooves formed in said planar ball striking face, said grooves having a common size and configuration defining outermost ball gripping edges which form a ball striking surface on said planar ball striking face;

each of said grooves extending in a heel to toe direction;

each of said grooves being positioned immediately adjacent another corresponding groove;

said outermost ball gripping edges of a groove being common to immediately adjacent grooves on either side thereof; and

said outermost ball gripping edges each having a width less than the width of a groove at the ball striking surface said grooves being further defined by a pair of groove wall surfaces being symmetrical to each other;

said wall surfaces being identical in size and shape.

2. The putter type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said grooves are V-shaped and said outermost ball gripping edges form a point.

3. The putter type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said wall surfaces are disposed at an angle of at least fifty degrees with respect to each other.

4. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said grooves extend outwardly beyond said planar ball striking face.

5. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said wall surfaces are non-linear.

6. The putter type golf club head of claim 5 wherein said wall surfaces are parabolic in shape.

7. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said planar ball striking face has a loft angle of four degrees or less.

8. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said groove wall surfaces are flat and disposed at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to said planar ball striking face.

9. The putter type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said wall surfaces are disposed at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to each other and at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to said planar ball striking face.

10. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said outermost ball gripping edges are rounded.

11. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said outermost ball gripping edges are flat.

12. A putter type golf club head, including a club head body with a heel, toe, planar ball striking face, upper surface and bottom surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

a series of V-shaped grooves formed in said planar ball striking face, said grooves having a common size and configuration including flat planar walls and outermost ball gripping edges which form a ball striking surface on said planar ball striking face;

each of said grooves extending in a heel to toe direction;

each of said grooves being positioned immediately adjacent another corresponding groove;

said outermost ball gripping edges of a groove being common to immediately adjacent grooves on either side thereof;

said outermost ball gripping edges having a width less than the width of a single groove measured at the ball striking surface said grooves being further defined by a pair of groove wall surfaces being symmetrical to each other;

said wall surfaces being identical in size and shape.

13. The putter type golf club head of claim 12 wherein said outermost ball gripping edges are rounded.

14. The putter type golf club head of claim 12 wherein said outermost ball gripping edges are flat.

15. The putter type golf club head of claim 14 wherein said flat outermost ball gripping edges are parallel to and coincident with said planar ball striking face.

16. The putter type golf club head of claim 12 wherein said width of said outermost ball gripping edges is further defined as being less than half of the width of a groove at the ball striking surface.

17. A putter type golf club head, including a club head body with a heel, toe, a planar ball striking face, upper surface and bottom surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

a series of grooves formed in said planar ball striking face, said grooves having a common size and configuration defining outermost ball gripping edges which form a ball striking surface substantially coplanar with said planar ball striking face;

each of said grooves extending in a heel to toe direction;

each of said grooves being positioned immediately adjacent another corresponding groove;

said outermost ball gripping edges of a groove being common to immediately adjacent grooves on either side thereof; and

said outermost ball gripping edges each having a rounded surface and a width less than the width of a groove at the ball striking surface.

18. A putter type golf club head, including a club head body with a heel, toe, a planar ball striking face, upper surface and bottom surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

a series of grooves formed in said planar ball striking face, said grooves having a common size and configuration defining outermost ball gripping edges which form a ball striking surface substantially coplanar with said planar ball striking face;

each of said grooves extending in a heel to toe direction;

each of said grooves being positioned immediately adjacent another corresponding groove;

said outermost ball gripping edges of a groove being common to immediately adjacent grooves on either side thereof; and

said outermost ball gripping edges each having a flat surface and a width less than the width of a groove at the ball striking surface.