Methods, apparatus, and systems to custom fit golf clubs

• US 8,852,028 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Solheim, John K., Swartz, Gregory J., Wood, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US13/743,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 473/407
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

A golf fitting apparatus can comprise a component option analyzer configured to calculate, based on physical characteristic information of an individual: (a) an initial component option group for a plurality of club components, the initial component option group comprising a first initial component option for a first club component, and a second initial component option for a second club component, (b) a first optimal component option for the first club component based on first golf shot data of a first test club having the first initial component option; and (c) a second optimal component option for the second club component based on second golf shot data of a second test club having the first optimal component option and the second initial component option. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a tracking device to measure golf shot information of an individual; and

a processing device coupled to the tracking device and configured to;

receive physical characteristic information of the individual; and

output a report for an optimized golf club for the individual;

wherein;

the physical characteristic information contains one or more of gender data, age data, dominant hand data, hand dimension data, or wrist-to-floor distance data of the individual;

the processing device is configured to;

calculate, based on at least the physical characteristic information, an initial component option group as a calculated baseline for a plurality of club components, the initial component option group comprising;

a first initial component option for a first club component of the plurality of club components; and

a second initial component option for a second club component of the plurality of club components;

determine a first optimal component option for the first club component based on first golf shot data of one or more swings of at least a first test club having;

the first initial component option; and

the second initial component option;

calculate whether the second initial component option is, for the individual, a second optimal component option for the second club component based on second golf shot data of one or more swings of a second test club having;

the first optimal component options; and

the second initial component option;

and

if the second initial component option is not the second optimal component option for the second club component;

output another option for the second club component until the second optimal component option is determined for the individual;

the initial component option group is calculated, by the processing device;

prior to receiving, from the tracking device, the golf shot information of the individual; and

irrespective of a pre-existing club component combination of a pre-existing golf club of the individual;

and

the report comprises the first and second optimal component options for an optimized golf club for the individual.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

to determine the first optimal component option, the processing device is configured to;

receive, in the golf shot information from the tracking device, the first golf shot data;

and,

if the first initial component option is not the first optimal component option for the first club component;

calculate another option for the first club component until the first optimal component option is determined for the individual.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

to calculate whether the second initial component option is the second optimal component option for the second club component, the processing device is configured to;

receive, in the golf shot information from the tracking device, the second golf shot data.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device, physical characteristic information of an individual,

the physical characteristic information containing one or more of gender data, age data, dominant hand data, hand dimension data, or wrist-to-floor distance data of the individual;

calculating, with a component option analyzer of the processing device, and based on at least the physical characteristic information;

an initial component option group as a calculated baseline for a plurality of club components, the initial component option group comprising;

a first initial component option for a first club component of the plurality of club components; and

a second initial component option for a second club component of the plurality of club components;

calculating, with the component option analyzer of the processing device, a first optimal component option for the first club component based on first golf shot data of one or more swings of at least a first test club having;

the first initial component option; and

the second initial component option;

calculating, with the component option analyzer of the processing device, a second optimal component option for the second club component based on second golf shot data of one or more swings of at least a second test club having;

the first optimal component option; and

the second initial component option;

and

generating a report comprising the first and second optimal component options for an optimized golf club for the individual.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

calculating the initial component option group comprises;

calculating an initial component option for each of the plurality of club components prior to calculating the first and second optimal component options.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

calculating, with the component option analyzer, an optimal component option for each of the plurality of club components for the optimized golf club;

wherein;

the first club component of the plurality of club components comprises one of;

a model option, a loft option, a lie option, a shaft option, a length option, a grip option, a bounce option, or a weight option; and

the second club component of the plurality of club components comprises a different one of;

the model option, the loft option, the lie option, the shaft option, the length option, the grip option, the bounce option, or the weight option.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the initial component option group is calculated, by the component option analyzer, prior to receiving golf shot information of the individual from a tracking device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the initial component option group is calculated, by the component option analyzer, irrespective of a pre-existing club component combination of a pre-existing golf club of the individual.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein:

calculating the first optimal component option comprises;

receiving the first golf shot data of the first test club by the individual from a tracking device; and

calculating, based on the received first golf shot data of the first test club, whether the first initial component option is, for the individual, the first optimal component option for the first club component.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

if the first initial component option is not the first optimal component option for the first club component;

calculating the first optimal component option further comprises;

outputting with the component option analyzer another first component option for the first club component until the first optimal component option is determined for the individual.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein:

at least a portion of the report is based on at least one of a player experience level, a golf ball condition, a weather condition, or a golf course condition.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein:

calculating the second optimal component option comprises;

receiving the second golf shot data of the second test club by the individual from a tracking device; and

calculating, based on the received second golf shot data, whether the second initial component option is, for the individual, the second optimal component option for the second club component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

if the second initial component option is not the second optimal component option for the second club component;

calculating the second optimal component option further comprises;

outputting with the component option analyzer another second component option for the second club component until the second optimal component option is determined for the individual.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the processing device is configured to generate a two-dimensional display including an optimal trajectory range for the individual, calculated by the processing device based on one or more swing parameters of the individual; and

the optimal trajectory range comprising an upper trajectory bound and a lower trajectory bound delimiting the optimal trajectory range therebetween.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the two-dimensional display is configured to present;

one or more measured golf shot trajectories along with the optimal trajectory range.

16. A golf fitting apparatus comprising:

a processing device configured to;

receive physical characteristic information of an individual; and

output a report for an optimized golf club for the individual;

and

a component option analyzer configured to calculate, based on a least the physical characteristic information;

an initial component option group as a calculated baseline for a plurality of club components the initial component option group comprising;

a first initial component option for a first club component of the plurality of club components; and

a second initial component option for a second club component of the plurality of club components;

a first optimal component option for the first club component based on first golf shot data of one or more swings of at least a first test club having the first initial component option; and

a second optimal component option for the second club component based on second golf shot data of one or more swings of at least a second test club having the first optimal component option and the second initial component option;

wherein;

the physical characteristic information contains one or more of gender data, age data, dominant hand data, hand dimension data, or wrist-to-floor distance data of the individual;

the initial component option group is calculated, by the component option analyzer, prior to calculating the first and second optimal component options; and

the report comprises the first and second optimal component options from the component option analyzer for an optimized golf club for the individual.

17. The golf fitting apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the processing device comprises the component option analyzer.

18. The golf fitting apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the processing device is configured to generate a two-dimensional display including an optimal trajectory range for the individual, calculated by the processing device based on one or more swing parameters of the individual; and

the optimal trajectory range comprising an upper trajectory bound and a lower trajectory bound delimiting the optimal trajectory range therebetween.

19. The golf fitting apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the two-dimensional display is configured to present;

one or more measured golf shot trajectories along with the optimal trajectory range.