GB2117651A

GB2117651A - Golf training apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2117651A
Application number: GB08308789A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Vuick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-04-01
Filing date: 1983-03-30
Publication date: 1983-10-19
Also published as: AU1311583A

Abstract

The apparatus comprises support means 11, 13 and locating means in the form of pads 21, 22 adjustably carried by the supporting means for contacting and thus positioning at least one of a golfer's knees during execution of a golf swing. Pads 20, 21, 22 are affixed to their respective booms 15, 17, 19 by ball-and-socket joints. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Golf swing training apparatus This invention relates to an apparatus for training golfers to swing in the manner which has long been recommended as producing the best results. It is more particularly concerned with such apparatus which assists a golfer in properly positioning his legs and optionally also his head so as to achieve such a swing.

The essentials of a good golf swing are well known but have been difficult to master by the great majority of golfers. A considerable number of mechanical devices has been put forward to train a golfer in perfecting the desired swing. All of such devices known to me attempt to obtain the desired result by providing tracks for the club head forcing it to conform to predetermined paths in its backswing and its downswing. An example is found in Mark U.S. Patent 3,489,146 of January 13, 1970, the apparatus of which includes separate arcuate tracks for the backswing and the power or downswing, and uses means attached to the club head which correspond to guide means on the tracks.The theory behind all such track guides is that if the golfer practices his swing in those devices, his physical movements governing the swing, will, from habit, be carried over when he is on the golf course, with the desired result. This is known as "grooving" the swing. The fact appears to be, however, that swinging the club in an artifical groove does not, in many, if not most cases, "groove" a golfer's swing.

Right-handed golfers are advised to keep their heads still, to keep their weight on the inside of the right foot, and to shift their weight by moving their legs at the top of the swing to effect a full shoulder turn, which produces maximum power. In the description which follows my apparatus is described for right-handed golfers only, but it may be adapted to left-handed golfers as well by interchanging "right" and "left" in the following description.

In the claims of this Specification the terms "leading knee" and "leading foot" are used to indicate the left knee and foot of a right-handed golfer or the right knee and foot of a left-handed golfer, and the term "trailing knee" is used to indicate the right knee of a right-handed golfer or the left knee of a left-handed golfer. Thus the use of the terms "leading" and "trailing" is relevant to the intended flight direction of the ball being addressed.

I have discovered that fixing in practice the position of the knees and head at certain points during the swing greatly facilitates the ability of the golfer to duplicate those positions on the fairway and so swing in the approved manner, and have invented a relatively simple training apparatus for that purpose. My apparatus comprises supporting means such as a base frame, and locating means adjustably carried by the supporting means for contacting and thus positioning at least one of a golfer's knees during execution of a golf swing.

In the case of the right-handed golfer postulated above, the locating means may contact and position the golfer's right knee, preferably from the outside of the knee so as to keep the golfer's weight on the inside of his right foot. Aiternatively or additionally the locating means may contact and position the outside of the golfer's left knee. Additionally the locating means may contact the inside of the golfer's left knee on the backswing and the inside of the golfer's right knee on the downswing.

The apparatus of the invention advantageously further comprises head locating means adjustably carried by the supporting means so as to contact and locate a golfer's head during execution of a swing.

This contact with the head may be with the left or right side, front, back or top of the head, according to preference, so long as in use the golfer's head rests comfortably against the locating means and is steadied thereby.

Figure lisa plan view of the apparatus of the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure as it appears when being used by a golfer; Figure 4 is a plan view of modified apparatus of the invention; Figure 5 is a detaii in plan of the apparatus of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is an elevation of the detail of Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, the apparatus is supported on the ground by a U-shaped frame comprising side members 11 and 13 extending on the right and left sides respectively from the ends of rear member 12. The open end of the frame is the front. To side member 11 near its free end is affixed an upright mast 14 of about a man's height, which at its upper end carries a horizontal boom 15 extending inwardly of the frame. The height of the boom 15 on mast 14 is adjustable and the extension of the free end of the boom from the mast is also adjustable, as well as is the angle between boom 15 and the vertical plane of side member 11. A short mast or upright 16 of about knee height is affixed to rear member 12 somewhat nearer side member 13 than side member 11.Mast 16 supports at its upper end a short horizontal boom 17 adjustable as to height and the distance of its free end from mast 16. A third short mast or upright 18 about the same height as mast 16 is affixed to side member 13 near its free end and supports on its upper end a short boom 19 adjustable in the same way as booms 15 and 17 previously mentioned. Conventional devices such as collars and set screws are made part of my appar atus to effect those adjustments and lock the various members in their adjusted positions.

Boom 15 at its free end carriers a pad 20 shaped to fit against the side temple of a golfer's head. Boom 17 carries at its free end a pad 21 shaped to fit against the outside of the golfer's right knee. Boom 19 carries at its free end a pad 22 shaped to be positioned between a golfer's knees for a purpose to be described. The pads are affixed to their respective booms by ball-and-socket or like joints which allow their positions relative to their supporting booms to be adjusted and then locked.

In use my apparatus hereinabove described is adjusted so that when a golfer stands inside the U-shaped frame with his back to side member 13, pad 20, which is suitably curved, rests for example against his temple. Pad 21, also suitably curved, presses against the outside of his right knee. Pad 22 initially makes contact on one side with the golfer's left knee. To the extent above mentioned my apparatus is adjusted to the position assumed by the golfer when he addresses the ball. Pad 20 keeps his head from moving when he swings. Pad 21 pressing against the outside of his right knee keeps the golfer's weight to the inside of his right foot, so as to permit a full shoulder turn on the back swing. Pad 22 is in contact with the golfer's left knee on his backswing and on the downswing it insures the movement in that direction of his right knee as he shifts his weight.The control of his body so effected promotes the proper weight distribution and coiling and uncoiling of the body. Use of my apparatus teaches a golfer to hold his head still, how to stand, and how to move his knees on the downswing. With practice he becomes able to assume and hold those positions without the use of my apparatus.

My apparatus above described may be modified in certain respects to accommodate variations between individual golfers. Those modifications are illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6. While pad 20 is generally useful in positioning the head of a golfer it is not essential that a golfer's head remain totally immobile during his swing. A certain amount of rotational movement of the head on the neck is permissible as long as the level of the head is not varied. Some golfers have a tendency to drop their heads, which is detrimental, and those golfers benefit by the use of my head positioning means.

Other golfers do not have that tendency and they may not need head positioning means. Golfers who rotate their heads may find a pad 20 curved as shown in Figure 1 uncomfortable and for such golfers I substitute a pad 23 oppositely curved, that is, convex-out, as shown in Figure 4, rather than concave-out. Pad 23 provides minimum contact area between pad and head.

One of the most critical components of the golf swing is the movement of the legs. In rotating or coiling the body on the backswing the left knee should move to the right. Pad 22 is aligned to contact the right side of the left knee on the backswing, which tells the golfer that the proper weight transfer is taking place. On the downswing, the left side of the right knee contacts the pad 22, which tells the golfer that the right knee has moved to the left and that the proper weight transfer has taken piace. To indicate further a proper weight transfer a pad 32 is positioned to the left of the left knee, so that the left knee makes contact with pad 32 urging that pad to move in the direction of the downswing. To accommodate the impacts of the knees, pads 22 and 32 are mounted on hinges or pivots.Pad 32 is shown in Figure 4 and is adjustably attached to the free end of boom 33 adjustably supported on a mast 34 which is fixed upright on side member 13 of my apparatus.

Pad 32 may be used in piace of pad 22 or with that pad.

The pivotal mounting for pad 22 is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Pad 22 is connected to boom 19 by hinge 24 which comprises elements 26 and 21 hinged about a vertical pivot 25. The adjoining edges 28 and 30 of elements 26 and 27 respectively on the side of hinge 24 facing rear member 12 of my apparatus meet when pad 22 and boom 19 are in alignment, but adjoining edges 29 and 31 of elements 26 and 27 on the opposite side of hinge 24 are bevelled so that pad 22 can swing through a considerable angle with respect to boom 19 in the direction of movement of the golfer's right knee.

Hinge 24 thus limits the swing of pad 22 toward pad 21 only. On the backswing the right side of the left knee makes contact with pad 22, urging that pad in the direction of the backswing. On the downswing the left side of the right knee makes contact with pad 22 and moves it in the direction of the downswing causing it to rotate on hinge 24. On the downswing the outside of the left knee contacts pad 32 and moves it in the direction of that swing. Pad 32 is hinged in the same manner as pad 22.

in order to make my U-frame more rigid I connect side members 11 and 13 at ground level by fiat members 36 and 37 shown in Figure 4. A driving mat 38 may be positioned within my U-shaped frame on top of members 36 and 37. A driving mat subdivided by rectangular coordinate lines into squares 39 of about 4 inches on a side is useful in assisting a golfer to address his ball.

Claims

1. Golf swing training apparatus comprising supporting means and locating means adjustably carried by the supporting means for contacting and thus positioning at least one of a golfer's knees during execution of a golf swing.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locating means are positioned relative to the supporting means so as to contact the golfer's trailing knee (as herein defined).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the locating means are positioned so asto contact the outside of the golfer's trailing knee so as to keep the golfer's weight on the inside of his trailing foot.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the locating means are positioned relative to the supporting means so as to contact the outside of the golfer's leading knee (as herein defined) on the downswing.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2to 4, wherein the locating means further comprises means positioned relative to the supporting means so as to contact the inside of the golfer's leading knee on the backswing and the inside of the golfer's trailing knee on the downswing.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each of the locating means is mounted on a boom extending from a mast upstanding from the supporting means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the or at least one of the locating means is pivotally mounted on its boom about a vertical pivotal axis that permits rotation of the said locating means in one sense only from a position of alignment with the boom.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising head locating means adjustably carried by the supporting means so as to contact the golfer's head during execution of a swing.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the head locating means is adjustable to contact any of the right and left side, front, back and top of the golfer's head.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting means comprises a generally U-shaped base frame.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the supporting means further comprises flat strips connecting opposite legs of the generally U-shaped baseframeto each other.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the supporting means further comprises a driving mat positioned on the flat strips, which mat is marked off into rectangles by mutually perpendicular coordinate lines thereon.

13. Golf swing training apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Golf swing training apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.