GB2453240A

GB2453240A - A golf training aid

Info

Publication number: GB2453240A
Application number: GB0817603A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Farmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-25
Filing date: 2008-09-25
Publication date: 2009-04-01
Also published as: GB0718664D0; GB0817603D0

Abstract

A golfing aid 21 comprises a hollow elongate member 2 containing a light unit 6. In operation the light unit delivers a beam of light in opposite directions through the either end of the elongate member 7, 8. The golfing aid may be a golf club and the elongate member may be the shaft of the golf club. The beams of light may be produced by two oppositely directed lasers each mounted to the golf club. The user may observe the paths of the beam of light to assess his performance. An audible signal may also be provided, indicating that the club has moved off the required path.

Description

A GOLFING AID

The present invention relates to a golfing aid. Advantageously, but not necessarily the aid is incorporated in an otherwise conventional golfclub It is well known that the accuracy of play in the game of golf is inherently dependent upon the accuracy with which the golfclub is swung both before and after impact with the golfball Even minor errors in the accuracy of the swing will impart a thrust on the golfball in the wrong direction and/or impart a spin to the golfball causing an unwanted departure from the intended flight of the golfbal(. For the golf player ensuring that the golfclub is swung along a desired and appropriate path having regard to the above requirements is difficult to check It is an object of the invention to address this problem According to the present invention, there is provided a golfing aid SSS* S. comprising an elongate member and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light to indicate to a user of the *5*5..

aid the path being followed by the member. *S..

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aid is a golfclub, the S. * * .: elongate member being the hollow shaft of the golfclub. The means for producing the beams of light are laser means advantageously comprising two lasers disposed in line. The lasers are mounted in line within the hollow shaft of the golfclub and the head of the golfclub and the grip of the golfclub both define bores enabling beams of light travelling along the hollow shaft to exit the club Preferably, one laser is mounted at the grip end of the golfclub and points in a direction away from the club head, and the other laser is mounted at the head end of the golf club and points in a direction away from the grip Advantageously, by mounting the two lasers at opposite ends of the golfclub, the affect on the direction of the laser beams caused by flexing of the shaft of the golfclub throughout a golf swing is kept to a minimum.

The lasers may form part of a circuit comprising a power source to power the lasers. Preferably, a motion sensor switch is provided in the club to switch on the lasers when the club is lifted. More preferably, a tilt mechanism is provided to switch the lasers on or off depending upon their respective orientation relative to the ground The tilt mechanism is preferably arranged to switch either laser off when It is pointed away from the ground and on when it is pointed toward the ground. Advantageously, providing a tilt mechanism to activate or deactivate either laser ensures that either laser is not switched on *:*::* when pointed in a direction that could shine into a user's eye which could result in damage to the user's sight The power source preferably comprises a battery and the battery is *...S.

preferably rechargeable. In an alternative, means are provided to generate S...

: power, when the club is moved, to power the lasers. Also, audible means * may advantageously be included to indicate departure from the desired path audibly in order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a side elevational view in section of a golfclub according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a side elevation view of a conventional golfclu b; Figure 3 shows a block circuit diagram of the circuitry housed within the golfclub of Figure 1, and Figure 4 diagrammatically shows use of the golfclub of Figure 1 Referring to Figure 1, the club 21 comprises the usual head 1, elongate hollow shaft 2 and grip 3. The head is fixed to one end of the shaft 2 and the grip to the other end of the shaft 2 remote from the head 1. The head 1 defines a through bore 4, and the grip 3 defines a through bore 5 for a purpose described later. Housed within the hollow shaft 2 is a light unit 6. In operation, this light unit 6 delivers a beam of light 7 through the bore 4 and a beam of light 8 which is precisely in line with the beam of light 7 through the ***.

bore 5 Referring additionally to Figure 3, the light unit 6 may take many forms but in this embodiment comprises two lasers 9 and 10 mounted in line within S. the hollow shaft 2. These are connected in the circuit shown in Figure 3 with a power supply 11 and a motion sensor switch 12 which responds to a signal from motion sensor 13 conditioned and amplified by signal conditioning electronics, amplifier and delay circuit 14. The power supply is provided by a battery, preferably a rechargeable battery, and means are provided to enable the battery to be recharged from an external power source ideally without removing the battery from the shaft. Alternatively, the battery may be disposed within the shaft to facilitate removal and replacement. Where the battery is not rechargeable ready removal and replacement must be provided for In a further embodiment a generator may be provided driven by the motion of the club to generate power to power the lasers obviating the need for battery replacement. In the arrangement described with reference to Figures 1 and 3, the motion sensor switch 12 responds to the motion imparted to the club when the club is picked up to close the circuit thus enabling the battery to power the lasers 9 and 10. The switch 12 incorporates a timer ensuring that the lasers remain powered for a time after motion ceases The use of the club will now be described with reference to Figure 4.

Ideally the player 20 stands in the usual way with the club 21 in position to address at position 22 In this position, when activated, laser 9 emits a beam of light 23 (usually red but other suitable colours may be used) which *:*::* impinges on the floor 25 directly in front of the clubhead 1. The other laser 10 **** * also emits a beam of light 24 usually red which impinges on the player

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. .: himself As the club is swung the beams of light move to indicate to the player

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* the position of the club 21 thus enabling him to check and adjust that position. **S*

: For an ideal swing the laser beam of light 23 should follow a base line * 26 drawn in the horizontal plane on a template on which the player stands.

As the club is drawn back (the back swing) the end of the beam of light 23 moves along from the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 27 eventually leaving that line as the clubhead is drawn back through the horizontal position and up over the right hand shoulder (for a right handed player). As the club approaches that raised position the beam 24 from laser 10 progressively comes into play and for an ideal swing, should also follow the base line 26 also in the direction of arrow 27 As the club is swung from the raised position the beam from laser 10 first follows the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 28 As the club head approaches the point of impact with the ball, the beam from laser 9 takes over also following the base line 26 in the direction of arrow 28 through the impact position and in the first part of the follow through. Moving from that first part to the latter part of the follow through, the beam from laser 10 once again takes over again following the base line 26, the laser beams 23 and 24 enabling the player to check and correct the position of his club by monitoring the position of the beams with respect to the base line throughout the swing In a modification, an audible warning device may also be provided.

The device emits a sound of a certain frequency when the club is correctly following the base line. When the club departs from the base line, the *S*. a

frequency of the sound changes to indicate this. The device is magnetic and a coacts with a magnetic strip on the base line

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S. S. 5* * In a further modification, a tilt mechanism is provided which switches a *S..

: laser off when it is pointed in a direction away from the ground, and on when a * laser is pointed toward the ground. The tilt mechanism is arranged such that, when the club passes beyond the horizontal plane relative to the ground, the laser that points away from the ground is switched off and the laser that points toward the ground is switched on. This minimises the chances of a laser beam emitted by a laser of the golfing aid shining into the eye of a user and causing damage to the user's sight.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. * .. * . S * ** S.'. S..

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Claims

Claims 1. A golfing aid comprising an elongate member and means associated with the member for producing oppositely directed in line beams of light S to indicate to a user of the aid the path being followed by the member 2. A golfing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aid is a golfclub, the elongate member is a hollow shaft and the golfclub additionally comprises a head and a grip fixed at opposite ends of the shaft 3. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means for producing the beams of light are laser means 4. A golfing aid as claimed in claim 3, wherein the laser means comprises two lasers mounted in line within the hollow shaft of the golfclub, and the head and grip of the golfclub both define bores through which beams of light travelling along the hollow shaft may exit *e.

5. A golfing aid as claimed in claim 4 when dependent on claim 2, wherein one laser is mounted at the grip end of the shaft and points in a direction *.

* : away from the head of the golfclub, and the other laser is mounted at the S.s, head end of the club and points in a direction away from the grip of the S * golfclub.

6. A golfing aid as claimed in either claim 4 or 5, wherein the lasers form part of a circuit comprising a power source to power the lasers.

7. A golfing aid as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a motion switch to switch on the lasers when the club is subject to motion.

8. A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for generating power when the club is moved to power the means for producing beams of light 9 A golfing aid as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising an authble means for producing an audible sound when the aid departs from a desired path.

A golfing aid as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, when dependent directly or indirectly upon claim 4, further comprising a tilt mechanism for controlling the operation of either laser 11 A golfing aid as claimed in claim 10, wherein the tilt mechanism is arranged to turn off a laser means when it is pointed in a direction away from the ground, and turn on a laser means when it is pointed in a direction toward the ground.

12. A golfing aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings

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