US3427031A - Wedge-shaped golf swing trainer - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1969 J. M.scoTT y 3,427,031

WEISSE-SHAPE? GOLF SWING TRAINER File. May 4, v196'? United States Patent O 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A wedge-shaped slightly yieldable pad having a planar upper surface connecting its thin and thick ends. The planar surface is inclined both longitudinally and transversely to form the path along which an iron club head should move in starting a correct backswing in preparation for striking a golf ball positioned adjacent the thin edge of the pad. The respective sides of the upper surface are curved to different extents at the thick end of the pad to suggest different inside-out swing paths yto accommodate long and short armed golfers.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 362,658, led Apr. 27, 1964, now abandoned.

Background of the invention The training devices of this invention are designed to aid the user to develop the capability of correct execution of certain techniques in the use of the iron clubs, such techniques being quite desirable in accordance with a certain generally accepted theory regarding optimum use of the iron clubs. A brief discussion of such theory is deemed necessary as background for understanding the present invention.

Two basic elements are required, among other elements, to strike a golf ball properly with an iron club. These two elements are: First, the club should be taken away from the ball, as the back swing begins, in a low and sweeping manner without breaking the wrists while the club head is within an area of eighteen to twenty inches of the ball proper. Second, from the top of the back swing, the clu'b head should move downward into the ball in such manner that the lowest point of the arc of the club head is located just forward of the ball, so that the ball is struck a descending blow by the club head.

In order to achieve the first element above-mentioned, it is necessary for the player to refrain from breaking his wrists as he begins the back swing or if golf parlance he will be guilty of the fault of picking up the club. The player knows this objective with his mind because it is commonly talked Iby golf professionals and explained in golf textbooks, but his muscles subconsciously resist the desired action as it seems natural to break the wrists sharply, pick the club up quickly, and hurry it to its maximum back swing position.

In order to achieve the second element above-mentioned, it is necessary for the players hands to lead the club so that they are slightly forward of the ball at the moment of impact. This results in the club head striking the ball a downward blow, squeezing it against the turf and causing the application of backspin. This proper type of descending blow causes the ball to rise in the air, while the contrary ascending blow is known as a scoop The ascending blow diminishes club head speed, causes the ball to be topped, or scuffed, and causes the overspin on the ball which unless exactly true, makes the ball y off the line as the overspin may direct.

Another desirable element of a properly executed golf swing is that in returning the vclub head to the ball, the

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head should follow an inside out path, that is, the head should diverge outwardly vfrom the golfers body. The proper inside out path is achieved by keeping the right elbow (assuming a right-handed golfer) in close to the body.

It is the object of the present invention to provide devices which will assist in training a golf player to strike a golf ball with an iron club properly in accordance with the above theory.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. l is a view in perspective of a pad device constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pad of FIG. 1, the view being taken on the line II-II thereof; FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a modified form of pad device of FIG. l; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pad of FIG. 3 and showing how it may be used in combination with a striking target and a mat; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View of a part of the combination shown in FIG. 4, the view being taken on the line V-V of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a plan view of a pad device constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines VII-VII of FIG. 6.

Description of preferred embodiment Referring to the drawing, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that a training device embodying principles of the invention may consist merely of a wedge shaped pad such as is shown at 8.

The :pad may be made of molded rubber, plastic or the like and is generally rectangular in plan with a thin forward edge 9 and a thick rear edge 10. The upper surface of the pad 8 is planar, or substantially so, and while the invention is not to be reganded as limited to exact dimensions, it is preferably some sixteen inches in length with its upper surface rising one and one-half inches from the forward edge to the rear edge. An upper surface rise within the range of 1% to 11/2 inches per sixteen inches of pad length would be considered satisfactory.

The sloping upper surface of the pad 8 shown in FIG. 1 should offer only minor frictional resistance to the movement of a club overfit.

The pad 8 can be used with a ball, or without one, Ebut in either case it will be undertsood that the target for the ydown swing of the club will fbe just beyond the forward or thin edge 9 of the pad (preferably within an inch of same).

FIG. 3 shows a pad 11, similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, and which will be used in the same way. The pad 11 differs from the pad 8 of FIGS. 1 yand 2 in that it is provided with beveled edges as shown Vat 16, and holes 17 at its forward sides and end .to accommodate wooden golf ktees Ito secure the pad to the ground.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the pad 1'1 of FIG. 3 is shown associated with a striking ta-rget 18 .and a anat 20.

The target 18 should be of harder material than the pad 11, such as a hard tough plastic, and it may be provided with a spot 21 to simulate the presence of a golf ball.

The mat 20 may be ladvantageously employed when Ithe pad 11 and target 18 are used at commercial practice establishments. The mat 20, among other things, insures that the proper level is provided for the player when 'he is Iaddressing a ball on the pad or 'addressing the target. =FIG. 5 illustrates the fact tha-t the front edge of the pad 1'1 is at the same llevel as the target 18 and the mat 20.

rl`he pad 22 of FIG. 6 is similar to that of FIG. 3, and is use-d in the same way. It differs from the pad of FIG. 3 in that its rear portion -is cu-rved inwardly tow-ard the golfers position. This curved por-tion suggests to the golfer a desired lateral pat'h that requires him yto keep his elbow in close to his body, thus producing the desired inside out path hereinbefore mentioned. In addition, it will be seen that the length and radius of curvature of the curved end portion of the pad on the side remote fr-rn the golfers position is greater lthan the length and radius of curvature of t-he curved end por-tion on the pad near side. A golfer with short arms should select an imaginary swing path adjacent the near side of the pad, while a long armed golfer may select a path near the -far side of the pad. Thus, t-he pad is universal.

In using the devices of the present invention, the gol-fer takes the club head back along the surface of the pad slope, feeling the surface as the surface slopes upward. In order 'to feel the su-rface throughout the initial pant of the back swing, the player must refrain from cooking his wrists and thus from picking the |ball up. Repeated use of a practice device, for example that of FIG. 6, resul-ts in the acquisition by the player of a proper muscle habit. 'Dhus the take-'away of the club tends to become a reex muscle action which can be performed by the player without conscious direction. This reflex muscle action is highly desirable as it enables the player to repeat 4the proper motion in play regard-less of the pressure of competition. It creates what is known as a grooved swing, and such la swing is a highly desirable attribute of the golf pl-ayers ability.

lThe devices of the present invention secure a somewhat sim-ilar result insofar as the downswing in the hitting area is concerned. The hit-ting area is that part of the downs-wing extending from the iball back to a point sorne eighteen to twenty inches. The player avoids contact with the su-nface of the device and yet strikes the ball. The slope compels a descending blow. IIf the surface is touched the player knows his downst-roke is improper and corrects to strike the yball cleanly without contact-ing the slope surface. This tri-al and error method results in creating a muscle habit so that the correct downstroke is an action controlled by muscle and nerve habit and not requiring conscious direction.

In the critical hitting area, as the club head descends, it is desirable that the hands continue to lead the club head and that the wrists not be uncocked until the hands halve passed the ball. They are then -uncocked and ythe accumulated power of the centrifugal force and the smashing effect of the hands is unleashed at a time when they are lmost effective. This type of swing likewise causes the ball to be squeezed between the club head and the turf, allows the scientifically developed loft which is built into the club head to perform its function. It applies backspin to the ball and results in the mos-t desired type of impact and shot.

=It will be understood from the foregoing, that since the present invention concerns proper club path in the hittingarea, which has been defined as that part of the -downswing (also b-ackswing) extending .from the ball back to a point some eighteen to Itwenty inches from the Ibal-l, the minimum length .for a practicable practice pad would be about sixteen inches. It will also be understood from the foregoing that the length of the hitting area land thus the length of the pad for a short-armed golfer is less than for a long-armed golfer. .The pad of FIG. 6

is designed to be universa in that it can be used effectively by both short-armed and long-ahmed golfers. This is because the pad is inclined both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The pad upper surface may be thought -of as that surface generated by an iniinite number of lines each representing the proper path of the club in the hitting area for golfers having different arm lengt-hs.

Thus the devices of the present invention enable the golfer to acquire the basic stroke elements of the back swing as well as the downstroke.

T he foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawing are merely illustrative of the principles of this invent-ion and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. A guiding device for training golf players in the use of iron clubs comprising a pad of slightly yieldable material in the shape of a wedge having a first forward end .adjacent which a golf ball may be positioned, a second rearward end, a planar bottom surface extending from said first end to said second end, and a substantially planar upper surface extending from a first eleva-tion at said iirst end to a higher elevation at said second end t-o form an upper surface inclined relative to said bottom surface, the minimum length of said pad between said ends being approximately sixteen inches and the inclination of said -upper surface relative to said bottom surface being within the range of 1% to 11/2 inches per 16 inches of pad length so that said upper surf-ace forms the correct inclined path along which an iron club head should be moved in starting a correct backswing in preparation for striking a gol-f ball positioned adjacent the first end of said pad.

`2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the sides of the inclined surface at said second end are curved so as t-o form an inside-out swing path, with the length `and radius of curvature of one of said sides being greater than the length and radius of :curvature of the other of said sides so that said one side for-ms the inside-out swing pafth of a long armed golfe-r and said other side forms the inside-out swing path olf a short armed golfer.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the pad upper surface in inclined in both the longitudinal and transverse directions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,339 8/'1'927 Glennon et al 273-183 X 2,432,209 #12/ 1947 Osgood 273-195 X 2,712,939 7/'1955 iHarp 273-186 2,908,504 10/ 1959 iPratt 273-186 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,125 1905 Great Britain.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

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