GOLF SWING ALIGNMENT DEVICE

Description

The present disclosure relates generally to a gold aid, and more specifically to an alignment device for aligning a swing off a tee.

BACKGROUND

US 2005/0233837 A1, US 2008/0020868 A1, US 6,769,999 B1, US 6,769,999 B1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,899,179 and 2,128,049 disclose golf aids.

FIG. 1 illustrates known golf tees of three different heights.

SUMMARY

A golf swing alignment device includes a directional limb for being oriented toward a swing direction, and an alignment limb for being oriented toward a player. The alignment limb intersects the directional limb at an intersection. The intersection is offset from a lateral center of the directional limb and a lateral center of the alignment limb.

A method of instructing an alignment of a golf swing of a player for hitting a golf ball includes providing a golf alignment device comprising a directional limb and an alignment limb. The alignment limb intersects the directional limb at an intersection. The intersection is offset from a lateral center of the directional limb and a lateral center of the alignment limb. The method also includes instructing an alignment of the golf alignment device such that the directional limb faces toward the swing direction, and instructing an alignment of the player such that the player faces a direction of the alignment limb.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is described below by reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates known golf tees;

FIGS. 2A to 2E illustrate different golf shots;

FIG. 3 illustrates a first example of an alignment device of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a second example of an alignment device of the present disclosure including a tee incorporated therein;

FIG. 5 illustrates a third example of an alignment device of the present disclosure with an inlet hole for receiving a tee;

FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth example of an alignment device of the present disclosure with a circular design;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show perspective views of an embodiment of the golf alignment device, with the intersection including a hole for a golf tee to pass through and the alignment limb being shorter than the directional limb.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective views of an embodiment of the golf alignment device, with the intersection a golf tee passing therethrough and the alignment limb being shorter than the directional limb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the game of golf, at each hole the game starts by the player hitting the 1^st shot from a teeing ground. The player is allowed only at the teeing area to use a tee mostly made of wood, plastic or another material. A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. An upper end is flat and accommodates placement of the golf ball. A lower end is pointed and about 3 cm of it stays buried in the ground while play. The tee stands erect and helps the player plan a line of play and clean strike of the ball to influence the movement of the ball. After placing the ball on the tee the player selects a target. For a par 3 hole, the target is the flag in the green. For a par 4or 5 hole, the target is in the fairway. The entire skill and the technique is how well one can reach the selected target and it is always the biggest challenge even for the best of the professionals. Reaching that target decides the rest of the outcome of the game and matches are won or lost. To reach this target there are various prior preparation player makes, including standing behind the ball facing the target, mentally drawing a line of direction. The player then moves around and stands in front of the ball. This whole process is known as alignment.

To aim and lay the ball at a selected target involves setting up the major parts of the body and the club head. It includes specifically the placement of feet, shoulders, forearms and hips and above all to keep them in relationship to the face of the club. This whole method is popularly known in the game as “alignment. ” This is the most enigmatic word for most players and to everyone who is beginning the game. The proper swing, feel and confidence of the player to execute the shot depends on satisfaction of alignment. At present it is not a clearly written and described procedure with mathematical demonstration which can be illustrated on diagrams, allowing each player to learn and repeat the same technique each time. The player tinkers by changing one thing here and another thing there until they find something that works for them. Often times, this will happen multiple times during a round of golf. Basically it is because the entire method is not mathematically written so that it can be demonstrated on a board and taught by a teacher to a student or the know how is easily transferred from player to player. The present disclosure provides devices which perfects the alignment to a pinpoint perfection.

Before hitting a shot, a player first selects the target spot, goes and stands behind the ball facing that the target. The player then mentally draws an imaginary line from the target to the ball. Some players raise their driver or the club holding it in line from the ball to that target to help form line of direction or so many other methods suits to them. After that, the player mentally marks the line on the ground next to the ball, walks around and comes and takes a position standing parallel to the line of direction drawn mentally. To do that the player tries to keep the tip of his golf shoes parallel to the line of direction. The player stands and adjusts the face of the driver or the club head perpendicular or at right angle to the line of direction. This is the alignment. During all these movements and change of places and maneuvers, the player is vulnerable to lose or misjudge the site of line of direction. If the player loses the line of direction, the player again repeats the maneuver. It is common that most players are seen doing this multiple times and many times not confident of the accuracy of their final stance.

A mathematical explanation of a precise alignment is provided in FIG. 2. A line of direction is a straight vertical line drawn from the selected target to the ball on the Tee AB. The player stands facing the ball with his feet apart. For a right-handed player, the front foot is the foot placed to the left of the ball and back foot is placed to the right of the ball. The line drawn between the tips of the players shoes EF should be parallel to the AB the line of direction. Then the player spontaneously can align his shoulders also parallel to AB. Line of alignment CD drawn from AB to EF should be perpendicular. Then the player keeps the face of the club to face the target so the sweet spot of the club head touching the ball should be parallel to the alignment line. To achieve that a vertical line drawn at the face of the club GH should be at right angle to AB or line of direction. Accordingly, in a pinpoint precision of alignment AB is parallel to EF and CD is parallel to GH, with GH being at right angle to the AB.

FIG. 2A demonstrates pinpoint precise alignment. If one has to do all these mentally by subjective method then naturally it results in malalignment, with a haphazard relationship between all these parts. Even a few millimeters of misalignment results in many yards of error in laying the ball to the target. Once the alignment is perfect then the player has to raise club swing it up and back in the line of direction and then swings it down in the same line so the sweet spot of the club hits ball in the line of direction. Once the alignment part of the job is taken care of, the player only has to concentrate to improve his swing to improve one's game. If the swing is right but the alignment is at fault the player can end up executing the shots in 4 different ways and all of them are away from the target.

They are popularly known as PULL, PUSH, DRAW and FADE shots and a HOOK, which is an extreme DRAW. Each one of these is explained diagrammatically below.

FIG. 2B shows a PULL shot, where the tip of the front foot by error is away from the line of direction as shown in the figure. So the line EF becomes unparallel to AB line of direction. The player keeps the face of the club in line with feet so GH and CD are parallel. Mathematically this changes the line of direction of the ball to a new site away and left of the desired target. The ball flies in a straight line with backward spin to the new target.

FIG. 2C shows a PUSH shot, where the tip of the front foot is towards the line of direction AB as shown in figure. So line EF becomes unparallel to AB line of direction. The player keeps the face of the club in line with feet so GH is Parallels to CD. Mathematically changes the line of ball to a new site away and to the right of the desired target with a backward spin.

FIG. 2D shows a DRAW shot, where the position of the tip of the feet is in a position as in a push shot, but the player keeps the face of the club closed towards the line of direction. So both EF to AB as well GH to CD are unparallel. So the ball moves with a backward spin as well with lateral counterclockwise spin simultaneously and curves in the fight away and towards the left of the target.

FIG. 2E shows a FADE shot, where the position of the tip of the feet as in a pull shot, but the player keeps the face of the club open towards the line of direction. So both EF to AB as well as GH to CD are unparallel. So the ball moves with a backward spin as well with lateral clockwise spin simultaneously, and curves in the fight away and towards the right of the target. A HOOK shot (not shown) is an extreme draw shot.

A well trained golfer can perform DRAW, FADE and HOOK shots intentionally using the misalignments to his advantage to reach a selected target around any obstacles encountered, such as a tree in the way in the line of direction.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an alignment device of the present disclosure that can be made of wood, plastic, metal or any other suitable material. The device has two limbs - a directional limb AB and an alignment limb CD. An intersection of limbs AB, CD is represented by a square area marked as XXXX at the site two limbs cross each other. The intersection is advantageously offset from a lateral center CDL of the directional limb AB and a lateral center CAL of the alignment limb CD. This offset results in the directional limb AB including a first segment in the form of a longer segment AX on one side of the intersection XXXX and a second segment in the form of a shorter segment BX on the other side of the intersection XXXX. This offset also results in the alignment limb CD including a first segment in the form of a longer segment DX on one side of the intersection XXXX and a second segment in the form of a shorter segment CX on the other side of the intersection XXXX.

In the present example, each limb AB and CD is 8 cm or 3.15 inches in length. Sections BX and CX of the limb are 1.5 cm or 0.591 inches in length and a center area XX is 1 cm or 0.394 inches in length. The foregoing dimensions of the alignment device may vary by +/−20% in other examples of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Each limb crosses each at right angle to each other.

In advantageous examples, longer segment AX forms 60 to 80% of limb AB and shorter segment BX forms 10 to 30% of limb AB, while intersection XXXX forms 10 to 20% of limb AB. Similarly, longer segment DX forms 60 to 80% of limb CD and shorter segment CX forms 10 to 30% of limb CD, while intersection XXXX forms 10 to 20% of limb CD.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the alignment device can be integrated onto a tee, or include an inlet hole for receiving a tee.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an alignment device of the present disclosure incorporated onto a tee. The limb AB and CD remain at right angles and the tee ZY as shown in the figure sits vertically at the intersection of limbs AB, CD, which is represented by a square area marked as XXXX at the site two limbs cross each other. The maximum length of the tee limb of the device ZY is 10.16 cm or 4 inches in length. Out of which 3 cm of the limb the pointed end marked in the figure as YX is 3 cm or 1.181 in inches used to bury to fix the tee in the ground. The usable or upper portion of the tee stays above the ground and raises the ball and has a cup shaped end at the top to place the golf ball. The usable or upper portion of the tee is present anywhere from 0.5 cm or 0.197 inches to a maximum 7.16 cm or 2.189 inches in length. The tee can have the dimensions as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a third example of an alignment device of the present disclosure with an inlet hole for receiving a tee. The inlet hole is present at the site where the two limbs cross as shown in FIG. 5, for planting the tee through the inlet hole.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth example of an alignment device of the present disclosure with a circular design and the limbs illustrated on the circular portion.

A method of using the device shown in FIG. 4 to align the ball in pinpoint precision to the line of direction to selected target will now be described; however, these teachings are also applicable to the devices shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The player walks to the teeing ground stands between the two teeing markers installed by the golf course operators at a desired place. The player then sits, kneels or bends down and picks the target in the fair way in par 4 and 5, or the green in par 3 and then fixes the pointed portion of the tee which is tip A of the limb AB towards target he has picked. The player then rechecks again the line of direction from the target to the tip A and back from Tip A to the target spot.

This reassures the player doubly that limb AB is in line with the line of direction, and the player does not have to mentally draw the line and remember that anymore. After positioning limb AB, the alignment limb CD falls automatically at 90 degrees or perpendicular to the line of direction. The next step of the method is to align the player's body with the ball being totally free mentally of the target. The player goes around changes the position from the back of the ball to the side of the ball that is facing the alignment limb CD of the device and the ball sitting on top of the tee such that the alignment limb CD points at the space between the player's feet. The player puts the face of the club, usually the driver, parallel to the alignment limb CD. This maneuver spontaneously keeps the face of the club at a right angle to line of direction as indicated by the directional limb AB. The player takes a stance at required distance from the ball. The player positions the player's feet close to each other such that a line intersecting the shoes tips is perpendicular to the alignment limb CD and parallel to the directional limb AB. The player then widens the player's stance moving back foot in line with the directional limb AB as in Fig II. Key factors of alignment are aligning the feet, hips and shoulders parallel to the line of direction or to the limb AB of the device and the forearm and face of the club exactly perpendicular and at right angle to the line of direction or to the AB limb of the device. So the alignment with aid of the device becomes objective and easily done unlike the subjective alignment in absence of the device.

The player is now totally sure of the player's alignment of his stance and the club or the driver to the target. The device raises the confidence level of the player and frees the player mentally to totally concentrate on the swing. The device also allows the player to swing the club up in line along the AB limb or line of direction and swing it down and carry it along the line of direction as visualized by the AB limb while striking through the ball. In essence the device brings into the game a higher level of performance hitting the ball to the target while executing the tee shots, thereby impacting the outcome of the game. The device can be made of different sizes as per the need, but one particularly advantageous example is that described above, which allows the device to be inserted into the pocket of the player. The size of limbs AB, CD and their place of intersection in such an example allows for effective alignment and convenient use. In particular, compared to the design in US 2005/0233837 A1, in the present disclosure, where the alignment limb intersects the directional limb at an intersection that is offset from a lateral center of the directional limb and a lateral center of the alignment limb, the device provides maximum alignment capabilities in combination with a minimal size.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show perspective views of an embodiment of the golf alignment device, with the intersection including a hole for a golf tee to pass through. The shorter segment of the alignment limb includes a spike for securing the device to the ground. In this embodiment, the alignment limb is shorter than the directional limb.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective views of an embodiment of the golf alignment device, with the intersection a golf tee passing therethrough. In this embodiment, the alignment limb is shorter than the directional limb.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7A to 8B, the longer segment of the directional limb can be positioned facing the target of the golf swing, and the longer segment of the alignment limb can be positioned facing the golfer.

In the specific examples shown in FIGS. 7A to 8B, the alignment limb is 6.4 cm long, the directional limb is 10 cm long, the first segment of the alignment limb is 3.3 cm long, the second segment of the alignment limb is 1.8 cm long, the intersection of the alignment limb is 1.3 cm, the first segment of the directional limb is 7.0 cm long, the second segment of the directional limb is 1.8 cm long, the intersection of the alignment limb is 1.2 cm long, and the device is 0.4 cm thick. In the example shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the spike is 1.0 cm long.

In advantageous ranges, the alignment limb is 5.0 to 8.0 cm long, the directional limb is 8.0 to 12.0 cm long, the first segment of the alignment limb is 3.0 to 5.0 cm long, the second segment of the alignment limb is 1.0 to 3.0 cm long, the intersection of the alignment limb is 0.5 to 2.0 cm long, the first segment of the directional limb is 6.0 to 9.0 cm long, the second segment of the directional limb is 1.0 o 3.0 cm long, and the intersection of the alignment limb is 0.5 to 2.0 cm long, and the device is 0.2 to 1.0 cm thick. In advantageous examples of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the spike is 1.0 to 3.0 cm long. In advantageous examples, the ratio of the length of the alignment limb to the length of the directional limb is 0.5:1 to 0.75:1.