Golf Swing Training Aid

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/713,913, filed Oct. 30, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference as if fully disclosed herein.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to golf training aids.

General Background

Proper club alignment throughout the backswing is essential for achieving consistent golf swings. However, many golfers struggle to maintain correct alignment, resulting in inaccurate shots. Current training aids, such as alignment sticks and video analysis systems, do not provide real-time feedback for every stage of the back swing, often requiring post-swing analysis and adjustments. For example, the closest prior art only provides visual cues during the beginning of a back swing based on the alignment of a tool on the shaft and a cue on the ground. These tools require multiple components, can be cumbersome, and are not helpful in providing real time analysis of the club shaft after it is drawn back to the later stages of the golf swing. Other devices for monitoring the degree to which the user's grip is open or closed involve expensive hardware and electronics that are cost prohibitive for the average golfer. Therefore, there is a need for a training aid that can inexpensively provide instantaneous alignment feedback throughout the backswing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A golf swing training aid comprising a front portion and a back portion, the front portion comprising a front alignment tool and the back portion comprising a back alignment tool. The front portion and the back portion are operable to be secured around a shaft of a golf club such that the front alignment tool is positioned in front of the shaft and the back alignment tool is positioned behind the shaft. The front alignment tool and back alignment tool are operable to provide visual feedback in real time of the relative position of the golf club during each phase of the golfer's backswing.

In some embodiments, the back alignment tool comprises a curvilinear indicator surface partitioned into multiple sections that may be color-coded or labeled to indicate grip correctness. When a user grips the club and performs a swing motion, the front alignment tool aligns with different sections of the curvilinear indicator surface based on the degree of openness or closure of the user's grip, allowing the user to observe and correct their wrist position in real-time.

In some embodiments, the aid includes additional features such as an alignment ring on the front alignment tool and a horizontal midline on the back alignment tool to evaluate radial or ulnar wrist deviation during the backswing. The golf swing training aid operates to inform users of the degree of openness or closure of a user's golf grip and club face, as well as the degree of lag in a user's grip, providing an inexpensive solution for real-time feedback throughout all phases of the backswing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an isometric view of the golf swing training aid showing the device in a closed configuration in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 depicts an isometric view of the golf swing training aid showing the device in an open configuration in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a front perspective view of the golf swing training aid showing the training aid in a closed configuration attached to the shaft of a golf club in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a back view of the golf swing training aid in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a top perspective view of the golf swing training aid in the closed configuration and secured around a golf club shaft in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6A depicts a view of user holding a golf club in a backswing phase of a swing with the golf swing training aid attached showing the user having a proper, closed grip in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6B depicts a view of user holding a golf club in a backswing phase of a swing with the golf swing training aid attached showing the user having an improper, open grip in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7A depicts a view of user holding a golf club in a takeaway phase of a swing with the golf swing training aid attached showing the user having a proper, closed grip in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7B depicts a view of user holding a golf club in a takeaway phase of a swing with the golf swing training aid attached showing the user having an improper, open grip in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 depicts a user using the golf aid in wherein the user is holding a golf club in the takeaway portion of the golf swing in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 depicts golf aid with a curvilinear indicator surface having labels representative of the orientation of the user's grip in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 depicts an alternative embodiment of a golf swing aid in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

The appended drawings illustrate exemplary configurations of the invention and, as such, should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention that may admit to other equally effective configurations. It is contemplated that features of one configuration may be beneficially incorporated in other configurations without further recitation

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments of the disclosure will be best understood by reference to the Figures, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations or be entirely separate. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the device of the disclosure, as represented in the Figures is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of possible embodiments of the disclosure.

The following description sets forth numerous embodiments and parameters. It should be recognized, however, that such description is not intended as a limitation on the scope of the present invention but is instead provided as a description of exemplary embodiments. Various modifications to the examples described will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein but is to be accorded a scope consistent with the claims.

One of the most common mistakes that beginner golfers make is having the face of their golf club be too open at the point of impact with the golf ball. This leads to the golf shot deviating from the direction of the swing path. One cause of this common mistake is the golfer having a grip that is too “open” or “cupped.” The golf training aid 10 helps users correct this mistake by informing them of the degree of openness or closure of the user's grip and the resulting club face orientation. The golf training aid 10 also operates to inform users of the degree of lag in a user's grip and the degree of lag in the shaft of a golf club held by a user. The training aid 10 attaches to the shaft of a golf club and aligns with the club head. Specifically, the device comprises an alignment line 165 that is meant to align with the bottom of the club head, which represents the functional placement of the device. Users may look at the aid 10 during any point in their swing and evaluate the openness or closure of their grip, the club face, with the aim of ultimately having the club face be in a proper orientation at the point of striking the golf ball. The device further allows users to assess the amount of lag in their grip and swing and thus make adjustments depending on preference.

The aid 10 comprises two alignment tools: a front alignment tool 60 which may be an elongated structure such as a bar or shaft, and a back alignment tool 110, which may be a curved surface. When a user is holding a golf club for a golf swing, both the front alignment tool 60 and back alignment tool 110 are visible from the user's point of view such that the front alignment tool 60 is framed by the back alignment tool 110 behind it. The position where the front alignment tool 60 aligns with the back alignment tool 110 from the user's perspective indicates the degree of closure or openness of the user's grip on the club and therefore, the resultant closure or openness of the club face (due to the aid's alignment with the club head). Using the feedback from the aid 10, a user is able to determine if modification is necessary to achieve a proper grip and resulting club face positioning. As a user flexes/extends their wrist, thereby opening or closing their grip, the position of the front alignment tool 60 relative to the back alignment tool 110 shifts when viewed by the user during a swing, allowing the user to see in real time how their adjustments affect their grip orientation and club face orientation. The aid 10 further comprises an alignment ring 240 located on the front alignment tool 60 that correlates to a horizontal midline 245 on the back alignment tool 110. The position of the alignment ring 240 in relation to the horizontal midline 245 informs the user of the ulnar and radial deviation of the wrists in their grip. Ulnar deviation in the wrist creates a clockwise rotation of the grip towards the pinky. Radial deviation in the wrist creates a counterclockwise rotation of the grip towards the thumb.

Turning to FIGS. 1-3, the golf training aid 10 is shown. The golf training aid 10 includes a front portion 20 and a back portion 30 with a central channel 35 defined by two apertures 25a, 25b and a vertical axis Y that is configured to receive a shaft of the golf club (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4).

The front portion 20 further comprises a top 40, a bottom 50, and a front alignment tool 60. A portion of the top 40 and bottom 50 of front portion 20 may include a cutout, which defines a portion of apertures 25a, 25b. The top 40 of the front portion 20 comprises a cutout 45a that operates to form one half of the aperture 25a when the device is in a closed configuration. The bottom 50 of the front portion 20 comprises a cutout 45b that operates to form one half of the aperture 25b when the device is in a closed configuration. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the front alignment tool 60 may comprise a vertical bar extending along a length from the top 40 to the bottom 50. As shown in FIG. 3, when the aid 10 is attached to the shaft 220 of a golf club in a closed position, the shaft of the golf club and the vertical bar of front alignment tool 60 are parallel. Turning back to FIG. 2, the back portion 30 of the aid 10 comprises a top 80, a bottom 90, and a back alignment tool 100. The back portion 30 further comprises cutouts 85a and 85b, in top 80 and bottom 90, respectively, that meet with cutouts 45a and 45b to form apertures 25a and 25b.

In some embodiments, the cutouts, 45a, 45b 85a and 85b, are configured to receive slip resistant pads 270 operable to securely grip the shaft of the golf club without scratching or damaging the shaft. In some embodiments, the pads 270 are made of silicon, for example. In some embodiments, the pads 270 are fixed to the rest of the aid 10 and are not removable. In some embodiments, the pads 270 are removable.

As shown in FIG. 1, the top 40 and bottom 50 of the front portion 20 may include an alignment line 165 used to properly align the device around the shaft of the golf club such that the alignment line 165 is aligned with the bottom of the golf club head thereby placing the aid in the proper alignment for use. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, top 80 and bottom 90 of the back portion 30 may also include an alignment line 165 for aligning the device with the proper portion of the club head, i.e., the bottom of the club head 290. As shown in FIG. 4, the back surface 35 of the back portion 30 of the device may include an outside alignment feature 280 that is parallel to the front alignment tool 60 and allows the users wrist orientation (and orientation of the aid) to be observed by third parties and cameras.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the back alignment tool 100 may comprise a curvilinear indicator surface 110 that is partitioned into multiple sections 120. In some embodiments, the multiple sections 120 may comprise one or more vertical sections. In some embodiments, the curvilinear indicator surface 110 may comprise a grid of sections. In some embodiments, the different sections comprise different colors. In some embodiments, the sections further comprise labels that inform the user of how the club is being held when the front alignment tool aligns with a particular section from the user's point of view.

In one embodiment, the back alignment tool 100 comprises an extension 175 that operates to extend the curvilinear indicator surface 110 to accommodate the entire range of feedback that can be produced by the user's wrist (and the necessary corresponding range of alignment of the front alignment tool 60 relative to the back alignment tool 110 that the user's grip can produce in the flexion/extension plane). As seen in FIGS. 6A-6B, 7A-7B and 9, the sections of the curvilinear indicator surface 110 may be arranged from the extension side 250 of the back alignment tool 100 to the non-extension side 260, with alignment of the front alignment tool 60 with the extension side 250 representing a more proper grip for users and alignment of the front alignment tool 60 with the non-extension side 260 of the curvilinear indicator surface 110 sections representing a less proper grip.

The aid 10 operates by having a user grip a golf club as they would when swinging the club, with the aid 10 attached to a shaft of the club. The front alignment tool 60 aligns with a different area of the curvilinear indicator surface 110 from the user's perspective depending on the user's grip openness and closure and the related golf club face openness and closure. A user is able to stop at any stage of a swing, look at the aid 10, and see which section of the back alignment tool 100 the front alignment tool 60 aligns with. FIGS. 6A-B and 7A-B depict a user's perspective of the golf swing aid 10 at different stages of a golf swing. As shown in FIG. 9, in the embodiments employing labels, the user can see exactly which grip error they are making or, alternatively, if they are gripping and swinging the club correctly. As shown in FIGS. 6B and 7B, when user's grip is too open causing the club face of the golf club to be improperly open at the point of addressing the ball, the front indicator tool 60 is more aligned with the portion of the non-extension side 260 of back alignment tool 100 and curvilinear indicator surface 110. The non-extension side 260 of curvilinear indicator surface 110 includes an indication that the grip is improper (such as an indication of a “cupped wrist” or “open” club face). Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A, when a user closes their grip, the front alignment tool 60 aligns with a portion of the curvilinear indicator surface 110 that is closer to the extension side 250, indicating a more proper grip. A more closed grip leads to the face of a golf club head being more properly squared with respect to a golf ball and the direction of the swing path. The extension side 250 of curvilinear indicator surface 110 may also indicate that the grip is proper (such as a label of “bowed wrist” or “closed” club face). The middle of the of curvilinear indicator surface 110 may include sections that indicate the wrists are “flat” and in between the other orientations. The curvilinear indicator surface 110 may include a color or section gradient to display the scale of flexion-extension of the users wrist and the effect if has on the orientation of the face of the golf club head.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, additional visual cues to assist in real-time alignment and real time feedback along various axes may also be added, including an alignment ring 240 on the front alignment tool 60. The curved surface 110 of the back alignment tool 100 may include markings that correspond to and align with the alignment ring 240, which will assist the user in evaluating the degree of wrist radial or ulnar deviation that may tilt the club shaft 220 towards or away from the user during the backswing (also referred to as “club lag”). In some embodiment, the marking is a horizontal midline 245 running along the curvilinear surface 110. The radial and ulnar deviation causes the alignment ring 240 to elevate above or fall below, the midline 245 of the curvilinear indicator surface 110 form the perspective of the user.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the front portion 20 may be secured to the back portion 30 using one or more fasteners 145, including latches as shown in the figures. To allow the front portion 20 to freely open and rotate away from the back portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1-2, the two portions are coupled together with a hinge 190. As shown in the attached figures, the hinge is formed by overlapping knuckles 200 with apertures configured to be in alignment that are secured together via a pin 210 passing through the apertures.

While the preferred embodiment discusses using a fastener 145 and a hinge 190 to secure the front portion 20 to the back portion 30, it is envisioned that other applications and fasteners could be used without detracting from the spirit of the invention of having a front alignment tool 60 in the foreground and a back alignment tool 100 in the background of the club shaft. For example, only fasteners could be used (instead of a hinge) to secure both portions 20, 30 together. Alternatively, the front portion 20 and back portion 30 could be a single unitary piece that is operable to slide onto the club shaft and be secured to the shaft with additional locking mechanisms.

An example of a user using the golf aid in wherein the user is holding a golf club in the takeaway portion of the golf swing shown in FIG. 8.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the front alignment tool 60 may comprise two vertically spaced bars 70 that run parallel to the shaft and are positioned such that the shaft is between the two vertically spaced bars 70 when the device is in a closed configuration. The curved surface 110 of the back alignment tool 100 may also include markings that are operable to align with the two vertically spaced bars 70.

In alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the front portion 320 and back portion 330 are attached via a fastener 140 including a pivotal bolt 150 that is secured to the top of the front portion. This connection allows the pivotal bolt 150 to freely rotate about a vertical axis. The top of the back portion further comprises a groove 170 configured to receive the distal end of the pivotal bolt 150, and a nut 180 is threaded onto the distal end of the pivotal bolt 150 to lock the front portion 320 to the back portion 330. As shown in the figures, an identical fastener 140 is used to secure the bottom of the front portion 320 to the bottom of the back portion 330.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, this specific language intends no limitation of the scope of the invention, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional aspects of the system (and components of the individual operating components of the system) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.