DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] A golf swing involves moving a head of a golf club, either an iron or wood, into contact with a golf ball, with club head then traveling up from where the ball was, as a follow through. In a proper swing, the club head will move from an apogee point at the top of the golfer's swing, through a uniform arc to a perigee point that is slightly below and behind the bottom of the golf ball. The head continues to move upwardly into engagement with the ball, to optimally strike the ball at the club head “sweet spot” that is approximately the club head center of mass. The ball will then travel upwardly and outwardly in an arc, with the height of the ball flight determined by the force applied to the ball through the club head, and by the slope of the club face. With the distance the ball travels depending upon the vertical height that the ball obtains and the force applied by the club head striking the ball. The cited Olsen '147 patent provides a tool for teaching an optimal golf swing. Whereas, the golf swing perfecter, in addition to functioning a swing training device, further provides for training a golfer to control that optimum swing so as to optimally strike a golf ball such that the golf ball will travel to where the golfer aims it.

[0025] As set out above, the invention in a golf swing perfecter is useful as an adjunct to training with the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent, or can itself function as a golf swing trainer and also provides for teaching the golfer to control their swing so as to properly hit a golf ball, utilizing that learned swing.

[0026] Like the Olsen '147 patent, the golf swing perfecter 10, shown in FIG. 1, includes a contoured hand grip 11 that is fitted onto a top end of a hollow bent shaft 12 and, unique to the invention, includes an oversize golf club head 13 that is fitted onto the bent shaft 12 lower end. Shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4, like the Olsen '147 patent, the golf swing perfecter hand grip 11 is arranged with appropriate ridges and depressions to receive and properly position a golfer's hands closed therearound. With the preferred grip, the golfer, in swinging the perfecter 10, experiences minimal muscle tension and maximum muscle interaction such that they can develop a proper second lever rotation as their hands rotate over one another in the swing follow-through. To provide for hand positioning and finger gripping, for example, for a right handed golfer, the grip 11, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, includes a top V-shaped section 14 that a right handed golfer aligns the junction of their left hand between their thumb and forefinger with. The golfer rests their forefinger in groove 15, and fits their middle to little finger in grooves 15a, 15b and 15c, respectively. The golfers right hand is positioned below their left hand with a grip lower V-shaped section 18 receiving the golfer's right hand, fitted thereto, with the V end fitting into the area of the right hand between the thumb and forefinger. The golfer then positions their thumb on a downwardly sloping section 16, and their forefinger fitted into groove 17, fits their right hand middle fingers into grooves 17a and 17b, such that their little finger overlaps the index and middle fingers of their left hand. The V shaped section 14 is substantially in the line of the shaft 12. In practice, the golfer wraps his fingers around the grip 11, and fits their fingers and thumbs in the grooves and to the V-shaped sections, as described above, and is thereby provided with a comfortable and correct positioning of their hands to the grip 11. The proper grip provides a minimum muscle tension and allows the golfer to develop a maximum second lever release velocity as they swing the perfecter 10 through and beyond an area where a golf ball is located, as discussed later herein.

[0027] Also, like the trainer of the Olsen '147, the golf swing perfecter 10 of the invention includes a bent shaft 12, as shown best in FIG. 2, that has upper and lower bends 12a and 12b, respectively, formed therein. The angles of bends 12a and 12b are identified as E and F, and are preferably the same angle. One bend is formed above the other bend that is formed below the plane of the shaft 12. So arranged, the upper and lower portions of the shaft 12 are off-set from one another a distance C. Which distance is taken from the shaft end to a club effective center line. Preferably the length A of the shaft 12, taking into account the bends 12a and 12b, will be approximately that of a conventional golf club, and the length D of the shaft section between the bends will be such as to provide the desired off-set, shown as distance C. The distance B from the bend 12b to the shaft end, that is fitted within a neck 20 of the club head 13, is selected to provide a visual reference to the golfer to simulate a straight shaft golf club. In practice, a distance of two and one half (2½) inches is preferred as distance C, Providing an off-set from the club shaft effective center line. For the preferred off-set a length of thirty six and one half (36½) inches is selected for length A, plus or minus one quarter (¼) inch. The angles at 12a and 12b, identified as E and F, are preferably each twelve (12) degrees, plus or minus two (2) degrees, and a distance of nine and one quarter (9¼) inches, plus or minus one quarter (¼) inch, is selected as the preferred distance between which bends 12a and 12b, identified as D. So arranged, the desired two and one half (2½) inch off-set is obtained, that, in conjunction with the arrangement of head 13, as set out herein below, will induce a properly timed release action, or second lever hand rotation, for training the release aspect of the golfer's swing.

[0028] The club head of the Olsen '147 patent is intended to provide a weighted club end presenting a minimum air resistance during swinging, and is not intended for use in actually striking a golf ball. Accordingly, the Olsen head is formed from a section of round bar stock, that is preferably iron or steel, and is bent to approximate the general shape of an “iron”, is open across its center and is preferably coated with a plastic material. The Olsen head is formed such that its weight or mass is centered further from the shaft connection than would be the weight or mass of a conventional club head, and is significantly heavier than such conventional club head, either a wood or an iron. In practice, the Olsen head weighs approximately thirteen (13) ounces, plus or minus one (1) ounce. The weight of which Olsen head and its distribution to produces a required torquing action to train the golfer, who swings the trainer, to perform the desired second lever effect portion of a preferred golf swing. Further, to provide a moment arm arrangement at the head end so as to encourage head rotation during release, the open head of the Olsen '147 patent is elevated at a toe end. The toe end thereby provides a moment arm above the horizontal from that of a conventional club head, to encourage the described head rotation during release.

[0029] The trainer of the Olsen '147 patent, with its greater head weight than that of a conventional golf club, and its off-set from the club shaft axis, and with the greater shaft length, provides, when swung, a castering effect, with the right wrist rolling over the left. Also, the swing includes an accentuated extension and compression of the sides of the golfer's body, as the club head is swung through a full arc of travel. With, during follow-through, the weight of the trainer head tends to hold the swing longer in the line of the ball flight, causing the swing to finish high, with such a finish commonly known as a “Ben Hogan” finish.

[0030] In practice, the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent, is swung by a golfer for fifteen to twenty minutes a day to develop the desired golf swing. With such regular use, any golfer can improve their swing. However, the Olsen trainer fails to teach a coordination of the improved swing with actually hitting a golf ball.

[0031] The invention recognizes a need to apply the improved golf swing to actually hitting a golf ball, and to this end, the golf swing perfecter was developed that is preferably for use as an additional golf swing training tool for use with the Olsen trainer. Through, it should be understood, the golf swing perfecter 10 of the invention can be used alone, with a golfer swinging it in the same matter as the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent. The head 13 of the perfecter 10, as shown best in FIG., is preferably a large iron having a weight of approximately nine point five (9.5) ounces, and its center of mass is closer to the shaft 12 lower end than is the center of mass of the head end of the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent. While the golf swing perfecter 10 can be used alone, it is preferred that it be used in conjunction with training with the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent.

[0032] The golf swing perfecter 10, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 through 7, includes the head 13 that has a body 19 with a shank or stem 20 that is for mounting onto a club shaft end. The body 19 essentially has the shape of a standard large iron, and a seven (7) iron has been used in practice as the perfecter head. Which large seven (7) iron has a high or elevated toe end 21 that is like the shape of the head of the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent and, accordingly, provides for an outward weight mass concentration encouraging head rotation during release. With the weight distribution of the body 19 between the shank 20 and toe 21 providing a club head center of mass that is the club “sweet spot”, illustrated as a broken circle at 22 in FIG. 2. The center of mass, or “sweet spot” being the location where the head face should optimally strike the center of a golf ball, to drive the ball. Which center of mass or “sweet spot” 22 is approximately centered between a point 20a of the outer edge of the shank 20 and the outer point 21a on the toe edge of the body 19. The points 20a and 21a are aligned with a line therebetween being parallel to, and approximately one half (½) inch from, a head 19 bottom edge 19a. It being the object, both in practice with the golf swing perfecter 10 and in play with conventional golf club, to impact a golf ball at the “sweet spot” on a club face.

[0033] In practice with the golf swing perfecter 10, as shown in FIG. 5, a golfer 24, performs the learned club swing to guide the perfecter head 13 to a perigee point in the swing that is just below a golf ball 25. Continuing the swing, the club will be on an upward path as it strikes the golf ball, with the ball being contacted by the club head face at the head 13 face center of mass 22, or “sweet spot”, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. The head 13 then moves through the ball, the golfer's body shifting from one side to the other as the club travel through a full arc of travel, finishing high. In practice with the golf swing perfecter 10, the golfer 24 is conditioned to control their swing to reach the swing perigee just before the ball and to optimally contact the ball with the head 13 face center of mass 22. As shown in FIG. 6, where the face of the head 13 strikes the golf ball 25 at the center of mass 22, the ball will be propelled at a right angle off of the head face, following an optimum flight path 26. However, should head make contact with the golf ball at a point towards the head shank 20, illustrated as broken line golf ball 25a, the flight path will be angled to the left, shown as broken line path 26a. Or, should the head contact the golf ball towards the head toe end 21, illustrated as broken line golf ball 25b, the flight path will be angled to the right, shown as broken line path 26b. Accordingly, less than optimum contact of the head 13 face with golf ball 25 will be noted by the golfer 24, who with continued practice, will re-condition their swing to regularly optimally strike golf ball 25.

[0034] As with training the golf swing to optimally strike a golf ball, that swing also needs to be controlled to strike the golf ball with a force that is appropriate to drive the ball a desired distance, as illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows the golfer 24 swinging the golf swing perfecter 10 at different velocities or speeds, identified as Va, Vb, and Vc, to drive the golf ball 25 successively greater distances 27a, 27b and 27c, by their controlling the speed of their golf swing.

[0035] Accordingly, with the regular use of the golf swing perfecter 10, either alone or in conjunction with the trainer of the Olsen '147 patent, the golfer conditions their body to produce the described optimum golf swing, and with continued practice with the golf swing perfecter 10, by hitting golf balls 25, the golfer 24 trains their swing to control both the direction and distance of the flight of golf ball 25.

[0036] A preferred embodiment of a golf swing perfecter of the invention has been shown and described above. It will, however, be apparent to one knowledgeable or skilled in the art that the above described embodiment may incorporate changes and modifications thereto without departing from the general scope of this invention. Which invention therefore is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims and/or a reasonable equivalence thereof.