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None, initial application
While shopping for a new golf putter I was amazed at all the variations of size, shape, weights etc. Handles were different lengths, a wide variety of material (metals, composites, and even wood) were used by various manufactures, putter heads were big, small, simple, bulging, etc.
There was only one constant factor to all the putters that I researched, they all had the same basic striking face, a flat, even, basically rectangular ball striking area. As this is the most important feature of the putter, and the only part that actually makes contact with the golf ball, I was struck by the fact that a flat face object is one of the worse directional control designs possible for striking a round ball. I was then “hit” with a utility improvement patent ideal.
My ideal is to finally change the face of the golf putter itself to provide a firmer, cleaner, better directional controllable guidance propelling striking surface to a round golf ball with a multitude of benefits.
This utility improvement on the golf putter is called the “Victory Putter” because it indents an elongated channel to the face of the golf putter to achieve several goals.
All existing golf putters have flat face strike surfaces that allow contact with only one point of the round golf ball at a time, thus creating very little directional golf ball path control. I propose to indent the face of the golf club by an area larger than the golf ball itself, and by a shallow or a deeper indention (theatrically up to a defacto U shape). Even a top side striking point (a partial roof in effect to create top spin to help the ball roll with more contact to the ground) is possible with my design.
For metal or composite putters the existing putter production moulds will have to be amended for the desired putter face channel dimensions before the putter extrusion or setting process. Once the production set mould is created, the production process is virtually unchanged for all current metal and composite putter production methods. The channel in the putter face specific angles and opening lengths can be extremely varied with no set upper size (length, depth, and height) limit parameters as long as they meet two basic minimum surface refinement requirements.
These two base production requirements are that the putter face channel opening must be wider than the golf ball and the channel depth must be deep enough and high enough to allow for multiple ball strike contact points.
Thus, the channel opening must be wider than the average golf ball, or wider than 1.75 inches and at least ¼ inches deep with an open limit height. The upper dimensions of the indenture, as well as the angles and number of angel reversals of the indenture, are unrestricted with the express design desire to allow for a vast multitude of end user preferences.
For example, one golfer may like a channel to be 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep with a perfect V channel. This is allowable per the Victory Putter utility design.
Another golfer may like a 4-inch opening with a 2.5 inch depth enveloping the entire ball with an almost U shape channel. This also is allowable per the Victory Putter utility design.
For wood and other non-formed or casted putters, the putter face will have to be carved or routered out to the desired dimensions.