US3401941A - Golf swing training device - Google Patents

Description

p 1968 A. J. HESIDENCE 3,401,941

GOLF SWING TRAINING DEVICE Filed Sept. 15, 1966 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR JHESIDENCE E Mam 5 I ATT Y S.

United States Patent ()ifice 3,401,941 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 3,401,941 GOLF SWING TRAINING DEVICE Arthur J. Hesidence, 369 Crosby St., Akron, Ohio 44303 Filed Sept. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 579,742 8 Claims. (Cl. 273186) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cushioned first sheet is tangentially secured by a grommet to a practice golf ball and is adapted to adheringly engage a cushioned second sheet secured by an elastic band to the striking face of a golf club head.

This invention relates to a golf practice and exercise device and, more particularly, to a golf practice device designed to help the golfer practice hitting the golf ball squarely on the club face.

There have been many and various types of golf practice devices provided, but, insofar as I am aware, no practical and effective practice device has been provided to help the golfer practice hitting the golf ball squarely on the club face in order to obtain a square hit of the ball for improved accuracy and maximum distance. Nor have other proposed devices been usable over long periods of time.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, practical, easy to use golf practice device which enables the golfer to analyze his golf swing in order to determine if and when his golf swing is resulting in a square hit of the golf ball on the center of the club face. Such new device also has a long, satisfactory useful life.

Basically the golf practice device of the invention is comprised of an elastic band secured to the head of a standard golf club, burr type fastening means secured to the band and positioned to cover substantially all of the face portion of the golf club, a practice golf ball, and hook type fastening means secured to the practice ball whereby when the golf club is swung at the practice ball the two fastening means engage with each other at the point of impact of the club face with the ball.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a broken away perspective view of the golf practice device of the invention, particularly illustrating the way in which the device is secured to the head of a golf club and used in association with a golf practice ball;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the way in which the golf practice ball of the invention sticks to the club face of the golf club at the precise point of impact of the club with the ball; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the practice device of the invention, particularly illustrating the fastening means attached to the practice ball and the fastening means which are adapted to be positioned on the face portion of a golf club.

Referring to the drawings, it is seen that the practice device of the invention is basically comprised of an elastic strip which is adapted to be secured to the head 12 of a standard golf club 14. The elastic band 10 is of a stretchable, flexible rubber so that it can be slipped over and tightly engaged around the outer peripheral surface of the head of the golf club. FIG. 1 illustrates the elastic band 10 secured to a golf iron but it should be understood that the practice device of the invention can be readily adapted to be secured to a golf wood by merely providing a slightly enlarged elastic band 10 which is big enough to slip around and be secured to the head of; a wood club.

Secured to the elastic band 10, as by a suitable flexible and stretchable adhesive layer 16, is a sponge rubber pad 18, or equivalent plastic foam pad, which is substantially the same size as the face portion 20 of the golf club 14. There are no sharp contours where pad 18 is joined to band 10 so that excessively stressed parts in the golf practice device are eliminated, making the device very durable and usable over long periods of time. Note, for example dotted lines 19 which indicate the beveled or cut away corners of pad 18 where it is secured to adhesive layer 16. The resilient pad 18 is adapted to be positioned on and cover any or about all of the face portion 20 of golf club 14, as is best illustrated by FIG. 1. This is easily accomplished by merely sliding elastic band 10 around the head 12 of golf club 14 until the pad 18 is in proper position.

Secured to sponge rubber pad 18 by an adhesive layer 22 similar to adhesive layer 16 is a cloth fabric patch 24 which has the same outside dimensions as the sponge pad 18. Mounted to the patch 24 are mapped burr type fastening means, of the type referred to as Velcro fasteners. As is best illustrated by FIG. 3, the burr type fastening means 26 cover substantially all of the cloth patch 24, and, when the pad 18 is in proper position on club head 12, the fastening means 26 will be positioned on the face portion 20 of the golf club 14, as is illustrated by FIG. 1.

The golf practice device of the invention incorporates a golf practice ball, generally indicated by the numeral 28, which is made from a durable resilient plastic having a plurality of air holes 30 therein. Tangentially attached to golf practice ball 28, as by a grommet 32, is a second fabric patch 34, circular in shape, which has mounted thereon hook type Velcro fastening means 35 which are adapted to engage with the burr type fastening means 26, in known fashion. A suitable washer or resilient pad 36 is positioned between the practice ball 28 and the fabric patch 34 in order to help cushion the impact of the face of the golf club against practice ball 28. A second washer 37 is positioned internally of the ball 28, and the grommet 32 is forced through fabric patch 34, washer 36, the plastic ball 28 and is peaned to the internal washer 37 in order to secure the assembly together.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the precise way in which the golf practice device of the invention is used. As is seen by FIG. 1, the elastic band 10 is placed On the club head 12 with pad 18 and burr type fastening means 26 positioned substantially on the center of face 20 of the golf club 14. Practice ball 28 is positioned on a suitable tee, for example, a resilient pad 38 having a hole 40 therein to allow the ball to be supported thereon. As is illustrated by FIG. 1, the practice ball 28 is positioned on tee 38 with the fabric patch 34 being positioned directly in alignment with where the club face 20 will strike practice ball 28 as the club 14 is swung. A center portion 42 of the burr type fastener 26 usually is raised slightly from the balance of the burr fasteners and this center portion is colored a different shade than the balance of the burr fasteners to indicate the approximate center of the club face 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates the way in which the burr type fastening means 26 will engage with the hook type fastening means 35 to secure the practice ball 28 to sponge rubber pad 18 if the club is swung correctly with club face 20 squarely striking practice ball 28. Even if the strike of the ball is slightly off center, the two fastening means will still interlock but in an off center position, indicating the precise point at which the club face 20 strikes practice ball 28.

Of course, if practice ball '28 is topped or if head 12 is substantially opened or closed during the swing, the

practice ball will probably not stick to the club face since a fairly direct hit is required for such to occur. As a result, the golfer utilizing the practice device obtains a good idea precisely where he is striking the ball and can practice trying to contact the ball squarely on the center portion of club face 20. By practicing such until he is consistently striking practice ball squarely so that the two fastening means are always interlocking, the golfer can improve his ability to squarely contact the golf ball which will result in increased accuracy and maximum distance of the golf shot.

Naturally the burr means 26 and hook means 35 can be reversed with relation to the club head and ball if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf practice device, comprising a golf club including a head having a ball striking face, a first sheet secured to said head and extending over said striking face, a spherical practice golf ball, a second sheet secured at a center portion thereof tangentially to said practice ball, means on said first and second sheets for causing said sheets to adhere to each other when brought into engaging relationship whereby said practice golf ball may adhere to said striking face when struck thereby.

2. The combination according to claim 1, and including resilient pad means positioned between said striking face and said first sheet for cushioning impacts with said practice ball.

3. The combination according to claim 2, and including second resilient pad means secured between said practice ball and said second sheet for cushioning impacts of said practice ball by said striking face.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said second sheet is secured to said practice ball by grommet means.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said second sheet is substantially circular in shape.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein marker means are positioned on the center of said first sheet to indicate the approximate center of the ball striking face of the golf club.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first sheet is secured to said head by an elastic band to which said first sheet is attached.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein a stretchable, flexible adhesive secures said first sheet to said elastic band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,464,029 8/1923 Coughtrie 273l94 3,032,345 5/1962 Lemelson 273199 X 3,273,891 9/1966 Grim 273-163 3,370,853 2/1968 Feld 273l06.5

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

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