US3459426A - Golf putter hand grip - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1969 Filed Nov. 14, 1966 FIG. 1

A. w. SHERWOOD 3,459,426

GOLF PUTTER HAND GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 5

FIG. 9

Inventor:

Aaron Wiley Sherwood his AHo, ney

Aug. 5, 1969 w, sH wooD 3,459,426

GOLF PUTTER HAND GRIP Filed Nov, 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor- I 30 29 Aaron Wiley Sherwood B y wh /r FIG. 6

United States Patent 3,459,426 GOLF PUTTER HAND GRIP Aaron Wiley Sherwood, 3411 Chatham Road, Hyattsville, Md. 20783 Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 594,088 Int. Cl. A63b 53/14 US. Cl. 273-81 8 Claims ABSTRAJJT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a golf club putter which enables the player to look directly down on the ball and use a pendulum motion, the club handle being so shaped that the players two hands engage the opposite sides of the club handle with the same pressure applied by each hand.

SUMMARY This invention relates to golf clubs and has for its principal object the provision of a novel golf putter which will permit the player to assume a comfortable position with his eyes directly over the ball where he may readily aline his eyes with the initial path of the ball as determined after careful reading of the green and hence may lower his score by use of this putter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter which may be moved with a pendulum action about a single horizontal axis through the two wrists, thus simplifying the alinement and the stroking of a putt through an improved gripping structure.

A further object is to provide a golf putter wholly avoiding the usual encircling of the handle by the fingers.

BACKGROUND A golf putter may be regarded as a tool which the golfer uses to impart the necessary speed and direction to a golf ball to cause it to roll across a portion of the rarely level putting green into the cup. The strength and power required for the earlier golf shots on a given hole is absent in the putt; precision and delicacy being the primary attributes.

Despite this difference in function between the putter and the other clubs the manner of gripping the putter has followed that of the other clubs. Typically the club shaft is encircled by the fingers with one hand above the other with the side of the golfer pointing in the desired direction of movement of the ball. In another less popular but approved design the golfer faces the hole and swings the putter between his legs in the manner of a croquet mallet. Here again, however, the handle is designed for the placement of one hand above the other.

But it was noted that if the hands are placed with the palms together and the fingers extended as in an attitude of prayer the two hands may be comfortably rotated through an arc about a single axis extending through the bones of both wrists. If the outstretched fingers are pointed downward and the putter designed to fit between the two hands a simple and comfortable putting technique is evolved leading to the invention of the present putter. The golfer stands facing the hole with his shoulders level and his eyes directly over the ball as he executes a simple pendulum stroke. His hands contribute freely and equally to the stroke with no worry about the left or right hand predominating. He is not as vulnerable to nervous tensions which often cause a players fingers to freeze as they encircle the shaft of a conventional putter.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the putter;

3,459,426 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 FIGURE 2 is a cross section on line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the putter in use showing the position of the hands;

FIGURE 4 is .a front elevation of the putter in use showing the perpendicular relationship between the plane of the hands and the striking surface of the club head;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing a modified handle which permits placement of the hands directly over the center of gravity of the club head;

FIGURE 6 is a section on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the club head;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the club head;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the club head.

DESCRIPTION The preferred form of the putter is shown in FIG- URES l and 2 but while each portion of the club may be altered appreciably, the handle 10 must be such that it includes two opposite faces of greatly extended area against which the hands may be placed with all eight fingers firmly pressed, with the thumbs normally parallel and each resting against the proximate face. A cylindrical or tapered socket 11 of a size and shape to receive a suitable shaft .12 is provided so the latter, proportioned to the purchasers height, may be secured as by cementing or by bonding. It will be noted that the greater portion of the faces lie in parallel planes. An ornamental closure 13 may enhance the looks of the putter. The club head 20 may vary greatly in structure but the gene-rally triangular shape shown is the best known form of putter club head, with the striking face perpendicular to the plane through which the shaft travels.

The cross section of the handle 10 as shown in FIG- URE 2 includes a cylindrical boss 15 in which is formed the shaft receiving socket 11 which may be either cylindrical or conical. The two flat faces or cheeks 17 and 18 merge into the cylindrical portion 15 by smooth curves.

The preferred material for the handle is a fabric-reinforced phenolic plastic although plywood or metal are suitable. An epoxy resin reinforced with glass cloth known as Fiberglas has been used with success, especially with the surfaces roughened to increase the coefficient of friction between the hands and the handle such as on the surfaces of some table tennis paddles. Such a roughened surface molded as part of the handle is indicated at 21 with a regular array of tiny projections 22.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, the technique of using the putter is illustrated. The player stands facing the chosen initial direction of the ball which is the same as the direction of movement of the club head 20. The centerlines of the players feet are parallel to the club head movement. The club head 20 is swung first backward and then forward between the players legs by rotating the two hands about an axis through the players wrists. The hands are pressed firmly against the two sides or cheeks 17 and 18 of the handle 10 so they directly oppose each other. The fingers 25 are outstretched in a comfortable position. This position varies from player to player but typically the fingers project downward and forward at a 10 to 15 degree angle to the vertical. The opposing relationship of the hands 24 and the fingers 25 is more clearly shown in FIGURE 4. In the natural position of address, prior to stroking the ball, the shaft 12 of the putter is vertical. In the preferred handle design it is necessary for the golfer to apply a small amount of torque to keep the shaft 12 vertical since in this position the club head 20 is in front of the hands. This is considered advantageous since it encourages a smooth, effortless back swing which is a necessary prelude to the forward or hitting stroke.

Some players, however, prefer that the club be held with the shaft 12 vertical in the position of address without any torque. This requires that the center of gravity of the club head be positioned directly below the center of the hands. The symmetrical handle 27 of FIGURE accomplishes this purpose when used with the shaft 12 and the head 20 of FIGURES 1-4.

FIGURE 6 shows a section of the handle 27 of FIG- URE 5. The thickness is large enough to accommodate the shaft 12 at the center and tapers along a smooth curve 30 to .a minimum value at the edge 31. The open hands in holding handle 27 are pressed against surfaces 28 and 29 and are therefore slightly cupped rather than completely flat as in the preferred form.

In FIGURE 7 a perspective view of the preferred form of the club head 20 is presented. The striking surface 26 is flat and of a height somewhat greater than the radius of a golf ball. A flange 35 extends backward from the striking surface 26 to permit a deeper hole to receive shaft 12. The latter may be secured within the socket by any well known means such as silver soldering or cementing. An index mark 36 is scribed on the line of symmetry of the top of the club from the striking surface 26 to the shaft 12 to indicate the optimum position for contacting the ball. In FIGURE 8 the club head 20 is shown in top or plan view. The triangular shape is defined by the striking surface 26 and the two straight sloping edges 32. This shape helps to concentrate the weight of the club head 20 toward the center. A lower flange defined by two arcuate boundaries 33 improves the appearance of the club head 20 and provides a larger base or sole plate. Referring to FIGURE 9 the base 37 has a step 38 which helps in preventing the lower surface 34 from catching on the green. The rear portion of the lower surface is curved upward as at 39 as added insurance against snagging.

What I claim is:

1. A golf putter comprising:

(A) a handle including two substantially flat faces of greatly extended area so as to allow a player to press his two palms on opposite sides of the handle with his thumb and fingers extending and touching the proximate face,

(B) a club head having a striking face in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of at least one of said flat faces, and

(C) a shaft fast to the handle and to the club head.

2. The putter of claim 1 in which the greater portion of the two faces of the handle are in parallel planes.

3. The putter of claim 1 in which the handle faces are roughened to increase the coefiicient of friction between the hands and the handle.

4. The putter of claim 1 in which the handle is of a fabric-reinforced phenolic compound and forms a onepiece unit having a socket to receive the shaft.

5. The putter of claim 1 in which the areas of the faces are sulficiently large to permit the fingers of the player to extend downward and forward at an angle to vertical of from ten to fifteen degrees, and the surfaces of the faces are roughened by the provision of a plurality of tiny projections.

6. The putter of claim 1 in which the shaft is vertical .at the bottom of the putting stroke which is the position of impact and the stroke coincides with the chosen initial path of the ball.

7. The putter of claim 1 in which the handle has a bore to receive the shaft and said bore is equally spaced between the two faces.

8. The putter of claim 1, in which the club head is of a material having a specific gravity approximating that of brass.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 792,631 6/1905 Taylor 273-164 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-l64

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