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Golf swing alignment apparatus

Golf swing alignment apparatus description/claims

This invention relates generally to the field of golf and more specifically to an article of manufacture for golf swing alignment and specifically for a straightforward swing ‘rescue’ or re-alignment during recreational play or practice by focusing on the takeaway or first move in a golf swing.

The present invention concerns golf teaching devices, and more particularly concerns a golf teaching device adapted to rescue a golfer's swing alignment in the middle of a round as well as during practice. Golf is a deceptively complex game, when golfers ‘lose’ their swing in the middle of a round, they need to figure out what the problem is and ‘get back on plane’ to correctly hit the golf ball. Since most golfers do not use caddies, it is hard for them to figure out what they are doing wrong. Some will hit ‘practice’ shots into the trees to re-align their swing. They need something that can help them correct the sudden swing flaw.

It is important for novice golfers to learn a proper golf stance including a proper takeaway and a proper golf swing, so that consistently successful golf shots can be made. Also, it is important for more experienced golfers to periodically “return to the basics” or otherwise refine their game. Experienced golfers sometimes lose their swing plane in the middle of a round. Most golfers know that a ‘takeaway’ is the first move of a golf swing and it consists of taking the club back 18 inches low to the ground over an imaginary line before a shoulder turn is iniated for the remainder of the swing. One problem is that in anticipation of hitting the golf ball, the shoulder turn or lifting of the club is initiated prematurely before the club completes the 18 inches thus causing the swing to be ‘off plane’ or not properly aligned. Since the takeaway path line is imagined and even though most golfers know how far 18 inches is, they sub consciously forget and begin the shoulder turn before 18 inches is compete.

Golfers also lose alignment and recheck their aim using golf clubs placed on their chest or thighs. Correctly practicing the same golf swing creates muscle memory while practicing an incorrect swing is counter productive. Professional golfers use clubs on the ground to align themselves to the target which is not the most convient way to get properly aligned. Proper club head alignment and position relative to the ball is critical to hitting a golf ball even though alignment lines are not visible and must be imagined.

There are numerous golf training devices that attempt to improve a golfer's game by, among other things, improving a golfer's stance and the placement of a golf ball relative to the stance. These devices attempt to reduce the variables of alignment and ball placement, thus allowing the golfer to concentrate on his/her swing. However, many of these devices are cumbersome to set up and/or use, awkward to adjust, and/or difficult to carry. Further, many of these devices do not work, or distract the golfer such that it is difficult for the golfer to concentrate on his/her swing. For example, some devices in effect capture one or both of a golfer's feet such that the golfer cannot move in a natural manner without fear of stepping on the device. This causes the golfer to focus on avoiding the device, rather than on his/her swing. Other devices include vertically extending posts and the like that get in the way and make the device cumbersome to set up and use. Also, some of these devices are unsightly, and can be embarrassing for a golfer to use. Still other devices provide a complex adjustment mechanism that either takes a long time to adjust, is subject to error, or that requires a more complex adjustment procedure than most golfers are willing to make.

Therefore, there exists a need for a compact and straightforward golf alignment device that can be carried in a golf bag and used while practicing or playing and which provides an alignment means for the golfer's stance and target line, and which further has a target line alignment member positioned directly on the target line and which enables the golfer to strike balls therefrom.

Thus, a golf teaching device is desired solving the aforementioned problems.

A number of devices are known in the prior art for assisting a golfer in establishing a proper stance and aligning the golfer's self with the target line.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,010 issued to McDorman et al. discloses a training a device for golfers to assist in assuming a consistent stance when addressing the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,393 issued to Williams et al. discloses a golf swing training device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,132 issued to Weston et al. discloses an alignment apparatus and method for golfers. Weston et al. disclose a series of members pivotally secured to form an alignment device that includes a pair of parallel members aligned with the stance line and the swing path respectively. An additional member is disposed perpendicular relative to the parallel members for serving as a reference point for the alignment of the ball to the golfers body. The Weston et al. device is pivotally connected such that the device may be collapsibly closed and transported in a golf bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,234 issued to Zambili discloses a golf practice aid for assisting a golfer and maintaining proper stance about the golf ball and with respect to the target.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,288 issued to Amis discloses a golf stance alignment device for positioning on the ground between a golfer and a golf ball. The Amis device suffers from the same disadvantages discussed above; namely a first cross member 14 is not tangential with the point on the swing path at which the ball is struck.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,407 issued to Beatty, discloses a golf training method and device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,220 issued to Hansen et al. discloses a golf practice device and method. The Hansen device includes a pair of parallel alignment members.

A number of devices are known in the prior art for assisting a golfer in establishing a proper stance and aligning the golfer's self with the target line. These are bulky and cumbersome, not compact or portable enough to take on the golf course.

Great Britain Foreign Patent GB 2,254,008 discloses a golf training aid including four interconnected members and a fifth elongated member for indicating ball position. The device requires that the fifth member be repeatedly disconnected, repositioned and reconnected by pins to accurately locate the ball fore-to-aft relative to the golfer's stance for different clubs, and that the one interconnected member closest to the golfer's feet also be repeatedly disconnected, repositioned and reconnected by pins to accurately position the golfer from the ball. This double repositioning and also the existence of a separate fifth member add undesirable complexity to the golfing device. Further, a set of holes (16) must be formed in the front and rear members for each different size golfer, which holes (16) make on-site customization of the device difficult.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,010 issued to McDorman et al. discloses a training a device for golfers to assist in assuming a consistent stance when addressing the ball. However, in order to actually strike a ball while using the device McDorman requires that a club facer assembly be removed from the impact zone. To accomplish this task, McDorman teaches a rather complex, springloaded mechanism.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,393 issued to Williams et al. discloses a golf swing training device. However, the Williams device does not include a swing path alignment member and further requires that an end portion (25) be pivoted back away from a golf ball prior to striking.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,132 issued to Weston et al. discloses an alignment apparatus and method for golfers. Weston et al. disclose a series of members pivotally secured to form an alignment device that includes a pair of parallel members aligned with the stance line and the swing path respectively. An additional member is disposed perpendicular relative to the parallel members for serving as a reference point for the alignment of the ball to the golfers body. The Weston et al. device is pivotally connected such that the device may be collapsibly closed and transported in a golf bag. However, the Weston device includes a swing path member that is actually some distance inside the circumference of the golfer's swing part, and thus offset from the actual target line. Accordingly, the Weston device does not include a means for directly identifying the target line.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,234 issued to Zambili discloses a golf practice aid for assisting a golfer and maintaining proper stance about the golf ball and with respect to the target. The Zambili device also suffers from many of the disadvantages discussed above.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,288 issued to Amis discloses a golf stance alignment device for positioning on the ground between a golfer and a golf ball. The Amis device suffers from the same disadvantages discussed above; namely a first cross member 14 is not tangential with the point on the swing path at which the ball is struck.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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