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Choice putter

Choice putter description/claims

This application is in reference to: U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/776,635 filed on Feb. 24, 2006. Name of applicant—William T. Engel. Title of invention: Choice Putter.

I. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to golf clubs. More specifically, the invention concerns a golf putter having an oval aperture within the body of said putter wherein conventional golf balls can be held securely in said oval aperture. Once secured within said oval aperture, said golf balls can be used in the areas of alignment, weighting and personalization of said golf putter. Removing said golf balls allows the use of an insert in said oval aperture in which exchangeable visual alignment cards are visible through said top surface oval aperture of said putter thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

II. Description of the Prior Art

The sport of golf has seen much technical advancement in golf equipment since the time of its inception. All these advancements are meant to lower golf scores thus it stands to reason that the golf club you use more than any other would be if vital importance. The golf putter has seen many of these technical advancements and serves a key role to lowering ones golf score. Although more conventional golf putters may be technically sound, if the golfer does not feel comfortable with the golf putter, they will not benefit from the technology of that particular golf putter. Therefore it stands to reason that a golfer would select a golf putter that is not only technically sound, but can also be adjusted for feel and aesthetics, thus creating a comfortable and personal connection to the golf putter. When this is found in the embodiment of a golf putter, the golfer will have more confidence and an improved putting game. Many different types of golf putters have been developed for improving ones putting game.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,617 issued to Park teaches a practice putter with a ball being of the same size and dimensions as a conventional golf ball being rotatably disposed between the side walls of putter head by means of an axle going through a bore hole of said ball. The ball rotates within the putter head when said ball makes contact with the putting surface while the club is being swung. A disadvantage is if said axle disposed ball is removed, it can not be replaced by a conventional golf ball of your choosing without said axle thus eliminating any adjustability of weighting and personalization. Yet another disadvantage of this design is that it only has one alignment system available. Yet another disadvantage is that it is a training club and can not be used within the rules of golf.

Another golf putter U.S. D506,237S issued to Byrne shows an ornamental design consisting of two flat circles and two lines running visually underneath said flat circles. A disadvantage is this design uses two dimensional flat circles which do not have any visual similarities as three dimensional objects. Yet another disadvantage of this design is that the visual alignment is permanent, which eliminates the ability to change the visual look of the putter.

Another golf putter U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,975 issued to Middleton teaches a training putter having a recess or aperture with dimensions that are marginally greater than a conventional golf ball in which said golf ball is disposed within said recess or aperture, but not secured. When said training putter is swung so that it is no longer proximate to the floor, the golf ball is released from the recess or aperture and its momentum causes the ball to continue rolling in a direction imparted to it by the swinging of the putter. A proposal to enhance the overall aesthetic appearance of the putter is put forth by providing circular caps to cover the circular aperture either on the upper or lower surface. This could be used for identification purposes or alignment features. As described, this proposal would allow both (two) circular caps for either the upper or lower circular aperture openings. A disadvantage is that the golf ball can not be secured to stay within the head of the putter, thus eliminating the alignment, weighting, or personalization advantages of said golf ball. Yet another disadvantage is that a circular aperture or circular cap that is only marginally larger than a conventional golf ball would not have adequate visual area to display alignment features effectively. Yet another disadvantage is that with only two circular caps you are limited to only two alignment options. None of the prior art teaches an improved golf putter in which conventional golf balls can be exchanged and securely held within the oval aperture of the present invention for alignment, weighting and personalization of said improved golf putter. Also, none of the prior art shows an improved golf putter in which the design is based on three dimensional shapes which consist of an oval aperture or conventional golf balls securely held within the body of the putter to differentiate and/or dominate its visual characteristics and in which the expanded area of an oval shape can be taken advantage of by visual alignment cards that can be exchanged to change the look and visual perception of the putter thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

Thus it is the intent of the present invention to provide a dual purpose putter in which it can be used with conventional golf balls secured within the body of the golf putter for alignment, weighting, and personalization to be used for practice, or in a non regulated USGA round of golf in which a recreational golfer is not bound by the rules of a non-conforming club (i.e. non-conforming hot faced drivers). It is also the intent of the present invention to provide said dual purpose putter to conform to USGA regulations by removing said conventional golf balls from the body of said golf putter, thus leaving an oval aperture in which an insert made to exactly fit into said oval aperture can be secured. Visual alignment cards are made to the exact size of the top surface of said insert and can be secured on top of said insert within said oval aperture. Said visual alignment cards can then be exchanged to change the visual alignment of said dual propose putter thus giving an advantage over other golf putters with permanent or smaller circular alignment markings.

The present invention is a golf putter for improving a golfer's putting game. The putter has a conventional shaft connecting to an improved head. The head has a relatively flat hitting surface for striking a golf ball, a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear edge or wall, and side edges or walls any of which may be curved to make up or define the body of said improved golf putter head. Within the body of said golf putter is an oval aperture which extends through said top and bottom surfaces. The oval opening of said top surface is marginally smaller than that of the outside diameter of a conventional golf ball, which is regulated by the United States Golf Association to be 1.68 inches. The oval opening of said bottom surface is marginally larger than that of said conventional golf ball. The difference in diameters of said top surface and bottom surface oval openings allow said conventional golf balls to be inserted up through said larger bottom surface oval opening and restricted from fitting up through said smaller top surface oval opening. Also within said head are four threaded bore holes laterally bored through each said side wall of said rounded bottom surface from opposite sides of said golf putter head. Said threaded bore holes are threaded in a way as to accept a threaded set screw within each said threaded bore hole so that when manually engaged, said set screws will also each penetrate said oval aperture. When said conventional golf balls are inserted into said oval aperture as previously described said conventional golf balls are also engaged by said threaded set screws at a specific point below the equilateral center of each said conventional golf ball thus forcing any said conventional golf balls inserted within said oval aperture as previously described to be lifted toward said smaller top surface oval opening which in turn wedges said conventional golf balls in said oval aperture between said smaller oval opening of top surface and said penetrating threaded set screws. Reversing this process by manually disengaging said threaded set screws will allow golfer to remove said conventional golf balls from said body of golf putter. Said oval aperture can also accept an insert made to exactly fit into said oval aperture. Said insert is made to fit up through said larger bottom surface oval opening, but not fit through said smaller top surface oval opening. Said insert can then be secured within the body of the putter by engaging said set screws to make contact and force upward said insert. The top surface of said insert can be covered by one of many exchangeable visual alignment cards which are compressed between the top of said insert and said smaller top surface oval opening which makes it possible for said alignment cards to be visible through said top surface oval opening thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

5. Putter 10. Flat hitting surface 15. Top surface 20. Bottom surface 25. Side wall

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Industry Class:
Games using tangible projectile

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