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Golf club fitting system and methodRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Club SetGolf club fitting system and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060030422, Golf club fitting system and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/084,379, filed May 6, 1998 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/305,396, filed May 5, 1999 (now allowed), the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to golf club fitting systems and methods and, more particularly, to an automated golf club fitting system that measures a number of parameters associated with a golf shot and that determines the consistency and/or performance of the golfer with a respective golf club. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Golfers can currently select from a wide variety of golf clubs produced by a number of different golf club manufacturers. According to the advertisements, each different set of golf clubs offers some advantage, such as less weight, a stiffer shaft, an enlarged head, peripheral weighting, etc. [0004] The variety of golf clubs is at least partly due to the longstanding debate as to whether the performance of a golf club, i.e., the distance with which a golfer can hit a golf ball with the golf club, or the consistency of a golf club, i.e., the accuracy with which a golfer can hit a golf ball with the golf club, is more important. As might be expected, a number of golf clubs are therefore currently available that emphasize performance, a number of golf clubs are currently available that emphasize consistency and a number of golf clubs are currently available that are advertised to provide both performance and consistency. [0005] Typically, a highly skilled golfer will prefer a golf club capable of the greatest performance since the skill of the golfer can compensate for any inconsistency or inaccuracy. Conversely, a less proficient player will generally select a club that provides greater consistency and greater accuracy even though the golfer may not hit the golf ball as far with the particular club. Even within these general categories, however, a wide variety of golf clubs are available. As such, a golfer oftentimes has difficulty in determining which set of golf clubs would be most appropriate for their game. [0006] In order to assist golfers in selecting the appropriate set of golf clubs for their game, many golf professionals offer club fitting services. Most club fitting services involve a golfer hitting several shots from a tee box at a practice range with each of a number of different clubs of the same type. Although shots can be hit for club fitting purposes with any of the clubs, a golfer typically hits several shots with each of a number of different 5 irons. A 5 iron is generally selected for club fitting purposes since the shots hit with a mid-iron, such as a 5 iron, are likely to be somewhat representative of shots hit with other clubs of the same set. Based upon the shots hit at the practice range, the golf professional and the golfer would typically discuss the manner in which the golfer had hit shots with each of the clubs. Based on these conversations, the golfer could then select the set of clubs which appeared to best fit their game. [0007] As will be apparent, conventional techniques for club fitting involve extremely subjective judgments, both on the part of the golfer and the golf professional. As such, the golfer will not necessarily select the proper set of clubs for their game since the subjective judgments are often based upon the appearance or feel of the various sets of golf clubs as opposed to the manner in which the golfer hits golf shots with the sets of golf clubs. As a result of the relatively high cost of a set of golf clubs, the selection of a set of clubs which is not properly fit to the golfer's game will not only limit the golfer's game, but may also prove to be a costly mistake if the golfer decides that they must purchase yet another set of clubs in order to improve their game. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention therefore provides an improved method and system for fitting a set of golf clubs to a particular golfer. In particular, the club fitting method and system of the present invention assists a golfer in the selection of a set of golf clubs by providing objective indicia or scores representative of the manner in which the golfer hits golf shots with each of a number of different golf clubs. Preferably, the club fitting method and system of the present invention provide the golfer with numerical values representative of the consistency and performance of the golf shots made with a particular golf club. Based upon the relative numerical values representative of the consistency and performance of the golf shots made with a number of different golf clubs, the golfer can select the set of golf clubs which provides the combination of consistency and performance that is best suited for the golfer's game. [0009] According to one advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the club fitting method and system includes means for determining a number of parameters associated with each golf shot. These parameters can either be measured, such as by means of a radar device which measures launch parameters and/or an impact determination system which primarily measures landing parameters. As with conventional club fitting techniques, the golfer would generally make several shots with each of a number of different golf clubs. As such, the club fitting method and system of the present invention preferably includes means for determining the average and/or the standard deviation for respective ones of the parameters associated with the golf shots made by the golfer with each different golf club. [0010] The club fitting method and system of this embodiment also includes means for determining, typically on an automatic basis, a consistency score and a performance score for a respective golf club based upon the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club. Preferably, the consistency score is based at least partially upon the standard deviations for respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club. In contrast, the performance score is preferably based at least partially upon the averages for respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club. Typically, the club fitting method and system includes means for normalizing and weighting the averages and the standard deviations for respective ones of the parameters based upon the relative importance of the parameters prior to determining the consistency score or the performance score. [0011] Based upon the consistency scores and/or the performance scores of the golf shots hit by the golfer with each of a number of different clubs, the golfer can select the golf club or the set of golf clubs that best suits the golfer's game on a more objective basis than provided by conventional club fitting techniques. Armed with the new set of clubs, the golfer's game should improve since the selected set of clubs fits the particular golfer's game. [0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, the club fitting method and system includes means for automatically determining that the golfer has hit a sufficient number of shots with a particular club in order to properly determine the consistency and/or performance provided by the particular club. More particularly, the club fitting method and system of this embodiment automatically determines that a sufficient number of shots have been made with the respective golf club based, at least in part, upon at least some of the parameters associated with each golf shot. The club fitting method and system of this aspect of the present invention also includes means for providing an indication to the golfer that a sufficient number of golf shots has been made with the particular club. [0013] Preferably, the means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots has been made includes means for determining a validity score for a respective golf club that is at least partially based upon standard deviations of respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club. In addition, the means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots have been made with a respective golf club also includes means for comparing the validity score to a predefined threshold to determine if a sufficient number of golf shots have been made with the respective golf club. Typically, the predefined threshold varies in a predetermined manner, such as a linearly decreasing manner, based upon the number of golf shots that have been made with the respective golf club. In addition, the club fitting method and system of this embodiment preferably requires at least a predetermined minimum number, but no more than a predetermined maximum number of golf shots to be made with the respective golf club, irrespective of the validity score. As such, the club fitting method and system of this aspect of the present invention can prevent the golfer from hitting an excessive number of shots with each of the clubs, thereby potentially tiring the golfer. As a result, the golfer is hopefully in the same general physical condition at the end of the club fitting session as at the beginning of the club fitting session such that the results, i.e., the consistency and performance scores, are not skewed by changes in the physical condition of the golfer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tee box, such as at a practice range, which illustrates one exemplary means, such as a radar device, for measuring a number of parameters associated with a golf shot. [0015] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a practice range having a tee box, a landing area and a system for detecting the impact location of a golf ball. [0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the club fitting system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the operations performed by the club fitting method and system of one embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIGS. 5A-5E are screen displays produced by the club fitting method and system of one advantageous embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT Continue reading about Golf club fitting system and method... 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