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Golf training apparatus

Golf training apparatus description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to training apparatus for the game of golf. More particularly the invention concerns a device for encouraging proper positioning of the golfer's body during the golf swing.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

The prior art is replete with various types of devices for training golfers in properly accomplishing the golf swing. These devices function in various ways to control the golfer's body while undertaking practice swings. Some prior art devices attempt to position and control the golfer's upper body, head, shoulder and arms while others attempt to control the golfer's hip movement. Often these prior art devices are quite complex and frequently concentrate only on one particular part of the body.

Another common drawback of many of the prior art golf training devices is that they include straps, mechanical devices and the various other types of constraints that are designed to restrain the trainee's arms and legs in somewhat unnatural positions and in so doing prevent normal body movement during the golf swing. As will be better understood from a description that follows, the apparatus of the present invention avoids this drawback by providing an apparatus that is uniquely designed to encourage the trainee to pivot the body, including the hips, around a rigid central axis without constraining the normal movement of the trainee's arms and legs during the performance of the training exercises.

Experienced golfers, as well as teaching professionals, have long recognized that a critical aspect of a repeatable golf swing is the proper pivoting of the body around a rigid central axis. It is also well understood that in order to achieve the proper pivoting of the body, the position of the arms relative to the sides of the trainee must be positively controlled. To properly control the position of the arms relative to the trainee's sides, experienced golfers frequently clamp golf gloves or like items within their armpits during the performance of practice swings and at the address of the ball during putting. For a right-handed trainee, by attempting to maintain the golf glove or other object securely clamped between the right arm and the trainee's right side during the entire practice swing functions to encourage proper body pivot. Similarly, by attempting to maintain the golf glove or other object securely clamped between the left arm and the trainee's left side during the initial portion of the golf swing, further encourages the proper pivot of the body around the rigid central axis.

With the forgoing in mind, a primary object of the present invention is to provide properly designed pads that take the place of golf gloves or like objects and uniquely form a part of the training apparatus of the invention so that they are conveniently available to the trainee and can be easily positioned within the trainee's armpits during putting practice and during the performance of practice swings.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing training aid that is highly effective in aiding a golfer in acquiring a proper golf swing. By way of summary, one form of the training apparatus of the present invention comprises a simple, non-encumbering support that can be removably connected to the upper body portion of the trainee. The support includes an elongated, upper body-encircling strap and first and second spaced-apart shoulder strap assemblies that are connected to the upper body-encircling strap. First and second specially designed, yieldably deformable underarm pads are connected to the upper body-encircling strap by elongated connectors and are conveniently movable by the trainee from a hanging position when not in use to an underarm training position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an easily portable, compactly storable training aid that is easy to use, can be quickly and easily donned and is highly effective in developing an ideal golf swing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an effective golf swing training aid that is of simple construction, is durable in use and can be inexpensively produced.

These and other objects are effectively achieved by the novel apparatus illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification.

FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view of one form of the golf training apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a generally illustrational, front view of the golf training apparatus of the invention as it appears when connected to the upper body portion of the trainee.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged, generally illustrational front view of the upper portion of FIG. 2, partly broken-away to better show the positioning of the underarm pads of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a generally illustrational, front view of the golf training apparatus of the invention, similar to FIG. 2, but showing the appearance of the apparatus as the trainee commences the backswing.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged, generally illustrational front view of the upper portion of FIG. 3, partly broken-away to better show the positioning of the underarm pads of the apparatus as the trainee commences the backswing.

FIG. 3B is a generally illustrational, front view of the golf training apparatus of the invention, similar to FIG. 3, but showing the appearance of the apparatus as the trainee completes the backswing and is in position to commence the downswing.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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