BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to the field of training devices for playing golf. More particularly, the invention relates to the act of putting on a golf course and hitting short shots close to the putting green on a golf course.

[0003] DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0004] The sport of golf has existed for hundreds of years and yet the act of using a golf club to strike a stationary golf ball in a manner that propels the ball in the desired direction and with the desired amount of force remains challenging to many. Various devices and training methods exist, but none force a golfer to use the proper stroke. What is needed is a device that forces the golfer to swing the club in the proper manner while maintaining the proper stance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The golf stroke training device according to the invention is a device that trains a golfer to maintain the proper stance and use the proper swing technique for putting a golf ball into the hole on a golf course and for hitting other short shots near the putting green. Specifically, the device is designed so that the golfer is forced to maintain a straight back and to execute a forward stroke through the golf ball.

Preventing the club from twisting, as this device does, ensures square contact of the club with the ball at impact. [0006] The typical surface on a golf course is, of course, a manicured lawn, but it can also be a carpet or other type of floor surface, and the term "ground" will be used hereinafter to refer to any type of surface on which the golf ball is placed for putting practice. The golf stroke training device holds the club in a manner that prevents the golf club from making contact with the ground. On a golf course, the operational or strike end of the putter does not touch the ground, but rather, brushes across the top of the grass.

[0007] The golf stroke training device has a guide track onto which a golf club is mounted. The golf club is mounted such that it is slidable along the track in a horizontal plane and pivotable in a radial direction about the guide track and is also pivotable about an axis that extends orthogonal to the axis of the guide track. This movement about the guide track allows the golfer to slide the golf club close to the ball, raise and lower the strike end of the golf club, and then to swing the golf club to hit the golf ball, but at the same time, the restraint of the guide track forces the golfer to maintain a straight back and the swing without twisting the club throughout the putting stroke.

[0008] The golf stroke training device is intended to create muscle memory in the golfer's hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders, which will then prompt the golfer to stand with the proper posture, with feet and shoulders properly balanced. The device will maintain an even swing through the horizontal plane towards the ball, keep the club squarely aligned with the ball at impact, and also prevent the golf club from making contact with the ground. Different techniques are used to train the swing, with some trainers teaching a straight-line swing, others a swing with a curved approach. For this reason, the golf stroke training device according to the invention encompasses a guide track that is straight, one that has a curve at one end, and one that has a curve in the middle of the track. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0010] FIG. 1 is perspective view of the training device, showing the front side with a golf club held in the designated position.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a prospective view of the device showing the rear side.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a partial view of the golf club holder, showing clamps showing the golf club held in place and coupled to the guide track.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a partial view of the golf club holder, showing clamps holding the golf club in place.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a partial view of the training device, showing the coupling device connecting the golf club holder to the guide track.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a front view of one of the vertical support connected to one end of the guide track.

[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates the golf club swung above the level of the golf ball.

[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a support assembly that is adjustable in height.

[0018] FIG. 9A is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the guide track, which has a curve in the middle.

[0019] FIG. 9B is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the guide track, which has a straight end and a curved end. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the

embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a golf stroke training device 100 according to the invention, comprising a golf club holder 10 mounted on a guide track 20. The guide track is mounted a certain distance above the ground on a support assembly 30.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows the device 100 from the rear, particularly illustrating how the guide track 20 is mounted on the support assembly 30.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a coupling device 12 for securing the golf club holder 10 to the guide track 20. The coupling device 12 has a rear side for mounting to the guide track 20 and a front side for mounting to the golf club holder 10. The golf club holder 10 has one or more fasteners 14 on a front side, for holding a golf club. In the embodiment shown, the fastener 14 includes two clamps 14A and 14B that allow the golf club to be mounted with the end of the club at the desired level above the ground.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows details of the golf club holder 10 in this preferred embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates the rear side of the golf club holder 10 coupled to the guide track 20 by the coupling device 12. When the golf club is clamped into the golf club holder 10, the golf club is slidably movable along the guide track 20 and simultaneously pivotable in a radial direction about the guide track, so that the golfer is able to pivot the lower end of the golf club up away from the ground while sliding the golf club along the track 20 and, as needed, to lift the golf club up and over a ball that has already been placed on the ground, in order to bring the club to a desired position relative to the golf ball. Once the golf club is brought into a position close enough to hit the ball, the golfer pivots the golf club back down to position the club end in front of the golf ball and is then only able to swing the club in a plane about an axis that extends orthogonal to the guide track, so that the club remains parallel to the guide track 20 throughout the swing.

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates how the support assembly 30 supports the guide track 20 in a horizontal plane a certain distance above the ground. The support assembly 30 includes a base 32 and a vertical support 36 that are positioned at each end of the guide track 20. In the embodiment shown, the support assembly 30 is an L-shaped support whereby the base 32 is a bar that is dimensioned such, that it provides a secure support when placed on a golf course. It is understood that the embodiment of the support base 30 shown here is merely an example of a suitable base 30 for the golf stroke training device 100. In other suitable embodiments of the support assembly 30, the base 32 may be a weighted pedestal, or may be provided as a stake that is insertable into the ground, in this case, a lawn.

[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates the golf club training device 100 in motion with the golf club holder 10 in a position that moves the strike end of the golf club upward and outward, i.e., away from the golfer, as it is moved along the guide track 20.

[0028] The guide track 20 is fixedly fastened to the support assembly 30. Any number of fastening means are suitable for this. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 6, wing nuts 38 are used to fix the guide track 20 in place. This allows the device 100 to be easily dismantled for stowing and transport. Depending on the structure of the support assembly 30, a reinforcement, such as a brace 34 may be provided to improve the stability of the vertical support 36. [0029] FIG. 8 shows a support assembly 30 that is adjustable in height. In this embodiment, a plurality of bores 37 is provided in the vertical support 36. The bores 37 are dimensioned to receive the guide track 20. In this way, the guide track 20 may be set at different heights, depending on the particular golf club that is being used for training.

[0030] FIGS. 9A and 9B show top plan views of different embodiments of the guide track 20. In FIG. 9A, the guide track 20 is straight at each of its two ends but curved in the middle and in FIG. 9B the guide track has a curve at only one end. The guide track 20 is easily assembled/disassembled from the support assembly 30, so, depending on the particular training technique that is used, any one of the embodiments of the guide track 20 may be used.