Field of lhc Invention

The present invention relates to a golf swing device. More particularly it relates to a golf swing practice device to train players to swing so as -to achieve accuracy consistently and achieve in golf swings. More particularly the golf swing practice device enables player to develop a golf swing so as to hit the golf ball squarely on impact and to release the maximum power on impact with golf ball.

Background of the Invention

Several golf swing practice devices have been disclosed to the public. Almost all of them disclose the movement of a slideable object, such as rings, balls along the shaft of the club during the downward swing. The object being the slideable object should slide down the shaft by both the application of gravitational force and centrifugal force during the downward motion of the swing, such that in a desired manner of downward swing of the club, the slideable object reaches the base of the shaft when the club head is in first contact with the golf ball on the ground. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,6,34,856 and 4,027,886 disclose such type of golf swing training/ practice devices. In the prior art golf swing practice clubs, the slideable object is positioned in front of the hand grip portion of the shaft of the club. This configuration of the club requires the creation of a housing chamber, generally a tubular chamber perpendicular to the shaft of the club.

The creation of such a housing chamber in front of and perpendicular Io the hand grip portion of the club can result in compromising the structural strength of the shaft. A weak point in the structure is created. Further players, typically amateur players are reluctant to purchase such golf swing training devices or clubs. Generally such players tend to use normal clubs but attempt to improve upon their golf swing whilst playing a regular game of golf. Thus there is a need to overcome both the weaknesses of the prior art golf swing devices.

Summary of the Invention

The invention discloses a golf club device comprising of a shaft with a club head fitted with light source to indicate the plane of a golf swing and/ or the position of club face of the club head at point of impact of the club head on a golf ball. The light source is a light body with a plurality of coloured light sources positioned at different graphical positions on the light body, the light body is secured tightly, at base of the shaft.

When the club face is square with the golf ball only pre-determined light sources are visible to player, and when the club face is sliced another pre- determined light sources are visible to player and when the club face is hooked yet another pre-determined light sources are visible to player. Different coloured light sources are positioned at the extreme of the lateral axis and at the base of vertical axis of a face of the light body. The light sources are coloured light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser light.

In another aspect of the invention there is disclosed a golf club device comprising of a shaft with a club head fitted with light sources to indicate the plane of a golf swing and/ or the position of club face of the club head at point of impact of the club head on a golf ball. The light source is a light body with at least two laser light sources positioned spaced apart within the light body, the light body is secured tightly at base of the surface grip of the golf club device.

When the club face is square with the golf ball both beams of the laser light sources are visible to a golfer on a horizontal plane, and when the club face is sliced or hooked, one beam of the laser light source will be above the other beam of the laser light source. If the golf club face is sliced, the laser light beam proximate to the left hand is above the laser light beam proximate to the right hand. If the golf club face is hooked lhe laser light beam proximate to the right hand is above the laser light beam proximate to the left hand.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is disclosed a golf club device comprising of a shaft with a club head at one end and a surface grip at the opposite end of the shaft with a slideable object within hollow of shaft. A hollow recess is positioned at terminal end of the surface grip and wherein at the address position of the shaft the object is contained in the hollow recess and wherein when the shaft is at the peak or near peak of the back swing, the object drops from the recess by gravitational force and wherein when the shaft is moved to impact position, the object is moved to the end of the shaft by centrifugal and gravitational force.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows the position of the golf club and the slideable ball at the address position, with a detailed drawing on the structure of the terminal end of the golf club. Figure 2 is a moment freeze drawing showing the position of the slideable object when the golf club is momentarily at the peak of the back swing, with a detailed drawing on the structure of the terminal end of golf clubs. Figure 3 is a position of the player at the final moment of a backwards swing. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a light body. Figure 5 is a front view of the light body shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is straight. Figure 7 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is "sliced". Figure 8 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is sliced more than that shown in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is "hooked". Figure 10 is view of a golfer of golf club when the swing is hooked more than that shown in Figure 9. Figure 1 1 and 12 show the path of laser light form the light body in a desirable "place of swing". Figure 13 is a perspective view of another light body. Figure 14 is a front view of the light body shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is straight. Figure 16 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is "hooked". Figure 17 is a view of a golfer of a golf club when the swing is "sliced". - Figure 18 is a golfer's view of a golf club Fitted with a pair of laser light beams, when the club face is square at point of impact with the golf ball. Figure 19 is a golfer's view of a golf club as shown in Figure 18 where the club face is hooked at point of impact. Figure 20 is a golfer's view of a golf club as shown in Figure 18 but where the club face is sliced at point of impact.

Detail Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a golf swing practice device (10) according to this invention. The golf swing device consists of a hollow golf club (12) shaft where at the terminal end or proximate to the terminal end behind the grip region, there is provided a recess (14). The recess is capable of accommodating at least one slideable object, preferably a ball bearing (16). A screw nut (18) is provided at the terminal end of the golf club shaft. It will be appreciated that the screw nut (18) can be unscrewed from the shaft to insert the ball bearing (16). The ball is of a diameter size that enables it to roll down the hollow shaft to the club head end of the shaft.

At the address position of the club, the recess (14) is pointed towards the ground, and the ball bearing (16) is held in the recess. As the golf club is raised to the back of the player's shoulder during the backswing, the ball drops by gravitational force onto the hollow of the club shaft and remains at the terminal end of the club shaft. Alternatively, the club is raised further during the back swing and reaches a horizontal or near horizontal position, the ball is displaced from the recess (14) by gravitational force (see Figure 2).

During the down swing of the club, the ball bearing is thrust forward towards the club head end of the shaft by both centrifugal and gravitational force. Where the downward swing is executed correctly, the ball bearing should reach the terminal end of the club simultaneous to the club head impacting upon the golf ball. As the swing continues, the ball bearing will continue to stay at the terminal end by centrifugal force acting on it. When the speed of swing of the golf club reduces in the continuing accurate swing, the ball bearing rolls down the shaft and rests in the recess (see Figure 3). At the next address position, the ball bearing (16) is brought to the club head end of the shaft as in Figure 1.

Thus the player is able to know whether he executed the swing correctly; if the swing was executed correctly the noise of the impact of the club head on the golf ball will coincide with the noise of the ball bearing hitting the terminal end of the shaft; a single noise should be heard. Where the golf swing is not executed properly, the player will hear two distinct noise; when the noise of the ball bearing hitting the terminal end of the shaft is heard followed by the noise of the club head impacting on the golf ball; or when the noise of the ball bearing hitting the terminal end of the shaft is head after the noise of the club head impacting on the golf ball. A golf player, who is training to improve upon his golf swings, should aim to have a golf swing where only a single noise of impact is heard during the swing.

In this invention, conventional golf clubs can be adapted in a manner to receive the recess (14) and the screw nut (18). The recess (14) and the screw nut (18) can be a single integral unit, or can be two separate units such that one end of the recess (14) is removeably secured to the shaft of the golf club while the other end of the recess is securable to the screw nut (18). Whilst the above embodiment serves to train the golf player to improve the efficiency of his swing, it does enable the player to know whether the swing is "straight", "hook" or "sliced". The player does not know whether the club face was square on impact with the golf ball. The second embodiment discloses a modified club which enables the player to know whether the club face was square on impact or otherwise.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a light body (20) enclosing a plurality of cohered light sources. The light body (20) is elliptical in cross-section (see Figure 5). A blue (22) and a green (26) LED light source are positioned at the extreme lateral axis of the light body (20). A green and orange LED sources (26, 28) are positioned at lower vertical axis of the light body. A laser light source (30) is placed end of the vertical axis and between the green and red LED light sources. It will be appreciated that the colour of LED at the various positions described is arbitrary and the colour of the LEDS at the various positions can be different so long as they are not of same colour. But the position of the laser light sources is not alterable and should be along the vertical axis of the light body. The light body includes a battery electrical energy source to power the light sources. The golf club can be a driver, fairway wood or irons. To explain the working of the light body, a iron will be used (see Figure 6) as an example.

The light body (20) is secured tightly to the golf club shaft proximate to the club head. The light body (20) is affixed first above the club face (32) along the club shaft (12) in a manner that when the club face (32) is square with golf ball, the player is only able to see the light sources at the extreme of the lateral axis, that is the blue and red LED light, when the player views the club shaft (12) from the position when he addresses the golf ball. At this position the green and orange LEDs and the laser light sources are not viewable.

When the light body (20) is affixed to the club shaft in this manner, it is possible for the golf player to know whether the club face (32) is square on impact with the golf ball or not. Figure 7 shows the view of the light sources in the light body when the golf swing is "sliced". At the moment of impact, the payer will be able to see the blue and green LED sources. In a more severe slice swing, he would be able to view the blue, green LED light sources as well as the laser light source (see Figure 8).

Figure 9 shown the view of the light sources in the light body when the golf swing is "hooked". At the moment of impact, the player will be able to see the red and orange LED sources. In a more severe hook swing, he would be able to view the red, orange LED light sources as well as the laser light source (see Figure 10).

Referring to Figures 11 and 12, there is shown the laser light beam (34) from the laser light source (30) from the light body (20). Thus the player would be able to realise or "view" his golf swing plane.

Another embodiment disclosing the same principles is illustrated in Figures 13 to 17, Figure 13 is a perspective view of a light body (36) with green, blue and red LED sources (38, 40, 42). As before the LED light sources are energised by battery source housed within the light body (36). The light body is fixed tightly to the golf shaft (12) in a manner such that when the club face is square with the golf ball at the address position, only the green LED light source is visible to the golfer (see Figure 15). However, if the golf swing is "hooked", the golf player would be able to view the green and blue LED light sources (see Figure 16). On the converse, if the golf swing is "sliced" the golf player would be able to view the red and blue light sources (see Figure 17).

The embodiments with the light body (20) comprising of light sources can be secured to a golf club with recess and ball as shown in Figures 1 to 3. With this combination, the golf player would be able to know not only the effectiveness of his golf swing but also the accuracy of the plane of the club face (32) on impact with the golf ball. Yet another embodiment is shown in Figures 18 to 20. A light housing body (42) containing two laser light sources preferably red and green laser light sources is secured to the golf shaft (12) just below the surface grip portion. The laser light sources are arranged in the light housing body in a manner such that when the golf club in an address position is viewed by the golfer, the red and green laser beams are on the same plane (see Figure 18).

However if the golf club is in a hook position, the red laser light beam will appear above the green light laser beam. That is the laser light source proximate to the right hand of the golf player will appear above the laser light same proximate to the left hand of the golf player (see Figure 19).

Similarly the golf club in a slice position, the green laser light beam will appear above the red laser light beam (see Figure 20). That is the laser light same proximate to the left hand of the golf player will appear above the laser light source proximate to the right hand of the golf player.

Thus the player in his attempts to improve his golf swing has to aim to position the club face (32) square with the golf ball. The player has to ensure that the two laser beams are in same plane.

The laser light housing body (44) contains two sources of coloured laser light which are powered by a battery source contained within the housing body. The housing body is secured to the shaft of the golf shaft. It will be appreciated that the colour of the laser light source can be replaced with any other coloured lasers.