GOLF TRAINING AID The present invention relates to a golf training aid. In order to develop a smooth and consistent swing it is desirable for a golfer to swing a golf club through a single plane, known as a"swing plane", when hitting a shot. The swing plane can be imagined as a tilted circle about the body of the player. Beginning at the address position, the club should be taken back along the swing plane until the golfer's hands reach about hip level. At this point the wrists should hinge and, in the case of a right handed golfer, the left forearm should rotate in a clockwise direction. The hinging of the wrists is known as the"wrist cock"and the wrists remain cocked throughout the remainder of the back swing. In addition, the golfer's shoulders should rotate by approximately 90° and the golfer's weight balance should be transferred to the right side. In order to place the club on a perfect swing plane the left arm and club should be in a straight line at some point in the back swing with a square club face. The club face should remain square to the golfer's swing plane throughout the back swing.

From the correct position at the top of the back swing the down swing is started. The club should travel back along the same path as the back swing and the golfer's weight should begin to transfer from the right to the left side. During the down swing the wrists should uncock and the forearm should rotate such that the club head strikes the ball with a square club face at the bottom of the down swing.

The swing continues through the moment of impact and the follow through should remain on the same swing plane as the back swing and down swing. Again, the wrists hinge and the forearm rotates. The follow through finishes at the top of the swing with the hips having rotated to face the target and the shaft of the golf club being parallel to the ground.

The above description is in relation to a right handed golfer but the principles are the same for a left handed golfer with the swing being a mirror image of a right handed swing.

Another key fundamental of the golf swing is the initial set up and address position. It is particularly important for consistent play to ensure that a players alignment, stance and grip are correct before a shot is hit. An incorrect grip may result in a bad shot even when the club is swung along the correct swing plane.

There are three commonly accepted methods of gripping a golf club. In describing the golf grip it is usual to refer to a top and a bottom hand. The top hand is the one located nearest the top of the grip and in the case of a right handed golfer this will usually be the left hand. The bottom hand is the hand located nearest the club head and obviously for a right handed golfer this will usually be the right hand.

The most common of the three gripping methods is the Vardon or overlapping grip in which the little finger of the bottom hand overlaps the top hand and lies in the crease between the index and middle fingers. A variation of this grip is called the interlocking grip and involves the little finger of the bottom hand interlocking with the index and middle fingers of the top hand. An alternative grip is the so-called"baseball"grip in which the top and bottom hands are adjacent one another but not linked. The fundamental principals of the three grips are the same and which grip is chosen is based on the personal preference of the golfer.

In an orthodox golf grip the fingers of the golfer's top hand should wrap around the shaft with the thumb lying on top of the shaft pointing straight down towards the club head.

The bottom hand is then placed on top of the top hand, with the thumb of the top hand fitting into the"lifeline"of the bottom palm and the heel of the bottom thumb resting on the thumb of the top hand. The base of the middle and ring fingers of the bottom hand should rest on the side of the club.

The little finger on the right hand may rest on top of the left index finger or on top of the crease between the left index and middle fingers (Vardon Grip), or may be intertwined with the left index finger (Interlocking Grip), or may rest directly on the club just below the left index finger (Baseball Grip) as described above.

There are many training aids available which set out to develop a consistent swing on the correct swing plane. These include large frames or rails which maintain the swing plane and shaft angle during the swing and a number of smaller training aids which generally attach to the shaft of a golf club. In addition, there are a variety of devices available which provide a means for attaining an orthodox grip.

Whilst the large swing plane trainers have been shown to help in the teaching of the correct swing plane they suffer from the disadvantages that they are expensive, difficult to transport and require a large storage space. Consequently, they are not particularly suitable for the average golfer.

A variety of smaller training aids are also known. These training aids generally comprise an attachment to a conventional golf club and means for providing an indication of the quality of a swing.

US-A-3,918, 721 discloses the use of a flexible guide member attachable to the grip end of a golf club. The guide member can be placed in a number of positions and is intended to be used such that it will only contact the arms or body of a user if the swing is incorrect.

A number of other documents disclose golf training aids in which a guide member comes into contact with the arm or wrist of a user to indicate a correct position during the swing.

US-A-2,462, 955 utilises a guide member attached to the midpoint of the shaft to indicate that the user has attained the correct position at the top of the back swing.

When this position is achieved the guide member comes into contact with the shoulder of the user.

US-A-5,009, 426 has a guide member which attaches to the club shaft and provides an abutment which continuously engages the user's trailing forearm during both the back swing and the follow through. In order to maintain contact with the guide member the user must swing the club through a constant swing plane.

US-A-4,023, 812 discloses a training aid having a guide member mounted at the grip end of a golf club. The guide member comprises a spring loaded clicker at it's free end. The clicker is actuated upon contact with the off target forearm of the user as the wrists cock during a correctly executed back swing and emits a"click". During the downswing the clicker emits a further"click"to indicate the break in contact as the wrists uncock.

GB-A-2,311, 228 discloses a method of training a golf swing and a guide member for use in the training. The guide member is attached to the shaft of the golf club on or below the grip and comprises a stem extending away from the attachment means such that when the guide member is attached to the shaft the stem angles upwardly with respect to the shaft. In use the stem extends away from the shaft in the same radial direction as the leading edge of a club head of the golf club and is provided with a tip on its free end. The tip has a central portion proximal to the stem and two arms extending away from the central portion. The centre point of the tip is in alignment with the shaft of the club. In use the tip of the guide member is intended to bear against the radius side of a leading forearm at a point in the back swing and again at a point in the follow through. However, the guide member does not provide means for forming a grip on the golf club. Thus a user may still adopt an incorrect grip. Consequently, the user's arm may not engage with the tip during the swing or alternatively, the user may actually develop a poor swing as a result of attempting to engage with the tip whilst adopting an incorrect grip.

US 3,954, 271 discloses a golf swing training device and a method of training a golf swing. The training device comprises an arcuate member which is attached at the

grip end of a golf club. The arcuate member extends upwards and has an electrical contact at its free end. A further electrical contact is provided in an arm band which is worn on the leading arm of a user. When the two electrical contacts touch they complete a circuit and a light is activated to provide a signal to the user.

The training device is used to train a golf swing through repetition. The user, wearing the arm band on his leading arm, adopts an address position with the device attached to a golf club. The user then begins the backswing with the aim of bringing the two electrical contacts in contact with each other at the top of the backswing and thus completing the circuit and lighting the light. If the swing is made correctly the circuit is completed and the light signifies this to the user. Although it is not stated, it is believed that the two electrical contacts will also come together at the top of the follow through swing and again provide an indication of a correct swing to the user.

The user then continues to practice with the device, by repeatedly swinging back and through, in order to"groove"a correct swing.

With regard to training of an orthodox golf grip, devices are known such as preformed training grips which are contoured to force the adoption of the desired grip. Also known are plastic mouldings which attach to a conventional golf club grip and encourage a user to grip the club in a certain way. Devices such as these merely ensure that the user adopts an orthodox grip. There is no means for ensuring the correct swing plane.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate some of the problems of the prior art devices or at least to provide an alternative to them.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf training aid attached to or for attachment to a golf club and for providing a physical indication that the correct swing plane has been taken, comprising attachment means for attaching the training aid to the shaft of the golf club, an arcuate arm extending away

from the attachment means such that when the training aid is attached to the golf club the arm extends outwardly from the shaft and upwardly from the club head, the arm being provided with an engaging portion at its free end, contoured to engage with a portion of a forearm of a user in use, wherein the engaging portion is offset relative to the shaft of the golf club.

Preferably, the mid-point of the engaging portion is offset by from about lmm to about 100mm with respect to the central axis of the shaft. More preferably, the mid- point of the engaging portion is offset by from about 20mm to about 40mm with respect to the central axis of the shaft.

Reference to the engaging portion being offset with respect to the shaft of the golf club refers to the mid-point of the engaging portion being offset. This will be more easily understood with reference to the accompanying Figures.

It is preferred that the engaging portion is contoured to engage with the radial bone of the forearm.

The golf training aid may suitably also be provided with grip forming means to provide the user with a physical grip guide. The grip forming means preferably encourages the user to adopt an orthodox grip as described above. This ensures that the user begins the swing with the correct grip. Prior art devices for training a golf swing allow the user to adopt an incorrect grip address and this has the result of teaching an incorrect swing.

It is preferred that a further attachment means is provided extending from the underside of the arcuate arm such that when the training aid is attached to the shaft of the golf club the further attachment point is located between the first mentioned attachment means and the free end of the shaft.

Preferably the further attachment means is contoured to provide the grip forming means.

When the training aid is attached to the shaft of the golf club the attachment point of the further attachment means is preferably located on the grip of the golf club at the point where the top hand of a grip should be placed in an orthodox golf grip.

The further attachment means may be shaped to conform to the"V"between the thumb and index finger of the top hand in an orthodox golf grip.

The grip forming means provided by the further attachment means ensures that the top hand of the user is placed on the golf club in the correct position. The correct position refers not only to the correct position with regard to an orthodox golf grip, but also to the correct position with respect to the engaging portion. Thus, when the club is gripped using the further attachment member as a guide the engaging portion will always be in the correct position to help develop the correct swing plane. This will be the case even when the user chooses to adopt a stronger or weaker grip than orthodox. This feature is not present in the prior art.

The further attachment means may be shaped to conform to the heel of the thumb on the lower hand in an orthodox grip.

The training aid may be constructed of a plastics material and may preferably be a two piece construction with the further attachment means being detachably connected to the underside of the arcuate arm According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf training aid attached to or for attachment to a golf club and for providing a physical indication that the correct swing plane has been taken, comprising attachment means

for attaching the training aid to the shaft of the golf club, an arcuate arm extending away from the attachment means such that when the training aid is attached to the golf club the arm extends outwardly from the shaft and upwardly from the club head, the arm being provided with an engaging portion at its free end, contoured to engage with a portion of a forearm of a user in use, and grip forming means, contoured to provide the user with a physical grip guide.

The arcuate arm may suitably be offset relative to the shaft of the golf club.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings showing, solely by way of example, an embodiment of the invention and, in which: Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a golf training aid attached to a golf club; Fig. 2 is a view from the opposite side to Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 3 is a view of the golf training aid of Fig. 1 from above.

Referring now to Figs. 1-3, these show perspective views of a golf training aid 2 attached to a golf club 4. For clarity only the grip end of the golf club 4 is shown.

The training aid 2 is attached to the shaft 6 of the golf club 4 by two attachment means 8,20. The first attachment means 8 is attached to the shaft 6 at a first attachment point located towards the bottom of the grip 7. The first attachment means 8 comprises two resilient clamping wings 11,13 and a clamping nut 15. The clamping wings 11, 13 define a cylindrical passageway between them. The free ends of the clamping wings 11,13 are not in contact with one another and the gap between them is larger than the diameter of the narrowest portion of the shaft 6. The resilient nature of the clamping wings 11,13 enables them to be pushed apart such that the

diameter of the defined passageway is increased. In order to secure the training aid 2 to the golf club it should first be adjusted until it is in the correct position on the shaft 6, then the clamping nut 15 should be tightened in order to cause the clamping wings 11, 13 to grip the shaft 6. This ensures that the training aid 2 is securely attached to the shaft 6. Other suitable methods of attaching the aid 2 to the shaft 6 may be used.

Two arcuate arms 10,12 extend from the first attachment means 8 upwardly away from the club head and outwardly away from the shaft 6 to a point approximately level with the end of the shaft 6. In addition, the arms 10,12 are offset with respect to the plane of the shaft 6 and the leading edge of the club face. Thus, on looking down the shaft 6, towards the club head, the arms 10,12 are offset to the left. In the case of a training aid 2 for a left handed golfer the arms 10,12 would be offset to the right on looking down the shaft 6.

The first arm 10 of the two arms is located on the right side of the training aid 2 as you look down the shaft 6 and the second arm 12 is located on the left side. The first arm 10 is shorter than the second arm 12 and the two arms are connected by a bridging web 14. The bridging web 14 is integral to the arms 10,12. At the free ends 16a, 16b of the arms 10,12, the arms 10, 12 and the bridging web 14 are shaped to form an engaging portion. The engaging portion is in the form of a groove 17 contoured to conform to a portion of a forearm of a user. The midpoint 17a of the groove 17 is offset by approximately 30mm with respect to the shaft 6. Due to the fact that the first arm 10 is shorter than the second arm 12 the groove 17 is angled towards the right side as you look down the shaft 6.

Although the Figures show two arcuate arms 10,12 being bridged by a bridging web 14, it would be possible to have a single arcuate arm having the first attachment means 8 at one end and being provided with an engaging portion in the form of a groove 17 at its free end.

A support member 18 extends downward from the lower side of the bridging web 14 towards the shaft 6. The free end of the support member 18 is provided with the further attachment means 20 which attaches at a second attachment point on the grip 7 and provides additional stability for the training aid 2. The further attachment means 20 is in the form of two resilient arms 21,22 which define a cylindrical passageway and extend around the grip. Other suitable means of attachment may be used as would be understood by a person skilled in the art.

The support member 18 is attached to the shaft 6 on the grip 7 at the point where the top hand should be placed and has a contoured surface to encourage the user to adopt an orthodox grip.

The contours of the support member 18 are such that it fits comfortably into the"V" created between the thumb and index finger of the top hand and ensures that the top hand adopts the correct position. The support member 18 is also provided with a contoured portion 19 which conforms to the heel of the thumb of the bottom hand.

This ensures that the user grips the club in an orthodox manner. The contours of the support member 18 are such that it may be used by a user with any one of the three most common grips described above.

In order to attach the training aid 2 to the shaft 6 the first clamping means 8 is held such that the narrow part of the shaft 6 is located within the cylindrical passageway defined by the clamping wings 11,13 and a portion of the shaft 6, nearer the grip end, is located in the passageway defined by the further attachment means 20. The diameter of a golf club shaft 6 increases gradually along its length from its narrowest point, at which it connects with the golf club head, to its widest point at the grip end.

The training aid 2 is then slid along the length of the shaft 6 towards the grip end until it is in the required position. Clamping nut 15 is then tightened until the clamping wings 11,13 firmly grip the shaft 6.

The training aid 2 must be correctly aligned once fitted to the shaft 6. In order to do this the club, with the aid 2 attached, should be held with the shaft 6 parallel to the ground and the leading edge of the club face extending vertically. Next the shaft 6 should be brought into contact with a flat, vertical surface, such as a wall, with the shaft 6 lying flat against the surface and the club head facing away from and extending beyond the edge of the surface (ie a corner of a wall). The training aid 2 should the be adjusted such that it is located above the shaft 6 with first arm 10 lying against the vertical surface. This alignment will enable the user to obtain the correct grip by following the contours of the support member. In the event that the user wished to adopt a stronger or weaker grip the training aid 2 could be adjusted accordingly.

The training aid 2 is constructed from light weight plastics material, for example polypropylene. However, it could be made from any light weight durable material, for example carbon fibre or a light weight metal such as aluminium. Suitable materials will be known to those skilled in the art.

The training aid 2 is constructed from two separate moulded components. The arcuate arms 10,12 and the first attachment means 8 are moulded as a first component and the support member 18 and the second attachment means 20 are moulded as a second component. The second component is connected to the first component by any suitable means, such as screwing. In an alternative embodiment of the training aid 2 the underside of the first component may be provided with a receiving slot such that the second component may be connected in a variety of positions, by means of a tightening nut, to suit a variety of grips which are either stronger or weaker than an orthodox grip.

Although the training aid 2 has been made as a two piece moulding this need not necessarily be the case. It will be understood that the training aid 2 may be made a a one piece moulding..

The use of the training aid 2 as a tool for improving a golf swing will now be described. The training aid 2 is securely attached to the shaft 6 of a golf club 4 as described above with the training aid 2 extending outwards from the shaft 6 in approximately the same plane as the leading edge of the club face.

The user adopts the correct address position and grips the club 4. The contours of the support member 18 encourage the user to correctly grip the club 4. The left hand is placed at the top of the grip 7 such that support member 18 is located in the"V" created between the thumb and index finger. The right hand is placed below the left with the pinkie overlapping the left hand and the heel of the right hand resting in the contoured portion 19 of the support member. The arms 10,12 of the training aid are offset to the left side on looking down the shaft 6 and the groove 17 is angled towards the users right shoulder.

The user then commences the back swing and at the point where the wrists break the radial bone of the forearm of the leading arm should engage with the groove 17 of the training aid 2 if the swing has been correctly executed. The fact that the second arm 12 is longer than the first arm 10 allows the user to be guided into the correct position.

In order to place the club 4 on a perfect swing plane a straight line should be formed through the user's left shoulder, left arm and the club 4 at a point in the back swing, and the club face should be square to the swing plane at all times during the back swing. The straight line is formed by the breaking of the wrists and the rotation of the left forearm necessary to locate the forearm in the groove 17. The positioning of the groove 17 is slightly offset in order to ensure that the straightening of the left arm and club happens gradually. If the swing is not following the correct swing plane then this will become apparent as the forearm will not engage with the groove 17. It is believed that the offset groove allows the more advanced user to keep the club head outside the target line slightly longer and at the same time encourage rotation of the forearm thus giving more width to the back swing.

The swing then continues to the top of the back swing with the forearm comfortably located in the groove 17. The user will feel if the forearm is not maintaining contact with the groove 17 and will need to alter the path of the back swing to take account of this. The correct positioning of the left hand on the grip 7 at address and the receptive contours of the groove 17 will guide the user's left forearm into the correct position at the top of the back swing. The training aid 2 helps to reduce over or under rotation of the left forearm and reduces looseness in the wrist at the top of the back swing, thereby preventing an over-swing.

From the top of the back swing the user begins the down swing and the left forearm remains in the groove 17 in order to maintain the swing plane. The left forearm and the groove 17 are in contact until the point of release when the wrists hinge and the club head is delivered square to the ball at impact. The fact that the first arm 10 is shorter than the second arm 12 allows a good release of the club at impact.

The left forearm then engages with the groove 17 in the follow through to ensure that the swing plane is maintained to the end of the follow through.

The training aid 2 provides a tactile sensation to indicate to the user the quality of the swing. Repeated use of the training aid 2 will help the user to develop a consistent repeatable swing which follows the correct swing plane. The training aid 2 may be used when hitting golf balls and also to train the body to get used to a new swing path.

Whilst the foregoing description has been in relation to a training aid 2 for a right handed user it will be clear that the principles could be applied to a training aid for left handed users as well. In this case, the groove 17 will be offset to the other side.

Furthermore, whilst the training aid 2 described has been for attachment to a golf club 4 it is also envisaged that the training aid 2 could be integral to the golf club 4.

In such an embodiment the arcuate arms 10,12 would be integral to the shaft 6. This would have the advantage of having the support member pre-set to encourage an orthodox grip.