CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

BACKGROUND

Hyper-acuity, in the context of visual perception, refers to the ability of humans to recognize image features that are below the physical resolution limit of the eye. The classic example of hyper-acuity is the ability of humans to discern misalignment of a border at 5-10 times lower resolution than expected based on distances between receptors on the retina.

Golfers have implemented the hyper-acuity principle in alignment aids to ensure the striking face of a golf club is squarely aligned with a golf ball during shot setup. Examples of some visual alignment aids are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,720,668 and 4,128,244, US Patent Pub. No. 2017/0036078, and German Utility Model DE202016007255U1. However, known devices do not take full advantage of the hyper-acuity principle.

SUMMARY

Unlike earlier visual alignment aids, the present devices and methods may transfer focus away from a central sight line to a plurality of multicolored auxiliary sight lines. The multicolored sight lines are typically brightly colored to maintain the player's focus and help avoid head movement during initiation of the swing. Further, in some embodiments, the central and/or auxiliary sight lines are dashed, with the dashes either aligned or offset from one another. Optionally, the dashes form a line in a plane substantially parallel to the golf club face. In this way, hyper-acuity becomes two-dimensional with sight lines running in a first dimension (e.g., from face-to-back, when markings are on the crown, or top-to-bottom, when markings are on the face) and cross lines, made up of inter-sight line dashes, running in a second dimension (e.g., from heal-to-toe).

In an aspect, a golf club comprises a shaft connected to a head, the head having a substantially planar front face and a plurality of sight lines, wherein at least one of the sight lines is multicolored.

In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines forms a two-dimensional pattern. In an embodiment, the two-dimensional pattern comprises sight lines and cross lines. In an embodiment, the sight lines are substantially parallel to one another and the cross lines are substantially parallel to one another.

In an embodiment, the multicolored sight line comprises at least two colors along a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, or both longitudinal and lateral axes of the multicolored sight line. In an embodiment, each sight line has a width between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters and an overall length between 5 millimeters and 2 centimeters. In an embodiment, a lateral distance between sight lines is between about 2 millimeters and 1 centimeter.

In an embodiment, colors of the multicolored sight line(s) are spatially separate from one another. In an embodiment, colors of the multicolored sight line(s) are touching and distinct. In an embodiment, colors of the multicolored sight line(s) are touching and indistinct.

In an embodiment, the multicolored sight lines comprise at least two colors. In an embodiment, the sight lines are on a white background. In an embodiment, sight lines are applied with no background other than the original club material(s). In an embodiment, colors of the multicolored sight lines are continuously alternated along a longitudinal axis of a sight line.

In an embodiment, each of the plurality of sight lines is substantially linear.

In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines comprises a central line(s) and at least two outer lines, the outer lines disposed on either side of the central line(s). In an embodiment, the outer lines are the same single color or have the same multicolored pattern as one another. In an embodiment, the central line(s) is/are a single color or multicolored. In an embodiment, the central line(s) and the outer lines may be of the same or different widths relative to one another. In an embodiment, a width between the outer lines is less than or equal to a width of a golf ball.

In an embodiment, a single colored sight line and/or a multicolored sight line may be segmented, broken or dashed. In an embodiment, segments of a single color sight line and segments of a multicolor sight line are offset or aligned relative to one another. In an embodiment, segments of a single color sight line and segments of a multicolor sight line form a cross line extending from a heal of the club head to a toe of the club head. In an embodiment, a cross line is substantially parallel to a face of the club head.

In an embodiment, the golf club comprising the sight lines disclosed herein is a wood, a driver, an iron, a wedge, a hybrid or a putter.

In an embodiment, at least one of the sight lines is disposed on a crown portion of the golf club. In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines is disposed on a crown portion of the golf club.

In an embodiment, at least one of the sight lines is disposed on a face portion of the golf club. In an embodiment, the at least one sight line disposed on the face portion of the golf club is at least partially or completely within a plurality of grooves on the face portion of the golf club. In an embodiment, the at least one sight line is at least partially or completely disposed on bottom surfaces of the grooves on the face portion of the golf club.

In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines is disposed on a face portion of the golf club. In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines disposed on the face portion of the golf club is at least partially or completely within a plurality of grooves on the face portion of the golf club. In an embodiment, the plurality of sight lines is at least partially or completely disposed on bottom surfaces of the grooves on the face portion of the golf club.

In an embodiment, the sight lines are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of paint, enamel, plastic, anodized metal, encapsulated liquid and combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the sight lines are substantially flush with existing surfaces of the golf club so as not to substantially interfere with drag dynamics of the golf club. For example, the sight lines may be inlaid in one or more surfaces of the golf club and/or painted onto one or more surfaces of the golf club.

In an embodiment, the sight lines are substantially parallel to one another. In an embodiment, the sight lines are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the front face of the golf club. In an embodiment, the sight lines are greater than or less than 90 degrees with respect to the front face of the golf club to provide alignment correction for a slice, draw, fade or hook.

In an aspect, a method of making a golf club comprises providing a club head attached to a shaft, the club head having a substantially planar front face and applying a plurality of sight lines to the club head, wherein at least one of the sight lines is multicolored.

Golf clubs disclosed herein may be manufactured by techniques known in the art, including, but not limited to, forging; CNC machining; additive manufacturing; laminating together layers of metal, wood, carbon fiber, plastic, foam and combinations thereof.

