1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the combination of a golf ball marker which incorporates a permanent magnet in its structure with a golf putter having a club head formed of a material attracted by magnetism and -the use of that combination as an aid for golf putting practice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During a round of golf quite frequently a golfer will arrive at a green in preparation for a golf putt, but will sometimes have to wait for several minutes for other golfers to complete their shots. During this time the golfer can contemplate the best way to execute the golf putt that is required to maximize the likelihood that the golfer""s next putt will drop in the hole. In this connection it is often useful for the golfer to practice a proper putting stance, manner of addressing the ball, and swing of the golf putter club.
Many golfers have difficulty putting because the line of movement of the golf putter during the putting stroke is not precisely perpendicular to the face of the putter. As a consequence, when the plane of the impact face of the putter strikes the golf ball, it does so at a slight angle which will cause the ball to travel along a path at a slight angle to the plane of the putter stroke. Even a very slight error in this regard will result in a putt that travels to one side or the other of the cup.
Numerous putting aids exist which are designed to allow a-golfer to improve their putting strokes. However, conventional training aids involve devices which are too large or cumbersome to be carried along during the actual golf match. Rather, many conventional putting aids are designed for the golfer to utilize in private at a practice location, but not while awaiting a turn on the actual field of play.
The present invention involves the use of a flat golf ball marker which incorporates a permanent magnet in its structure in combination with a golf putter as a practice aid to golfers for practicing putting. The construction of such a golf ball marker is described in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/426,786 filed Oct. 22, 1999. This application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. As described in that application, a golf ball marker into which a magnet has been incorporated may be carried externally on an article of golf clothing into which an iron or steel object has been embedded. Golf ball markers with magnets in them may thereby be worn and prominently displayed on golf hats, caps, sun visors, golf gloves, golf towels, golf bags and other golf accessories.
However, I have devised yet another use of a golf ball marker having a magnet in it. By utilizing such a golf ball marker on a golf putter having a golf club head formed of iron, steel, or any other material that is attracted:.by magnetism, a most effective golf putting training aid is created.
The unique combination of elements of the present invention may be utilized in several different ways to improve the proficiency of a golfer""s putting game. The use of a single golf ball marker into which a permanent magnet has been incorporated can be used to advantage in this connection. However, even greater advantages are gained by utilizing a pair of golf ball markers each having a magnet within its structure in combination with a golf putter.
The club head of the golf putter employed in the practice aid of the invention must be formed of a material attracted by magnetism, such as iron or steel. While some golf putter club heads are formed of brass or aluminum, the vast majority are now made of steel, which is attracted by magnetism. A golf ball marker having a magnet within its structure will be attracted to such a golf putter club head and will adhere to it due to the force of magnetic attraction. As a consequence, such a golf ball marker may be utilized in combination with such a golf putter to fine tune a golfer""s putting game.
To illustrate, it is well-known that for putting accuracy it is important for the ball-impact face of the golf putter club head to remain vertical throughout a golf putting stroke. In a correct putting stroke the putter club head should be brought straight back and then forward again close to the ground with a rhythmic movement. The ball-impact face should remain vertical during the putting back stroke and also during the putting stroke follow through in order to assure that it is vertical at the critical moment, which is the moment of impact against the ball.
It is also extremely important for the plane of the ball-impact face to be perpendicular to the intended path of travel of the golf ball at the moment of impact. To assure that the ball-impact face is at this orientation when it strikes the golf ball it should be perpendicular to that intended path of travel during the putting backswing and also during the follow through of the putting stroke. Furthermore, it is very important for the sole of the putter club head to remain very close to the putting green during the back stroke and the follow through. However, there is a tendency by many golfers to lift the golf club putter head during the back stroke and during the follow through. As a consequence, the putter club head moves in an arc, rather than in a linear path during the putting stroke. This greatly increases the likelihood of a misdirected putt.
To improve the consistency of a golfer""s putting stroke a golf ball marker having a magnet therein may be placed upon the flat ball-impact face of the golf putter club head at a location offset from the xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d at the center of the club face in the direction of either the heel or the toe of the club head. Therefore, during practice putts a golfer will immediately become aware of an impact against the ball marker if there is an error in execution of the putting stroke that brings the ball marker into contact with the golf ball. The tactile sensation transmitted to the golfers hands through the shank of the putter if the ball marker rather than the center of the ball impact putter face strikes the golf ball is unmistakable.
While use of a single magnetic golf ball marker in this manner is advantageous, the use of a pair of golf ball markers, each having a magnet therewithin, is of considerably greater benefit. That is, one of the magnetic ball markers can be placed on the ball-impact face of the putter between the heel of the club and the midpoint of the ball-impact face. The other magnetic ball marker can be placed on the ball-impact face of the putter between the toe of the club and the midpoint of the ball-impact face. If the golfer executes the putting stroke in such a manner as to strike the golf ball with the club head either too close to the heel or to close to the toe one or the other of the ball markers will strike the golf ball. The golfer is thereby provided with an unmistakable indication of a faulty putting stroke.
Similarly, one or a pair of golf ball markers containing a magnet therein can be utilized to improve a goffer""s putting game in another way. Specifically, a magnetic golf ball marker is placed on the putting practice surface a few inches behind the golf ball. During the proper execution of a putting backswing, the putter club head will remain close to the putting surface so that the magnetic ball marker will be pulled onto the sole of the club head as the putter head passes over the ball marker. The transfer of the golf ball marker onto the sole of the putter club head produces an audible sound, namely a xe2x80x9cclickxe2x80x9d. However, if the putter head is lifted slightly from the putting practice surface during the back stroke, as will occur if the putter is swung in an arc in a vertical plane, the distance of separation of the club head sole from the magnetic ball marker resting on the putting practice surface will be too great for the ball marker to be attracted onto the club head sole.
Likewise, another magnetic ball marker may be placed a few inches ahead of the golf ball. If the golfer lifts the putter head away from the putting practice surface during execution of the putting stroke, the distance between the magnetic ball marker resting on the putting practice surface in front of the position of the golf ball and the sole of the putter club head will be great enough so that the ball marker will not be lifted by the force of magnetism up to the club head sole. On the other hand, if the putter club head sole remains close to the putting practice surface during the putting stroke follow through, the magnetic attraction of the magnetic ball marker to the sole of the putter club head will cause the magnetic ball marker to be lifted from the putting practice surface and to magnetically attach itself to the club head sole. This transfer is accompanied by an audible sound.
In one broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a golf putting training aid comprising in combination: a golf putter having a club head formed of a material attracted by magnetism and having a flat front ball-impact face and a sole extending rearwardly from the front ball-impact face, and at least one flat golf ball marker including a permanent magnet permanently incorporated therein, wherein the golf ball marker is removably detachable relative to the golf putter club head. While a single golf ball marker having a magnet in it may be used to advantage, the invention preferably is comprised of a pair of such golf ball markers.
In another broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a method of golf putting training on a putting practice surface utilizing a golf ball, a golf putter having a shaft with opposing ends and a grip at one hand and a club head formed of a material attracted by magnetism at an opposite end. The putter club head has a heel, a toe, a sole, and a flat front ball-impact face. At least one flat golf ball marker that includes a permanent magnet permanently incorporated therein is also utilized.
The steps of the invention comprise: placing the golf ball upon the golf putting surface; placing the golf ball marker on the ball-impact face offset from a point midway between the heel and the toe, whereupon the golf ball marker is held in position by magnetic force; holding the putter by the grip to address the golf ball with the club head ball-impact face oriented in a plane perpendicular to the putting practice surface while holding the sole of the club head proximate to the putting practice surface; drawing the putter club head away from the golf ball while holding the ball-impact face of the club head perpendicular to the putting practice surface and the sole of the club head proximate thereto; and bringing the putter club head toward the golf ball to strike the golf ball with the ball-impact face perpendicular to the putting practice surface while avoiding contact between the golf ball marker and the golf ball.
In still another broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a method of golf putting training on a putting practice surface utilizing a golf putter having a shaft with a grip at one end and a club head formed of a material attracted by magnetism at an opposite end. The club head has a flat, front ball-impact face and a sole extending rearwardly from the front ball-impact face. The method further utilizes at least one flat golf ball marker that includes a permanent magnet permanently incorporated therein.
The steps of this aspect of the invention comprise: establishing a spherical golf ball position atop the golf putting practice surface; placing the golf ball marker on the golf putting practice surface within six inches of the golf ball position, whereby an imaginary straight horizontal ball travel alignment line passing directly beneath the centers of both the golf ball position and the golf ball marker defines a desired direction of golf ball travel when the golf ball is putted and an imaginary flat vertical impact-face plane is tangent to the golf ball position and intersects and is perpendicular to the straight horizontal ball travel alignment line between the centers of the golf ball and the ball marker; holding of the putter by the grip to address the golf ball with the ball-impact face of the club head parallel to the impact-face plane and between the golf ball and the ball marker and with the club head sole located proximate to the putting practice surface; drawing the putter club head away from the golf ball and toward the ball marker in a backswing stroke while holding the putter ball-impact face parallel to the impact-face plane and the sole proximate the putting practice surface, whereby the ball marker is drawn by magnetism up into contact with the putter club head sole while making an audible noise as it does so; and bringing the putter club head toward the golf ball position in a putting stroke while maintaining the ball-impact face perpendicular to the desired direction of golf ball travel and with the club head sole remaining proximate the putting practice surface. In this aspect the method of the invention may be performed with or without a golf ball.
Preferably the method of practice is performed utilizing a pair of golf ball markers, each of which includes a permanent magnet within its structure. In the aspect of putting practice in which a magnetic ball marker is placed upon the ball-impact face of the putter club head to ensure that the center of the ball-impact face strikes the golf ball, one magnetic ball marker is placed between the club head heel and the point of the ball-impact face midway between the heel and the toe. The other magnetic ball marker is placed between the club head toe and the point of ball-impact face midway between the heel and the toe.
In the aspect of putting practice in which a magnetic ball marker is placed upon the putting practice surface to ensure that the sole of the putter club head remains close to the putting practice surface during the putting stroke, one magnetic ball marker is to placed a few inches to the rear of the golf ball position, while the other magnetic ball marker is placed a few inches in front of the golf ball position. If the putting back stroke is correct, the magnetic ball marker to the rear of the golf ball position will be lifted from the golf putting practice surface by the force of magnetism and attach itself to the sole of the club head as the club head passes over it during the backswing. If the putting stroke follow through is correct, the magnetic ball marker in front of the golf ball position will be lifted from the golf putting surface by the force of magnetism and attach itself to the sole of the club head as the club head passes over it during the follow through of the putting stroke.
The invention may be described with greater clarity :and particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings.