Golf putter grip

Abstract

 A golf putter with a grip (15) having a flat front surface (26) for the golfer's thumbs and the remaining surfaces having irregularities for assisting the golfer's fingers to grip the putter.

Description

Background Of The Invention

[0001] Putter grips have included varying surface characteristics including angled ribs.

Summary Of the Invention

[0002] Broadly, the invention comprises a hollow grip surrounding a golf putter shaft, which grip has a front surface for placement of the thumbs and back and side surfaces for placement of the fingers. Spaced apart ribs are formed in the back and side surfaces but not in the front surface.

[0003] Further, the invention is directed to a putter grip having a substantially flat front surface, a curved back surface having a first radius and spaced apart ribs and curved side surfaces having a second radius substantially greater than the first radius. The side surfaces of the grip preferably include a third radius between the second radius and the front surface, wherein the third radius decreases from the grip butt to the grip tip. More particularly, the third radius decreases from being approximately the same as the second radius near the grip butt to being approximately the same as the first radius near the grip tip.

[0004] Still further, the invention is directed to a putter grip having a substantially flat front surface, a curved back surface having a first radius and spaced apart ribs and curved side surfaces having a second radius, wherein the width of the front surface progressively decreases from the grip butt to the grip tip, i.e., the width of the front surface is greater at the grip butt than at the grip tip.

[0005] Yet still further, the present invention is directed to a putter grip having a substantially flat front surface, a curved back surface having a first radius and curved side surfaces having a second radius, wherein the front thickness of the grip between the front surface and the shaft remains substantially constant over the top half of the grip, i.e., the grip butt end to the grip mid point, and the back thickness of the grip between the back surface and the shaft progressively decreases from the grip butt end to the grip mid point.

Brief Description Of the Drawings

[0006] 

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a golf putter and ball with the grip of the present invention;

Fig. 1a is an enlarged portion of the front grip surface showing the surface mottling;

Fig. 1b is a sectional view along line 1b-1b of Fig. 1a;

Fig. 2 is a right side view of the grip;

Fig. 3 is a left side view of the grip;

Fig. 4 is a back view of the grip;

Fig. 5 is a right side of an alternative embodiment without ribs on the sides;

Fig. 6 is the left side of the alternative embodiment of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a left side view of a third embodiment of grip of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the grip along line 8-8 of Fig. 7, which is at approximately the grip butt end;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the grip along line 9-9 of Fig. 7, which is approximately at the grip mid point; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the grip along line 10-10 of Fig. 7, which is approximately at the grip tip end.

Description Of The Preferred Embodiment

[0007] In the figures, putter 10 which includes shaft 11, neck 12, and head 13, is positioned to be held by a golfer to putt ball 16. Grip 15 which is formed by molding of a moldable material, preferably rubber, has a hollow body 17 which surrounds the upper portion of shaft 11. Grip 15 has an upper end piece 18, lower end piece 19 and mottling 21 comprising many discrete spaced-apart small areas 22 raised slightly (about .001"-.008" of an inch) above grip surface 23. Molding 21 provides for a substantially smooth surface while also contributing to putter control.

[0008] Grip 15 has a substantially flat front surface 26, a right side surface 27, a left side surface 28 and a back surface 29. Grip 15 also has spaced apart angled indented rib irregularities 31. Other irregularity such as projecting cord or other material or indented slit chevrons to assist in gripping putter 10 may be used. Ribs 31 extend across the back surface 29 and about three-quarters of the distance across each of the side surfaces 27 and 28.

[0009] In use, the golfer grips grip 15 with his or her thumbs placed on and against the front surface 26 which is mottled (or alternatively may be fully smooth). The texture and flatness (or absence of ribs) of the front surface 26 is such that the golfer can feel the club better with his or her thumbs. While the thumbs are gripping front surface 26, the golfer's fingers are gripping back surface 29 and side surfaces 27 and 28 with the indented ribs 31 assisting and improving the golfer's fingers gripping and controlling of club 10.

[0010] With mottling 21 removed from a portion of the putter that portion is fully smooth. Because mottling 21 has only slight thickness, a putter portion with mottling 21 is substantially smooth.

[0011] Turning to Figs. 5 and 6, an alternative embodiment is shown in which ribs 31 are only in the grip back surface 29 of grip 15.

[0012] Figs. 7-10 show putter grip 32 made from rubber or other suitable material. The grip 32 has a substantially flat front surface 33, curved side surfaces 34 and 35, a curved back surface 36, a butt end 37 and a tip end 38. The back surface 36 has a first radius R1. The side surfaces 34 and 35 have first portions 39 being adjacent to the back surface 36 and having a second radius R2 that is substantially greater than the first radius R1. The first portions 39 and the back surface 36 also include a plurality of spaced-apart, rib irregularities 31. As stated above, the rib irregularities 31 are preferably angled indentations that extend through the back surface 36 and through approximately 3/4 of the side surfaces 34 and 35, but could also be comprised of projecting cord or other material or indented slit chevrons to assist in gripping the putter. The side surfaces 34 and 35 of the grip 32 preferably include second portions 40 being substantially adjacent to the front surface 33 and having a third radius R3. The third radius R3 extends from the second radius R2 toward the front surface 33. The second and third radii R2 and R3 have a common tangential point at their intersection to provide a smooth transition. Preferably, the third radius R3 gradually increases from the grip tip 38 to the grip butt 37. More particularly, the third radius R3 increases from being approximately the same as the first radius R1 near the grip tip 38 to being approximately the same as the second radius R2 near the grip butt 38.

[0013] The following is a table of approximate measurements of a grip according to the present invention:

Distance From Butt End (in)	R1 (in)	R2 (in)	R3 (in)
0	9/32	7/8	7/8
3.25	1/4	3/4	5/8
7.0	7/32	9/16	1/2

[0014] While the above table indicates approximate measurements of the preferred embodiment, it should be noted that the these measurements are representative and not exclusive. For example, the first radius R1 should be less than 1/2 inch and, more preferably, should be approximately 1/4 inch. The second radius R2 should be greater than 3/4 inch and, more preferably, should be approximately 7/8 inch near the butt end 37. In other words, the first radius R1 should be less than or equal to about 33 percent of the second radius R2 at the butt end in order to make a sharp contrast that the golfer can feel. The third radius R3 should progressively decrease from the grip butt 37 to the grip tip 38. This assists in making the grip progressively smaller in cross-section from the grip butt 37 to the grip tip 38.

[0015] As shown in Figs. 8-10, the multiple radii progression extends from the grip butt 37 downwardly to and past the mid section shown in Fig. 9 to include substantially the entire area gripped by the golfer. This and a reduction of the front surface width W create a continual reduction in cross-sectional area of the grip from the grip butt 37 to the grip tip 38. This progressive reduction in cross-sectional area of the grip continues to near the grip tip 38 where the outer circumference is more round as shown in Fig. 10.

[0016] As stated above, the putter grip 32 has a substantially flat front surface 33 for placement of the golfer's thumbs. Preferably, the width W of the front surface progressively decreases from the grip butt 37 to the grip tip 38, i.e., the width W of the front surface 33 is greater at the grip butt 37 than at the grip tip 38 and the width W at any point along the grip 32 will be larger than or equal to the width W at any second point that is closer to the grip tip 38.

[0017] The reduction in cross-sectional area is also illustrated by the front thickness Tf, i.e., the thickness of the grip from the shaft receiving bore 41 to the front surface, and the back thickness Tb, i.e., the thickness of the grip from the shaft receiving bore 41 to the back surface. The front and back thicknesses Tf and Tb progressively decrease from the grip butt 37 to the grip tip 38. Preferably, the back thickness Tb is substantially greater than the front thickness at the grip butt end 37. Furthermore, the back thickness Tb substantially decreases from the grip butt end 37 to the grip mid point shown in Fig. 9. On the other hand, the front thickness Tf remains substantially constant from the grip butt end 37 to the grip mid point. Thus, at the grip mid point, the front thickness Tf is preferably greater than the back thickness Tb.

[0018] The following is a table of approximate measurements of a grip according to the present invention:

Distance From Butt End (in)	Tf (in)	Tb (in)	W (in)
0	3/16	7/16	5/8
3.25	3/16	3/16	1/2
5.0	3/16	2/16	1/2
7.0	5/32	3/32	7/16

[0019] Again, the dimensions in the table above are only representative of the preferred measurements.

[0020] While it is apparent that the illustrative embodiments of the invention herein disclosed includes many advantages over the prior art, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments which come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A golf putter grip for attachment to a golf putter shaft comprising
   a hollow body having a flat front surface, two side surfaces, and a back surface which body surrounds the putter shaft; and
   irregularities in the back surface of the body.

2. The golf putter grip of claim 1 in which irregularities are also in the side surfaces.

3. The golf putter grip of claim 1 in which the front surface is fully smooth.

4. The golf putter grip of claim 1 in which the front face is substantially smooth.

5. The golf putter grip of claim 1 in which the irregularities are indented ribs.

6. The golf putter grip of claim 1 having mottling on one or more of the front, back or sides of the putter.

7. A golf putter grip for attachment to a golf putter shaft comprising:
   a substantially flat front surface extending from a butt end to approximately a tip end;
   a curved back surface having a first radius and spaced apart ribs; and
   curved side surfaces having a second radius substantially larger than the first radius at the butt end.

8. The golf putter grip of claim 7 wherein the side surfaces further include a third radius between the first radius and the front surface.

9. The golf putter grip of claim 8 wherein the third radius progressively increases from the approximately the tip end to approximately the butt end.

10. The golf putter grip of claim 9 wherein the third radius increases from being approximately the same as the first radius nea the tip end to being approximately the same as the second radius near the butt end.

11. The golf putter grip of claim 7 wherein the first radius is less than 1/2 an inch and the second radius is greater than 3/4 an inch near the butt end.

12. The golf putter grip of claim 11 wherein the first radius is approximately 1/4 of an inch and the second radius is approximately 7/8 of an inch near the butt end.

13. The golf putter grip of claim 10 wherein the third radius increases from being approximately 1/4 of an inch near the tip end to being approximately 7/8 of an inch near the butt end.

14. The golf putter grip of claim 7 having mottling on one or more of the front, back or sides of the putter.

15. A golf putter grip for attachment to a golf putter shaft comprising:
   a butt end;
   a tip end at the opposite end of the grip from the butt end;
   a substantially flat front surface extending from the butt end toward the tip end;
   a curved back surface having a first radius and spaced-apart ribs; and
   curved side surfaces having a second radius;
   wherein the width of the front surface progressively decreases from the butt end toward the tip end.

16. The golf putter grip of claim 15 wherein the first radius is substantially less than the second radius near the butt end.

17. The golf putter grip of claim 16 wherein the side surfaces further include a third radius between the first radius and the front surface.

18. The golf putter grip of claim 17 wherein the third radius progressively decreases from the butt end toward the tip end.

19. The golf putter grip of claim 18 wherein the third radius decreases from being approximately the same as the second radius near the butt end to being approximately the same as the first radius near the tip end.

20. The golf putter grip of claim 15 having mottling on one or more of the front, back or sides of the putter.

21. A golf putter grip for attachment to a golf putter shaft comprising:
   a body having a flat front surface, two side surfaces, and a back surface, and surrounding a putter shaft receiving bore, wherein the grip back surface has a plurality of irregularities;
   a butt end, a tip end and a mid point therebetween; and
   a back thickness between the shaft receiving bore and the back surface which substantially decreases between the grip butt end and the grip mid point.

22. The golf putter grip of claim 21, further including a front thickness between the shaft receiving bore and the front surface which remains substantially constant between the grip butt end and the grip mid point.

23. The golf putter grip of claim 21 wherein the back thickness near the mid point is less than 1/2 the back thickness near the butt end.

24. A golf putter grip for attachment to a golf putter shaft comprising:
   a body having a flat front surface, two side surfaces, and a back surface, and surrounding a putter shaft receiving bore, wherein the grip back surface has a plurality of irregularities;
   a butt end, a tip end and a mid point therebetween; and
   a front thickness between the shaft receiving bore and the front surface and a back thickness between the shaft receiving bore and the back surface which is substantially greater than the front thickness at the butt end.

25. The golf putter grip of claim 24, wherein the front thickness is greater than the back thickness at the grip mid point.

Drawing