TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a golf putter and in particular to a putter head and a putter shaft for a golf putter and relative arrangements of parts thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

The act of putting a golf ball over the green to the hole in golf requires great care and precision. There are a number of factors for consideration in golf putting and the design of golf putters to assist those factors.

One of these factors is the weight of contact of the putter head with the golf ball to obtain correct â€œtouchâ€ and thereby better distance control of putting. Another is the correct swing to maintain a consistency in the putting.

A major factor that many golf putter designers have focussed on is the roll of the golf ball. The aim is to minimise bobble and to effect a smooth roll over the entire putt. Their major approach to assisting this factor is to consider the loft angle of the striking surface of the putter and the characteristics of the resilience or energy transfer of the striking surface. Therefore most golf putters have a loft angle of 2 to 6 degrees in order to raise the ball to initiate movement and overcome inertia due to frictional contact with the putting surface while also imparting an element of rotation or spin to the ball so it rolls smoothly.

However a further one of the factors to consider in putting is to ensure that the putter head has an appropriate lie angle at the time it strikes the golf ball. If the lie angle is not appropriate when the putter strikes the ball, the ball will typically deviate from its intended direction. The lie angle is considered to be â€˜perfectâ€™ for a user when the sole of the golf putter head arrives at impact perfectly parallel to the ground. However, as the user is required to correctly set up the lie angle each time they address the ball, and then maintain the alignment of the lie angle during the stroke, a common result is an undesired deviation from the â€˜perfectâ€™ lie angle. This particular factor works in opposition to the roll factor. Therefore the more loft you have on a putter the more that any error in lie will affect the accuracy of aim of the putting stroke.

In order to approach this factor, designers have therefore increased the size of the putter so that there is a greater footprint of the sole of the putter. Often putters therefore have a large planar base with a lofted front striking surface. The aim is to force the user to correctly align to a predefined correct lie by user aligning the large planar base parallel to the ground and thereby forcing the user from their natural lie to the predetermined lie of the putter. This correct lie might not be the actual correct natural lie of a user due to difference of user's height or putting set-up or other reasons.

Clearly all professional golfers will have their clubs exactly made for their exact characteristics including user's height or putting set-up or other reasons.

However the amateur golfer up to the serious amateur golfer and semi-professional with handicaps greater than the professional handicaps will not be as consistent in set-up or have access to perfect fitting of the putter to their set-up. The result in practice is that a substantial number of golfers will not have a putter with a correct lie that matches their natural lie. Therefore their putting stroke will be affected. In effect they will have a putter that in their natural position will inevitably cause art incorrect putting stroke.

It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved golf putter and in particular to a putter head, and a putter shaft for a golf putter and relative arrangements of parts thereof which substantially overcomes or at least ameliorates the problems of the prior art or at least provides a viable alternative.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In accordance with the invention there is provided a golf putter comprising a putter head having a ground engaging surface and a striking surface that has substantially no loft angle relative the ground engaging surface of the base; and a shaft connection behind the striking surface for connection of a shaft with a handle at one end and at the other end connectable to the shaft connection of the putter head.

Preferably the substantially arcuate ground engaging base is continuous. However alternatively the substantially arcuate ground engaging base is discontinuous but only able to engage the ground along a continuous arc forming the lowest portions of the substantially arcuate ground engaging base.

The putter head can have a substantially planar striking surface. Preferably the putter head has a front body having a continuous linear ground engaging base portion extending at a right angle from the front striking surface to assist accurate aiming of the front surface.

Preferably the putter head has a front body having a continuous linear ground engaging base portion extending from the front striking surface and forming a cross section with the front striking surface at a right angle to the base to provide the substantially no loft angle.

The putter head can have a substantially arcuate ground engaging base extending as a curved planar base surface consistently at right angles to the front striking surface from a toe end away from the user towards a heel end closer to the user wherein at any natural alignment of the putter in a toe heel direction the substantially arcuate ground engaging base provides a linear ground engaging surface of the base at right angles to the striking surface to provide the substantially no loft.

Preferably the putter head has a front body, which comprises the striking surface, and a rear body extending rearwardly from the front body which comprises the connection to the shaft. The rear body end can have a substantially tapering shape.

Preferably the substantially tapering shape of the rear body end forms a rear offset ground engaging surface at an angle to the ground engaging surface of the front body.

In one form the front body extends for about one third of a length of the putter head and the raked rear body extends for about two thirds of the length of the putter head.

Preferably the putter head connection comprises a hosel to which the shaft is connectable. The hosel can be positioned at the rear body of the putter head.

A golf putter according to any one according to the invention can a golf putter head and golf shaft. However clearly these are generally made separately and fitted at time of manufacture or time of sale to allow choices of matching of golf putter head and golf shaft.

However preferably in assembled form the handle of the shaft is positioned in line with the striking surface.

It can therefore be seen that the invention provides an improved golf putter comprising a putter head. The putter head comprises a substantially arcuate base and a striking surface that has no loft angle.

As the striking surface of conventional golf putters have a loft angle of between 6 and 7 degrees, any deviation from the perfect lie angle when striking the ball will cause an undesired deviation of the ball from the cup. If the lie angle is incorrect because the toe of the putter head is tilted up in relation to the heel, the ball will go to the left of the cup. Conversely, if the club head arrives at impact tilted with the heel up compared to the toe, the ball will go to the right of the cup.

Conventional wisdom teaches that a loft angle is necessary for a golf putter in order to lift and roll the ball from its resting position and drive it towards the cup. However, the inventor has surprisingly discovered that it is not essential for a golf putter to have a loft angle, and that certain advantages can be obtained during use of the golf putter of the invention. In particular, regardless of the lie angle of the putter head of the invention, the striking surface has an orientation which remains substantially the same. As such, irrespective of the lie angle of the putter head (which is dependent on factors including a user's height, technique and relative positioning with respect to the golf ball), a golf ball cleanly struck by the striking surface should go in the intended direction. Further, as the base is arcuate, the striking surface presented to the ball is similar, regardless of the lie angle of the putter head.

The inventor has further surprisingly discovered that the lift of the ball by conventional golf putters can cause problems during putting. In particular, the lift applied by a conventional putter can cause the ball to bounce before rolling, resulting in uncertainty and inconsistency as to the direction and distance the ball will travel. It is therefore a further advantage of the golf putter of the invention that the golf putter can cause the golf ball to roll immediately on impact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a putter head in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 are perspective views of a prior art putter shown for explanatory reasons; FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic rear view of three different alignments of an iron club as illustrative of the problems of the prior art;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a putter head in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention

FIG. 7 is a side view of the putter head of FIG. 2 connected to a shaft having a handle.

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view of the putter head of FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross sectional views of the putter head of FIG. 6 or 8

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 the invention provides an embodiment of a golf putter comprising a putter head. The putter head has a substantially arcuate base, which is typically circular in order to present a consistently shaped striking surface to the ball regardless of the lie angle of the putter, but which may be other arcuate shapes such as oval or ellipsoid.

The putter head of the invention also has a striking surface that has no (i.e. 0Â°) loft angle. The zero degrees loft angle defines a striking surface that has the same profile, regardless of the lie angle of the golf club. As such, the ball sits square to the striking surface. In addition, as the ball is struck, the ball rolls immediately upon impact. This is an advantage to the conventional golf putters described above where the ball, upon impact, is lifted first and then rolled towards the cup.

To more fully understand the invention of FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 6 to 10 it is of assistance to refer to the prior art of FIGS. 2 to 5.

As shown in FIG. 2 a conventional golf putter 11 a has a putter head 12a connected to a putter shaft 42a at an angle so as to form a right handed or left handed putter. In the illustration of FIG. 2 a right handed putter is shown which thereby defines a toe portion 13a of the putter head that is away from the player when properly set up and a heel portion 14a closer to the player. The bottom surface 25a is substantially planar in a plate like formation.

Referring to FIG. 3 one element of the alignment of a putter is similar to the alignment of other clubs such as an iron. However some elements of the shape of an iron is similar to a putter. For example if a player is further distanced from the ball than optimal or otherwise has â€œlow handsâ€ the club head will be leaning hack on its heel towards the player. Correct alignment is when the club is held at an angle that presents the club head directly to the ball. Similarly if the player is too close to the ball in set-up or otherwise has â€œhigh handsâ€ the club head will be leaning on its toe. Any time the club head is not correctly aligned a swing at the ball will emphasize the out of alignment of the club face to the ball when it strikes the ball and cause directional problems, loss of clean impact and possible jarring, and loss of controlled height and spin.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 there is shown the similar problems with conventional putters.

Firstly if at any time the putter head 12A is not correctly aligned, by a player taking a putting swing at the ball, the out of alignment of the club face to the ball will be emphasized when it strikes the ball and cause directional problems, loss of clean impact and possible jarring, and loss of controlled roll and spin. For example if as in FIG. 4 the player is too close to the ball in set-up or otherwise has â€œhigh handsâ€ the club head will be leaning on its toe 13A with the heel 14A off the ground. This will result in a TÂ° toe angle and change the position of contact of the ball on the putter face 24A compared to correct alignment when the club is held at an angle that presents the club head directly to the ball such as in FIG. 2. Similarly if a player is further distanced from the ball than optimal or otherwise has â€œlow handsâ€ as shown in FIG. 5 the club head will be leaning back on its heel 14A towards the player. This will result in an HÂ° heel angle and change the position of contact of the ball on the putter face 24A compared to correct alignment when the club is held at an angle that presents the club head directly to the ball such as in FIG. 2.

This misalignment will be further emphasized due to the loft angle LÂ° of the front face 24A to the planar flat bottom surface 25A as shown in the detail in FIG. 4. The loft angle LÂ° together with the heel angle or TÂ° toe angle will cause a skew effect and not only affect the direction but the spin or roll.

Conventional golf putters are often also provided with grooves on the striking surface to grip the golf ball and enhance the lift effect applied to the ball. However such grooves can also cause the golf ball to lift and also to spin and bounce. Further, the grooves will not always align correctly with the dimples of the golf ball, which can cause the golf ball to wobble or bobble rather than roll in a linear direction. This â€˜wobble or bobbleâ€™ can cause directional error. The golf putter of the present invention does not require such grooves.

Referring to the invention of FIGS. 1 the putter head may have any shape that provides a substantially arcuate base. in one form, the putter head may have a substantially cylindrical shape. In this form, the striking surface has a substantially circular cross section (and striking surface).

In alternate embodiments, the base of the putter head may be arcuate (e.g. Circular in cross section), but the top of the putter head may be flat, thus defining a semicircular shape (for example) in cross section.

The inventor has found that it is easier for a user to align the axis of an elongate putter head towards the cup, both when setting up the shot, when swinging the putter, when striking the ball and during the follow on. Hence, advantageously, putter heads having an elongate (e.g. substantially cylindrical) shape can help align the putter for striking the golf club ball in the desired direction.

It is important that the putter head does not hit the ground as the putter head strikes the ball or during the follow through. Thus, in embodiments where the putter head is elongate, it may be necessary for the putter head to have a raked heel end. The raked heel end may have any shape, as long as it provides an appropriate degree of ground clearance. In some embodiments, only an underside of the putter head is raked. In other embodiments, the entire heel end of the putter end is raked (e.g. by tapering towards the longitudinal axis of the putter bead). The raked heel end can, for example, have a conical shape. Such a raked heel end bas a tapering effect that provides clearance so that the heel end of the putter head does not make contact with the ground during the swing or follow through. It is envisaged that the putter head can have any other shape that provides this clearance.

In one form, the putter head may have a cylindrical toe end, which includes the striking surface, and a raked heel end. In one form, the cylindrical toe end extends for about one third of the length of the putter head and the raked heel end extends for about two thirds of the length of the putter head. The length of the putter head together with the weight of the putter head can assist in creating momentum as a user swings the putter head, making the swing less susceptible to external factors such as wind etc.

The putter head may have a weight that has to stabilise the putter head as a stroke is played, particularly during times of high wind. The inventor recognises that a putter head. that is too light will be affected by wind, for example. However, the inventor also recognises that a putter head that is too heavy will impact on a user's ability to easily and consistently swing the putter head during a stroke.

Preferably, the putter head weighs between about 350 to 400 grams. The weight of the putter head can be due to the material from which the putter head is made or the length of the putter head. The putter head may be made of any suitable material. For example, the putter head can be made of a metallic material or a dense plastic so that the putter head can withstand the impact of striking a ball. Preferably, the putter head is formed of aluminium, graphite or stainless-steel or a combination.

The golf putter can include features that allow a user to alter the weight of the putter head. This is advantageous where environmental factors (for example, wind or rain) impact on the weight of the putter head required for a golf shot.

For example, in one form, a toe end of the golf putter head may be separable from a heel end. Thus, toe ends having different weights can be selected so that a user can attach a toe end with the desired weight to the heel end. The user thus has the flexibility of creating a putter head with a weight appropriate for the intended use.

In another form, the putter head can include an aperture in the arcuate base for receiving weight inserts.

In one form, the putter head comprises a hosel to which a shaft is connectable. The hosel may, for example, be positioned at a heel end of the putter head, which can assist with balancing the putter head during use. In an alternate form, the shaft comprises a hosel to which the putter head is connectable. The hosel can be received in an aperture of the putter head.

In one form, the golf putter comprises a shaft. A handle of the shaft may be positioned in line with the striking surface. In such forms, user's hands are positioned directly above the ball upon impact. As will be appreciated, this alignment can generally help lining up a putt, as well as ensuring that the user is standing directly over the ball on a vertical plane at the time of impact, which is a more natural position for the user and makes it more likely that the ball will be struck cleanly and putt for a birdie. This position also allows the weight of the putter head to provide a pendulum type swing.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A putter head 10 is shown in FIG. 1 having a toe end 13 and a heel end 14. The putter head 10 is cylindrically shaped and has a substantially arcuate base 23. The arcuate base 23 allows a user to alter the lie angle of the putter head 11 as required by the circumstances of the golf shot to he played or the needs of the individual user. The putter head 11 also has a striking surface 24 that has no loft angle. Thus, regardless of the lie angle of the putter head 11, the striking surface 24 will have an orientation with respect to a golf ball (not shown) which remains substantially the same. Thus, regardless of the lie angle of the putter head 11, if struck cleanly, the golf ball will move in the desired direction.

The putter head 10 in FIG. 1 has an arcuate base 23 and a substantially cylindrical shape. In alternate embodiments, such as FIG. 6, a putter head in accordance with the invention, can have an arcuate base without being substantially cylindrical in shape. For example, the putter head can have an arcuate base forming two thirds of the bottom portion of the putter head, with the remaining uppermost one third of the putter head, being quadrilateral or triangular in cross-section, for example.

In an embodiment the putter head 12 can have a cylindrical front body 15, which comprises a substantially circular striking surface 24, and a conically shaped heel end 16. The heel end 16 is raked in order to provide clearance for the heel end of the putter head when striking a golf ball. The heel end of an elongate, completely cylindrically shaped putter head (not shown) might strike the ground at around the same time the striking surface strikes the golf ball, which would disrupt the putt.

The putter head 12 can also have incremental grooves to assist a user in aligning the putter head as desired.

The putter head 12 can be around 180 mm in-length. In this embodiment, the cylindrical toe end 15 can be between 35 to 50 mm in length or, more preferably, around 40 mm. The conical heel end 16 can be between about 130 to 145 mm in length or, more preferably, about 140 mm in length. It can therefore be seen that, in this embodiment, the putter head 12 has a cylindrical toe end 16 extending for about one third of the length of the putter head 12 and the heel end 16 extends for about two thirds of the length of the putter head.

The putter head 20 can also have an aperture for receiving a hosel. The aperture can be positioned at a distal end of the heel end 16 of the putter head 12. The hosel, to which a shaft 42 is attachable, is connected to the putter head 12 via a grub screw. The grub screw can be screwed into the hosel via aperture 38 to thus connect the shaft 42 to the putter head 12.

The shaft 42 can have a handle 44. The handle 44 can be conical in shape to allow a plurality of grip positions by a user. As shown by line A in FIG. 7, the handle 44 of the shaft 42 can be positioned in line with the striking surface 24. This allows a user to address the ball and play the stroke from above the ball, rather than to one side where they enter the ball from behind.

In use, a user would grasp the handle 44 of the shaft in the usual manner, position the striking surface 24 with respect to the golf ball, align the longitudinal axis of the putter head 10 in the intended direction and ensure that the grooves 23 appear vertical. The golf putter head 10 can then be swung in a pendulum type arc, with the user being in the same vertical plane as the golf ball upon impact.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention of FIGS. 6 to 10 there is shown a golf putter which would generally comprise a golf putter head 12 and golf shaft 42. The golf putter head 12 is substantially a front body 15 and a rear body 16. The front body is substantially a flattened cylindrical shape having a front substantially planar ball striking surface 24 and parallel rear surface that extends into the rear body 16. The parallel rear surface can merge integrally into However between the front substantially planar ball striking surface 24 and at least virtual parallel rear surface of the flattened cylindrical shape of the front body 15 is a lower continuous strip following a curve. This forms a lower arcuate base 23.

In effect therefore the putter head has a linear ground engaging surface 25 at one particular position on the arcuate base 25 dependent on the toe/heel arrangement and a striking surface 24 at right angles thereto so that in use there is substantially no loft angle relative the ground engaging surface of the base. The shaft connection is behind the striking surface 24 for connection of a shaft 42 with a handle at one end and at the other end connectable to the shaft connection of the putter head in the rear body 16.

The resulting substantially arcuate ground engaging base 23 is continuous and thereby allows a natural toe/heel arrangement. Due to the arcuate ground engaging base 23 at any natural toe/heel arrangement between the toe 13 and the heel 14 there will be a resulting ground aligning surface 25 that extends from the front striking surface 24 and is at right angles thereto. the putter head has a substantially arcuate ground engaging base extending as a curved planar base surface consistently at right angles to the front striking surface from a toe end away from the user towards a heel end closer to the user wherein at any natural alignment of the putter in a toe heel direction the substantially arcuate ground engaging base provides a linear ground engaging surface of the base at right angles to the striking surface to provide the substantially no loft.

The substantially arcuate ground engaging base can be discontinuous but only able to engage the ground along a continuous arc forming the lowest portions of the substantially arcuate ground engaging base.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and 10 the putter head 1 has a front body 15 having a continuous linear ground engaging base portion extending from the front striking surface and forming a cross section with the front striking surface at a right angle to the base to provide the substantially no loft angle. The rear body end 16 has a substantially tapering shape which underside forms a rear offset ground engaging surface 27 at an angle to the ground engaging surface 25 of the front body 15.

The cross sections A, B, C of the front body 15 as shown in FIG. 8 are three possible natural toe/heel arrangements of the putter head when the handle 44 of the shaft 42 is positioned in line with the striking surface 24 as shown in FIG. 7. Cross section A would have been the aligned correct position while cross section B is when the player has â€œhigh handsâ€ and the putter head is more in a toe position and similarly cross section C is when the player has â€œlow handsâ€ and the putter head is more in an heel position. At each of these ground engaging positions A, B or C the putter head has a front body having a continuous linear ground engaging base portion extending at a right angle from the front striking surface 24 to assist accurate aiming of the front surface.

Also at each of these ground engaging positions A, B or C the putter head has a front body having a continuous linear ground engaging base portion extending from the front striking surface and forming a cross section with the front striking surface at a right angle to the base to provide the substantially no loft angle. This is then shown in FIGS. 9 at each of these cross section the result is substantially the same due to the formation of the putter head.

Therefore the natural toe/heel arrangement of the player does not affect the directional accuracy of the putt.

As shown in FIG. 10 the rear offset ground engaging surface 27 being at an angle to the ground engaging surface 25 of the front body 15 means the player can readily see that the putter head is out of position in the position shown in FIG. 10 and is directed to align with the ground engaging surface 25 being substantially parallel to the ground as shown in FIG. 9 for correct positioning.

In summary, embodiments of the golf putter of the present invention provide numerous advantages over conventional golf putters, including:

- allowing users with different postures and stances to set up square to the ball and maintain that position as the shot is played;
- preventing lie angle error during the play of a shot;
- allowing use by left and right handed users;
- allowing a user to putt from behind the ball to increase directional accuracy;
- assisting the user to position their hands correctly on the handle; and
- assisting a user to align the putter for striking the golf club ball in the desired direction.

In use the player can undertake an accurate putting stroke by:

raising the putter from the resting rear offset ground engaging surface 27 to the aligned ground engaging surface 25 so as to align the striking surface 24 behind the golf ball at the required aimed direction to the hole on the putting green;

positioning the player at a natural position from the ball wherein the resultant position of the natural toe/heel alignment of the putter automatically selects the aligned ground engaging surface 25 from the arcuate base 23;

and wherein the selected aligned ground engaging surface 25 ensures that the front strike face 24 is presented with 0Â° loft angle.

It can therefore be seen that the problems caused by the prior art conventional putter has been substantially eliminated.

INTERPRETATIONEmbodiments

Reference throughout this specification to â€œone embodimentâ€ or â€œan embodimentâ€ means that a particular feature. structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases â€œin one embodimentâ€ or â€œin an embodimentâ€ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Different Instances of Objects

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives â€œfirstâ€ , â€œsecondâ€ , â€œthirdâ€ , etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Specific Details

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Terminology

In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as â€œforwardâ€ , â€œrearwardâ€ , â€œradiallyâ€ , â€œperipherallyâ€ , â€œupwardlyâ€ , â€œdownwardlyâ€ , and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Comprising and Including

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word â€œcompriseâ€ or variations such as â€œcomprisesâ€ or â€œcomprisingâ€ are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

Scope of Invention

Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

It is apparent from the above, that the arrangements described are applicable to the golf club industry.