Golf swing aid

Abstract

The golf swing aid is worn by a golfer and senses improper movement of the hip joint of the golfer during a golf swing. The aid produces a user perceptible signal when the movement has exceeded a set threshold. The aid is suitable as a practice aid or as a teaching aid for an instruction lesson.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive prpoperty or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A golf swing aid to be worn by a user comprising 
 a first attachment arrangement for securing of the aid about the waist of a user such that aid hangs downwardly over the hip of the user,    a second attachment arrangement for securement to the leg of the user.    a lever arrangement secured between said attachments and including an electronic sensor positionable adjacent a user's hip joint for sensing undesirable movement of said hip joint, said sensor producing a user perceptible signal when the undesired movement of said hip joint exceeds a preset threshold.    
     
     
         2 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said preset threshold is adjustable.  
     
     
         3 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said user perceptible signal is selected from the group of vibratory signal visual signal and audible signal.  
     
     
         4 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said user perceptible signal is selectable by the user.  
     
     
         5 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said user perceptible signal is an audible or visual signal.  
     
     
         6 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 1  including a foam body secured to one side of said lever arrangement, said foam body having an outer peripheral edge surrounding a sensor receiving cavity, said sensor being located in said cavity in a recessed manner.  
     
     
         7 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said sensor includes a large circular actuator movable against a spring bias.  
     
     
         8 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said lever arrangement is an elongate plastic housing containing said actuator, electrical circuit means for said actuator, a user perceptible signal generator and a battery.  
     
     
         9 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said foam body is secured to one side of said plastic housing.  
     
     
         10 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said foam body is molded onto said plastic housing.  
     
     
         11 . A golf swing aid as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said plastic housing includes a slide member for adjusting the position of said actuator within said cavity.  
     
     
         12 . A golf aid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said electronic sensor includes an outer connecting portion for receiving at least one extender to alter the activation response of said golf aid.  
     
     
         13 . A golf aid as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said at least one extender is a plurality of extenders, with each extender connectable with said outer connecting portion of said sensor.  
     
     
         14 . A golf aid as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said plurality of extenders are connectable to each other.  
     
     
         15 . A method of detecting excessive movement associated with the hip joint during a golf swing comprising 
 placing an electrical sensing arrangement over the hip joint for actuation by the hip during such excessive movement,    securing the sensing arrangement to the user above and below the hip, and    producing a user perceptible signal when excessive movement of the hip has been detected.    
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  including the step of adjusting said electrical sensing arrangement to provide a user set tolerance of the amount of excessive movement of the hip that is permitted before producing said user perceptible signal.  
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  including the step of selecting the user perceptible signal from a plurality of user perceptible signals.  
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17  used to detect at least excessive lateral slide of the hips during a golf swing.  
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  used to detect during a golf swing excessive lateral slide of the hips or excessive angling of the hips or a combination of these movements.