Golf putter and training apparatus and method

Abstract

A golf putter and a golf putting training apparatus are disclosed which resides at a first end proximal and in contact with the golfer's neck with the putting swing correctly completed when the apparatus first end continues proximal and in contact with the neck at the conclusion of the swing. An incorrect swing is demonstrated when the apparatus first end swings away from the neck toward the golfer's shoulder as the swing concludes.

1 - 4 . (cancelled).  
   
   
       5 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a. the grip clip means ( 40 ) hinge means ( 42 ) for fixedly setting the angular relationship ( 110 ) between the putter lower shaft ( 72 ) and the upper shaft ( 10 ).    
   
   
       6 . (cancelled)  
   
   
       7 . A method of training a golfer in putting or of putting by means of the golf putter training apparatus of  claim 13  comprising the steps of: 
 a receiving the upper shaft  10  at the grip clip ( 40 ) via the grip clip slot ( 42 ) by the putter lower shaft intermediate the putter head ( 100 ) and the golf putter grip ( 75 ) and moving the upper shaft ( 10 ) to grip affixing means contact of the grin clip ( 40 ) with the golf putter grip ( 75 );    b. affixing the angular relationship ( 110 ) between the putter lower shaft ( 72 ) and the upper shaft ( 10 ) by adjusting the hinge means ( 42 );    c. positioning the upper shaft first end ( 20 ) in contact with the golfer's neck ( 21 );    d. training the golfer to execute the proper putting stroke and or making a putting stroke by the golfer sensing and retaining the upper shaft first end ( 20 ) in contact with the golfer's neck ( 21 ) throughout the putting stroke.    
   
   
       8 . A putter training apparatus comprising: 
 a. an apparatus ( 5 ) upper shaft ( 10 ) having an apparatus upper shaft first end ( 20 ), a counter weight ( 22 ) proximal the upper shaft first end ( 20 );    b. an apparatus upper shaft second end ( 30 ); grip clip means ( 40 ) affixed with hinge means ( 42 ) at the apparatus upper shaft second end ( 30 ).    
   
   
       9 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a. the grip clip means ( 40 ) receives a golf putter ( 70 ) having a golf putter lower shaft ( 72 ); the golf putter lower shaft ( 72 ) having a golf putter lower shaft first end ( 80 ) and a golf putter lower shaft second end ( 90 ); the lower shaft ( 72 ) having a shaft dimension D 3  ( 54 );    b. a golf putter head ( 100 ) affixed by golf club head affixing means at the golf putter lower shaft second end ( 90 ); a golf putter grip ( 75 ) is received at the golf putter lower shaft first end ( 80 ); the golf putter grip ( 75 ) having a dimension D 4  ( 64 ) greater than shaft dimension D 3  ( 54 ).    
   
   
       10 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a. the apparatus upper shaft ( 10 ), golf putter lower shaft and golf putter grip ( 75 ) are generally tubular having a variety of cross sections;    b. the grip clip means ( 40 ) generally comprises a tubular member means ( 42 ) having a grip clip first end ( 50 ) and a grip clip second end ( 60 );    c. the tubular member means ( 42 ) having a hinge means ( 42 ) affixed by hinge affixing means intermediate the grip clip first end ( 50 ) and the grip clip second end ( 60 ) at a tubular member means wall ( 43 ) at an outer surface ( 44 ).    
   
   
       11 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a. the hinge means ( 42 ) affixed by hinge affixing means at the apparatus second end ( 30 ) providing hinge interaction between the apparatus shaft ( 10 ) and the grip clip means ( 40 );    b. hinge affixing means may be by formation of hinge leaves via injection molding or metal formation from rigid materials including plastics, metals and other equivalent materials; hinge means regarding the rotation of one hinge leaf relative to another hinge leaf may be by a bolt received via apertures in the binge leaf aligned with apertures in the apparatus upper shaft ( 10 ) proximal the apparatus second end ( 30 ) and secured by a nut or by a leaf structure formed in a generally tubular form which is received by the apparatus second end ( 30 ) and which has hinge interconnection means relative to a second leaf structure;    c. the upper shaft ( 10 ) and putter lower shaft ( 72 ) comprise shaft means and are generally formed from a rigid material, tubular in structure formed from plastics, composite materials, metals and other equivalent materials.    
   
   
       12 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a. a grip clip slot ( 65 ) in the wall ( 43 ) from the grip clip first end ( 20 ) to the grip clip second end ( 30 ) wherein the slot ( 65 ) has a grip clip slot dimension D 5  ( 66 ) which is greater than a putter shaft dimension D 3  ( 54 ) and which is sized to receive a golf putter shaft ( 72 ) intermediate the golf putter head ( 100 ) and the golf putter grip ( 75 );    b. the grip clip slot dimension D 5  ( 66 ) has a dimension less than the dimension of the golf putter grip dimension D 4  ( 64 ); the grip clip first end dimension D 1  ( 52 ) is less than the grip clip second end dimension D 2  ( 62 ); the grip clip first end dimension D 1  ( 52 ) and the grip clip second end dimension D 2  ( 62 ) is sized to receive the golf putter grip ( 75 ) and to be affixed by grip affixing means at the golf putter grip ( 75 ).    
   
   
       13 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a. the grip affixing means to affix the grip clip means ( 40 ) includes friction fitting by the grip clip first end dimension D 1  ( 52 ) being less than the grip clip second end dimension D 2  ( 62 ) and the golf putter grip dimension D 4  ( 64 ), proximal the apparatus first end ( 20 ) being greater than the grip clip second end dimension D 2  ( 62 );    b. the grip affixing means to affix the grip clip means ( 40 ) also includes other forms of gripping including a spring secured clam shell structure allowing the grip clip means ( 40 ) to be opened to allow the grip clip slot ( 65 ) to receive a golf putter grip ( 75 ) and other similar friction affixing and or clamp affixing structures.    
   
   
       14 . A putter training apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a. the apparatus ( 5 ) at the grip clip slot ( 65 ) will receive either the apparatus shaft ( 10 ) to slide up the apparatus shaft ( 10 ) toward the apparatus first end ( 20 ) and receive and be affixed at the golf putter grip ( 75 ) or the grip clip slot ( 65 ) will receive the golf putter grip ( 75 ) and be affixed by affixing means for use in putting.