Gravity compensated golf putter

Abstract

An improved design for a golf putter is described based on the principal of eliminating the moments due to gravity acting on the club as sensed by the hands. The design uses a large counter weight attached to the shaft located above the grip area of the club. The counter weight is of sufficient mass to move the center of gravity of the entire club into the grip area of the putter. Once the center of gravity of the entire club is located in the grip near where the hands are placed, the undesirable moments generated by gravity during the swing are eliminated. The golfer only senses the forces associated with accelerating the club in the direction of motion. By eliminating the moments due to gravity an improved putter design is achieved since the golfer's feel for the acceleration of the putter is greatly improved.

1 . A golf putter that when swung through an angle maintains a zero acceleration force due to gravity in the direction of motion of the putter about a location within the grip area regardless of the angle of the putter along the swing path.  
   
   
       2 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , comprising a counter weight of 600 to 1800 grams located above the grip area.  
   
   
       3 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the center of gravity of the entire club is located at least 2 inches into the grip area as measured from the head end.  
   
   
       4 . The golf putter of  claim 1  further comprising a putter length of about 31 to 40 inches  
   
   
       5 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity of the entire club is at a location between 4 and 12 inches from the center of gravity of the counterweight.  
   
   
       6 . The putter of  claim 3 , wherein the center of gravity of the putter is located substantially at the center of the grip area.  
   
   
       7 . The putter of  claim 1  that has a visual indicator in the grip area to mark the center of gravity of the club  
   
   
       8 . The golf putter of  claim 2 , wherein the counter weight further comprises a covering forming a blend with the grip area.  
   
   
       9 . A golf putter comprising: 
 a shaft having a head fixed at one end and a grip fixed toward an opposite end (grip end);    the grip comprising an area for the golfer's two hands to be placed on the club; and    a counter weight means of sufficient mass located above the grip functioning to place a center of gravity of the entire putter inside the grip area.    
   
   
       10 . The golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein the overall length of the putter is 31 to 40 inches.  
   
   
       11 . The golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein the head weighs between 260 and 360 grams, and the counter weight weighs between 600 and 1800 grams.  
   
   
       12 . The golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein the center of gravity of the entire club is at a location between 4 and 12 inches from the center of gravity of the counterweight  
   
   
       13 . The golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein the location of the center of gravity is at least 2 inches into the grip area as measured from the head end.  
   
   
       14 . The golf putter of  claim 13  wherein the center of gravity of the entire club is located substantially at the center of the grip area.  
   
   
       15 . The golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein the grip area contains an indicator to mark the center of gravity of the club.  
   
   
       16 . A golf putter that when swung through an angle maintains a zero acceleration force due to gravity in the direction of motion of the putter about a location within the grip area regardless of the angle of the putter along the swing path. The putter comprising: 
 a head at a head end;    a shaft extending upward from the head when the club is in a playing position;    a grip encircling the shaft;    and a counter weight means of sufficient mass located above the grip functioning to place a center of gravity of the entire putter inside the grip area.    
   
   
       17 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein the center of gravity of the entire club is at a location between 4 and 12 inches from the center of gravity of the counterweight.  
   
   
       18 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein the location of the center of gravity is at least 2 inches into the grip area as measured from the head end.  
   
   
       19 . The putter of  claim 16  that has a visual indicator in the grip area to mark the center of gravity of the club.  
   
   
       20 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein the overall length of the putter is 31 to 40 inches.  
   
   
       21 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein a covering covers both the counter weight and the grip.