Golf club fitting system and method

Abstract

A method and system is therefore provided for fitting a set of golf clubs to a particular golfer. In particular, the club fitting method and system assists a golfer in the selection of a set of golf clubs by providing objective indicia or scores representative of the manner in which the golfer hits golf shots with each of a number of different golf clubs. The club fitting method and system provide the golfer with numerical values representative of the consistency and performance of the golf shots made with a particular golf club, typically on an automatic basis. Based upon the relative numerical values representative of the consistency and performance of the golf shots made with a number of different golf clubs, the golfer can select the set of golf clubs which provides the combination of consistency and performance that is best suited for the golfer's game.

1 . A club fitting system for assisting a golfer in the selection of a set of golf clubs, wherein the golfer makes a plurality of golf shots with each of a plurality of golf clubs from a plurality of sets of golf clubs, and wherein the club fitting system comprises: 
 means for determining a plurality of parameters associated with each golf shot, wherein the plurality of parameters are selected from the group consisting of parameters associated with striking of a golf ball, parameters based upon an impact location of the golf ball and parameters derived from at least one of the parameters associated with the striking of the golf ball and the parameters based upon the impact location of the golf ball; and    scoring means, responsive to said means for determining a plurality of parameters, for automatically determining at least one of a consistency score for a respective golf club based upon individually weighted representations of respective standard deviations of the plurality of parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club and a performance score for a respective golf club based upon individually weighted representations of respective averages of the plurality of parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club to thereby enable the golfer to select the set of golf clubs based upon at least one of the consistency score and the performance score.    
   
   
       2 . A club fitting system according to  claim 1  further comprising means, responsive to said means for determining a plurality of parameters, for determining the standard deviation for respective ones of the parameters.  
   
   
       3 . A club fitting system according to  claim 2  wherein said scoring means comprises means for normalizing the standard deviations for respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club.  
   
   
       4 . A club fitting system according to  claim 1  further comprising means, responsive to said means for determining a plurality of parameters, for determining the average for respective ones of the parameters.  
   
   
       5 . A club fitting system according to  claim 4  wherein said scoring means comprises means for normalizing the averages for respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club.  
   
   
       6 . A club fitting system according to  claim 1  wherein said scoring means automatically determines the consistency score and the performance score for the respective club based upon parameters associated with launch conditions of the golf shots and independent of parameters associated with the landing of the golf shots.  
   
   
       7 . A club fitting system for assisting a golfer in the selection of a set of golf clubs, wherein the golfer makes a plurality of golf shots with each of a plurality of golf clubs of the same type chosen from different sets of golf clubs, wherein each golf shot is defined by a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of parameters associated with striking of a golf ball, parameters based upon an impact location of the golf ball and parameters derived from at least one of the parameters associated with the striking of the golf ball and the parameters based upon the impact location of the golf ball, and wherein the club fitting system comprises: 
 means for determining a standard deviation for respective ones of the parameters that define each golf shot; and    scoring means, responsive to said means for determining a standard deviation, for determining a consistency score for each golf club of the same type that is based upon of individually weighted representations of the respective standard deviations for the plurality of parameters that define the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club to thereby enable the golfer to select the set of golf clubs based upon the consistency score.    
   
   
       8 . A club fitting system according to  claim 7  wherein said scoring means comprises means for normalizing the standard deviations for respective ones of the parameters that define the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club.  
   
   
       9 . A club fitting system according to  claim 7  wherein said scoring means determines the consistency score for the respective club based upon parameters that define launch conditions of the golf shots and independent of parameters that define the landing of the golf shots.  
   
   
       10 . A club fitting system for assisting a golfer in the selection of a set of golf clubs, wherein the golfer makes a plurality of golf shots with each of a plurality of golf clubs from a plurality of sets of golf clubs, wherein each golf shot is defined by a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of parameters associated with striking of a golf ball, parameters based upon an impact location of the golf ball and parameters derived from at least one of the parameters associated with the striking of the golf ball and the parameters based upon the impact location of the golf ball, and wherein the club fitting system comprises: 
 means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots have been made with a respective golf club based upon at least some of the plurality of parameters that define each golf shot; and    means, responsive to said means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots have been made, for providing an indication to the golfer that the golfer has made a sufficient number of golf shots with the respective golf club.    
   
   
       11 . A club fitting system according to  claim 10  wherein said means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots have been made comprises: 
 means for determining a validity score for a respective golf club that is at least partially based upon standard deviations of respective ones of the parameters associated with the plurality of golf shots made with the respective club; and    means, responsive to said means for determining a validity score, for comparing the validity score to a predefined threshold to determine if a sufficient number of golf shots have been made with the respective golf club.    
   
   
       12 . A club fitting system according to  claim 11  wherein the predefined threshold varies in a predetermined manner based upon the number of golf shots that have been made with the respective golf club.  
   
   
       13 . A club fitting system according to  claim 10  wherein said means for automatically determining that a sufficient number of golf shots have been made requires at least a predetermined minimum number, but no more than a predetermined maximum number of golf shots to be made with the respective golf club.