Elongate blade golf putter

Abstract

A golf putter ( 10 ) and putter head ( 15, 32, 44, 51, 61, 75, 85, 93 and 215 ) having an elongate flat blade ( 16, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86, 96 and 216 ) for contacting a golf ball ( 20 ). The elongate flat blade ( 16, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86, 96 and 216 ) is of narrow width, while the body ( 34, 52, 64, 94 and 118 ) can be more conventional in size. The head ( 15, 32, 44, 51, 61, 75, 85, 93 and 215 ) has a contact area ( 24 ) between the blade ( 16, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86, 96 and 216 ) and the golf ball ( 20 ) which is linear, and of narrow width. The contact area ( 24 ) on the ball ( 20 ) is horizontal in orientation. Additionally, the contact area ( 24 ) on the ball ( 20 ) usually spans the dimple ( 22 ) diameter. Further provided is a golf putter head ( 310, 320, 330 ) having a front edge ( 313, 323, 333 ) of narrow width which has a radius less than that of a golf ball. The putter head ( 310, 320, 330 ) has a contact area with the golf ball which is linear, and of narrow width. The contact area on the golf ball is horizontal in orientation.

1 . A golf putter having a shaft with a grip at a proximal end and a head at a distal end of the shaft for contacting a golf ball on the ground during putting of the golf ball, the improvement in the head which comprises: 
 an elongate blade having opposed ends, with a top side and a bottom side, and a first linear edge extending therebetween, wherein the top side of the blade is mounted on the distal end of the shaft and the first linear edge acts as a striking face for the golf ball and strikes the golf ball in an essentially linear contact area horizontal to the ground.    
     
     
         2 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the head is configured so that during use the striking face is optimally aligned to the golf ball along a horizontal plane of the ball.  
     
     
         3 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the striking face is sharp, pointed, flat, or curved.  
     
     
         4 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein a single groove extends along a length of the striking face.  
     
     
         5 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the striking face is curved with a radius of curvature less than a radius of the golf ball.  
     
     
         6 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the striking face is capable of striking the golf ball at, above, or below a median of the golf ball and from various angles of approach.  
     
     
         7 . The putter of any one of  claim 1  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.  
     
     
         8 . The putter of any one of  claim 1  further comprising weights in the posterior, inferior of the putter head.  
     
     
         9 . A golf putter having a shaft with a grip at a proximal end and a head at a distal end of the shaft for contacting a golf ball on the ground during putting of the golf ball, the improvement in the head which comprises: 
 (a) an elongate blade having opposed ends, with a top side and a bottom side, and a first linear edge extending therebetween, wherein the top side of the blade is mounted on the distal end of the shaft and the first linear edge acts as a striking face for the golf ball and strikes the golf ball in an essentially linear contact area horizontal to the ground; and    (b) a runner provided on the bottom side of the blade wherein during putting, the runner acts to space the bottom side of the blade from the ground.    
     
     
         10 . The putter of  claim 9  wherein the runner extends between the first linear edge and a second liner edge, and is convexly rounded between the linear edges.  
     
     
         11 . The putter of  claim 9  wherein a bottom of the head is convexly rounded between the ends of the blade.  
     
     
         12 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein weights are variously mounted on the head which act to stabilize the head during putting.  
     
     
         13 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the bottom of the head is provided with a convexly rounded semi-circular protrusion extending from the blade as the runner.  
     
     
         14 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the head is metal or metal substitute.  
     
     
         15 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the blade is metal or metal substitute and having a non-metal portion on the top and bottom sides of the blade.  
     
     
         16 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the shaft of the putter is mounted on the top side of the blade adjacent to the first linear edge where the edge strikes the ball.  
     
     
         17 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the shaft of the putter is mounted at the center of the top side of the blade.  
     
     
         18 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the striking face is less than one half of the diameter of the golf ball thick between the sides defining the first linear edge.  
     
     
         19 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the head is configured so that during use the striking face is optimally aligned to the golf ball along a horizontal plane of the ball.  
     
     
         20 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the striking face is sharp, pointed, flat, or curved.  
     
     
         21 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein a single groove extends along a length of the striking face.  
     
     
         22 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the striking face is curved with a radius of curvature less than a radius of the golf ball.  
     
     
         23 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the striking face is capable of striking the golf ball at, above, or below a median of the golf ball.  
     
     
         24 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.  
     
     
         25 . The putter of any one of  claim 9  further comprising weights in the posterior, inferior of the putter head.  
     
     
         26 . A modular putter head for attachment to a head of an existing putter which comprises: 
 (a) an elongate blade with a first linear edge extending between ends of the blade and top and bottom sides of the blade, and forming a striking face for a golf ball, which during putting strikes the ball in an essentially linear, horizontal line of contact, and with a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge and extending between the ends of the blade; and    (b) attachment means for securing the blade to the head of the putter.    
     
     
         27 . The putter head of  claim 26  wherein the bottom side of the blade provides a runner which is adjacent to a ground and the top side is attached to a shaft.  
     
     
         28 . The putter head of  claim 26  wherein the runner is narrow and convexly curved, so that in use the runner minimizes skidding against the ground.  
     
     
         29 . The putter head of any one of  claim 26  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.  
     
     
         30 . The putter head of any one of  claim 26  further comprising weights in the posterior, inferior of the putter head.  
     
     
         31 . A method of training a golfer to perfect a stroke for putting a golf ball which comprises: 
 (a) gripping a golf putter having a shaft with a grip at a proximal end and a head for contacting the golf ball during putting at a distal end of the shaft, for putting a golf ball, the improvement in the head which comprises an elongate blade with a first linear edge as a striking face for the golf ball between ends of the blade and parallel side of the blade, which edge during putting strikes the ball in an essentially linear horizontal line of contact, and with a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge between the ends of the blade; and    (b) stroking the ball repeatedly with the putter to perfect the stroke for putting of the golf ball.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein a bottom of the sides of the blade provides a runner which is adjacent to a ground and a top of the sides is attached to the shaft.  
     
     
         33 . The method of any one of  claim 31  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.  
     
     
         34 . The method of any one of  claim 31  further comprising weights in the posterior, inferior of the putter head.  
     
     
         35 . A golf putter for fitting to an individual golf stroke comprising: 
 (a) a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;    (b) attachment means for pivotably attaching a putter head to the distal end of the shaft;    (c) an elongate blade having opposed ends and a top side and a bottom side, and pivotably attached on the top side to the attachment means allowing for selection of a desired angle of the blade relative to the shaft;    (d) one or more weights removably connected to the elongate blade; and    (e) an adjustable runner having a height and attached to the bottom side of the elongate flat blade.    
     
     
         36 . The golf putter of  claim 35  wherein the weights are attached to the opposed ends of the blade.  
     
     
         37 . The putter of any one of  claim 35  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.  
     
     
         38 . A method of fitting a golf putter to an individual golf stroke of a person which comprises the steps of: 
 (a) providing a golf putter to a person comprising a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, an attachment means for pivotably attaching a putter head to the distal end of the shaft, an elongate blade having opposed ends and a top side and a bottom side and pivotably attached on the top side to the attachment means allowing for selection of a desired angle of the blade relative to the shaft, one or more weights removably connected to the elongate blade, and an adjustable runner having a height and attached to the bottom side of the elongate flat blade;    (b) determining the golf stroke of the person;    (c) adjusting a runner height to the golf stroke of the person;    (d) weighting the putter with the one or more weights to set a center of mass of the head to a point behind a contact area of the blade with a golf ball, particular to the golf stroke of the person;    (e) pivoting the shaft with respect to the elongate flat blade at a pivot angle to allow the blade to remain parallel to the ground for the particular golf stroke of the person; and    (f) measuring the runner height, the one or more weights, and the desired angle for the purpose of fitting the putter to the particular golf stroke of the person.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the blade is tapered between the first linear edge and a second linear edge parallel to the first linear edge.