Golf clubs

Abstract

Unconventional extended length golf clubs disclosed herein, designed for idealized pendulum swinging, enable the golfer to decrease unwanted movement during the golfer's putting or putting-like strokes by increasing the number of “lock “points with the club. The top of the club is held in an anchor position. However, in sharp contrast with conventional logic and club design, the clubs of this invention are designed for movement of the remaining club shaft (and hence the club head face) forward in the intended initial direction of ball movement by pulling the club (rather than pushing the club). The club design provides the golfer with at least three points of firm contact (lock points) between the club and the golfer's power hand and arm as the golfer pulls the club forward to engage the ball.

1 . A golf club comprising: 
 (A) a club head having one face thereon, said club when positioned for use, has said face facing in the direction of intended initial ball movement, for striking and thereby moving a golf ball in said direction,    (B) shaft means attached to said club head; and    (C) gripping means for pulling said shaft means in the direction of intended initial ball movement and thereby moving said club head face to contact and move said golf ball.    
   
   
       2 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said move of said golf ball is in the intended initial direction of ball movement, said one club head face when positioned for use is planar and vertical and would define a plane perpendicular to said move, and said gripping means for pulling comprises a horizontal member on said shaft means that projects in said intended initial direction of ball movement.  
   
   
       3 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said gripping means comprises first and second members that are spaced apart from each other.  
   
   
       4 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said gripping means members are substantially parallel.  
   
   
       5 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said gripping means members are formed from a single material that is bent so that said first and second members are substantially parallel.  
   
   
       6 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 5  wherein said single material is a tube.  
   
   
       7 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said gripping means is a part of said shaft means, and said shaft means is formed from a single material that is bent so that said first and second members are substantially parallel.  
   
   
       8 . A golf club for moving a ball generally in an intended direction, comprising a shaft means and a club head having a face facing in said direction, said shaft means comprising: (a) a first shaft means section comprising a proximal end affixed to said club head and a first section distal end; (b) a second shaft section generally aligned with said first section, said second section having a proximal end that is proximal said first section distal end, and a distal end that is distal said first section distal end; and (c) shaft grip section means attached to said shaft means first and second sections, said shaft grip section means comprising at least two substantially parallel members: (i) a first member projecting from said first shaft means section distal end and (ii) a second member projecting from said second shaft means section proximal end, so that when said club is positioned for use, both said first member and said second member project from said respective shaft means in said intended direction of golf ball movement.  
   
   
       9 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said first and second members have ends proximal said first and second shaft means sections, which sections are separated, but substantially co-linear, said first section distal end is affixed to an end of said shaft grip section first member; said second section proximal end is affixed to an end of said shaft grip section second member.  
   
   
       10 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 9  wherein said shaft means first section, said shaft grip section and said shaft means second section are formed from a single continuous metal tube.  
   
   
       11 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said club is a putter which in position for use has a club head face having a top face to bottom face that is substantially vertical.  
   
   
       12 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said club head has at least one face wherein said face has a top and bottom and in position for use said face is angled back from bottom to top at least 5 degrees from vertical to provide loft to a golf ball when the ball is stroked.  
   
   
       13 . A golf club, comprising: 
 (a) a club head having a ball-striking face thereon,    (b) shaft means for moving said club head ball-striking face to strike a golf ball to move the ball generally in the intended direction, said shaft means as positioned for use having a lower portion with an end affixed to said club head, said shaft means extending upwardly from said club head and having an upper portion terminating in an upper end which is to be held in a fulcrum-anchor position against the front of a golfer's body by one of the golfer's hands and,    (c) said shaft means having a shaft grip section means positioned intermediate said upper and lower ends of said shaft means, said shaft grip section means comprising an elongated upper member and an elongated lower member which are substantially parallel and connected to each other and, respectively, to said upper and lower shaft means portions, said elongated members extending forwardly in said intended direction of said ball movement.    
   
   
       14 . A golf putter as defined in  claim 13  wherein said elongated members are spaced apart so that when the lower of said elongated members is gripped by the golfer, the back of the gripping hand is able to be positioned against the upper of said elongated members.  
   
   
       15 . A golf club as defined in  claim 13  wherein said shaft grip means is positioned along the length of said shaft means a predetermined distance from said upper end of said shaft means so that with said upper end of said shaft means held against the upper portion of a golfer's body the golfer's distal arm is able to be fully extended for the power hand to grip said shaft grip section means.  
   
   
       16 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 15  wherein said shaft means first section, said shaft grip means and said shaft means second section are formed from a continuous shaft material.  
   
   
       17 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 13  wherein said club head has at least one face wherein said face has a top and bottom and in position for use said face is angled back from bottom to top at least 5 degrees from vertical to provide loft to a golf ball when the ball is stroked.  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A golf club in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said club head has at least one face wherein said face has a top and bottom and in position for use said face is angled back from bottom to top at least 5 degrees from vertical to provide loft to a golf ball when the ball is stroked.