Golf grip system

Abstract

This invention relates to a golf glove and club grip system having a marking or markings on the glove, the club grip or both for registration with the thumb pad of a golfer. Registration of a golfer's thumb pad with the marking(s) assists correct hand positioning on the club grip. Additionally the markings may indicate a particular club grip size or glove size that matches a complimentary glove or club grip size determined by the size of a golfer's hand.

1 . A golf glove and grip system to assist correct hand positioning comprising or including:
 a golf grip having a first indicium thereon; and   a golf glove having a first marking on the thumb portion of the glove;   wherein in use the first indicium and the first marking are aligned with each other to indicate a correct top hand thumb position on the golf club grip.   
   
   
       2 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the diameter of the golf grip is matched to the size of a golfer's hands. 
   
   
       3 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a second marking is provided on the glove and a second indicium is provided on the golf grip, said second marking and said second indicium configured such that in use the second marking provides a reference point for alignment with the second indicium on the grip. 
   
   
       4 . A system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the second marking on the glove comprises at least one of a narrow line and a broad corridor extending across the base of the fingers on the palm side of the glove. 
   
   
       5 . A system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the second marking on the glove comprises at least one of:
 a narrow line positioned to in use match against the second indicium of the grip when a user holds the club with a correct grip; and   a broad corridor configured to in use provide a reference guide for the path of the club grip across the palm that can be checked without substantially releasing the glove from the club.   
   
   
       6 . A system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the second marking includes both a narrow line and a broad corridor, and the narrow line is off centre with respect to the corridor. 
   
   
       7 . A system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the narrow line and/or corridor are angled at between about 20° to about 40° from a horizontal line across the golf glove. 
   
   
       8 . A system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the narrow line and/or corridor are angled at about 32° from a horizontal line across the golf glove. 
   
   
       9 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , said system configured for a right handed golfer, wherein the markings of the glove and the indicia of the grip are configured to position the hand(s) of the golfer to the right of the centre of the golf club grip. 
   
   
       10 . A system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the glove is adapted for the left hand of the golfer. 
   
   
       11 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , said system configured for a left handed golfer, wherein the markings of the glove and the indicia of the grip are configured to position the hand(s) of the golfer to the left of the centre of the golf club grip. 
   
   
       12 . A system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the glove is adapted for the right hand of the golfer. 
   
   
       13 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the markings are on the palm side of the glove, so that in use they form a contact alignment with the indicia on the club grip. 
   
   
       14 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the markings are on the non-palm side of the glove, so that in use they form a visual alignment with the complimentary indicia on the club grip. 
   
   
       15 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the size, shape, and position of the markings and indicia are matched to the size of a golfer's hands. 
   
   
       16 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first indicium is a thumb dot on the grip. 
   
   
       17 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first marking is a thumb dot on the thumb pad of the glove. 
   
   
       18 . A system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the thumb dot is ovally shaped have a length of between about 20 mm to about 50 mm and a width of between about 10 mm to about 40 mm. 
   
   
       19 . A golf glove, for use with a golf grip having a first indicium thereon, to assist correct hand positioning on a golf club, said golf glove comprising or including:
 a first marking on the thumb of the glove,   wherein in use the first indicium and the first marking are aligned with each other to indicate a correct top hand thumb position on the golf club grip.   
   
   
       20 . A golf glove as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first marking on the glove thumb overlies a wearer's thumb pad located on the distal phalanx of the thumb. 
   
   
       21 . A golf glove as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the marking on the thumb of the glove substantially covers the thumb pad of the glove, and the indicia on the grip has a matching outline to the thumb pad of the glove. 
   
   
       22 . A golf glove as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the markings and indicia are contact markings or indicia, such that in use when the user correctly grips the golf club, a marking on the glove substantially contacts the complimentary indicium on the grip. 
   
   
       23 . A golf club grip including a first indicium on the golf club grip that in use is aligned with the thumb pad of a golfer's hand. 
   
   
       24 . A golf club grip as claimed in  claim 23  wherein said indicium comprises a thumb dot that in use is aligned with the distal phalanx pad of a golfer's thumb. 
   
   
       25 . A golf club grip as claimed in  claim 23  wherein said indicium substantially overlies the centreline of the grip. 
   
   
       26 . A golf club grip as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the thumb dot is ovally shaped have a length of between about 20 mm to about 50 mm and a width of between about 10 mm to about 40 mm. 
   
   
       27 . A golf club grip as claimed in  claim 23  for use with a golf glove having a marking on the thumb of the glove, said grip having a complimentary indicium to the marking on the glove,
 wherein in use the glove and grip together assist the user's placement and alignment of their top hand thumb on the grip.   
   
   
       28 . A golf grip as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein a second indicium is provided on the grip, said second indicium comprising a line that in use is aligned with the base of the fingers of the user. 
   
   
       29 . A golf grip as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein a third indicium is provided on the grip, said third indicium being shaped for, in use, alignment with the crook formed between the thumb and forefinger of the lower hand of a golfer. 
   
   
       30 . A golf grip as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the markings and indicia are contact markings or indicia, such that in use when the user correctly grips the golf club, a marking on the glove substantially contacts the complimentary indicium on the grip. 
   
   
       31 . A golf grip as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the diameter of the grip and the length of the grip is matched to the size of the golfer's hand(s). 
   
   
       32 . A method to assist a golfer to correctly position their hands on a golf club grip comprising or including the steps of:
 wearing on the intended top hand a glove having a first marking on the thumb portion;   selecting a golf club having a grip with a first indicium adapted for alignment with the first marking of the glove; and   aligning the first marking with the first indicium and closing the hand to thereby grip the club.   
   
   
       33 . A method as claimed in  claim 32  wherein in use the first marking is contacted with the first indicium. 
   
   
       34 . A range of club grips with different external diameters comprising or including indicia on the club grips, and a complimentary range of sized golf gloves provided with markings that match with indicia on a suitably sized grip, wherein in use the indicia assist a golfer to select a club grip matched to their hand size. 
   
   
       35 . A range of club grips as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the diameter of the grip is matched to the size of a golfer's hands. 
   
   
       36 . A range of club grips as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the size, position or both of the indicia is matched to the size of a golfer's hands. 
   
   
       37 . A glove comprising a marking representing the size of the glove, wherein in use gripping a club the marking is aligned with an indicium on a club grip, said indicium also representing the diameter of the grip. 
   
   
       38 . A glove according to  claim 37  wherein the glove has a predetermined size and the marking comprises at least one of a shape, colour and pattern that matches at least one of a shape, colour and pattern on a grip having the same predetermined size. 
   
   
       39 . A method of fitting a golfer with golf clubs comprising the steps of:
 fitting a golfer with a glove or gloves from a range of gloves having different markings depending on the size of the glove; and   selecting grips or clubs with grips from a range of grips or clubs with grips having different indicia depending on the external diameter of the grip, wherein said selected grips or clubs with grips have indicia matched to the markings on the fitted glove or gloves.   
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the markings on the glove or gloves comprises at least one of a shape, colour and pattern that matches at least one of a shape, colour and pattern on the selected grip.