Putting Training Device

Abstract

A putting training device. The device comprises a surface over which a golfer executes a putting stroke, an electric field generator, an electric field detector, a plurality of electrodes responsive to the electric field generator each for producing an electric field and wherein as the golfer executes the putting stroke one or more of the electric fields is perturbed, and wherein the electric field detector detects the perturbed electric field to determine parameters related to putter head movement.

1 . A putting training device comprising: 
 a surface over which a golfer executes a putting stroke;    an electric field generator;    an electric field detector;    a plurality of electrodes responsive to the electric field generator each for producing an electric field; and    wherein as the golfer executes the putting stroke one or more of the electric fields is perturbed, and wherein the electric field detector detects the perturbed electric field to determine parameters related to putter head movement.    
   
   
       2 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein the parameters related to putter head movement comprise one or more of putter head location, putter head speed, putter head acceleration, putter head orientation, putter head path relative to a desired putter head path, putter head backstroke path relative to a desired putter head arcuate backstroke path, putter head backstroke path relative to a desired putter head linear backstroke path, putter head angle of descent, putter head clubface orientation, putter head clubface orientation relative to a clubface putter head path, distance between the putter head and the surface, distance between a putter head heel and the surface, distance between a putter head toe and the surface, putter head heel deviation from a desired path and putter head toe deviation from a desired path.  
   
   
       3 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a visual or an aural indicator activated responsive to a predetermined relationship between a threshold value and one of the parameters related to putter head movement.  
   
   
       4 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of electrodes are oriented to permit each electrode to produce a different electric field when activated by the electric field generator, and wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise a plurality of spaced apart electrodes oriented such that a line through the spaced apart electrodes is substantially parallel to the putting stroke.  
   
   
       5 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein each one of the plurality of electrodes comprises a conductive structure and at least one of the plurality is disposed parallel to a direction of club head travel during the putting stroke.  
   
   
       6 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein an angle formed by the surface of the putting training device and a surface on which the device rests is adjustable, and wherein the parameter related to putter head movement comprises a putter head angle of descent, and wherein different angles of descent can be determined responsive to adjustments in the angle formed by the surface of the putting training device and the surface on which the device rests.  
   
   
       7 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface thereof and an alignment device for aligning the guideline with a hole or with a location on a putting surface.  
   
   
       8 . The putting training device of  claim 7  wherein the alignment device further comprises a laser beam.  
   
   
       9 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein the electric field generator supplies a signal sequentially to each of the plurality of electrodes such that each electrode produces an electric field at a different time and the electric field detector detects the produced field and any putter head induced perturbations of the field.  
   
   
       10 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface thereof and a notch in the surface at an end of the guideline, the notch for receiving a golf ball.  
   
   
       11 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of electrodes comprises a start electrode, and wherein the golfer activates the device by placing the putter head proximate the start electrode causing the electric field to be produced at each of the plurality of electrodes, and wherein the electric fields are determined by the electric field detector and a field reference value determined therefrom before movement of the putter head, and wherein the device is deactivated when the putter head crosses the start electrode on a putting forward stroke.  
   
   
       12 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein during the putting stroke the electric field detector determines whether at least one of a putter head heel region orientation and a putter head toe region orientation is different from a desired putter head heel region orientation and a desired putter head toe region orientation.  
   
   
       13 . The putting training device of  claim 12  wherein the desired putter head heel region orientation and the desired putter head toe region orientation comprises an orientation perpendicular to a desired putter head path during the putting stroke.  
   
   
       14 . The putting training device of  claim 13  wherein the desired path comprises a linear path or a arcuate path.  
   
   
       15 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface thereof, and wherein the electric field detector further determines angular deviation between a line extending from the putter head in the direction of head travel and the guideline.  
   
   
       16 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface thereof, and wherein the electric field detector further determines a deviation of a putter head centerline from the guideline.  
   
   
       17 . The putting training device of  claim 16  further comprising selectable error margins, each error margin having a different value for declaring putter misalignment relative to the deviation of the putter head centerline from the guideline.  
   
   
       18 . The puffing training device of  claim 17  wherein the selectable error margins comprise 1 inch, ¾ inch, ½ inch and ¼ inch.  
   
   
       19 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising an output device for advising the golfer of the parameters related to putter head movement.  
   
   
       20 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a module for analyzing one or more of the parameters related to putter head movement relative to a desired putting stroke and advising the golfer of deviations between the one or more parameters and the desired putting stroke.  
   
   
       21 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a network interface for communicating the parameters related to putter head movement to a remote site.  
   
   
       22 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a camera for capturing images of the putting stroke.  
   
   
       23 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a cadence indicator for indicating putter head speed.  
   
   
       24 . The putting training device of  claim 23  wherein the cadence indicator comprises a plurality of visual indicators controlled to on and off states to indicate the putter head speed.  
   
   
       25 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface having a first linear segment and a second arcuate segment, wherein the parameters related to putter head movement comprise deviations of a putter head center from the guideline and orientation of a putter head clubface relative to the guideline.  
   
   
       26 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of electrodes comprises a substantially rectangular shape having four sides, each side defining a plurality of serrations therein.  
   
   
       27 . The putting training device of  claim 26  wherein the one of the plurality of electrodes produces a signal representative of at least one of putter head speed from which putter head acceleration can be determined.  
   
   
       28 . The putting training device of  claim 27  wherein the signal comprises a sinusoidal signal having a frequency representative of the putter head speed.  
   
   
       29 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein two of the plurality of electrodes each comprises a substantially rectangular shape each side defining a plurality of serrations therein, and wherein responsive to an input signal from the electric field generator, each of the two electrodes produces a sinusoidal signal representative of putter head speed and a phase difference between the signals represents a putter head angle, and wherein the electric field detector is responsive to the sinusoidal signal.  
   
   
       30 . The putting training device of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of electrodes is shaped to create a cyclical electric field disturbance as the putter head is moved along the one of the plurality of electrodes, wherein a signal produced by the one of the plurality of electrodes has a frequency representative of a putter head speed, from which putter head acceleration can be determined.  
   
   
       31 . The putting training device of  claim 1  further comprising a guideline on the surface over which the golfer executes the putting stroke, an alignment laser beam for aligning the guideline with a hole or with a location on a putting surface.  
   
   
       32 . The putting training device of  claim 31  further comprising a shroud for placement proximate the hole or proximate the location on the putting green, the laser beam impinging the shroud.  
   
   
       33 . A putting training device comprising: 
 a surface over which a golfer executes a putting stroke;    an electric field generator;    an electric field detector;    first, second, third and fourth electrodes responsive to the electric field generator each sequentially producing first, second, third and fourth electric fields; and    wherein as the golfer executes the putting stroke one or more of the electric fields is perturbed and detected by the electric field detector, and wherein perturbation of the first electric field indicates a putter head toe height above the surface, perturbation of the second electric field indicates at least one of a putter head toe speed, acceleration, orientation and distance from a desired putter head toe path, perturbation of the third electric field indicates at least one of a putter head heel speed, acceleration, orientation and distance from a desired putter head heel path and perturbation of the fourth electric field indicates putter head heel height above the surface.    
   
   
       34 . A putting training device comprising: 
 a surface over which a golfer executes a putting stroke;    a first guideline on the surface; and    an alignment device for aligning the first guideline with a hole or with a location on a putting surface.    
   
   
       35 . The putting training device of  claim 34  wherein the alignment device further comprises a laser beam source for producing a laser beam, the device further comprising a shroud for placement proximate the hole or proximate the location on the putting surface, the laser beam impinging the shroud.  
   
   
       36 . The putting training device of  claim 35  wherein the shroud further comprises hole indicia to which the golfer aims the putt.  
   
   
       37 . The putting training device of  claim 35  wherein the shroud further comprises an illuminating element illuminated in response to the laser beam.  
   
   
       38 . The putting training device of  claim 34  further comprising a second guideline on the surface over which the golfer executes the putting stroke, the second guideline comprising a curved segment.  
   
   
       39 . A method for conducting putting training for a golfer executing a putting stroke, comprising: 
 generating electric fields through which the golfer executes the putting stroke;    detecting perturbations in the electric fields caused by a putter moving through the electric fields during the putting stroke; and    responsive to detected perturbations, determining a relationship between the putting stroke and a desired putting stroke for various putting stroke parameters.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the putting stroke parameters comprise putter head speed, putter head acceleration, putter head orientation, putter head path, putter head backstroke path, putter head forward stroke path, putter head angle of descent, putter head clubface orientation, distance between the putter head and a surface over which the putting stroke is executed, distance between a putter head heel and the surface, distance between a putter head toe and the surface, putter head heel deviation from a guideline on the surface and putter head toe deviation from a guideline on the surface.