Golf putter and counterbalance system and fitting method

Abstract

Golf putters comprising features that assist in locating a directly overhead view of the putter heads include sight aligning marks, sight aligning notch, rods and plates are disclosed. Putter heads with interchangeable mirror, weight and sighting attachments designed for quick release and replacement are described with interconnected attachment mounting faces. The combination of threaded aperture, apertures in the attachments and screws requiring the use of tools releasably interconnect the mirror attachment, sighting attachment or weight attachment to the putter head. Openings or contours are described that assist the golfer in estimating the distance between the golfer and a hole or cup on the green. Methods of customizing, calibrating or indicating in golf putters to individual golfers are also disclosed, including the use of weights to alter the weight distribution of in the putter head.

1 . A golf putter conforming to competition guidelines published by the United States Professional Golf Association, comprising a putter head comprising a golf ball striking face, a rearward face, a top surface, a bottom surface, a heel and a toe;
 a plurality of interchangeable weights; and   means for removably attaching said weights to said putter head.   
     
     
         2 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein said weights are metal. 
     
     
         3 . The golf putter of  claim 2 , wherein said weights are selected from brass, steel or tungsten. 
     
     
         4 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , said golf putter further comprising a putter head with a rearwardly located attachment mounting face;
 a removable attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage said putter head mounting face;   means for releasably interconnecting said putter head and said removable attachment;   and   recesses in said putter head for said weights,   wherein said weights are located in said recesses and retained by the engagement of said removable attachment to said putter head.   
     
     
         5 . The golf putter of  claim 4 , wherein an elastic material is inserted into said recesses to prevent movement of said weights within said recesses. 
     
     
         6 . A golf putter with an interchangeable aligning and leveling mirror attachment for putting practice and a weight attachment, wherein said weight attachment has substantially the same mass as that of the mirror attachment such that said putter has substantially the same mass for accurate putting whether using the mirror attachment for putting or the weight attachment that permits the putter to conform to competition guidelines published by the United States Professional Golf Association, comprising:
 (a) a putter head comprising a golf ball striking face, a rearwardly located attachment mounting face, a top surface, a bottom surface, a heel and a toe;   (b) a removable mirror attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage the putter head mounting face;   (c) a weight attachment of comparable mass to the mirror attachment interchangeable with said mirror attachment, said weight attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage said putter head mounting face;   (d) means for releasably interconnecting either the weight attachment or mirror attachment to the putter head;   (e) a rear central recess comprising a vertical surface centrally located with a sight alignment notch thereon and a substantially horizontal surface with a centrally located first sight alignment mark visible through said notch when viewed directly overhead; and   (f) a top on the putter head with a centrally located second alignment mark thereon, wherein the sight alignment notch, first sight alignment mark and second sight alignment mark are in line together when viewed directly overhead,   wherein said mirror attachment further comprises an instrument that indicates whether said putter is level in a direction perpendicular to said sight alignment marks.   
     
     
         7 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein said instrument indicates that putter is level when placed on a level surface. 
     
     
         8 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein said instrument is a spirit or bubble level. 
     
     
         9 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal surface comprises curved radii common to the rear central recess, and wherein the curvature of said radii is substantially similar to the curvature of a golf ball such that said radii may used to center a golf ball within the mirror attachment when the golfer's eye is directly over the putter head and ball. 
     
     
         10 . The golf putter of  claim 6 , further comprising
 (a) a plurality of interchangeable weights and means for removably attaching said weights to said putter head; and   (b) a sighting attachment, wherein said sighting has substantially the same mass as that of the mirror and weight attachments such that said putter has substantially the same mass for accurate putting whether using the mirror attachment or the weight or sighting attachment, all of which permit the putter to conform to competition guidelines published by the United States Professional Golf Association, and wherein said sighting attachment is formed so as to create an opening centrally located in line with said sight alignment marks, said sighting attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage the putter head mounting face, and wherein said means for releasably interconnecting either the weight attachment or mirror attachment to the putter head may also be used to releasably interconnect said sighting attachment to said putter head.   
     
     
         11 . A golf putter with an interchangeable sighting attachment and a weight attachment, wherein said weight attachment has substantially the same mass as that of the sighting attachment such that said putter has substantially the same mass whether using the sighting attachment or the weight attachment, both of which permit the putter to conform to competition guidelines published by the United States Professional Golf Association, comprising:
 (a) a putter head comprising a golf ball striking face, a rearwardly located attachment mounting face, a top surface, a bottom surface, a heel and a toe;   (b) a removable sighting attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage the putter head mounting face;   (c) a weight attachment of comparable mass to the sighting attachment interchangeable with said sighting attachment, said weight attachment comprising a mounting face that may engage said putter head mounting face;   (d) means for releasably interconnecting either the weight attachment or sighting attachment to the putter head;   (e) a rear central recess comprising a vertical surface centrally located with a sight alignment notch thereon and a substantially horizontal surface with a centrally located first sight alignment mark visible through said notch when viewed directly overhead; and   (f) a top on the putter head with a centrally located second alignment mark thereon, wherein the sight alignment notch, first sight alignment mark and second sight alignment mark are in line together when viewed directly overhead,   wherein said sighting attachment is formed so as to create an opening centrally located in line with said sight alignment marks.   
     
     
         12 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein said sighting attachment is formed so as to create a fan-shaped opening. 
     
     
         13 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein said sighting attachment is marked with symbols representing the estimated distance between said golf putter to a hole on a golf course viewed through said opening. 
     
     
         14 . The golf putter of  claim 12 , wherein said sighting attachment comprises a wire that bisects said fan-shaped opening and is aligned with said sight alignment marks. 
     
     
         15 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein said sighting attachment further comprises a crescent-shaped scoop that may be used to lift golf balls off of a surface. 
     
     
         16 . A golf putter conforming to competition guidelines published by the United States Professional Golf Association, comprising:
 (a) a golf ball striking face, a top surface, a bottom surface, a heel and a toe;   (b) a rear central recess comprising a vertical surface centrally located with a sight alignment notch thereon and a substantially horizontal surface with a centrally located first sight alignment mark visible through said notch when viewed directly overhead; and   (c) a top on the putter head with a centrally located second alignment mark thereon, wherein the sight alignment notch, first sight alignment mark and second sight alignment mark are in line together when viewed directly overhead,   wherein said sighting attachment is formed so as to create an opening centrally located in line with said sight alignment marks.   
     
     
         17 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein said sighting attachment is formed so as to create a fan-shaped opening. 
     
     
         18 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein said sighting attachment is marked with symbols representing the estimated distance between said golf putter to a hole on a golf course viewed through said opening. 
     
     
         19 . The golf putter of  claim 17 , wherein said sighting attachment comprises a wire that bisects said fan-shaped opening and is aligned with said sight alignment marks. 
     
     
         20 . The golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein said sighting attachment further comprises a crescent-shaped scoop that may be used to lift golf balls off of a surface. 
     
     
         21 . A method of fitting a golf putter to a golfer, comprising
 (a) placing the putter head according to  claim 18  on a level surface such that said instrument on said mirror attachment indicates that the putter head is level;   (b) instructing a golfer to stand above the golf putter in a ball striking position such that said golfer sees the sight alignment notch, first sight alignment mark and second sight alignment mark in line together, said second sight alignment mark visible when looking down said sight alignment notch;   (c) forming a golf shaft to extend from the putter head to said golfer.