Putting practice aid

Abstract

The putting practice aid mounts on the front face of the putter head and provides a horizontal arm extending in the opposite direction of the intended initial trajectory of the putted golf ball and a second arm perpendicular to the intended trajectory. When these arms are maintained parallel to the putting surface it assures that the golfer has positioned the shaft at the correct angle relative to the putting surface and that the golfer has correctly aimed the club. The putting practice aid may also comprise an observable coating on the surface of the indicator side of the attachment tab which facilitates establishment of a proper angle between the surface of the face of the putter head and the putting surface. The design of the putting aid allows for use with commercially available putters of varying loft and accommodates handedness preferences. The concepts included in the putting practice aid may be directly incorporated into a putter, which itself then becomes a putting training device.

We claim: 
     
         1 ) A putting practice aid attachable to a putter having a putter face, said putting practice aid comprising:
 a) a first arm, a second arm, and an attachment tab;   b) wherein said putter face forms an angle with a putting surface of between 81 degrees and 93 degrees;   c) wherein said first arm is substantially longer than it is wide, where said first arm is attachable so that said first arm is substantially on the side of the putter opposite the putter face, and points in a direction of an intended trajectory of the golf ball;   d) wherein said first arm is connected to said second arm forming a right angle with said second arm;   e) wherein said second arm is substantially longer than it is wide, and where said second arm points in a direction perpendicular to said intended trajectory of the ball;   f) wherein said first arm and said second arm fall within a first plane;   g) wherein said second arm has a side of said second arm that is opposite the location of said first arm;   h) wherein said attachment tab is connected to said side of said second arm;   i) wherein said attachment tab falls within a second plane that is perpendicular to said first plane;   j) wherein said attachment tab has an indicator side of said attachment tab and an attachment side of said attachment tab;   k) wherein said indicator side of said attachment tab falls in said second plane;   l) wherein said attachment side of said attachment tab forms at least one angle with said putting surface of between 87 degrees and 99 degrees; and   m) wherein a means of attachment attaches said attachment side of said attachment tab to said putter face.   
     
     
         2 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , wherein said first arm and said second arm are parallel to said putting surface and said indicator tab is in a plane perpendicular to said putting surface when said putter is held in a correct position. 
     
     
         3 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , wherein the sum of said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface and said angle between said putter face and said putting surface is substantially 180 degrees. 
     
     
         4 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , wherein a shim is added between the putter face and the attachment side of the attachment tab such that the sum of the angle of the shim, said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface and said angle between said putter face and said putting surface is substantially 180 degrees. 
     
     
         5 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , wherein said putting practicing aid is removably attachable to said putter face. 
     
     
         6 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , where said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface is substantially 93 degrees. 
     
     
         7 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , where the indicator side of the attachment tab has an observable coating. 
     
     
         8 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 1 , wherein the means of attachment include an adhesive material. 
     
     
         9 . A putter, said putter comprising:
 a) a putter head and a putting aid tab;   b) whereas said putter head has a putter face, and a upper surface;   c) where said upper surface of said putter head is in a first plane that is parallel to a putting surface, and forms an angle with said putter face of between substantially 81 degrees and substantially 93;   d) whereas said putting aid tab is connected to said upper surface of said putter head;   e) whereas said putting aid tab comprises at least one indicator surface that falls in a plane that is perpendicular to said plane that encompasses said upper surface of said putter head; and   f) whereas said at least one indicator surface falls in a second plane which is perpendicular to said putting surface.   
     
     
         10 ) The putter of  claim 9 , wherein said putting aid tab has two indicator surfaces. 
     
     
         11 ) The putter of  claim 9 , wherein said putting aid tab is permanently attached to said upper surface of said putter head. 
     
     
         12 ) The putter of  claim 9 , wherein said putting aid tab is removably attachable to said putter face. 
     
     
         13 ) A method for training putting technique, comprising:
 a) providing an apparatus comprising:
 i) a putter having a putter face and a putting practice aid; 
 ii) wherein while putting, said putter face forms an angle with a putting surface between substantially 81 degrees and substantially 93 degrees; 
 iii) wherein the putting aid comprises a first arm, a second arm, and an attachment tab: 
 iv) wherein said first arm is substantially longer than it is wide, where said first arm is located on the side of the putter opposite the putter face, and extends in a direction of an intended trajectory of the golf ball; 
 v) wherein said first arm is attached to said second arm forming a substantially 90 degree angle with said second arm; 
 vi) wherein said second arm is substantially longer than it is wide, and where said second arm extends in a direction perpendicular to said intended trajectory of the ball; 
 vii) wherein said first arm and said second arm are located within a first plane; 
 viii) wherein said second arm has a side of said second arm that is opposite the side of said second arm where said second arm attaches to said first arm and is in a second plane that is perpendicular to said first plane; 
 ix) wherein said attachment tab is connected to said side of said second arm; 
 x) wherein said attachment tab falls within a within a second plane that is perpendicular to said first plane; 
 xi) wherein said attachment tab comprises an indicator side of said attachment tab and an attachment side of said attachment tab; 
 xii) wherein said indicator side of said attachment tab is located in said second plane; 
 xiii) wherein said attachment side of said attachment tab forms at least one angle with the putting of between substantially 87 degrees and substantially 99 degrees; 
 xiv) wherein an attachment means attaches said second side of said attachment tab to said putter face; 
   b) aiming said putter face by aligning said first arm in said direction of an intended trajectory of the golf ball;   c) leveling said putter face by maintaining said first arm in a position that is parallel to said putting surface;   d) leveling said putter face by maintaining said second arm in a position that is parallel to said putting surface; and   e) adjusting said putter face to said angle with said putting surface by adjusting said putter head placement until said indicator tab is perpendicular to said putting surface and no longer observable from directly above.   
     
     
         14 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , wherein the sum of said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface and said angle between said putter face and said putting surface is substantially 180 degrees. 
     
     
         15 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , wherein a shim is added between the putter face and the attachment side of the attachment tab such that the sum of the angle of the shim, said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface and said angle between said putter face and said putting surface equals 180 degrees. 
     
     
         16 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13  wherein said putting practicing aid is removably attachable to said putter face. 
     
     
         17 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , where said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface is substantially 93 degrees. 
     
     
         18 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , where said angle between said attachment side of said attachment tab and said putting surface is substantially 94 degrees. 
     
     
         19 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , where the indicator side of the attachment tab has an observable coating. 
     
     
         20 ) The putting practice aid of  claim 13 , wherein the means of attachment include an adhesive material.