Golf footwear traction elements

Abstract

The invention generally relates to footwear for golf, and particularly to a footwear system for improved athletic performance. The invention provides a footwear system for golfers in which shoe-cushioning elements and sock-cushioning elements interact to prevent slippage between a golfer and the ground. Cushioning elements are arranged according to precision measurements of maximal stresses that occur between the sole of the feet and the ground at different moments throughout a golfer's swing. Using a system of the invention, a golfer avoids unpredictable slippage during each shot and also positions their feet consistently shot-after-shot, with the result that ball travel is commensurate with club choice and physical abilities.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf footwear system comprising:
 a shoe having an insole comprising a plurality of features for traction and padding; and   a sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sock sole, the sock sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion, wherein the sock further comprises a plurality of elements for traction and padding disposed on the sock sole in an arrangement corresponding to an arrangement of the plurality of features of the insole of the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further wherein each of the elements comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the features comprise the elastomer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the elastomer is thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the elements and the features each comprise a cross-sectional profile designed to interlock with the other to prevent relative lateral motion between the sock sole and the shoe in at least one direction when the system is worn by a person. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein relative lateral motion is prevented in a plurality of directions when the system is worn by a person. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further wherein:
 the ball-of-foot portion comprises a first element;   the outer arch portion comprises a second element; and   the heel portion comprises a third element.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first element has a larger area than the second element and the third element has a larger area than the first element. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further wherein:
 the ball-of-foot portion comprises the first and a fourth element; and   the outer arch portion comprises the second and a fifth element.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each element comprises a plurality of areas of material adhered to a fabric of the sock. 
     
     
         11 . A method of preventing fatigue while playing golf, the method comprising:
 dressing in a sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sock sole, the sock sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion, and a plurality of elements for padding and traction;   wearing a shoe having an insole comprising a plurality of features for padding and traction arranged to correspond to the elements; and   hitting a golf ball with a golf club.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the elements of the sock interlock with the features of the shoe insole to prevent the sock from slipping within the shoe. 
     
     
         13 . A golf sock comprising:
 a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sole, the sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion, wherein   the ball-of-foot portion comprises a first element for traction and padding;   the outer arch portion comprises a second element for traction and padding; and   the heel portion comprises a third element for padding and traction.   
     
     
         14 . The sock of  claim 13 , wherein the first padding element has a larger area than the second padding element and the third padding element has a larger area than the first padding element. 
     
     
         15 . The sock of  claim 13 , further wherein:
 the ball-of-foot portion comprises the first and a fourth element for traction and padding; and   the outer arch portion comprises the second and a fifth element for traction and padding.   
     
     
         16 . The sock of  claim 13 , further wherein a pattern of the elements corresponds to points on a golfer's foot associated with maximal stress during a golf swing. 
     
     
         17 . A golf sock comprising:
 a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sole, the sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion; and   a plurality of elements for padding and traction disposed on the sole in an arrangement corresponding to points on a golfer's foot associated with maximal stress during a golf swing.   
     
     
         18 . A golf sock comprising:
 a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sole, the sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion; and   a plurality of elements for padding and traction disposed on the sole in an arrangement corresponding to a known arrangement of features on an insole of a pre-determined shoe.   
     
     
         19 . A method of making a sock, the method comprising:
 receiving a template that shows a pattern corresponding to regions of maximal stress experienced on the sole of a golfer's foot during a golf swing;   obtaining a fabric sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sole, the sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion; and   adding elements for padding and traction to the sole according to the pattern.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further wherein obtaining the fabric sock comprises making the sock. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein making the sock comprises knitting. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein adding the elements comprises screen-printing on the fabric sock. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein screen printing comprises printing thermoplastic polyurethane onto the fabric sock. 
     
     
         24 . A pair of socks for golf comprising:
 a first sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sole, the sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion;   a first element for traction and padding disposed on the sole the first sock in a location corresponding to a point on a golfer's foot associated with maximal stress during a golf swing; and   a second sock.   
     
     
         25 . The pair of socks of  claim 24 , further wherein the second sock comprises a second element for padding and traction disposed on a sole of the second socks. 
     
     
         26 . The pair of socks of  claim 25 , wherein a location of the second element is not symmetric with the location of the first padding element. 
     
     
         27 . The pair of socks of  claim 24 , wherein the first element comprises a first layer of a material bonded to a fabric of the sock and a second layer of a second material bonded to the first layer of material. 
     
     
         28 . The pair of socks of  claim 25 , wherein each element comprises a first layer of a material bonded to a fabric of the sock and a second layer of a second material bonded to the first layer of material. 
     
     
         29 . A golf footwear system comprising:
 a pair of shoes, each shoe having an insole, wherein a first one of the insoles comprises a feature for padding and traction; and   a pair of socks, each sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sock sole, the sock sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion, wherein a first one of the pair of socks further comprises an element for padding and traction disposed on the sole thereof in a location corresponding to a location of the feature of the insole of the shoe.   
     
     
         30 . The golf foot footwear system of  claim 29 , further wherein each of the socks has an element for padding and traction disposed on the sole thereof, and each of the insoles has a corresponding feature for padding and traction. 
     
     
         31 . The golf footwear system of  claim 30 , further wherein a location of the element on one sock is not a mirror image of a location of the element on the other sock. 
     
     
         32 . The golf footwear system of  claim 30 , further wherein each of the socks has a plurality of the elements disposed on the sole thereof, and each of the insoles has a plurality of the corresponding features. 
     
     
         32 . The golf footwear system of  claim 32 , further wherein an arrangement of the plurality of the elements on one sock is not a mirror image of an arrangement of the plurality of elements on the other sock. 
     
     
         33 . A method of improving a golfer's playing ability, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a computer system comprising a memory coupled to a processor, data describing a pattern of stress exhibited by a sole of a foot during a golf swing;   preparing a sock comprising an instep portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, and a sole portion, wherein the sole portion comprises an element for padding and traction; and   providing the sock to a golfer.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the data is received from the golfer. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising preparing and providing a pair of socks, each having a sole portion. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the socks are not matched due to differences in patterns on the sole portions. 
     
     
         37 . A method to improve a golfer's golfing ability, the method comprising:
 analyzing, using a computer, stress pattern data exhibited by a sole of a foot of the golfer during a golf swing;   preparing, using the stress pattern data, a template comprising a location of maximal stress exhibited by the sole during the golf swing; and   preparing footwear comprising a sock with a sole with at least one element for padding and traction disposed on the sole in the location of maximal stress.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the location of maximal stress is an area of about 1 cm2 that includes a spot on the sole where at least 85% of a maximum stress is exhibited during the golf swing. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein preparing the template comprises printing on a sheet of paper. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein preparing the template comprises receiving data from a golfer obtained through the golfer's use of a personal computer and storing the data in a server computer.