Golf putter grip

Abstract

A golf grip defines a body having a length extending between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the body including a bore for receiving the shaft of the golf club. The body includes a tapered portion that extends along at least about 75 percent of the length of the body between an upper location and a lower location, the bore extending longitudinally through the tapered portion. The tapered portion includes a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the tapered portion defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides. The tapered portion has a reverse taper between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location. The tapered portion has a second reverse taper defined between the front and back sides that expands the depth of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location.

1 . A golf grip adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a golf club, the golf grip comprising:
 a grip body having a length that extends between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the grip body including a bore that extends longitudinally through the grip body between the upper cap end and the lower mouth end, the bore being configured to receive the shaft of the golf club; and   the grip body including a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the grip body defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides, the grip body having a first reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the grip body as the grip body extends toward the lower mouth end of the grip body, the grip body also having a second reverse taper defined between the front and back sides that expands the depth of the grip body as the grip body extends toward the lower mouth end of the grip body, the first and second reverse tapers having different taper angles and extending along at least 75 percent of the length of the grip body to provide a gradual grip size reverse transition along at least 75 percent of the length of the grip body.   
     
     
         2 . A golf grip according to  claim 1 , wherein the front side has a cross-sectional profile that is generally flatter than the cross-sectional profiles of the left and right sides of the grip. 
     
     
         3 . A golf grip according to  claim 2 , wherein the width defined by the front side that has a cross-sectional profile that is generally flatter than the cross-sectional profiles of the left and right sides of the grip expands as the front side extends toward the lower mouth end of the grip body. 
     
     
         4 . A golf grip according to  claim 1 , wherein the first reverse taper defined between the left and right sides has a taper rate of at least about 0.025 mm change in width for every mm of length of the grip for the entire tapered portion of the grip body. 
     
     
         5 . A golf grip according to  claim 1 , wherein the second reverse taper defined between the front and back sides has a taper rate of at least about 0.006 mm change in depth for every mm of length of the grip for the entire tapered portion of the grip body. 
     
     
         6 . A golf grip adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a golf club, the golf grip comprising:
 a grip body having a length that extends between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the grip body including a bore that extends longitudinally through the grip body between the upper cap end and the lower mouth end, the bore being configured to receive the shaft of the golf club, the bore defining a longitudinal bore axis centered with respect to the bore, the grip body including a tapered portion that extends along at least about 75 percent of the length of the grip body longitudinally between an upper location and a lower location of the grip body, the upper location being closer to the upper cap end than the lower mouth end and the lower location being closer to the lower mouth end than the upper cap end, the bore extending longitudinally through the tapered portion;   the tapered portion including a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the tapered portion defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides, the tapered portion having a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location;   the front side including a front surface that extends from the upper location to the lower location, the front surface having a front surface width that extends between a left transition location where the front side transitions to the left side and a right transition location where the front side transitions to the right side, the tapered portion having a first cross-sectional dimension that extends radially from the bore axis to a centerline of the front surface that is centered between the left and right transition locations; and   the tapered portion having a second cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the left transition location and a third cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the right transition location, the first, second, and third cross-sectional dimensions being measured in an orientation perpendicular to the bore axis, the second and third cross-sectional dimensions being larger than the first cross-sectional dimension.   
     
     
         7 . A golf grip according to  claim 6 , wherein the tapered portion has a second reverse taper defined between the front and back sides that expands the depth of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location. 
     
     
         8 . A golf grip according to  claim 7 , wherein the second reverse taper that expands the depth of the tapered portion is defined only by the back side, and the first cross-sectional dimension stays generally constant from the upper location to the lower location. 
     
     
         9 . A golf grip according to  claim 6 , wherein the front surface has a front surface width that gradually increases as the tapered portion extends in a direction toward the lower mouth end of the grip body. 
     
     
         10 . A golf grip according to  claim 7 , wherein the first and second reverse tapers have different taper angles. 
     
     
         11 . A golf grip adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a golf club, the golf grip comprising:
 a grip body having a length that extends between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the grip body including a bore that extends longitudinally through the grip body between the upper cap end and the lower mouth end, the bore being configured to receive the shaft of the golf club, the bore defining a longitudinal bore axis centered with respect to the bore, the grip body including a tapered portion that extends along at least about 75 percent of the length of the grip body longitudinally between an upper location and a lower location of the grip body, the upper location being closer to the upper cap end than the lower mouth end and the lower location being closer to the lower mouth end than the upper cap end, the bore extending longitudinally through the tapered portion; and   the tapered portion including a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the tapered portion defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides, the tapered portion having a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location, wherein the tapered portion has a second reverse taper defined between the front and back sides that expands the depth of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location.   
     
     
         12 . A golf grip according to  claim 11 , wherein the front side includes a front surface that extends from the upper location to the lower location, the front surface having a front surface width that extends between a left transition location where the front side transitions to the left side and a right transition location where the front side transitions to the right side, the tapered portion having a first cross-sectional dimension that extends radially from the bore axis to a centerline of the front surface that is centered between the left and right transition locations, and wherein the tapered portion has a second cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the left transition location and a third cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the right transition location, the first, second, and third cross-sectional dimensions being measured in an orientation perpendicular to the bore axis, the second and third cross-sectional dimensions being larger than the first cross-sectional dimension. 
     
     
         13 . A golf grip according to  claim 12 , wherein the front side including the front surface that extends from the upper location to the lower location and that extends between the left transition location where the front side transitions to the left side and the right transition location where the front side transitions to the right side defines at least a portion of the tapered portion that has a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides, wherein the reverse taper defined by the front side has a taper rate of at least about 0.019 mm change in width for every mm of length of the grip on the tapered portion. 
     
     
         14 . A golf grip according to  claim 12 , wherein the tapered portion that has a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location has an overall taper rate of at least about 0.025 mm change in width for every mm of length of the grip on the tapered portion. 
     
     
         15 . A golf grip according to  claim 12 , wherein the tapered portion that has a reverse taper defined between the front and back sides that expands the depth of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location has an overall taper rate of at least about 0.006 mm change in depth for every mm of length of the grip on the tapered portion. 
     
     
         16 . A golf grip adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a golf club, the golf grip comprising:
 a grip body having a length that extends between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the grip body including a bore that extends longitudinally through the grip body between the upper cap end and the lower mouth end, the bore being configured to receive the shaft of the golf club, the bore defining a longitudinal bore axis centered with respect to the bore, the grip body including a tapered portion that extends along at least about 75 percent of the length of the grip body longitudinally between an upper location and a lower location of the grip body, the upper location being closer to the upper cap end than the lower mouth end and the lower location being closer to the lower mouth end than the upper cap end, the bore extending longitudinally through the tapered portion;   the tapered portion including a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the tapered portion defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides, the tapered portion having a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location; and   the grip body further including a protrusion generally defined by the back side adjacent the upper location, the protrusion having at least a portion extending along the depth in a direction from the front side toward the back side and having at least a portion extending along a length of the grip body in a direction from the upper location toward the lower location, the portion extending along the length of the grip body being longer than the portion extending along the depth defined by the grip body.   
     
     
         17 . A golf grip according to  claim 16 , wherein the front side includes a front surface that extends from the upper location to the lower location, the front surface having a front surface width that extends between a left transition location where the front side transitions to the left side and a right transition location where the front side transitions to the right side, the tapered portion having a first cross-sectional dimension that extends radially from the bore axis to a centerline of the front surface that is centered between the left and right transition locations, and wherein the tapered portion has a second cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the left transition location and a third cross-sectional dimension that extends from the bore axis to the right transition location, the first, second, and third cross-sectional dimensions being measured in an orientation perpendicular to the bore axis, the second and third cross-sectional dimensions being larger than the first cross-sectional dimension. 
     
     
         18 . A golf grip according to  claim 17 , wherein the front side including the front surface that extends from the upper location to the lower location and that extends between the left transition location where the front side transitions to the left side and the right transition location where the front side transitions to the right side defines at least a portion of the tapered portion that has a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides, wherein the reverse taper defined by the front side has a taper rate of at least about 0.019 mm change in width for every mm of length of the grip on the tapered portion. 
     
     
         19 . A golf grip according to  claim 16 , wherein the tapered portion that has a reverse taper defined between the left and right sides that expands the width of the tapered portion as the tapered portion extends from the upper location to the lower location has an overall taper rate of at least about 0.025 mm change in width for every mm of length of the grip on the tapered portion. 
     
     
         20 . A golf grip according to  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion defines a generally flat sidewall on both the right side and the left side of the grip body, wherein a surface area of each flat sidewall is at least about 17 cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . A golf grip adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a golf club, the golf grip comprising:
 a grip body having a length that extends between an upper cap end and a lower mouth end, the grip body including a bore that extends longitudinally through the grip body between the upper cap end and the lower mouth end, the bore being configured to receive the shaft of the golf club, the bore defining a longitudinal bore axis centered with respect to the bore, the grip body defining an upper location and a lower location, the upper location being closer to the upper cap end than the lower mouth end and the lower location being closer to the lower mouth end than the upper cap end, the grip body including a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side, the grip body defining a width between the left and right sides and a depth between the front and back sides; and   the grip body further including a protrusion generally defined by the back side adjacent the upper location, the protrusion having at least a portion extending along the depth in a direction from the front side toward the back side and having at least a portion extending along a length of the grip body in a direction from the upper location toward the lower location, the portion extending along the length of the grip body being longer than the portion extending along the depth defined by the grip body, wherein an overall length of the protrusion as measured from the upper cap end to a portion of the grip body that defines a generally constant cross-sectional dimension taken in an orientation perpendicular to the bore axis adjacent the lower location is at least about 40 percent of the overall length of the grip body.   
     
     
         22 . A golf grip according to  claim 21 , wherein the overall length of the protrusion, as measured from the upper cap end to the portion of the grip body that defines a generally constant cross-sectional dimension taken in an orientation perpendicular to the bore axis adjacent the lower location, is at least about 50 percent of the overall length of the grip body. 
     
     
         23 . A golf grip according to  claim 21 , wherein the protrusion defines a generally flat sidewall on both the right side and the left side of the grip body, wherein a surface area of each flat sidewall is at least about 17 cm 2 .