WO1998006463A1

WO1998006463A1 - Golf training mat

Info

Publication number: WO1998006463A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/013096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert O. Perry
Original assignee: Perry Robert O
Priority date: 1996-08-12
Filing date: 1996-08-12
Publication date: 1998-02-19
Also published as: AU6952396A

Abstract

A golf training mat (10) provides a surface for the practice and improvement of the game of golf by indicating the positions of the golfer's feet, hands, and golf ball (50) relative to each other in a manner that assists recall or recording. The mat (10) includes various markings on its surface for the indication of the location of the golfer's feet (22a, 22b, 24, 26), the golfer's hands (32), the golf ball (34A-34F, 36), and a line of optimal ball travel direction (38).

Description

GOLF TRAINING MAT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to devices for the improvement of the golf stance and swing of a golfer, and more particularly to training devices for consistent positioning of the feet and hands of a golfer in relation to the ball.

Description of the Related Art

The present invention provides an improved version of applicant's invention as disclosed and claimed in United States Patent No. 5,306,011 , issued April 26, 1994, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Whereas the invention disclosed in Patent No. 5,306,011 provides a mat having indicia for orienting the placement of the hands and feet of the golfer in relation to the position of the golf ball, including allowance for variation of the placement of the feet and hands depending on the specific club chosen, the mat of the prior invention has been found through experience to have deficiencies. In particular, the mat of the prior invention does not indicate a target line along which the ball is to be optimally hit for a correct, straight shot. Furthermore, the mat of the prior invention does not adequately relate the position of the ball to the position of the feet of the golfer. In addition, it has been recognized that the indicia of the earlier invention mat with relation to the positioning of the feet of the golf player are restrictive of individual style and are therefore partly inoperative. It is well known that an individual who plays the game of golf prefers a stance which is most comfortable and achieves desired results for that person, but is typically not identical to that which is comfortable or effective for other players. The term "stance" is used herein to refer collectively to the placement of the feet relative to each other and the golf ball as well as the golfer's posture. The differences in stance relate generally to the height, build and athletic ability of the golfer. To play golf satisfactorily, the stance and swing must be reasonably comfortable for the golfer. What works well for one player may be inappropriate for another. However, for a golfer to improve his or her game, it is necessary to play consistently particularly with regard to stance and swing.

A failing of many golfers is the common tendency to lift one's head while swinging to watch the ball in flight, assumedly to improve accuracy. Unfortunately, when a golfer lifts his or her head during a swing, the usual result is a poorer shot.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device for training a golfer with respect to his or her golf stance and swing and in a manner which better defines the positioning of the feet of the player with respect to the ball as contrasted to the mat of the '011 patent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for training of a golfer with regard to this or her golf stance and swing and in a manner which simplifies and defines the position of the player's hands with respect to the club head and ball.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a device for training of a golfer with respect to his or her golf stance and swing and in a manner in which the desired direction of travel of the ball is clearly defined with respect to the feet, the hands and¹ the club head.

It is another object of the invention to provide a golf training mat which allows the golfer to utilize an individually comfortable and effective stance and swing and obtain consistent practice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein provides a golf training mat for improving one's game through a consistent golf stance and swing with indicia provided for noting the individual's preferred and effective position. The mat is also provided with indicia of the golf ball and club head position in relation to the golfer's hands and feet. In addition, means are provided for indicating the optimal direction in which the golf ball is to travel relative to the position of the golfer's feet whereby allowing the golfer to visualize the ball travel along that line without lifting of his or her head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the golf training mat of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective top view of the golf training mat of the invention illustrated without labels and showing a golf club and ball plus the hands and feet of a golfer as the mat is to be used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF The golf training mat 10 of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, has a series of indicia, or markings, organized in a manner to provide placement information for use by a golfer to improve stance and swing with any club. Golf training mat 10 of the invention is bordered by top edge 16a, bottom edge 16b, left edge 18a and right edge 18b and is preferred to be rectangular, although other shapes are within the scope of the invention. The indicia are divided into sets relating to the left foot of the golfer, located in the lower left corner, relating to the right foot in the lower right corner and the hands in the center of mat 10. A further set of indicia, relating to placement of golf ball 50 and club head 52, are shown at the upper center of mat 10 adjacent upper edge 16a. In the embodiment described and illustrated, golf training mat 10 is intended for a right-handed golfer. Similar principles apply to a further version for a left-handed golfer, being substantially a mirror image of that illustrated herein.

The indicia for the left foot and the indicia for the right foot each include a series of parallel, spaced apart horizontal lines 22a and 22b, respectively. Lines 22a and 22b are mutually coextensive and are marked with a series of sequential numbers. It is to be noted that all lines on mat 10 have an alphabetic or numeric marking which is added for identification and recall by the golfer. In the case of the indicia 22a and 22b, the golfer would normally align the toes of each foot on the same line, e.g., line number 3, to maintain the swing substantially parallel to the desired target line 38.

The left foot indicia also include a series of lines 24 which are arrayed radially from a common center point, and which intersect lines 22a. Lines 24 are marked with angular position identification, e.g., 0° - 30°. The indicia associated with the right foot, in addition to the series of horizontal, parallel lines 22b, include a series of vertical, parallel lines 26 which intersect horizontal lines 22b. While the left foot- related indicia assist the golfer in placing the left foot at an angle about a fixed heel position to achieve different effects on the trajectory of the ball in flight, the indicia relating to the right foot allow more variability of both position and angle, i.e. one can place the heel at line 3 and the toe at line 1. As noted above, the indicia are supplied for the purpose of repeatability of a stance and swing, rather than imposing a specific set of requirements on the golfer.

Mat 10 is further marked with indicia for the consistent positioning and alignment of ball 50, club head 52 and the golfer's hands. This set of indicia comprises two separate sets which are located generally in the middle of mat 10. Parallel lines 32 extend left to right between and beyond the areas occupied by left and right foot indicia sets for consistent placement of the hands relative to the feet.

A final set of lines involve placement of ball 50 and club head 52

(Figure 2). Line 34 is positioned at an angle to all other indicia lines on mat 10 to reflect the fact that the longer golf clubs require ball 50 to be placed farther from the body of the golfer and additionally require ball 50 to be placed more toward the left foot for best directional control. Thus line 34 is angled as shown by arrow K at approximately 30°, with its left end (marked

A) closer to mat top edge 16a and left side 18a, and its right end (marked F) closer to mat bottom edge 16b and right side 18b. Line 34 is divided by a number of spots at each letter marking A - F and further divided by spots between each pair of successive letters for easy ball placement identification. A series of vertical sighting lines 36 are drawn from spots A - F downwardly toward bottom edge 16b to indicate the position of ball 50 with respect to the position of the feet of the golfer. The invention recognizes that one general rule of golf is that the ball should not be placed on the ground forward (in the direction of travel) of the left heel. In that regard, it is noted that the left foot indicator line 24 marked as 0° is approximately aligned with letter A of line 34. In other words, if the golfer places ball 50 on the extreme forward, left position A of line 34, ball 50 will be aligned with the golfer's left heel, as preferred. As noted above, the indicia on mat 10 are intended as an aid in remembering, or possibly recording, the relative positions of the feet, the ball, the hands and the club head for the purpose of learning a consistent swing.

One or more target lines 38 are marked in an orientation parallel to top edge 16a and intersecting line 34. This orientation is readily seen to be in the desired direction of travel of golf ball 50 when hit. Whether golf ball 50 is hit to achieve the greatest distance or for a shorter distance where height of trajectory is desirable, a straight line in the direction parallel to a line drawn across the toes of the golfer is considered best. As well as giving the golfer an indication of the direction in which the ball is to be hit, target lines 38 allow the golfer to focus on target line 38 and swing without raising the head, a common fault.

While the principles of the invention are applicable to a variety of materials, it is considered preferable for conformity to a ground surface on which the mat is to be placed for use to form mat 10 of a flexible, flat textile material, such as, for example, a smooth tufted nylon carpet.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the invention provides a device which is applicable to various segments of industry. For example, the basic golf training mat involves both manufacture first of the substrate materials of which the mat is to be made, and separately involves cutting the material and printing the preferred indicia on the upper surface of the mat. In addition, industrial application of the invention involves sales of the device, sales of associated sports equipment for learning and playing the game of golf, and providing instruction to assist the user in the most advantageous use of the device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention in a preferred embodiment comprises a golf training mat having a substantially rectangular planar surface with a top edge and a bottom edge, a left edge and a right side edge, with indicia arranged on the planar mat surface including a first set of indicia adjacent the left side edge and the bottom edge comprising a first series of lines oriented substantially parallel to the bottom edge and spaced from each other and being intersected by a second series of lines radially disposed from a convergent point adjacent the bottom edge, a second set of indicia adjacent the right side edge and the bottom edge comprising a first series of lines oriented substantially parallel to the bottom edge and spaced from each other and being intersected by a second series of substantially parallel lines, a third set of indicia comprising a series of lines substantially parallel to the bottom edge and substantially centrally located between the side edges and between the top and bottom edges of the mat surface, a line oriented at a selected angle to the bottom edge such that its end closest the left side edge is closer the top edge than its end closest the right side edge, and a line oriented parallel to and substantially adjacent to the top edge in a position to intersect said line oriented at a selected angle.

Claims

THE CLAIMS

What is claimed is: 1. A golf training mat, comprising a substantially planar surface having a top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge and right side edge, said mat comprising:

(a) first indicia for the location of a golfer's left foot positioned adjacent the left side edge and the bottom edge comprising a series of lines oriented substantially parallel to the bottom edge and spaced from each other and intersected by a series of lines radially disposed from a point positioned between said parallel lines and said bottom edge;

(b) second indicia for the location of a golfer's right foot positioned adjacent the right side edge and the bottom edge comprising a series of lines oriented substantially parallel to the bottom edge and spaced from each other and intersected by a series of lines substantially parallel to said right edge;

(c) third indicia for the location of a golfer's hands positioned substantially centrally located between the top and bottom edges and between the side edges of said mat surface and comprising a series of spaced apart lines substantially parallel to the bottom edge;

(d) a line for the location of a golf ball and having a first and second end and positioned substantially between the side edges and oriented at a selected angle such that its first end is closer to the left side edge and adjacent the top edge and its second end is closer to the right side edge and closer to the bottom edge; and

(e) a line for indicating a desired direction of travel for said golf ball and oriented parallel to and substantially adjacent to the top edge in a position to intersect said line oriented at an angle.

2. The golf training mat as described in claim 1 wherein said mat is formed of a flexible material.

3. The golf training mat as described in claim 1 wherein said mat is substantially rectangular.

4. The golf training mat described in claim 1 , wherein the line oriented at a selected angle includes further indicia spaced along its length for the placement of a golf ball and a selected golf club head in relation to the feet of the golfer.

5. The golf training mat described in claim 2, further comprising an additional series of lines oriented substantially parallel to the side edges and intersecting the line oriented at a selected angle and the series of lines positioned substantially between the top and bottom edges and between the side edges.

6. The golf training mat as described in claim 1 wherein a selected one of said radially disposed lines resides substantially perpendicular to said bottom edge and is substantially aligned with said first end of said angularly oriented line.