US3680860A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fitting golfer with putter and improving putting accuracy
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-06-25
•
Granted: 1972-08-01
•
Expires: 1991-06-25
Abstract
Abstract When putting a golf ball with a putter having aiming indicia on the upper surface of the club head, a golfer may fail to accurately aim said indicia along a straight line path to a predetermined putting target because of an inherent sighting error which is personal to each individual golfer. The extent of the sighting error is not the same for all individuals and it may be either to the left or to the right of the putting target, thereby causing the individual to miss a high percentage of putts. When an individual''s inherent sighting error is measured and the individual''s putting club is provided with a properly inclined sighting error correction line, the individual may thereafter aim the personalized correction line at a desired target while executing a putting stroke and, thereby, incidentally cause the striking face of the putting club to be properly maintained. An individual''s inherent sighting error may be measured by noting the extent of the individual''s error in attempting to aim a sighting line, located in the vicinity of the usual golf ball position, at a distant target. The sighting line may be provided either on a reversible motor-driven disc operated by foot-controlled
Inventors
- 👤 Vance V Elkins Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:11
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/36; A63B69/3614; A63B53/00; A63B53/04; A63B53/0441; A63B53/0487; A63B69/3676; A63B2209/00; A63B2209/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of correcting for an individual''s inaccurate aim when putting and thereby improving said individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting a golf ball with a golf putter comprising the sequential steps of: 1. said individual, while assuming a substantially normal putting stance, orienting a sight line so that it appears to said individual to be aimed at a target, which sight line is located upon or adjacent a point from which a golf ball normally would be putted by said individual while in said stance, 2. determining said individual''s inherent and personal sighting error as the angle between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and 3. said individual putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when striking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said idividual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of correcting for an individual''s inaccurate aim when putting and thereby improving said individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting a golf ball with a golf putter comprising the sequential steps of: 1. said individual, while assuming a substantially normal putting stance, orienting a sight line so that it appears to said individual to be aimed at a target, which sight line is located upon or adjacent a point from which a golf ball normally would be putted by said individual while in said stance, 2. determining said individual''s inherent and personal sighting error as the angle between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and 3. said individual putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when striking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said idividual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 in which the stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the club head extend substantially from the putter striking face to the back edge of the club head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
requiring the individual to orient a sight line so that it appears to the individual to be aimed at a predetermined distant target, which sight line is located upon or adjacent a point from which a golf ball would normally be putted while the individual is in said stance,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
requiring the individual to orient a sight line so that it appears to the individual to be aimed at a predetermined distant target, which sight line is located upon or adjacent a point from which a golf ball would normally be putted while the individual is in said stance,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
determining said individual''s inherent and personal sighting error as the angle between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
determining said individual''s inherent and personal sighting error as the angle between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
observing his or her inherent and personal sighting error as the lateral distance between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line and said target, and
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
observing his or her inherent and personal sighting error as the lateral distance between an extension of said apparently accurately aimed sight line and said target, and
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
said individual putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when striking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said idividual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
said individual putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when striking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said idividual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
detecting said individual''s sighting error, after the individual has apparent accurately aimed the sight line, as the angle between an extension of said sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
detecting said individual''s sighting error, after the individual has apparent accurately aimed the sight line, as the angle between an extension of said sight line to a location laterally of said target and a true line extending between said point and said target, and
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance, with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when stroking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter sufficient to compensate for said individual''s sighting error.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
putting a golf ball while assuming said substantially normal stance, with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter head while attempting to maintain said correction stripe-like indicia aimed at a putting target when positioning the putter head rearwardly of the ball and when stroking the ball during the putting stroke, which correction stripe-like indicia is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter sufficient to compensate for said individual''s sighting error.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 in which the individual in his normal putting stance has both feet on the same side of said true line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 in which said indicia on the surface of the club head is located between the shaft and the toe of the club head.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
providing said individual with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter had which is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said individual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
providing said individual with a putter having correction stripe-like indicia on the upper surface of the putter had which is sloped relative to a real or imaginary line normal to the striking face of said putter at an angle equal to said individual''s sighting error angle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which said putter has said indicia within a band on said upper surface of said club head, said band having parallel edges extending normal to the striking face of said putter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which said determining step includes (a) detecting a first intersection of said true line with a plane and (b) detecting a second intersection of said sight line extension and said plane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 in which aid determining step includes (a) detecting a first intersection of said true line with a flat real plane perpendicular to said true line and (b) detecting a second intersection of said sight line extension and said flat real plane, and observing the deviation of said second intersection from said first intersection.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 in which said determining step further includes disposing said target within said real plane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 in which said determining step further includes disposing said target in front of said real plane.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 7 in which said flat real plane is in the form of a chart and said detecting a second intersection step includes detecting, with respect to markings on said chart, the intersection of said sight line extension and said chart.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of correcting for an individual''s inaccurate aim when putting and thereby improving said individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting a golf ball with a golf putter comprising the sequential steps performed by said individual of:
Claim 27
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of correcting for an individual''s inaccurate aim when putting and thereby improving said individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting a golf ball with a golf putter comprising the sequential steps performed by said individual of:
Claim 28
Independent Claim
32 words
A method of fitting an individual with a golf putter to correct the individual''s inaccurate aim when putting thereby to improve the individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting comprising the steps of
Claim 29
Independent Claim
32 words
A method of fitting an individual with a golf putter to correct the individual''s inaccurate aim when putting thereby to improve the individual''s accuracy and consistency in putting comprising the steps of
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1485272A
Cited
US1546612A
Cited
US2003951A
Cited
US2771678A
Cited
US2781197A
Cited
US2842369A
Cited
US2923552A
Cited
US3199873A
Cited
US3595582A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-01 | 1976-01-31 | 1976-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-01 | 1980-01-31 | 1980-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-01 | 1984-01-31 | 1984-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |