Putting stroke training device

Claim 1

In a practice putting device for use by a golfer holding a golfing putter by the handle thereof for aiding the golfer in developing a pendulum-like putting stroke, the putter having a putter head and a shank portion adjacent thereto, said device comprising: a frame including a base portion configured for supportive contact with a planar support surface, a pair of elongated, upright, support portions and means pivotally coupling said upright portions with said base for selective, relative, pivotal shifting of said upright portions and said base portion; a shank portion-engaging guide member presenting a generally C-shaped configuration and presenting a pair of arcuate sections and a straight section for engaging the putter shank portion in order to guide said portion and thereby the putter head along a path defined by said member; means pivotally coupling said guide member with said upright portions for selective, relative, pivotal shifting of said guide member and said upright portions; means shiftably coupling said base portion, upright portions, and guide member including means for shifting movement relative to one another for shifting between a storage position in which said base, upright portions, and guide member are pivotally shifted to lie generally in a common plane for compact storage of said device, and a golf practice position in which said shank portion guide member is disposed in a spaced relationship relative to the support surface and in which said guide member defines the sole path for contact with and guiding of the golfing putter shank portion while the golfer holds the handle of the putter; and a plurality of indicia pairs defined on said guide member with the respective indicia of each of said pairs lying equiidistant from and on opposed sides of a center portion defined on said straight section thereby defining the limits of a respective, corresponding plurality of pendulum - like putting strokes.