Balanced golf club

Claim 2

A golf club comprising: a shaft having a lower end and an upper end; a head mounted at the lower end of the shaft; a grip mounted at the upper end of the shaft; a total mass of less than 340 grams; an equivalent pendulum length (LPE); a club length (LC); and a ratio of equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE/LC) less than 0.87.

Claim 3

A golf club according to claim 1, wherein: the ratio of equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE/LC) is between 0.87 and 0.85.

Claim 4

A golf club according to claim 1, wherein: the golf club comprises a predeterminate total mass; the grip comprises a predeterminate grip mass; the shaft comprises a predeterminate shaft mass; and the sum of the grip mass and the shaft mass is equal to between 30% and 40% of said predeterminate total mass of the golf club.

Claim 5

A golf club according to claim 3, wherein: the grip has a mass of less than 35 grams.

Claim 6

A golf club according to claim 4, wherein: the grip has a mass of between 25 and 35 grams.

Claim 7

A golf club according to claim 4, wherein: the shaft has a mass of between 70 and 100 grams.

Claim 8

A golf club according to claim 6, wherein: the shaft has a mass of between 80 and 90 grams.

Claim 9

A golf club according to claim 3, wherein: the grip has a mass of between 45 and 55 grams.

Claim 10

A golf club according to claim 8, wherein: the shaft has a mass of less than 80 grams.

Claim 11

A golf club according to claim 3, wherein: the grip has a predeterminate length and a predeterminate thickness, the thickness being substantially constant along the predeterminate length of the grip.

Claim 12

A golf club according to claim 10, wherein: the predeterminate thickness of the grip being between 1.0 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters.

Claim 13

A golf club according to claim 1, wherein: the grip has a mass of less than 35 grams.

Claim 14

A golf club according to claim 24, wherein: the grip has a mass of between 25 and 35 grams.

Claim 15

A golf club according to claim 12, wherein: the shaft has a mass of between 70 and 100 grams.

Claim 16

A golf club according to claim 14, wherein: the shaft has a mass of between 80 and 90 grams.

Claim 17

A golf club according to claim 1, wherein: the grip has a mass of between 45 and 55 grams.

Claim 18

A golf club according to claim 16, wherein: the shaft has a mass of less than 80 grams.

Claim 19

A golf club according to claim 17, further comprising: a weight located at a zone of the shaft a predetermined distance approximately equal to 0.5 of the club length (LC) from an end of the shaft, the weight having a length approximately equal to 0.15 of the club length (LC).

Claim 20

A golf club according to claim 18, wherein: the weight has a mass between 1 and 40 grams.

Claim 21

A golf club according to claim 18, wherein: the weight comprises a plug positioned within the shaft.

Claim 22

A golf club according to claim 20, wherein: the plug comprises a deformable material.

Claim 23

A golf club according to claim 21, wherein: the deformable material comprises an elastomer.

Claim 24

A golf club according to claim 18, wherein: the weight comprises a ring positioned on an external surface of the shaft.

Claim 25

A golf club according to claim 23, wherein: the shaft comprises a housing recessed within an external surface of the shaft and surrounding a portion of the length of the shaft; and the weight comprises a ring positioned within the housing and being flush with the external surface of the housing.

Claim 26

A golf club according to claim 18, wherein: the shaft is tubular with a predeterminate thickness; and the weight is incorporated within the predeterminate thickness of the shaft.

Claim 27

A golf club according to claim 1, wherein: the grip has a predeterminate length and a predeterminate thickness, the thickness being substantially constant along the predeterminate length of the grip.

Claim 28

A golf club according to claim 26, wherein: the predeterminate thickness of the grip being between 1.0 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters.

Claim 29

A golf club according to claim 27, wherein: the shaft comprises: a longitudinal axis; a first portion comprising a first truncated cone with a first predeterminate length, the first truncated cone having a generatrix with a first average angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, whereby the grip at least partially covers the first portion of the shaft; a second portion connected to and extending from the first portion, the second portion of the shaft comprising a second truncated cone with a second predeterminate length, the second truncated cone having a generatrix with a second average angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; the first average angle being greater than the second average angle.

Claim 30

A golf club according to claim 27, wherein: the shaft comprises: a lower end; an upper first portion comprising a first truncated cone with a first predeterminate length, whereby the grip at least partially covers the first portion of the shaft, the upper first portion having a lower end, the lower end of the upper first portion having a predeterminate diameter; a lower second portion comprising a second truncated cone with a second predeterminate length, the second truncated cone extending to the lower end of the shaft, the grip not covering the lower second portion of the shaft, the lower second portion of the shaft having an upper end, the upper end of the lower second portion of the shaft having a predeterminate diameter, the predeterminate diameter of the lower end of the upper first portion of the shaft being less than the predeterminate diameter of the upper end of the lower second portion of the shaft; and a third portion having a third predeterminate length, the third portion of the shaft connected to the upper first portion of the shaft and the lower second portion of the shaft.

Claim 31

A golf club according to claim 26, wherein: the shaft comprises: a longitudinal axis; a first portion comprising a first truncated cone with a first predeterminate length, the first truncated cone having a generatrix with a first average angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, whereby the grip at least partially covers the first portion of the shaft; a second portion connected to and extending from the first portion, the second portion of the shaft comprising a second truncated cone with a second predeterminate length, the second truncated cone having a generatrix with a second average angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; the first average angle being greater than the second average angle.

Claim 32

A golf club according to claim 26, wherein: the shaft comprises: a lower end; an upper first portion comprising a first truncated cone with a first predeterminate length, whereby the grip at least partially covers the first portion of the shaft, the upper first portion having a lower end, the lower end of the upper first portion having a predeterminate diameter; a lower second portion comprising a second truncated cone with a second predeterminate length, the second truncated cone extending to the lower end of the shaft, the grip not covering the lower second portion of the shaft, the lower second portion of the shaft having an upper end, the upper end of the lower second portion of the shaft having a predeterminate diameter, the predeterminate diameter of the lower end of the upper first portion of the shaft being less than the predeterminate diameter of the upper end of the lower second portion of the shaft; and a third portion having a third predeterminate length, the third portion of the shaft connected to the upper first portion of the shaft and the lower second portion of the shaft.

Claim 33

A correlated set of golf clubs comprising: at least two golf clubs with different lengths, each golf club of said correlated set comprising: a shaft having a lower end and an upper end; a head mounted at the lower end of the shaft; a grip mounted at the upper end of the shaft; an equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE); a club length (LC); a ratio of equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE/LC) less than 0.87; and at least one golf club of said correlated set having a total mass of less than 340 grams.

Claim 34

A correlated set of golf clubs comprising: at least two golf clubs with different lengths, each golf club of said correlated set comprising: a shaft having a lower end and an upper end; a head mounted at the lower end of the shaft; a grip mounted at the upper end of the shaft; an equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE); a club length (LC); a ratio of equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE/LC) less than 0.87; and at least one golf club of said correlated set having a total mass of less than 340 grams.

Claim 35

A correlated set of golf clubs according to claim 32, wherein for each golf club of said correlated set: the ratio of equivalent pendulum length to club length (LPE/LC) is between 0.87 and 0.85.

Claim 36

A correlated set of golf clubs according to claim 32, wherein for each golf club of said correlated set: the golf club comprises a predeterminate total mass; the grip comprises a predeterminate grip mass; the shaft comprises a predeterminate shaft mass; and the sum of the grip mass and the shaft mass is equal to between 30% and 40% of said predeterminate total mass of the golf club.

Claim 37

A correlated set of golf clubs according to claim 32, wherein: each golf club has the same static moment measured at 355.6 millimeters from an end of the shaft.

Claim 38

A correlated set of golf clubs according to claim 32, wherein: the head of each golf club has a mass within the range of 190 grams to 350 grams.

Claim 39

A correlated set of golf clubs according to claim 35, wherein: the head of each golf club has a mass within the range of 190 grams to 350 grams.