1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to an adjustable golf putter for adjusting both loft and lie. More particularly the present invention relates to an adjustable putter head that includes a one piece integral putter head having a socket that receives a socket connector (preferably a ball) mounted at the distal end of the putter shaft, and wherein pins and slots restrict putter head adjustability to two planes and multiple set screws carried in the putter head (and angularly oriented with respect to each other) can be tightened to rigidify the putter head with respect to the shaft. The ball is preferably of a softer metal than the set screws to insure that a rigid connection is made between each set screw and the ball once a selected position of the putter head is selected relative to the shaft.
2. General Background
One of the most critical aspects of the game of golf involves putting and the putter selected by the user. The golfer must have a putter that matches his or her stroke, often a function of the particular body structure of the individual. Further, the putter selected by the user could change depending on the current green surface confronting the player.
Therefore, there is a need for a putter that one could adjust depending on ones stroke or current green surface. The concept of an adjustable putter per se is not a new concept. Many patents have issued that related to golf clubs that have a head that is adjustable relative to the shaft.
Early patents that disclose putters having adjustable head relative to the shaft include the Davis Pat. No. 749,174 entitled "Putter"; the Role Pat. No. 1,182,209 entitled "Golf Club" and the Olson Pat. No. 1,352,020 entitled "Golf Club". Another early adjustable golf club in seen is U.S. Pat. No. 1,313,504 issued to C. A. Role entitled "Golf Club". In these early patents, a pivotal connection is disclosed between the head of the club and the shaft. In some patents and a ball and socket type connection between the head of the club and the shaft in other patent.
Later patents include U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,170 issued to Warnock entitled "Adjustable Golf Club". The Warnock patent shows a pivoting connection between the club shaft and the putter head that features a pair of spaced apart set screws at affix positions of the shaft relative to the head in one plane by using a generally semi-circular disk like member attached to the shaft which rides in a similarly shaped recess of the club head. A ball and socket clamp head putter allows three hundred sixty degree (360.degree.) rotatability between the end of the shaft and the club head.
The Hugman Pat. No. 2,708,579 entitled "Ball and Socket Clamp Head Putter" uses a two part club head that fits about a ball tip end portion of the club shaft. The two halves of the putter heads are secured together with machine screws and tightened so as to clamp the putter head in a desired position upon the ball tip end portion of the club. The putter head provides a substantially flat front face, a substantially flat top face, a substantially flat bottom face and ends, with a ball position within the head, occupying a concave socket portion of each of the halves of the putter head. The two concave recess portions of the putter head are aligned to fit against the ball or spherical tip end of the club shaft upon assembly. The '579 patent claims to provide a universal joint to facilitate the adjustment of the head at a desired angle, and wherein the ball portion of the universal joint extends below the bottom face of the head to hold the head above the surface of a putting green when the putter is swung for contact with a golf ball.
A more recent adjustable putter is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,737 entitled "True Roll Putter". The '737 patent provides an elongated generally cylindrically head with an up standing handle shaft inclined between sixteen degrees (16.degree.) and twenty two degrees (22.degree.) relative to a vertical plane normal to the longitudinal center line of the head. The shaft is connected to the head for adjustment of the incline of the shaft relative to the shaft and the lower extremities of the opposite ends of the head are disposed in a horizontal plane spaced below the lower extremity of the longitudinal mid portion of the head. The opposite ends of the head each include alternating large and small diameter zones spaced longitudinally of the head which function to rapidly diminish the amplitude of vibrations of the head, traveling both transversely and longitudinally thereof, resulting from impact of either side of the head with a golf ball.
One example of a conventional club that is adjusted to suit the player's particular style and stance and then permanently locked in that position is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,492. Other examples of adjustable clubs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,096,982; 4,736,951; 2,447,438; 2,495,444; 2,777,694; 2,571,970 and 2,882,053. Each of the clubs disclosed in the listed patents suffers from one or more of the problems discussed above.
The present invention provides an improved adjustable golf putter that includes a rugged integrally formed putter head with a shaft that adjustably attaches thereto by means of a spherically shaped end portion of the lower tip of the putter shaft.
The present invention provides adjustability that accommodates the physical preferences of golfers including tall, short, fat, thin, etc. players as well as the mental preferences, including players that like very upright putter lies to those players that prefer a flatter plane.
The present invention provides an improved adjustable golf putter that adapts the putter to golf greens in various climates. For example, some golf greens are very fast while other golf greens are very slow. Further, cooler parts of the world normally have bent grass greens whereas Bermuda grass is typically used in warmer parts of the world. Each of these different grass conditions might well require a different loft angle of the face of the club to get the ball to roll properly.