This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to putters having a cylindrical head.
Putters are used in golf for the final approach to a hole where a high degree of accuracy is more important than distance. Various types of putters have been designed in an effort to obtain improvements in accuracy. These designs have taken into account a wide variety of factors, including shape and surface characteristics of the putter head striking face, putter head material, weight, balance, shaft placement, and sighting capability.
While most putter heads have been generally rectangular in shape, with a flat striking face, some designs have employed cylindrical heads that present a uniformly convex striking face. This type of putter is exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,433,441 issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Olsen. et al 5,501,461 issued Mar. 26, 1996 to Donofrio.
It is desired to provide a putter head having the uniformly curved striking face of a cylinder, consistent with optimum surface characteristics, size, weight, and alignment capability, along with favorable balance and xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d properties. Certain materials of construction may provide an optimum result in one aspect such as surface characteristics or xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d, but fail to meet other requirements in particular a weight favorable for obtaining effective balance.
The present invention is directed to a golf putter having a generally cylindrical head made up of an outer tube of a metal such as aluminum having a medium hardness at the surface, and an inner rod of a heavy metal or metal-like material disposed along the length of the head inside of and secured to the outer tube. The outer tube is selected to provide a favorable xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d, consistent with other properties relating to surface characteristics, and the inner rod is selected to obtain an overall weight effective for optimum balance of the putter, which may be from 320 to 400 grams.
The outer surface of the head may be uniformly rounded except for a hat face defined along the length thereof and at the top side of the head when located in it normal horizontal position. At least one alignment indicator is provided in a groove extending across the flat face at its center.
A putter shaft may be mounted in a hole drilled into the flat face at a selected location and selected angle, using previously known techniques.
The diameter of the cylindrical head is selected so that the forward convex area, which becomes the striking surface of the putter head, is located at the same height as the center of the ball, with a slight allowance being made for lifting the putter to clear the ground during a stroke. Contacting the ball in this manner provides a quick rolling action and avoids skidding and spinning effects produced by other putters.
Putters embodying the invention are also characterized by favorable properties, including good balance and xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d features in addition to xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d.