Putter aiming method and apparatus

Abstract

A putter fitting method includes the steps of providing a golfer with a first putter assembled from a first set of components including a putter head, a hosel, and a shaft. The golfer aims the putter towards a target, and the alignment of the first putter with respect to the target is checked. Then one of the components is changed, and the golfer again aims the putter towards the target, and the alignment of the second putter with respect to the target is checked. The process of changing one of the components continues until a combination is found which allows the golfer to correctly aim the putter towards the target.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A putter fitting method for fitting a golf putter to a golfer, comprising: 
 providing the golfer with a first putter comprising a first putter head, a first shaft, and a first hosel connecting the shaft to the putter head;    allowing the golfer to aim the first putter towards a target;    checking the alignment of the first putter with respect to the target;    changing at least one of the first putter head, the first shaft, or the first hosel on the first putter with a respective second putter head, second shaft, or second hosel to produce a second putter;    allowing the golfer to aim the second putter towards the target; and    checking the alignment of the second putter with respect to the target.    
     
     
         2 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  wherein each putter head comprises a putter face having an essentially flat surface thereon, and further wherein alignment of the first and second putters with respect to the target is check by measuring the perpendicularity of the flat surface on the putter face to a line from the flat surface on the putter face to the target.  
     
     
         3 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  wherein each putter head comprises a putter face having an essentially flat surface thereon, and further wherein the golfer aims the putter at the target by visually aligning an object in front of the putter head with the target along a line perceived to be perpendicular to the flat surface on the putter face.  
     
     
         4 . The putter fitting method of  claim 3  wherein the object in front of the putter head is a marking on a surface.  
     
     
         5 . The putter fitting method of  claim 3  wherein the object in front of the putter head is a golf ball.  
     
     
         6 . The putter fitting method of  claim 3  wherein alignment of the first and second putters with respect to the target is check by measuring the perpendicularity of the flat surface on the putter face to a line running from the target through the object to the flat surface on the putter face.  
     
     
         7 . The putter fitting method of  claim 6  wherein the act of measuring the perpendicularity of the line is performed by generating a beam of focused light, passing the beam of focused light over the target, reflecting the beam of focused light from the flat surface on the putter face, and determining the deviation of the reflected beam of light from the beam of light passing over the target.  
     
     
         8 . The putter fitting method of  claim 7  wherein the beam of focused light is generated using a laser.  
     
     
         9 . The putter fitting method of  claim 7  wherein the flat surface on the putter face comprises a reflective covering.  
     
     
         10 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising repeating the steps of changing at least one of the putter head, the shaft, or the hosel on the putter, allowing the golfer to aim the second putter towards the target, and checking the alignment of the putter with respect to the target until the golfer has aligned the putter with the target.  
     
     
         11 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a plurality of putter heads which can be interchanged with one another to produce a plurality of different putters to be aimed at the target by the golfer.  
     
     
         12 . The putter fitting method of  claim 11  wherein the putter heads are characterized by alignment markings visible to the golfer disposed thereon, each putter head having a unique set of alignment markings.  
     
     
         13 . The putter fitting method of  claim 11  wherein the putter heads are characterized by putter face profiles, each putter head having a unique putter face profile.  
     
     
         14 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a plurality of shafts having different lengths from one another and which can be interchanged with one another to produce a plurality of different putters to be aimed at the target by the golfer.  
     
     
         15 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a plurality of hosels having different offsets from one another and which can be interchanged with one another to produce a plurality of different putters to be aimed at the target by the golfer.  
     
     
         16 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a plurality of hosels each producing a different shaft angle with respect to the putter head when a shaft and putter head are attached to the hosel, to produce a plurality of different putters to be aimed at the target by the golfer.  
     
     
         17 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising following changing at least one of the first putter head, the first shaft, or the first hosel on the first putter with a respective second putter head and checking the alignment of the second putter with respect to the target, changing at least one other of the first putter head, the first shaft, or the first hosel on the first putter with a respective second putter head to produce a third putter, allowing the golfer to aim the third putter towards the target; and checking the alignment of the third putter with respect to the target.  
     
     
         18 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising the preliminary step of fitting the putter with a putter head having correct loft.  
     
     
         19 . The putter fitting method of  claim 1  further comprising the preliminary step of fitting the putter with a putter head having correct lie angle.