Golf club with decorative member

Abstract

The incorporation of animal tissue into a golf club in an aesthetically pleasing manner through the use of an improved decorating process to provide a golf club that has the benefits of modern golf technology and a pleasing, intriguing, and noteworthy aesthetic appearance. A decorative member is formed about and bonded to a golf club shaft that comprises a piece of hollow elongate animal tissue. The pliable nature of the animal tissue allows for various contours to be readily formed during manufacture. A strong bond forms between the animal tissue and the shaft so as to prevent any twisting of the decorative member about the shaft without the use of an adhesive. The animal tissue is stainable, can receive and retain varnish, and is easily mounted on a particular golf club shaft to provide the appearance of a traditional wooden golf club without sacrificing modern performance characteristics.

1 . A golf club having a decorative member configured to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the golf club, the golf club comprising: 
 a shaft having an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate portion therebetween;    a golf head coupled to said lower portion of said shaft; and    a decorative member coupled to said shaft, wherein said decorative member comprises animal tissue.    
     
     
         2 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said animal tissue is a hollow elongate animal tissue.  
     
     
         3 . A golf club as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said hollow elongate animal tissue comprises at least a portion of a genital organ of an animal.  
     
     
         4 . A golf club as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said genital organ comprises at least a portion of a penis, and wherein a urethral orifice of said penis is disposed about the shaft of the golf club.  
     
     
         5 . A golf club as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the genital organ comprises at least a portion of a penis of a bull.  
     
     
         6 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said golf head comprises a putter head.  
     
     
         7 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the animal tissue is mounted on the intermediate portion of the shaft and further comprising a grip coupled to the upper portion of the shaft.  
     
     
         8 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member is a pliable member.  
     
     
         9 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member is a self-adhering member.  
     
     
         10 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member is a stainable member.  
     
     
         11 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member comprises at least one groove and at least one ridge.  
     
     
         12 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member includes at least one flat side.  
     
     
         13 . A golf club as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said decorative member has an appearance of hickory wood.  
     
     
         14 . A golf club having performance features of modern golf club technology combined with an aesthetically pleasing appearance of a wooden shaft, the golf club comprising: 
 a shaft having an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate portion therebetween;    a golf head coupled to said lower portion of said shaft;    a grip coupled to said upper portion of said shaft; and    a decorative member coupled to said intermediate portion of said shaft, said decorative member comprising a hollow elongate animal tissue having an orifice extending therethrough.    
     
     
         15 . A golf club as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said head comprises one of a wood head and an iron head.  
     
     
         16 . A golf club as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said decorative member is a self-adhering, pliable, stainable member.  
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing a golf club having an aesthetically pleasing appearance, the method comprising: 
 providing (i) a shaft having an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate portion therebetween; (ii) a golf head; and (iii) a decorative member comprising animal tissue;    mounting said decorative member on said shaft; and    mounting said golf head on said lower portion of said shaft.    
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the decorative member is mounted on the intermediate portion of the shaft and further comprising mounting a grip on said upper portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein mounting said decorative member on said elongate shaft comprises: 
 inserting said elongate shaft through an orifice that extends down said animal tissue; and    drying said animal tissue, thereby causing said animal to form tightly about and self-adhere onto said intermediate portion of said elongate shaft.    
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising selectively forming said decorative member.  
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein selectively forming the decorative member comprises the act of manipulating said animal tissue to comprise at least one groove and at least one ridge.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising selectively coloring said decorative member.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 22 , wherein selectively coloring said decorative member comprises staining said decorative member.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising varnishing said decorative member.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said hollow elongate animal tissue comprises at least a portion of a reproductive organ.