Face-balanced golf putter

Abstract

The present invention is a golf putter having an offset shaft and balanced putter head which enables a golfer to accurately putt a golf ball towards a hole. The putter includes a shaft and a putter head. The shaft defines the toe portion and a heel portion of the putter head. The putter head includes a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a receptacle defined by the putter head. The receptacle is preferably formed in the bottom surface of the putter head and receives a corresponding weighted plug. The center transverse axis of the weighted plug is axially aligned with the center transverse axis of the shaft along the longitudinal axis of the putter head to exactly balance, or at least approximately balance, the toe and heel portions of the putter head. The weighted plug is preferably inserted in the receptacle to balance the golf putter. In another embodiment, the weighted plug is attached to a surface of the putter head.

The invention is claimed as follows:  
     
         1 . A golf putter comprising: 
 a putter head having a center transverse axis;    a shaft attached to said putter head, said shaft being offset from the center transverse axis of the putter head and defining a toe portion having a weight and a heel portion having a weight; and    a weighted plug attached to the heel portion of the putter head, wherein the weighted plug approximately balances the weight of the toe portion and the weight of the heel portion of the putter head.    
     
     
         2 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the heel portion defines a receptacle for receiving the weighted plug and the weighted plug is secured in the receptacle.  
     
     
         3 . The golf putter of  claim 2 , wherein the approximate weight of the weighted plug is D which is calculated based on the following formula: D=Y−(Z−C), wherein Y is the weight of the toe portion, Z is the weight of the heel portion and C is the weight of an amount of material of the putter head which would be needed to fill the receptacle.  
     
     
         4 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted plug is attached to a surface of the heel portion of the putter head.  
     
     
         5 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft and the weighted plug are positioned on a longitudinal axis of the putter head.  
     
     
         6 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft and the weighted plug are positioned on a center longitudinal axis of the putter head.  
     
     
         7 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes a curved portion of a predetermined length that is formed on one end of the shaft.  
     
     
         8 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the material of the weighted plug is greater than the density of the material of the putter head.  
     
     
         9 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the putter head includes a top surface with at least one sight line for aligning the putter head with a golf hole.  
     
     
         10 . The golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted plug exactly balances the weight of the toe portion and the weight of the heel portion of the putter head.  
     
     
         11 . A golf putter comprising: 
 a putter head including a center transverse axis and a center longitudinal axis;    a shaft attached to the putter head along the center longitudinal axis of the putter head, said shaft being offset from the center transverse axis and defining a transverse shaft axis, a first portion of the putter head on one side of the transverse shaft axis and a second portion of the putter head on the opposite side of the transverse shaft axis; and    a weighted plug attached to the second portion of the putter head along the center longitudinal axis such that the weight of the first portion is substantially equal to a combined weight of the second portion and the weighted plug.    
     
     
         12 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the second portion defines a receptacle for receiving the weighted plug and the weighted plug is secured in the receptacle.  
     
     
         13 . The golf putter of  claim 12 , wherein the approximate weight of the weighted plug is D which is calculated based on the following formula: D=Y−(Z−C), wherein Y is the weight of the first portion, Z is the weight of the second portion without the weighted plug and C is the weight of an amount of material of the putter head which would be needed to fill the receptacle.  
     
     
         14 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the weighted plug is attached to a surface of the second portion of the putter head.  
     
     
         15 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft includes a curved portion of a predetermined length that is formed on one end of the shaft.  
     
     
         16 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the density of the material of the weighted plug is greater than the density of the material of the putter head.  
     
     
         17 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the putter head includes a top surface with at least one sight line for aligning the putter head with a golf hole.  
     
     
         18 . The golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein the weighted plug exactly balances the weight of the first portion and the weight of the second portion of the putter head.  
     
     
         19 . A golf putter comprising: 
 a putter head having a center transverse axis;    a shaft attached to the putter head, said shaft being offset from the center transverse axis of the putter head and defining a shaft transverse axis, a heel portion having a weight Y on one side of the shaft transverse axis, and a toe portion having a weight Z on an opposite side of the shaft transverse axis;    a receptacle defined by said heel portion wherein an amount of material needed to fill the receptacle has a weight C; and    a weighted plug attached to the putter head and having a weight which balances the weights of the toe and heel portions of the putter head, said weighted plug having a weight approximately equal to Y−(Z−C).    
     
     
         20 . The golf putter of  claim 19 , wherein the density of the material of the weighted plug is greater than the density of the material of the putter head.  
     
     
         21 . The golf putter of  claim 19 , wherein the putter head includes a top surface with at least one sight line for aligning the putter head with a golf hole.  
     
     
         22 . The golf putter of  claim 19 , wherein the weighted plug exactly balances the weight of the toe portion and the weight of the heel portion of the putter head.  
     
     
         23 . A method for making a golf putter, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) attaching a shaft to a putter head offset from a center transverse axis of the putter head to define a toe portion having a weight Y and a heel portion having a weight Z;    (b) calculating a weight D for a weighted plug to be attached to the heel portion to balance the toe portion and the heel portion, wherein D=Y−Z; and    (c) attaching said weighted plug of weight D to the heel portion of the putter head to face balance the golf putter.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the density of the material of the weighted plug is greater than the density of the material of the putter head.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , which includes the step of forming at least one sight line in a top surface of the putter head for aligning the putter head with a desired location on a green.