Putter grip

Abstract

A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf putter shaft. The grip includes an elongate tubular body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end. The body has a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces. The body also has a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions. The front face and the rear face have front and rear transverse thicknesses, respectively. The front and rear transverse thicknesses are measured at the central portion of the body along a first longitudinal plane extending through a forward most region of the front face, the longitudinal axis and a rearward region of the back face. The ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least five to one.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf putter shaft, the grip configured for grasping by a golfer during putting, the grip comprising: 
 an elongate tubular body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end for receiving the butt end of the golf putter shaft, the body having a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces, the body further having a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions;    the front face and the rear face having front and rear transverse thicknesses, respectively, the front and rear transverse thicknesses being measured at the central portion of the body along a first longitudinal plane extending through a forward most region of the front face, the longitudinal axis and a rearward region of the back face, the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness being at least five to one.    
     
     
         2 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least seven to one.  
     
     
         3 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least ten to one.  
     
     
         4 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the front transverse thickness is no greater than 0.050 inches.  
     
     
         5 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side faces have first and second side transverse thicknesses, wherein the first and second side transverse thicknesses are measured at a central portion of the body along a second longitudinal plane perpendicular to the first longitudinal plane, and wherein the ratio of either of the first and second side transverse thicknesses to the front transverse thickness is at least three to one.  
     
     
         6 . The grip of  claim 5  wherein the ratio of either of the first and second side transverse thicknesses to the front transverse thickness is at least four to one.  
     
     
         7 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein the front face is made of a first material, and wherein at least one of the first side face, the second side face and the rear face are made of a second material.  
     
     
         8 . The grip of  claim 7  wherein the first material has a first durometer and wherein the second material has a second durometer.  
     
     
         9 . The grip of  claim 8  wherein the first material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         10 . The grip of  claim 9  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments higher than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         11 . The grip of  claim 9  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments lower than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         12 . A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf putter shaft, the grip configured for grasping by a golfer during putting, the grip comprising: 
 an elongate tubular body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end for receiving the butt end of the golf putter shaft, the body having a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces, the body further having a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions;    the front face and the rear face having front and rear transverse thicknesses, respectively, the front and rear transverse thicknesses being measured at the central portion of the body along a first longitudinal plane extending through a forward most region of the front face, the longitudinal axis and a rearward region of the back face, the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness being at least three to one, and the front transverse thickness being no greater than 0.070 inches.    
     
     
         13 . The grip of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least seven to one.  
     
     
         14 . The grip of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least ten to one.  
     
     
         15 . The grip of  claim 12 , wherein the front transverse thickness is no greater than 0.050 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The grip of  claim 12  wherein the front face is made of a first material having a first durometer, and wherein at least one of the first side face, the second side face and the rear face are made of a second material having a second durometer.  
     
     
         17 . The grip of  claim 16  wherein the first material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         18 . The grip of  claim 17  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments higher than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         19 . The grip of  claim 17  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments lower than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         20 . A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf putter shaft, the grip configured for grasping by a golfer during putting, the grip comprising: 
 an elongate tubular body including a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions, the body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end for receiving the butt end of the golf putter shaft, the central portion of the body having a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces, the front face being made of a first material, and at least one of the first side face, the second side face and the rear face being made of a second material.    
     
     
         21 . The grip of  claim 20  wherein the first material has a first durometer and wherein the second material has a second durometer.  
     
     
         22 . The grip of  claim 20  wherein the first and second materials each have a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         23 . The grip of  claim 21  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments higher than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         24 . The grip of  claim 23  wherein the durometer of the first material is at least 30 on the Shore A hardness scale and the durometer of the second material is at least 20 on a Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         25 . The grip of  claim 23  wherein the durometer of the first material is between 45 and 80 on the Shore A hardness scale and the durometer of the second material is between 35 and 60 on a Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         26 . The grip of  claim 21  wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments lower than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         27 . The grip of  claim 26  wherein the durometer of the first material is at least 20 on the Shore A hardness scale and the durometer of the second material is at least 30 on a Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         28 . The grip of  claim 23  wherein the durometer of the first material is between 35 and 60 on the Shore A hardness scale and the durometer of the second material is between 45 and 80 on a Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         29 . A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf club shaft, the grip configured for grasping by a golfer, the grip comprising: 
 an elongate tubular body including a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions, the body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end for receiving the butt end of the golf club shaft, the central portion of the body having a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces, at least one of the front face, the rear face the first side face, the second side face, the distal end portion and the butt end portion being formed of a first material, the first material selected from the group consisting of a translucent material, a semi-translucent material, a transparent material, and a semi-transparent material, and at least one of the front face, the rear face the first side face, the second side face, the distal end portion and the butt end portion being formed of a non-translucent, non-transparent material.    
     
     
         30 . The grip of  claim 29  wherein at least the front face and the distal end portion are formed of the first material.  
     
     
         31 . The grip of  claim 29 , wherein the first material includes indicia selected from the group consisting of graphical indicia, alphanumeric indicia, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The grip of  claim 29 , wherein the front face and the rear face have front and rear transverse thicknesses, respectively, wherein the front and rear transverse thicknesses are measured at the central portion of the body along a first longitudinal plane extending through a forward most region of the front face, the longitudinal axis and a rearward region of the back face, and wherein the ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness being at least three to one, and the front transverse thickness being no greater than 0.070 inches.  
     
     
         33 . The grip of  claim 29 , wherein the first material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second material has a durometer on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         34 . The grip of  claim 29 , wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments higher than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.  
     
     
         35 . The grip of  claim 29 , wherein the durometer of the first material on the Shore A hardness scale is at least 10 scale increments lower than the durometer of the second material on the Shore A hardness scale.