Golf club

Abstract

A golf club design useful in clubs hit from the course surface, i. e., shots from the fairway, rough, and sand. The design also improves direction and length of drives from the tee. The design provides for the axis of the shaft of the club to intersect the vertical centerline of the club at the club sole. This results in a club in which the club head does not twist from contact with the earth, sand, or tall grass while striking the ball. The counter-weighted effect of the club design minimizes club head twist upon making off-center hits. The design provides for a larger area on the golf club face to strike the ball without twisting of the club head. The design allows the golfer to have a softer, more relaxed grip on the golf club without the club twisting upon impact.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A golf club comprising: 
 an elongated golf club shaft having an upper end and a lower end and having a longitudinal central axis;    a golf club head having a toe portion and a heel portion and a sole forming the base of said golf club head and having a club head face extending between said toe portion and said heel portion;    said lower end of said shaft being attached to said golf club head by a generally cylindrical hozzle;    said golf club head having a vertical centerline;    said elongated golf club shaft and said hozzle being positioned relative to said golf club head that an extension of the longitudinal central axis of said golf club shaft intersects with said vertical centerline of said club head at a point between and including the sole of said club head and up to one inch above the sole.    
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein said golf club head is a wood having a top surface, said elongated golf club shaft being positioned along the top surface of said head and at such an angle that the centerline of said golf club shaft intersects with said vertical centerline of said club head at a point about the level of said sole of said wood.  
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said golf club is configured to be similar in appearance and configuration to a standard wood club.  
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein said club head is an iron, the club head being attached to said hozzle at said heel portion thereof, said shaft being connected in line with said hozzle such that the hozzle at the point of attachment extends along the same longitudinal axis as said shaft, having a downward bend spaced along said hozzle and a lower portion formed extending from said bend such that said lower portion extends downward at a steeper angle relative to vertical than said shaft, said lower portion being connected with the club head along the heel portion thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 4 , wherein said club head is a short iron and said intersection point is located along said sole and spaced about half way back along said centerline from said face, said face having a high pitch relative to said sole.  
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 5 , wherein said golf club is configured so as to be similar in appearance and configuration to a standard short iron.  
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein said club head is a long iron and said intersection point is located along said sole at a point along said centerline at substantially said face, said face having a low pitch relative to said sole.  
     
     
         8 . A golf club comprising: 
 an elongated golf club shaft having an upper end and a lower end and having a longitudinal central axis; and    a golf club head having a toe portion and a heel portion and a sole forming the base of said golf club head and having a club head face extending between said toe portion and said heel portion;    said lower end of said shaft being attached to said golf club head by a generally cylindrical hozzle;    said golf club head having a vertical centerline;    said elongated golf club shaft and said hozzle being positioned relative to said golf club head that an extension of the longitudinal central axis of said golf club shaft intersects with said vertical centerline of said club head at a point between and including the sole of said club head and up to one inch above the sole;    said golf club head being a wood having a top surface; and    said elongated golf club shaft being positioned along the top surface of said head and at such an angle that the centerline of said golf club shaft intersects with said vertical centerline of said club head at a point between and including the sole of said club head and up to one inch above the sole of said wood.    
     
     
         9 . A golf club comprising: 
 an elongated golf club shaft having an upper end and a lower end and having a longitudinal central axis; and    a golf club head having a toe portion and a heel portion and a sole forming the base of said golf club head and having a club head face extending between said toe portion and said heel portion;    said lower end of said shaft being attached to said golf club head by a generally cylindrical hozzle;    said golf club head having a vertical centerline;    said elongated golf club shaft and said hozzle being positioned relative to said golf club head that an extension of the longitudinal central axis of said golf club shaft intersects with said vertical centerline of said club head at a point between and including the sole of said club head and up to one inch above the sole;    said club head being an iron;    said club head being attached to said hozzle at said heel portion thereof;    said shaft being connected in line with said hozzle such that the hozzle at the point of attachment extends along the same longitudinal axis as said shaft, having a downward bend spaced along said hozzle and a lower portion formed extending from said bend such that said lower portion extends downward at a steeper angle relative to vertical than said shaft; and    said lower portion being connected with said iron club head along the heel portion thereof.    
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein said club head is a short iron and said intersection point is located along said sole and spaced about half way back along said centerline from said face; said face having a high pitch relative to said sole.