Method and apparatus for custom fitting a hockey stick and other sports equipment

Abstract

The hockey stick and golf club of the present invention is generally formed of a shaft and a blade. The shaft has a grip at one end and a hosel at the opposite end. Similarly, the blade has a heel at one end and a toe at the opposite end. An incrementally locking indicia assembly rotatably attaches the heel end of the blade to the hosel of the shaft. The indicia assembly includes a scale for indicating the angle of the blade to the shaft. To adjust and customize this angle, the blade may be incrementally rotated up or down relevant to the shaft and locked into location for a trial skate by a hockey player or swing by a golfer. The lie angle of the blade may be adjusted after each trial skate to achieve maximum blade contact with a hockey puck or golf ball and increase shooting accuracy.

1 . A golf club comprising: 
 a shaft comprising a grip at a first end and a hosel at a second end opposite said first end, said shaft having an imaginary Y-axis extending along the centerline of the handle lengthwise between said first and second ends; and    a club head comprising a heel at a first end and a toe at a second end opposite said first end, said club head having an imaginary X-axis extending along the centerline of said club head lengthwise between said first and second ends;    said first end of said club head rotatably attached to said second end of said shaft at an imaginary point of intersection between said X and Y axes and including an indicia assembly;    said indicia assembly comprising an incrementally locking assembly and a scale for visually indicating the angle between the X and Y axes when said toe of said club head is incrementally rotated about said hosel of said shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein said scale of said indicia assembly further comprises graduations representing each degree of movement or rotation of said club head about said shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 2 degrees of movement of said club head toward or away from said shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 1 degree of movement of said club head toward or away from said shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said graduations measure the movement of said X-axis relative to said Y-axis and provide an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of said club head to said shaft.  
     
     
         6 . A golf club comprising: 
 a shaft comprising a grip at a first end and a hosel at a second end opposite said first end; and    a club head comprising a heel at a first end and a toe at a second end opposite said first end;    said first end of said club head rotatably attached to said second end of said shaft and including an indicia assembly;    said indicia assembly comprising an incrementally locking assembly and a scale for visually indicating the position of said club head to said shaft when said toe of said club head is incrementally rotated about said hosel of said shaft.    
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 6 , wherein said scale of said indicia assembly further comprises graduations representing each degree of movement or rotation of said club head about said shaft.  
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 7 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 2 degrees of movement of said club head toward or away from said shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 7 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 1 degree of movement of said club head toward or away from said shaft.  
     
     
         10 . A golf club head assembly comprising: 
 a hosel having a first end and a second end opposite said first end and having an imaginary Y-axis extending along the centerline of said hosel lengthwise between said first and second ends;    a club head including a planar surface forming the club face extending from said second end of said hosel, said club face comprising a heel extending from said second end of said hosel and a toe opposite said heel, said club head having an imaginary X-axis extending along the centerline of said club face lengthwise between said heel and said toe; and    an indicia assembly rotatably attaching said club head to said hosel;    said indicia assembly comprising an incrementally locking assembly and a scale located on said club face for visually indicating the position of said club face to said hosel when said toe of said club head is incrementally rotated about said hosel.    
     
     
         11 . The golf club head assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said scale of said indicia assembly further comprises graduations representing each degree of movement or rotation of said club face about said hosel.  
     
     
         12 . The golf club head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 2 degrees of movement of said club face toward or away from said hosel.  
     
     
         13 . The golf club head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 1 degree of movement of said club face toward or away from said shaft.  
     
     
         14 . The golf club head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said graduations measure the movement of said X-axis relative to said Y-axis and provide an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of said club face to said hosel.  
     
     
         15 . A method for custom fitting the lie of a golf club head a to a particular golfer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a golf club with adjustable club head to the golfer for custom fitting, wherein said club head includes a hosel having a first end and a second end opposite said first end and a planar surface forming the club face extending from said second end of said hosel, said club face comprising a heel extending from said second end of said hosel and a toe opposite said heel of said club face;    (b) setting the adjustable club head to an initial lie position and marking the lie angle on an indicia assembly, wherein said indicia assembly rotatably attaches said club head to said hosel and comprises an incrementally locking assembly and a scale located on said club face for visually indicating the position of said club face to said hosel when said toe of said club head is incrementally rotated about said hosel;    (c) adjusting the angle of said club head relative to said hosel to fit the hitting stance of the golfer being fitted after the golfer makes several practice swings with the club head in the initial lie position;    (d) adjusting the angle of said club head relative to the playing surface to fit the hitting stance of the golfer being fitted;    (e) readjusting the angle of said club head relative to the hosel and the playing surface, if necessary;    (f) measuring the angle between the club face and the hosel to thereby achieve maximum club face contact with a golf ball and increase distance and ball flight accuracy; and    (g) fitting the golfer with a golf club having a fixed club head comprising the lie angle determined from steps (c) through (f).    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said scale of said indicia assembly further comprises graduations representing each degree of movement or rotation of said club head about said hosel.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 2 degrees of movement of said club head toward or away from said hosel.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said each of said graduations represents 1 degree of movement of said club head toward or away from said shaft.