Golf club length fitting system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for prescribing overall club length for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player wherein the method comprises measuring the erect height (PH) of a player to be fitted, providing the player with a fitting ball club (FBC) having a spherical ball with a hosel bore therein, one end of a golf club shaft in the hosel bore and a golf club grip on the other end of the shaft, having the player hold the fitting ball club in address position as if about to hit a golf ball therewith, measuring the wrist-to-floor distance (WFM) vertically from the player's higher wrist to the floor, locating in the first two columns of the FIG. 4 table data corresponding to the PH and WFM measurements, respectively, for the player, deriving an incremental length LCC from the third, length control club column of FIG. 4, and adding that incremental LCC length to 37½ inches, thereby giving a prescribed overall club length for that player.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fitting ball club for use in fitting a desired length for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player, said fitting ball club comprising: 
 a spherical ball having a hosel bore therein;    a golf club shaft one end of which is in said hosel bore and connected to said spherical ball; and    a golf club grip on the other end of said shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The fitting ball club of  claim 1 , wherein the hosel bore extends from the exterior surface of the spherical ball into the center portion of the spherical ball.  
     
     
         3 . The fitting ball club of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical ball additionally comprises a hosel portion extending substantially radially from the spherical ball and the hosel bore is in said extending hosel portion.  
     
     
         4 . The fitting ball club of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the exterior surface of the spherical ball comprises a chordal section-like flat face substantially parallel to the axis of the hosel bore.  
     
     
         5 . The fitting ball club of  claim 1  having an overall length of about  37{fraction (1/2)} inches.    
     
     
         6 . A fitting system kit for prescribing length for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player, comprising: 
 a fitting ball club in accordance with  claim 1 ,    and the data of FIG. 4.    
     
     
         7 . A method for prescribing overall club length for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player, said method comprising: 
 measuring the erect height (PH) of a player to be fitted;    providing the player with a fitting ball club (FBC) comprising: 
 a spherical ball having a hosel bore therein,  
 a golf club shaft one end of which is in said hosel bore and connected to said spherical ball, and  
 a golf club grip on the other end of said shaft;  
   having the player hold the fitting ball club in address position as if about to hit a golf ball therewith;    measuring the wrist-to-floor measurement (WFM) vertically from the player's higher wrist to the floor therebelow;    locating data in the first two columns of the table of FIG. 4, said data corresponding to the PH and WFM measurements, respectively, for the player;    deriving an incremental length LCC from the third, length control club column of FIG. 4, and adding that incremental LCC length to  37{fraction (1/2)} inches, thereby giving a prescribed overall club length for that player.      
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising increasing the prescribed overall club length by one-half inch for increasing ball flight distance.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising decreasing the prescribed overall club length by one-half inch for increasing ball flight accuracy.