Handle configuration for a putter type golf club

Abstract

A putter type golf club including a club head with a ball striking face lying in a plane and a shaft connected to the club head. The golf club is formed with an elongated handle, having a cross-sectional configuration with a first length in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said ball striking face and a second length in a direction parallel to the plane of said ball striking face; the first length being greater than the second length and the cross-sectional shape being generally oval, including rounded front and rear edges. Alignment indicia is provided on a top surface of the handle to assist the golfer to properly align the golf club in order to execute a putting stroke toward an intended target.

1 . A putter type golf club including a club head having a ball striking face lying in a first plane and a shaft having an upper end and a lower end connected to the club head, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 an elongated handle having an upper edge and a lower edge, said handle being attached to said shaft and having a generally oval, cross-sectional shape along the entire handle between said upper edge and said lower edge;    said generally oval, cross-sectional shape of said elongated handle including a first rounded front edge and a second rounded rearward edge defining a cross-sectional, length dimension of said handle; a first flat side surface and a second opposing flat side surface defining a width dimension of said handle; said cross-sectional, length dimension being perpendicular to said first plane of said ball striking face; said handle being further defined by said first rounded forward edge having a first radius and said second rounded rearward edge having a second smaller radius; said flat side surfaces gradually tapering closer, each to the other, in a forward to rearward edge direction; said upper edge of said handle including alignment indicia thereon, defined by at least a first alignment line in the direction perpendicular to the first plane of said ball striking face and a second alignment line on said upper edge of said handle, said second alignment line being perpendicular to said first alignment line, parallel to said first plane of said ball striking face and intersecting said first alignment line.    
     
     
         2 . The putter type golf club of  claim 1  wherein said upper edge of said handle is further defined by a flat upper surface.  
     
     
         3 . The putter type golf club of  claim 1  wherein said handle extends at least half of the overall length of the golf club from said club head to said upper end of said shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The putter type golf club of  claim 1  wherein the first alignment line is longer than the second alignment line.  
     
     
         5 . The putter type golf club of  claim 1  wherein the first alignment line and second alignment line intersect to form a cross.