Chipping golf club

Abstract

A chipping wedge is provided having a longer than usual shaft on the order of approximately 40 to 55 inches long and preferably about 47 inches so that the top of the shaft comes up to about the middle of the golfer's chest when addressing the ball. The shaft includes an upper handgrip at the top of the shaft and a lower handgrip intermediate the shaft at approximately the height where a hand grip would be on a typical chipping wedge. The bottom of the shaft is bent away from the golfer at about a 10-25° angle. A right-handed golfer holds the club with the upper portion of the shaft close to vertical while gripping the club with the left hand on the upper grip at the top of the club and held against the chest and the right hand on the lower grip in the normal position and swings the club in a pendulum type motion.

1 . A golf club for hitting a golf ball with loft, said club comprising: 
 a club head adapted to hit a golf ball with loft, said club head having a ball striking face, a heel edge, a toe edge, and a sole of said face;    a shaft connected to said club head, said shaft selected such that the club is between about 40 inches and 55 inches long, and having a top end and a bottom end;    an upper grip extending downwardly along said shaft from said top end; and    a lower grip extending along said shaft and positioned intermediate said top and bottom ends of said shaft;    wherein said shaft has a bend below said lower grip, said bend being in a direction from said heel edge to said toe edge, said bend having an angle and a height above said club head so as to permit a golfer to hold said shaft substantially vertically yet have said sole of said club head at a proper angle to the ground for chipping.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said bend is about 5 inches from said sole of said club.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said bend is about 10°-25° degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said bend is about 18° degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club of  claim 3  wherein said shaft has only a single bend.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club of  claim 3  wherein said bend had no angular component outside of the heel to toe direction.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said lower grip is positioned on said shaft such that a golfer can place a first hand on said lower grip with the club head on the ground and the upper portion of said shaft vertical such that said golfer's arm corresponding to said first hand is slightly bent.  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is about 45-50 inches long.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is about 46-48 inches long.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is about 47 inches long.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is of a length such that, when said club is oriented with the upper portion of said shaft vertical and said club head on the ground, said top end of said shaft is at a height approximately equal to the middle of said golfer's chest.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said club is a chipping club.  
   
   
       14 . A method of swinging a golf club to hit a golf ball with loft, said method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a club having a club head having a striking face with a heel edge and a toe edge, said head connected to a shaft, said shaft having a length such that said club comes up to about the middle of the chest of a golfer, wherein said shaft has a bend below said lower grip, said bend being in a direction from said heel edge to said toe edge;    addressing said ball with the lateral/medial plane of said golfer approximately parallel to a direction in which said golf ball is intended to travel;    gripping said shaft with a first hand at about chest level and with said first hand contacting said chest and with an elbow corresponding to said first hand positioned lower than said first hand;    gripping said shaft with a second hand intermediate said top and bottom ends of said shaft, said second hand being below an elbow corresponding to said second hand;    swinging said club in a pendulum motion while attempting to hold said first hand motionless against said chest and said second hand applying force to swing said club.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said first hand grips said club with a thumb of said first hand facing up and said second hand grips said club with a thumb of said second hand facing down.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said golfer stands approximately erect.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said golfer's feet do not move during said swing.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said golfer keeps the elbow corresponding to said second hand bent when gripping said shaft with said second hand and throughout said swinging step.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said golfer holds said club with the portion of said shaft above said bend between about 0°-15° from vertical.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said golfer holds said club with the portion of said shaft above said bend about vertical.