Golf putter and vision line putting method

Abstract

A putter that meets the design requirements of the USGA Rules of Golf for use with a one-handed, facing-the-hole, vision enhanced putting method consists of a shaft with a straight portion and three bends in the lower 5 inches and a grip with at least one flat land. An angled bore may be provided to enhance tactile feedback to the golfer. Methods for use of the putter are provided that allow the golfer to align the target hole, the intended line of ball travel, the ball and the putter face with minimal movement of the body other than the golfer's eyes for most putts.

1 . A golf putter for putting with a one-handed facing-the-hole putting style to provide an enhanced vision plane for a user in a normal address position comprising, 
 (a) a shaft having a straight upper portion including a top end and a connector portion having an upper end portion and a lower end portion;    (b) a hand grip attached to said upper portion of said shaft;    (c) a putter head having a toe and heel and face attached to said lower end portion of said connector portion; and    (d) said connector portion having a first bend adjacent said upper end portion of said connector portion for positioning a user's hand adjacent a putting line for such user and a second bend adjacent said lower end portion of said connector portion for providing an angle of projection of said shaft from the vertical plane through said toe and said heel of said putter head of a minimum of ten degrees.    
   
   
       2 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  further including a third bend adjacent said lower end portion of said connector portion to define a second angle of said straight upper portion of said shaft from the vertical to provide said putting head will not be obstructed by a hand of a user grasping said hand grip.  
   
   
       3 . The putter as defined in  claim 2  wherein said second angle does not exceed twenty degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said hand grip does not exceed 1.75 inches in width.  
   
   
       5 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said putter head is at least 4 inches in width.  
   
   
       6 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said face of said putter head is convex.  
   
   
       7 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said putter head includes a bottom surface and upwardly curved side portions.  
   
   
       8 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  further including a third bend between said upper and lower end portions of said connector portion to define a second angle of said straight upper portion of said shaft from the vertical to provide said putting head will not be obstructed by a hand of a user grasping said hand grip.  
   
   
       9 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said grip includes at least one substantially flat land.  
   
   
       10 . The putter as defined in  claim 2  wherein second angle does not exceed twenty degrees; said hand grip does not exceed 1.75 inches in width; and said putter head is approximately 4 inches in width.  
   
   
       11 . The putter as defined in  claim 10  wherein said putter head includes a bottom surface and upper curved side portions and said face is convex.  
   
   
       12 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said face of said putter head is flat.  
   
   
       13 . The putter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said hand grip includes a shaft opening for attaching said upper portion of said shaft to said hand grip.  
   
   
       14 . The putter as defined in  claim 13  wherein said shaft opening is angled from the vertical.  
   
   
       15 . A method of putting a golf ball comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting a putting club for putting with a one-handed facing-the-hole putting style to provide an enhanced vision plane for a golfer in a normal address position including a shaft having a straight upper portion including a top end and a connector portion having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, a hand grip attached to the upper end portion of the shaft, a putter head having a toe and heel and face attached to the lower end portion of the connector portion, the connector portion having a first bend adjacent the upper end portion of the connector portion for positioning a golfer's hand adjacent a putting line for such golfer and a second bend adjacent the lower portion of the connector portion for providing an angle of projection of the shaft from the vertical plane through the toe and the heel of the putter head of a minimum of ten degrees;    (b) grasping the putter grip by one hand of a golfer;    (c) positioning both feet of the golfer to one side of the intended line of the putt;    (d) positioning the golfer's body substantially facing the direction of the line of the putt;    (e) positioning the ball forward of the golfer's shoulder and the one hand grasping the putter grip;    (f) positioning the hand grasping the putter grip substantially over the intended putting line and behind the ball substantially along the putting line;    (g) positioning the golfer's upper body and head toward the putting line to cause the golfer's eyes to be in a substantially horizontal position, with at least one eye located substantially vertically above the target line but behind the ball to provide that the golfer's eyes, the putter face, the ball, and the target form a vision line including a vista of all the essential elements of a putt with little or no movement of any body part other than the golfer's eyes; and    (h) striking the ball with a force sufficient to cause the ball to roll to, or just beyond the target hole.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (h) includes the step of: 
 (i) moving the putter head by rotating around a horizontal axis the wrist of the hand holding the putter grip.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (h) includes the step of: 
 (i) moving the putter head by a combination of rotation of the wrist and movement of the putting arm.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (h) includes the step of: 
 (i) moving the putter head with a hinging motion of the putting arm elbow, keeping the wrist in a fixed position.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (h) includes the step of: 
 (i) maintaining the user golfer's body still during the putting stroke with the exception of the putting arm, wrist and hand.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (a) includes selecting a putter having a length slightly greater than the distance from the putting surface to the golfer's wrist.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (b) includes grasping the putter grip with the palm of the hand generally facing the target hole.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (b) includes grasping the putter grip with the palm of the hand generally facing away from the target hole.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15  wherein step (b) includes grasping the putter grip with the palm of the hand generally facing at a selected angle.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15  further including the step of: 
 (i) aligning the putter face perpendicular to the line of the putt with a twisting motion of the wrist or rotation of the grip with the fingers while the putter head rests on the putting surface.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further including the step of  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  further including the step of: 
 (k) reversing the direction of the putter head movement toward the ball along the intended putting line.    
   
   
       27 . A method of putting a golf ball with a putter in accord with  claim 2 , the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting a putting club having a club head member, a shaft member, and a gripping member positioned opposite said club head member;    (b) grasping said putter grip with one hand;    (c) positioning both feet of the golfer to one side of the intended line of the putt;    (d) positioning the golfer's body substantially facing the direction of the line of the putt;    (e) positioning the foot on the opposite side of the body from the putter approximately one short step distance closer to the hole than the foot on the putter side of the golfer's body;    (f) positioning the ball adjacent to the toe of the foot closest to the hole;    (g) positioning the hand gripping the putting club substantially over the intended putting line and behind the ball substantially along the putting line;    (h) positioning the golfer's upper body and head toward the putting line to cause his eyes to be in a substantially horizontal position, with at least one eye located substantially vertically above the target line but behind the ball to provide that the golfer's eyes, the putter face, the ball, and the target form a vision line including a vista of all the essential elements of a putt with little or no movement of any body part other than the golfer's eyes; and    (i) striking the ball with a force sufficient to cause the ball to roll to, or just beyond the target hole.