Adjustable putter head

Abstract

The present invention is an improved putter that assists a player in perfecting a putt stroke during practice and repeating it with the same club during play. The shaft is attached to the clubhead such that it can swivel from a practice configuration to a play configuration. The putter also comprises a hosel with an attached alignment cap having lobes which matingly engage a series of recesses on the clubhead to secure the clubhead to the shaft. The putter conforms to the Rules of Golf so that the player does not have to change clubs between practice and play. The club may be used for either a right or left-handed stroke.

1 . A clubhead comprising:
 a. one or more weight cavities for receiving one or more removable weights;   b. one or more substantially circular recesses aligned with the weight cavities; and   c. an alignment cap comprising one or more substantially circular lobes which mate with the recesses such that the alignment cap retains the removable weights within the weight cavities.   
   
   
       2 . The clubhead of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a. a top and bottom wherein the recesses are defined along the top; and   b. a base plate attached to the bottom.   
   
   
       3 . The clubhead of  claim 2  wherein the base plate comprises a series of grooves oriented along the line of putt. 
   
   
       4 . The clubhead of  claim 2  further comprising one or more ejection apertures extending through the bottom into the weight cavities. 
   
   
       5 . The clubhead of  claim 1  wherein the alignment cap is removable to provide access to the weight cavities. 
   
   
       6 . The clubhead of  claim 1  further comprising an attachment structure connected to the alignment cap, wherein the attachment structure can be adjusted from a tightened position to a loosened position, such that the attachment structure fixes the alignment cap securely within the recesses in the tightened position and allows the lobes to be disengaged from the recesses in the loosened position. 
   
   
       7 . The clubhead of  claim 6  wherein the attachment structure is a retention screw. 
   
   
       8 . The clubhead of  claim 7  wherein the alignment cap is rotated about the retention screw, with respect to the recesses, to provide access to the weight cavities when the retention screw is in the loosened position. 
   
   
       9 . A clubhead for a putter, the clubhead comprising:
 a. a top and a bottom;   b. one or more recesses defined along the top;   c. one or more weight cavities for receiving one or more removable weights, each weight cavity disposed between the top and bottom and aligned with a recess;   d. an alignment cap comprising one or more lobes shaped to matedly fit within the recesses such that the alignment cap retains the removable weights within the weight cavities; and   e. a retention structure attached to the alignment cap such that the alignment cap cannot be removed, but one or more lobes can be disengaged from the recesses and the alignment cap rotated about the retention structure to provide access to the weight cavities.   
   
   
       10 . The clubhead of  claim 9  further comprising a hosel attached to the alignment cap, the hosel configured to receive a putter shaft and fix it to the clubhead. 
   
   
       11 . The clubhead of  claim 10  wherein the hosel comprises one or more alignment marks. 
   
   
       12 . The clubhead of  claim 9  wherein the retention structure is a retention screw. 
   
   
       13 . The clubhead of  claim 12  further comprising a retention aperture in the bottom through which the retention screw passes. 
   
   
       14 . The clubhead of  claim 9  wherein the recesses, lobes, and weight cavities are substantially circular. 
   
   
       15 . The clubhead of  claim 9  wherein a removable weight comprises a biasing member for holding the weight in place in the weight cavity. 
   
   
       16 . The clubhead of  claim 9  further comprising a base plate having a series of grooves oriented along the line of putt, the base plate connected to the bottom. 
   
   
       17 . The clubhead of  claim 9  further comprising a side connected to the top and bottom. 
   
   
       18 . The clubhead of  claim 17  wherein the side comprises one or more weight windows through which the interior of the weight cavities can be seen. 
   
   
       19 . The clubhead of  claim 17  wherein the side comprises one or more alignment apertures. 
   
   
       20 . A clubhead comprising:
 a. one or more weight cavities for receiving one or more removable weights; and   b. a base plate attached to the bottom of the clubhead, the base plate having a series of grooves oriented along the line of putt.