Grip Training Aid for Golf Clubs

Abstract

A training aid for use with golf clubs has a coupler easily interchangeable from one club to another with an attached hand strap for wrapping about the golfer's hand to restrain the club against slipping from the user's grip while swinging the club, thereby to encourage a looser and more natural grip on the club.

1 . A training aid for use with golf clubs of the type having a shaft of tapering thickness between a club grip and a club head, comprising:
 a coupler releasably attachable to said shaft near said club grip and a hand strap attached to said coupler and adapted for wrapping about the hand of a club user gripping said club grip thereby to keep said club from slipping out of the user's grip when swinging the club.   
   
   
       2 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said coupler is a collar having an interior dimension sized to encompass said club shaft near said club grip, a slot in said collar sized for admitting said shaft radially into said collar at a shaft location spaced from said club grip but for retaining said collar radially on said shaft at a location near said club grip, said interior dimension sized to keep said collar against axial displacement over said club grip. 
   
   
       3 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said hand strap is adjustable in length for tightening said strap between said hand of a club user gripping said club grip and said coupler attached to said club shaft. 
   
   
       4 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said hand strap is adjustable for keeping said club from significant displacement through said hand of a club user gripping said club grip while said hand is swinging said club. 
   
   
       5 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said hand strap is releasably fastened to said coupler. 
   
   
       6 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said coupler with said strap is interchangeably attachable to multiple golf clubs each having said shaft of tapering width. 
   
   
       7 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said strap is of relatively inelastic material. 
   
   
       8 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said strap is a flat band marked on one side thereof for identifying an outward facing side of said strap when wrapped about said hand. 
   
   
       9 . The training aid of  claim 8  wherein said flat band is further marked for identifying one strap edge on said outward facing side as a club facing strap edge when wrapped about said hand. 
   
   
       10 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said strap has two strap sides between two strap edges and further comprising indicia on one of said strap sides for identifying one of said strap edges as a club facing edge of said strap when wrapped about said hand. 
   
   
       11 . A training aid for use with golf clubs of the type having a shaft of tapering thickness between a club grip and a club head, comprising:
 a retaining collar having an interior dimension sized to encompass said club shaft near said club grip, a slot in said collar sized for admitting said shaft radially into said collar at a shaft location spaced from said club grip but for retaining said collar radially on said shaft at a location near said club grip, said interior dimension sized to keep said collar against axial displacement over said club grip, and a hand strap attached to said collar and adapted for wrapping about the hand of a club user gripping said club grip thereby to keep said club from slipping out of the user's grip when swinging the club.   
   
   
       12 . The training aid of  claim 11  wherein said strap has two strap sides between two strap edges and further comprising indicia on one of said strap sides for identifying one of said strap edges as a club facing edge of said strap when wrapped about said hand. 
   
   
       13 . A method for improving a golfer's two handed grip on a golf club of the type having a club shaft between a club grip and a club head, comprising the steps of:
 releasably attaching a strap to said club shaft; and   wrapping said strap about an upper hand of said two handed grip thereby to restrain said club against substantial slippage through said two handed grip during swinging of said club by said golfer.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of tightening said strap to minimize displacement of said club relative to said upper hand during swinging of said club by said golfer. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of releasing said strap from said club shaft such that said strap is available for use on another said golf club in a set of clubs used by said golfer. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said strap is attachable to said golf club by a retainer collar slotted for admitting a narrow portion of said shaft but held against release from said shaft on a thicker portion of said shaft near or adjacent to said club grip. 
   
   
       17 . A training aid for use with a club, bat or racket of the type having a shaft between a head and a grip by a player holding said grip with at least one gripping hand, comprising:
 a coupler attachable to said shaft near said grip and a hand strap attached to said coupler and adapted for wrapping about said least one hand of said player, said hand strap being adjustable for tightening between a said gripping hand of said player around said grip and said shaft thereby to substantially prevent longitudinal displacement of said shaft away from said gripping hand during swing of said club, bat or racket.   
   
   
       18 . A method for improving a player's hand grip on a club, bat or racket of the type having a shaft between a head and a grip, comprising:
 attaching a coupler to said shaft near said grip with a hand strap attached to said coupler and adapted for wrapping about a gripping hand of said player, said hand strap being adjustable for tightening between said gripping hand of said player and said shaft thereby to substantially prevent longitudinal displacement of said shaft away from said gripping hand during swing of said club, bat or racket.