Golf putter incorporating swing analysis module

Abstract

An improved golf putter incorporating a weight management system that allows for adjustment of a golf club head weighting by incorporating an adjustable weight system wherein weights may be removed and replaced quickly and easily without requiring a specialized tool is disclosed. Weights received within weight ports formed in the heel and toe portions of the putter are maintained securely affixed within the club head body. While the preferred golf club embodiment disclosed is a putter, the present invention contemplates incorporating any of the features and/or advancements disclosed herein into any golf club. In addition, the present invention further includes novel aspects relating to overall design, including mass distribution and a rearwardly projecting portion having an upwardly sloped sole that prevents the club from snagging the turf. Furthermore a hollowed out area formed within the rearwardly projecting portion is sized and shaped to receive a correspondingly sized and shaped sensing module adapted to measure club head movement and wirelessly transmit data to a remote graphical user interface.

1 . A golf putter comprising:
 a head including a main body and a rearwardly projecting portion integrally formed with and extending from said main body;   said main body including a face, a heel portion, a toe portion, a top portion, and a sole;   said main body top portion defining an elongate aperture having a length and a width, said length exceeding said width, said length aligned parallel with said face;   a hosel having an end portion sized for insertion within said elongate aperture;   removable weights received within weight-receiving ports defined in the upper half of said heel portion and said toe portion;   said rearwardly projecting portion including a top that projects rearwardly from said main body face portion and terminates in a rear end;   first and second modules sized and shaped for alternate removable insertion behind said main body face portion and below said the top of said rearwardly projecting portion, each of said modules defining a bottom surface that sweeps upward from the front portion thereof to the back portion thereof;   said first module adapted for removably receiving a weight selected from one of a group of weights of differing mass;   said second module comprising a swing analysis module and housing at least one 3-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope to detect movement of said head in each of the three dimensions, a battery power source, a processor, and wireless transmitter for transmitting data obtained by said module.   
     
     
         2 . A golf putter according to  claim 1 , wherein said second module further includes means for wireless transmission of data relating to club movement to a remote user interface. 
     
     
         3 . A golf putter according to  claim 1 , wherein said main body face portion includes at least two sound transmitting holes formed along axes that are generally perpendicular to said face and spaced on either side of a centerline separating said heel portion from said toe portion. 
     
     
         4 . A golf putter according to  claim 3 , wherein said second module includes a pair of microphones including a first microphone mounted toward a toe end of said module and a second microphone mounted toward a heel end of said module. 
     
     
         5 . A golf putter according to  claim 4 , wherein the combination of said sound transmitting holes and said pair of microphones allow the system to identify whether contact with a golf ball was on-center, or off-center toward the toe, or off-center toward the heel, by analyzing the relative sound transmitted through said holes as detected by said microphones. 
     
     
         6 . A golf putter according to  claim 5 , further including a sound barrier inserted between said two sound transmitting holes to form two distinct sound chambers separated by said sound barrier. 
     
     
         7 . A golf putter according to  claim 1 , where said face portion defines a recessed area, and receives a face insert within said recessed area, said head formed of a first material, said insert formed of a second material, said first material being different than said second material. 
     
     
         8 . A golf putter according to  claim 7 , wherein said insert includes a rear portion defining a plurality of recessed areas. 
     
     
         9 . A golf putter according to  claim 1 , wherein said swing analysis module generates audible feedback indicating whether impact was on-center or off-center. 
     
     
         10 . A golf putter according to  claim 9 , wherein said audible feedback further indicates whether off-center impact was toward said heel portion or toward said toe portion. 
     
     
         11 . A golf putter comprising:
 a head including a main body and a rearwardly projecting portion integrally formed with and extending from said main body;   said main body including a face, a heel portion, a toe portion, a top portion, and a sole;   said face including a recessed area including a recessed generally planar surface defining at least two through bores, each through bore aligned generally perpendicular to said recessed generally planar surface and extending completely through said main body, said at least two through bores including at least one through bore disposed toward the toe portion relative, and at least one through bore disposed toward the heel portion;   said main body top portion defining an elongate aperture having a length and a width, said length exceeding said width, said length aligned parallel with said face;   a hosel having an end portion sized for insertion within said elongate aperture;   removable weights received within weight-receiving ports defined in the upper half of said heel portion and said toe portion;   said rearwardly projecting portion including a top that projects rearwardly from said main body face portion and terminates in a rear end;   first and second modules sized and shaped for alternate removable insertion behind said main body face portion and below said the top of said rearwardly projecting portion, each of said modules defining a bottom surface that sweeps upward from the front portion thereof to the back portion thereof;   said first module adapted for removably receiving a weight selected from one of a group of weights of differing mass;   said second module comprising a swing analysis module and housing at least one 3-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope to detect movement of said head in each of the three dimensions, a battery power source, a processor, and wireless transmitter for transmitting data obtained by said module.   
     
     
         12 . A golf putter according to  claim 11 , wherein said swing analysis module further includes a first microphone located toward the toe portion of said main body and second microphone located toward the heel portion of same main body. 
     
     
         13 . A golf putter according to  claim 11 , wherein said swing analysis module generates a signal corresponding to audible feedback indicating whether impact was on-center or off-center.