Golf club training and warm-up apparatus

Abstract

A training apparatus for temporarily increasing the weight of a golf club head has a body member having a perimeter profile which may at least partially mimic that of the golf club head and has a substantially flat surface for positioning adjacent the striking face of the golf club head. When fixed to the head of a golf club, the training apparatus increases the weight of the club and redistributes the center of gravity closer to the club head, allowing the golfer to benefit more from warm-up swings prior to actual play. The training apparatus may be formed of metal and contains a cutout or cavity in which a magnetic material resides to enable temporary attachment to the club head. In various other embodiments, the body member of the training apparatus may be substantially formed from either all metal or all magnetic material. In still other embodiments, a kit contains a golf club, the training apparatus, and a mechanism for removably attaching the training apparatus to or from the head of the golf club, such mechanism may be a magnet disposed in either the golf club head or the training apparatus. The size, profile and weight of the training apparatus may be modified to accommodate use with either right-handed, left-handed, women's and juniors golf clubs.

1 . A training apparatus for use with a golf club having a golf club head with a curved perimeter surface that partially defines a substantially planar striking face, the apparatus comprising:
 (A) a body member comprising:
 (i) a substantially planar contacting face at least partially defined by an exterior perimeter surface of the body member; and 
 (ii) a mechanism that coacts with the club head for maintaining contact between the contacting face of the body member and the striking face of the club head. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mechanism that coacts with the club head comprises a magnet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the body member further comprises:
 (iii) a cavity within the body member along the contacting face; and 
 wherein the magnet is disposed within the cavity. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the magnet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Neodymium Iron Boron, Samarium Cobalt, Ceramic and Alnico. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in combination with a golf club. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mechanism that coacts with the club head comprises a magnetizable metal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the body member substantially comprises a magnetizable metal. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the body member substantially comprises a magnetic material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein exterior perimeter surface of the body member comprises a curved perimeter surface that at least partially mimics the curved perimeter surface of the club head. 
     
     
         10 . An article of manufacture for use with a golf club having a golf club head with a partially curved perimeter surface that partially defines a substantially planar striking face for impacting a golf ball, the article comprising:
 (A) a body member comprising:
 (i) a partially curved perimeter surface; 
 (ii) a substantially planar contacting face at least partially defined by the curved perimeter surface of the body member; and 
 (iii) an interior cavity disposed along the contacting face; and 
 (iv) a magnetic material disposed within the interior cavity. 
   
     
     
         11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 10  further comprising layer of magnetizable metal disposed adjacent the body member along at least part of the contacting face. 
     
     
         12 . An article of manufacture for use with a golf club having a golf club head with a partially curved perimeter surface that partially defines a substantially planar striking face for impacting a golf ball, the article comprising:
 (A) a magnet comprising a body member comprising:
 (i) a partially curved perimeter surface; and 
 (ii) a substantially planar contacting face at least partially defined by the curved perimeter surface of the body member. 
   
     
     
         13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 12  further comprising layer of magnetizable metal disposed adjacent the body member along at least part of the contacting face. 
     
     
         14 . A kit comprising:
 (A) a golf club having a golf club head with a partially curved perimeter surface that partially defines a substantially planar striking face;   (B) a club head training weight with a planar contacting face disposable adjacent the striking face of the club; and   (C) a mechanism for removably attaching the contacting face of the club head weight to the striking face of the club head.   
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism for removably attaching comprises a magnetic material disposed within one of the golf club and club head training weight. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 (A) providing a golf club having a golf club head with a partially curved perimeter surface that partially defines a substantially planar striking face;   (B) providing a club head weight with a planar contacting face disposable adjacent the striking face of the club; and   (C) temporarily attaching the contacting face of the club head weight to the striking face of the club head.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 (D) detaching the contacting face of the club head weight from the striking face of the club head.