Golf grip

Abstract

A golf grip that provides a user with tactile feedback is provided. The golf grip includes a grip body having an upper portion, a lower portion, a grip length, a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior body surface. The exterior body surface is defined by a first octant, a second octant, a third octant, a fourth octant, a fifth octant, a sixth octant, a seventh octant, and an eighth octant. The golf grip includes at least a first tactile channel that extends longitudinally along the exterior body surface and is confined to a first tactile octant. The first tactile channel is formed with dimensions specifically tailored to harness the user's natural attributes of sensibility, proprioception, and neuromuscular memory to enable the user to consistently hit a golf ball on the center of a golf club.

1 . A golf grip ( 100 ) comprising:
 a grip body ( 101 ) having an upper portion ( 102 ), a lower portion ( 103 ), a grip length ( 110 ), a proximal end ( 120 ), a distal end ( 130 ), and an exterior body surface ( 160 ), wherein the exterior body surface ( 160 ) is defined by a first octant ( 161 ), a second octant ( 162 ), a third octant ( 163 ), a fourth octant ( 164 ), a fifth octant ( 165 ), a sixth octant ( 166 ), a seventh octant ( 167 ), and an eighth octant ( 168 );   at least a first tactile channel ( 200   a ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a first tactile octant, wherein the first tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ), the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) having a first tactile channel length ( 210   a ), a first tactile channel width ( 220   a ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a first tactile channel depth ( 230   a ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) of the first tactile octant is the first tactile channel ( 200   a ); and   wherein the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) provides a user with tactile feedback by two-point discrimination when gripping the golf grip ( 100 ).   
     
     
         2 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tactile channel length ( 210   a ) is at least 50 percent of the grip length ( 110 ). 
     
     
         3 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip body ( 101 ) has a substantially circular cross-section throughout the grip length ( 110 ). 
     
     
         4 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip body ( 101 ) has a non-circular cross-section throughout at least 50 percent of the grip length ( 110 ). 
     
     
         5 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two octants selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that do not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), have no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ). 
     
     
         6 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least two octants having no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) are not adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf grip ( 100 ) further includes a second tactile channel ( 200   b ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a second tactile octant, wherein the second tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that does not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) having a second tactile channel length ( 210   b ), a second tactile channel width ( 220   b ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a second tactile channel depth ( 230   b ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) of the second tactile octant is the second tactile channel ( 200   b ); and
 wherein the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) provides a user with tactile feedback by two-point discrimination when gripping the golf grip ( 100 ).   
     
     
         8 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein the first tactile octant and the second tactile octant are not adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) is confined to the upper portion ( 102 ) and the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) is confined to the lower portion ( 103 ). 
     
     
         10 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein a portion of the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) is located in the upper portion ( 102 ) and a portion of the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) is located in the lower portion ( 103 ), and the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) is confined to the lower portion ( 103 ). 
     
     
         11 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf grip ( 100 ) has a durometer value of at least 65 Shore A on the hardness scale. 
     
     
         12 . A golf grip ( 100 ) comprising:
 a grip body ( 101 ) having an upper portion ( 102 ), a lower portion ( 103 ), a grip length ( 110 ), a proximal end ( 120 ), a distal end ( 130 ), and an exterior body surface ( 160 ), wherein the exterior body surface ( 160 ) is defined by a first octant ( 161 ), a second octant ( 162 ), a third octant ( 163 ), a fourth octant ( 164 ), a fifth octant ( 165 ), a sixth octant ( 166 ), a seventh octant ( 167 ), and an eighth octant ( 168 ), wherein the grip body ( 101 ) has a durometer value of at least 60 Shore A on the hardness scale;   at least a first tactile channel ( 200   a ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a first tactile octant, wherein the first tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ), the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) having a first tactile channel length ( 210   a ), a first tactile channel width ( 220   a ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a first tactile channel depth ( 230   a ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) of the first tactile octant is the first tactile channel ( 200   a ).   
     
     
         13 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein the first tactile channel length ( 210   a ) is at least 50 percent of the grip length ( 110 ). 
     
     
         14 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein at least two octants selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that do not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), have no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ). 
     
     
         15 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least two octants having no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) are not adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         16 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein the golf grip ( 100 ) further includes a second tactile channel ( 200   b ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a second tactile octant, wherein the second tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that does not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) having a second tactile channel length ( 210   b ), a second tactile channel width ( 220   b ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a second tactile channel depth ( 230   b ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) of the second tactile octant is the second tactile channel ( 200   b ). 
     
     
         17 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein the first tactile octant and the second tactile octant are not adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         18 . A golf grip ( 100 ) comprising:
 a grip body ( 101 ) having an upper portion ( 102 ), a lower portion ( 103 ), a grip length ( 110 ), a proximal end ( 120 ), a distal end ( 130 ), and an exterior body surface ( 160 ), wherein the exterior body surface ( 160 ) is defined by a first octant ( 161 ), a second octant ( 162 ), a third octant ( 163 ), a fourth octant ( 164 ), a fifth octant ( 165 ), a sixth octant ( 166 ), a seventh octant ( 167 ), and an eighth octant ( 168 ), wherein the grip body ( 101 ) has a durometer value of at least 60 Shore A on the hardness scale;   at least a first tactile channel ( 200   a ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a first tactile octant, wherein the first tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ), the first tactile channel ( 200   a ) having a first tactile channel length ( 210   a ), a first tactile channel width ( 220   a ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a first tactile channel depth ( 230   a ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) of the first tactile octant is the first tactile channel ( 200   a ); and   wherein at least two octants selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that do not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), have no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ), and the at least two octants having no palpable indicia within the fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) are not adjacent to one another.   
     
     
         19 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 18 , wherein the golf grip ( 100 ) further includes a second tactile channel ( 200   b ) extending longitudinally along the exterior body surface ( 160 ) and confined to a second tactile octant, wherein the second tactile octant is selected from the group consisting of the first octant ( 161 ), the second octant ( 162 ), the third octant ( 163 ), the fourth octant ( 164 ), the fifth octant ( 165 ), the sixth octant ( 166 ), the seventh octant ( 167 ), and the eighth octant ( 168 ) that does not include the first tactile channel ( 200   a ), the second tactile channel ( 200   b ) having a second tactile channel length ( 210   b ), a second tactile channel width ( 220   b ) of at least 2.0 millimeters and less than 5.0 millimeters, and a second tactile channel depth ( 230   b ) of at least 0.5 millimeters, wherein the only palpable indicia within a fingertip gripping region ( 104 ) to of the second tactile octant is the second tactile channel ( 200   b ). 
     
     
         20 . The golf grip ( 100 ) according to  claim 19 , wherein the first tactile octant and the second tactile octant are not adjacent to one another.