Rules conforming dual-purpose putter

Abstract

This golf rules conforming dual-purpose putter invention is created to provide a golf putting club that can be either used to play the game of golf with the flat front face surface or be used for putting practice to train the eyes and muscles of the golfer. Precise putting practice develops the neurological sequencing of optimal skeleto-muscular effectiveness and is affected by using the radiused, ovoid back surface of the putter, to consistently strike the ball in a manner causing the ball to roll perfectly on the chosen path to and into the hole upon execution of the perfect putting stroke. This invention is for a golf putting club that provides immediate visual feedback of any positive, symmetrical, or negative, asymmetrical, contact between the planar centers of the putter and the golf ball. Imprecise contact at the putter center line, instead at a point toward the toe or the heel of the putter, and the impact point of the golf ball will cause the ball to roll in an erratic, off-axis direction. This invention has created a putter that is the weight, length, shaft angle, and center line configuration for the purposes of both practicing and playing. This dual-purpose putter invention, is significant in that it completely conforms with the worldwide equipment rules of golf so that it may be carried in the bag and used as one of the 14, allowed clubs for playing golf.

1 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 1 , wherein it relates to both playing golf and practicing the technical and tactical skills of putting the golf ball. It is a new and improved method for training a golfer to develop the skills, while practicing, consistently to strike the ball with the radiused, ovoid back surface of the putter in a manner causing the ball to roll perfectly on the chosen path to and into the hole upon execution of the perfect putting stroke. Consequently, when the shaft is converted in the head for the use of the flat front surface in order to play the game by the rules, the golfer is using the same head shape, head weight, and shaft with which said golfer practices to perfect the putting stroke. 
     
     
         2 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 2 , wherein the top surface defines the geometry of the co-planar alignments of the overall, plain mallet-head shape and platform of the preferred embodiments. 
     
     
         3 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 3 , wherein the preferred flat front face is perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces or, according to the rules of golf may diverge from vertical with a loft neither exceeding ten positive nor  15  negative degrees for use when playing the game of golf on the putting green. 
     
     
         4 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 4 , wherein the side view reveals a radiused embodiment from the toe of the front surface and extending to the ovoid back-face surface and continuing the radiused side to the heel. 
     
     
         5 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 5 , wherein the back-face ovoid surface is the continuation of the radiused side surface and the obverse of the flat-face front surface. 
     
     
         6 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 6 , wherein a grooved centerline is embodied to establish a visual reference to the optimal striking point of the flat-face front surface for play and the ovoid back-face surface for practice. 
     
     
         7 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 7 , wherein a standard, rules conforming, commercially manufactured golf ball is positioned at the centerline groove of the optimal striking point of the flat-face front surface for play and ovoid back-face surface for practice. 
     
     
         8 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 8 , wherein a top surface, at the heel and toe positions, embodies a 90-degree, vertical shaft and roll pin hosel socket holes drilled at an inside diameter of 9.53 mm, ⅜-in to accept the right- or left-handed double-bend shaft and its rotation-resistant roll pin assembly having an outside diameter of 9.5 mm, 0.374 in. 
     
     
         9 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 9 , wherein a top surface, at the heel and toe positions, embodies hosel socket holes of at least a 10-degree angle drilled at an inside diameter of 9.53 mm, ⅜-in for insertion of the shaft and roll pin in order to accept a straight shaft and its rotation-resistant roll pin assembly having an outside diameter of 9.5 mm, 0.374 in. 
     
     
         10 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 10 , wherein a right- or left-handed shaft and its spring steel retainer roll pin are inserted in either the toe or heel positions for putting practice or for putting while playing. 
     
     
         11 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 11 , wherein a commercially-manufactured stainless steel shaft of double-bend or straight shaft configurations is used and only if it conforms with the rules of golf, now and in the future. 
     
     
         12 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 12 , wherein a commercially-manufactured grip consisting of a material added to the shaft to enable the player to obtain a firm hold and does not violate the rules of golf for grips that conform now or in the future. 
     
     
         13 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 13 , wherein the side wall height is 25 mm, 1.0-in. 
     
     
         14 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 14 , wherein the hosel socket ( 7 ) is drilled to a depth of 19 mm, 0.748 in and roll pin slot depth of 1/4  in. 
     
     
         15 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 15 , wherein the edges of the top and bottom surfaces are chamfered by 1.0 mm, 0.0039-in to minimally flatten 90-degree the edges of the 303 stainless steel head. 
     
     
         16 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 16 , wherein the spring steel roll pin of 3.3 mm, 0.1290-in is driven into the inserted shaft at height of 12.7 mm, ½-in. 
     
     
         17 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 17  wherein the width from heel-to-toe of the flat face-surface of the putter head is 89 mm, 3-½-in and which distance is (a.) greater than the distance from the face to the back, (b.) less than or equal to 177.8 mm, 7.0-in, (c.) greater than or equal to two-thirds of the distance from front to back, and (d.) if the heel-to-toe distance of the putting face, for example, is defined by any non-metal, plastic or polyethylene-type material embedded in the metal body of the putter head, it is to be greater than or equal to half of the distance of the full width of the putter head to conform with the rules of golf for putters. 
     
     
         18 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 18 , wherein the depth from the flat front face surface to the radiused, ovoid back face surface of the dual-purpose putter is 57 mm, 0.2.2441-in. 
     
     
         19 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom, sole surface of the dual-purpose putter is configured as a mirror image of the top surface with the exception of a grooved centerline and shaft hosel socket holes. Claim  19  embodies the toe and heel drilled and countersunk holes of 0.635 mm, ¼-in to accept the 19.05 mm, ¾-in, 1024 stainless steel Allen head screws. 
     
     
         20 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 20 , wherein the countersink is to fasten the Allen head screws flush with the bottom, sole surface. 
     
     
         21 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 21 , wherein the 9.3 mm×0.750 mm Allen head screw is both flush and firmly affixing the putter head and the shaft. According to the rules of golf, it must not be too easy for a player to make adjustments during the course of a stipulated round. This is interpreted to mean that adjustments must require the use of a special tool, such as an Allen key, a Phillips screwdriver or a custom-made tool or device. It must not be possible to make the adjustment just by using the fingers, or some other object which would normally be kept in a golfer's pocket, such as a coin or a pitch-mark repair tool. 
     
     
         22 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 22 , wherein the commercially-manufactured golf shafts preferably affixed to the embodiments of the dual-purpose putter are those having a double-bend for the 90-degree hosel socket and a straight shaft for the hosel socket of at least a 10-degree angle off vertical. 
     
     
         23 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 23 , wherein the 0.750 mm, ¾-in hexagonal, zinc plated stainless steel insert of 8.0 mm, 0.315-in is at the inside diameter dimension of the shafts and the insert coupling has an inside diameter that is 1024 pattern threaded for fastening with the Allen key screw. 
     
     
         24 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 24 , wherein the Allen key screw head of 9.3 mm and its key slot for a 3.175 mm, ⅛-inch Allen key tool is illustrated. 
     
     
         25 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 25 , wherein the outside diameter of, and the 1024 threaded inside diameter of the hexagonal zinc plated stainless steel insert coupling are illustrated. 
     
     
         26 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 26 , wherein the preferred 3.175 mm, ⅛-inch Allen key tool is illustrated. 
     
     
         27 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 27 , wherein the through hole is drilled and countersunk in the bottom, sole surface to link the 90-degree hosel socket of the top surface in order to firmly affix the putter head and the double-bend shaft for practicing putting or playing according to the rules of golf. 
     
     
         28 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 28 , wherein the through hole is drilled and countersunk in the bottom, sole surface to link the shaft at least 10-degrees off the vertical axis hosel socket of the top surface in order to firmly affix the putter head and the straight golf shaft for practicing putting or playing according to the rules of golf. 
     
     
         29 . A dual-purpose golf putter of  claim 29 , wherein the broken lines are to designate the entirety—height, width, depth, top, bottom/sole, radiused sides, flat front face, ovoid back face, shafts, and the mechanical elements of holes and connecting fastener devices—of the embodiment of the invention.