Fitting system for a golf club

Abstract

A method relating to an improved fitting system for a golf club shaft is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention utilizes specific data gathered from the golfer's golf swing itself to determine the best performing golf club shaft for this particular golf swing. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to the utilization of infrared motion capturing cameras to record the location data of a golf club shaft throughout a swing. Based on the location data captured, one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics can be calculated to determine one or more preferred shaft characteristics. Using the preferred shaft characteristics, a shaft can be recommended for the golfer having this particular golf swing. The current inventive fitting methodology is preferred to the archaic fitting method of using data gathered from the result orientated ball flight data together with a tedious process of having to try numerous different shafts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:
 positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;   capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;   determining a swing force profile of said golfer's golf swing;   determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;   simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and   simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,   wherein said static shaft test further comprises;
 simulating a force exerted by said golfer by adding a weight to a tip end of a shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said static shaft test further comprises;
 securing a grip end of said shaft;   attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and   recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of performance results comprises at least one of a club head speed, a ball speed, a launch angle, a descent angel, a spin rate, an attack angle, a club path, a carry distance, a total distance, and a dispersion distance. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said force profile of said golfer comprises a centrifugal force and a deflection force. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of shaft responses comprises a shaft tip outward angle, a shaft tip downward angle, a torque angle, and an amount of deflection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sensor further comprises a high range gyroscope having a measurement range of greater than about 2,000°/sec. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 3,000°/sec. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 5,000°/sec. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation
     V=w*r,      
       wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of sensors further comprises;
 an accelerometer;   a magnetometer;   a memory storage device; and   an antenna.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of sensors are located within a sensor box, wherein said sensor box is located less than about 10 mm away from a face center in either x-direction, between about 1.0 mm and about 25.0 mm from said face center along a y-direction, and between about 55 mm and 110 mm from said face center along a z-direction. 
     
     
         12 . A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:
 positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;   capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;   determining a swing force profile of said golfer's golf swing;   determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;   simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and   simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,   wherein said static shaft test further comprises;
 securing a grip end of said shaft; 
 attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and 
 recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of shaft responses comprises a shaft tip outward angle, a shaft tip downward angle, a torque angle, and an amount of deflection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of sensor further comprises a high range gyroscope having a measurement range of greater than about 2,000°/sec. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 3,000°/sec. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 5,000°/sec. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation
     V=w*r,      
       wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of sensors are located within a sensor box, wherein said sensor box is located less than about 10 mm away from a face center in either x-direction, between about 1.0 mm and about 25.0 mm from said face center along a y-direction, and between about 55 mm and 110 mm from said face center along a z-direction. 
     
     
         19 . A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:
 positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;   capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;   determining a swing force profile of said golfer's golf swing;   determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;   simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and   simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,   wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation
     V=w*r,    
   wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said determination of said plurality of shaft profiles further comprises;
 securing a grip end of said shaft;   attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and   recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles.