Golf swing grading software system, golf swing component scoring chart and method

Abstract

In accordance with the preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments described are embodiments of a system and method that automatically grading a golf swing, by grading components of a golf swing, relative to a perfect swing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing a measure of a golf swing of a golfer relative to predetermined ideal golf swing comprising:
 a plurality of swing capture devices that provide data of relative positions of the head, shoulders, arms, hips, knees and feet in relation to a predetermined reference at each of a start position, top of swing position and finish position, the start position providing an initial stance view of the golfer prior to the golfer initiating a swing, the top of swing position providing a top of backswing view of the golfer after a backswing movement and the finish position providing a finish view of the golfer after a ball strike movement; and   a computer that receives the data and operates using an application program to automatically assess a plurality of components associated with each of the start position, the top of swing position and the finish position to obtain a score for each of the plurality of components and an overall swing score indicative of the golfer's golf swing relative to the predetermined ideal golf swing.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality components include:
 for the start position, a ball position component, a posture component, a grip left hand component, a grip right hand component, and a feet component; 
 for top of swing position, a body turn component, a body angle component, a left arm plane component, a left arm form component, a wrist component and a head set component; and 
 for the finish position, a body twist/wrap component, a body lean component, an arms component, a wrist component and a hips component; and 
 wherein the application program uses the data to determine the score for each of the plurality of components. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the swing capture devices are a plurality of digital video cameras. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein a first camera is positioned in front of the golfer, a second camera is positioned behind the golfer, and a third camera is positioned above and in front of the golfer. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein the computer using the application program determines which one image in a sequence video images from each of the digital video cameras to use for each of the start position, the top of swing position and the finish position, based upon at least some of the data obtained from the plurality of digital video cameras, to obtain start position images, top of swing position images, and finish position images. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein the application program further compares the start position images, the top of swing position images, and the finish position images with predetermined start position images, predetermined top of swing position images, and predetermined finish position images, respectively, in order to obtain correlations therebetween usable to determine a component score for each of the components. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 3  further including a head location marker, a shoulder location marker, a left wrist location marker, a right wrist location marker, a belt location marker, a left knee location marker, a right knee location marker, a left foot location marker and a right foot location marker, each of which are adapted to be worn by the golfer, and further including a ball location marker attached to a golf ball and a plurality of golf club markers attached to the golf club. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the swing capture devices are a plurality of location sensors and at least one detector associated therewith. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein the plurality of location sensors include a head location sensor, a shoulder location sensor, a left wrist location sensor, a right wrist location sensor, a belt location sensor, a left knee location sensor, a right knee location sensor, a left foot location sensor and a right foot location sensor, each of which are adapted to be worn by the golfer, and further including a ball location sensor and a plurality of golf club sensors attached to a golf club. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein the computer using the application program determines which data to use from a sequence of sensor data for each of the plurality of sensors for each of the start position, the top of swing position and the finish position, to obtain start position images, top of swing position images, and finish position images. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10  wherein the application program further compares the start position images, the top of swing position images, and the finish position images with predetermined start position images, predetermined top of swing position images, and predetermined finish position images, respectively, in order to obtain correlations therebetween usable to determine a component score for each of the components. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the software application further provides a graphic representation pictorially illustrating why a particular component score was low relative to an ideal component score. 
     
     
         13 . A method of providing a measure of a golf swing of a golfer relative to predetermined ideal golf swing using a computer comprising:
 loading onto the computer a predetermined ideal swing data set that includes ideal start position data, ideal top of swing position data and ideal finish position data;   receiving data onto the computer from a plurality of swing capture devices, the data including start position data, top of swing position data and finish position data; and   automatically assessing, using the computer, a plurality of components associated with each of the start position, the top of swing position and the finish position to obtain a score for each of the plurality of components and an overall swing score indicative of the golfer's golf swing relative to the predetermined ideal golf swing, the automatically assessing including the step of comparing the ideal start position data, the ideal top of swing position data and the ideal finish position data to the start position data, the top of swing position data and the finish position data, respectively.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the plurality components include:
 for the start position, a ball position component, a posture component, a grip left hand component, a grip right hand component, and a feet component; 
 for top of swing position, a body turn component, a body angle component, a left arm plane component, a left arm form component, a wrist component and a head set component; and 
 for the finish position, a body twist/wrap component, a body lean component, an arms component, a wrist component and a hips component; and 
 wherein the application program uses the data to determine the score for each of the plurality of components. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein, with respect to the start position:
 the ball position component is a measure of a location of the ball position relative to the golfer's feet;   the posture component is a measure of body angle, knee position, head position and hip tilt;   the grip left hand component is a measure of an angle of a left wrist relative to a target line;   the grip right hand component is a measure of an angle of a right wrist relative to the target line; and   the feet component is a measure of angle of each of the right and left foot relative to the target line.   
       a body turn component, a body angle component, a left arm plane component, a left arm form component, a wrist component and a head set component; and 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein, with respect to the top of swing position:
 the body turn component is a measure of a relative shoulder turn;   the body angle component is a measure of an angle of the golfer's back relative to a vertical line;   the left arm plane component is a measure of an angle of a plane created by the left arm wrist, shoulder and elbow relative to a vertical plane;   the left are form component is a relative amount of straightness of the left arm;   the wrist component is a combined measurement that includes (1) an angle between a left forearm and a golf club shaft, and (2) an angle of golf club shaft position relative to a target line; and   the head set component is a measure of (1) an angle of a golfer's face front relative to a vertical line, and (2) and angle taken from a line projecting perpendicularly to the golfer's face front and the target line.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein, with respect to the finish position:
 the body twist/wrap component is a measure of an angle formed by a line derived from the shoulders of the golfer and a target line; 
 the body lean component is a measure of an angle formed by a line derived from the hip left edge to the neck left edge and a vertical reference line; 
 the arms component is a measure of a hands position relative to head-centered vertical line; 
 the wrist component is a measure of an angle between the club shaft and the right forearm; and 
 the hips component is a measure of a hip position relative to a left heel position. 
 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for scoring a golf swing, the apparatus comprising:
 a sheet, the sheet including:   a first column identifying a plurality of components, the plurality of components each being identified in a row, wherein the plurality of components include:   include:
 for the start position, a ball position component, a posture component, a grip left hand component, a grip right hand component, and a feet component; 
 for top of swing position, a body turn component, a body angle component, a left arm plane component, a left arm form component, a wrist component and a head set component; and 
 for the finish position, a body twist/wrap component, a body lean component, an arms component, a wrist component and a hips component 
   a second column adjacent to the first column, wherein the second column includes a plurality of cells into which a score can be written, each of the open cells in the second column being adjacent to one of the plurality of components identified in the first column.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the sheet is paper. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the sheet is a writable display screen.