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 or even predict the launch conditions of a golf club.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of predicting the performance of a golf ball comprising:
 selectively positioning a plurality of markers on a golf club;   selectively positioning a plurality of cameras, adapted to react to said plurality of markers, around a golfer;   capturing a plurality of location data of said plurality of markers using said plurality of cameras, as said golfer performs a golf swing;   determining a plurality of golf club performance factors; and   determining a plurality of golf ball performance results;   wherein said plurality of golf ball performance results are determined via a finite element model.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of performance factor comprises at least one of a clubhead speed, an attack angle, an effective loft, a clubhead path, a clubhead face angel, a clubhead lie, and an impact location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of golf ball performance results comprises at least one of a launch angle, a descent angle, a backspin rate, a side spin rate, a carry distance, a total distance. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of golf ball performance data is used to recommend a shaft from a plurality of different shafts. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of markers requires at least three markers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of capturing said plurality of location data further comprises:
 identifying a location of each of said plurality of cameras;   identifying an angle between each of said plurality of cameras and each of said plurality of markers; and   triangulating the exact location of each of said plurality of markers based on said location of said plurality of cameras and said angel between said plurality of cameras and each of said plurality of markers.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of markers further comprises at least one or more cluster of three markers. 
     
     
         8 . A method of predicting the performance of a golf ball comprising:
 selectively positioning a plurality of markers on a golf club;   selectively positioning a plurality of cameras, adapted to react to said plurality of markers, around a golfer;   capturing a plurality of location data of said plurality of markers using said plurality of cameras, as said golfer performs a golf swing;   determining a plurality of golf club performance factors; and   determining a plurality of golf ball performance results;   wherein said plurality of golf ball performance results are determined via an empirical data database.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of performance factor comprises at least one of a clubhead speed, an attack angle, an effective loft, a clubhead path, a clubhead face angel, a clubhead lie, and an impact location. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of golf ball performance results comprises at least one of a launch angle, a descent angle, a backspin rate, a side spin rate, a carry distance, a total distance. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of markers requires at least three markers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of markers are placed on a crown portion of said golf club. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of capturing said plurality of location data further comprises:
 identifying a location of each of said plurality of cameras;   identifying an angle between each of said plurality of cameras and each of said plurality of markers; and   triangulating the exact location of each of said plurality of markers based on said location of said plurality of cameras and said angel between said plurality of cameras and each of said plurality of markers.