Methods, apparatus, and systems to custom fit golf clubs

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems to custom fit golf clubs are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

1 . A system comprising:
 a processing device with an analyzer module configured to:
 receive shaft feedback information with respect to a performance of a reference shaft for an individual,
 the shaft feedback information comprising, with respect to one or more golf swings with the reference shaft by the individual, an assessment of one or more reference shaft characteristics for the individual; 
 
 execute a shaft characteristic comparison, based on the shaft feedback information, of the one or more reference shaft characteristics relative to database shaft characteristics of a plurality of database shafts not swung by the individual; 
 and 
 identify one or more recommended shafts from the plurality of database shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison to custom fit the individual with one or more golf clubs; 
 wherein the analyzer module is configured to generate a shaft ranking of the one or more recommended shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison and with respect to a weighting between the one or more reference shaft characteristics assessed for the individual from the reference shaft relative to the database shaft characteristics of the plurality of database shafts. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing device is configured to:
 receive physical characteristic information of the individual; and 
 identify the reference shaft for the individual based on the physical characteristic information. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the physical characteristic information comprises:
 a wrist-to-floor distance of the individual; and 
 at least one of:
 a gender, an age, a dominant hand; 
 a hand dimension, or a height of the individual; 
 
   and   the processing device is configured to identify the reference shaft further based on at least one of:
 performance characteristic information of the individual, comprising at least one of:
 an average carry distance of the individual for one or more golf clubs; 
 a golf handicap of the individual; or 
 a golf preference of the individual with respect to a shot distance, a shot direction, a shot trajectory, or a shot pattern; 
 
 or 
 shot characteristic information of the individual, comprising at least one of:
 a speed of a golf club during a golf shot by the individual; 
 a speed of a golf ball in response to impact with the golf club from the golf shot; 
 a launch angle of the golf ball in response to impact with the golf club from the golf shot; 
 a back spin of the golf ball in response to impact with the golf club from the golf shot; 
 a side spin of the golf ball in response to impact with the golf club from the golf shot; 
 a smash factor of the golf ball; 
 a total distance of the golf shot; 
 a bend of the golf shot; or 
 an off-center distance of the golf shot. 
 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an input module coupled to the processing device and configured to gather the shaft feedback information for the processing device.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing device is configured to receive the assessment of one or more reference shaft characteristics from the individual.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the shaft characteristic comparison compares the one or more reference shaft characteristics, with respect to at least one of mass, center of mass, flex, tip flex, torque, stiffness, tip stiffness, torsional stiffness, stiffness ratio, average flexural rigidity, average torsional rigidity, or trajectory effect, relative to the database shaft characteristics of the plurality of database shafts.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more recommended shafts are calculated by the analyzer module based on the shaft characteristic comparison and with respect to at least one of:
 a shaft responsiveness preference of the individual, relative to a reference shaft responsiveness characteristic of the one or more reference shaft characteristics; 
 a shaft weight preference of the individual, relative to a reference shaft weight characteristic of the one or more reference shaft characteristics; 
 a shaft ball-flight trajectory preference of the individual, relative to a reference shaft ball-flight trajectory characteristic of the of one or more reference shaft characteristics; or 
 a shaft rigidity preference of the individual, relative to a reference shaft rigidity characteristic of the of one or more reference shaft characteristics. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 at least two of the shaft responsiveness preference, the shaft weight preference, the shaft ball-flight trajectory preference, or the shaft rigidity preference are weighted relative to each other by analyzer module with respect to the database shaft characteristics of the plurality of database shafts to identify the one or more recommended shafts.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing device is configured to receive shot characteristic information of the individual; and   the analyzer module is configured to generate a swing display of a portion of a golf swing at a golf ball with a club head of a golf club by the individual;   wherein:
 the swing display is configured to present at least one of:
 a swing top view of the portion of the golf swing from above the golf ball; or 
 the golf ball and one or more arrows located about the golf ball showing a direction of ball rotation of the golf ball; 
 
 when the swing display presents the swing top view:
 the swing top view is substantially perpendicular to a ground surface; 
 the swing top view comprises a first swing path lane for the club head with respect to the portion of the golf swing; 
 the first swing path lane comprises:
 a heelside lane edgeline for a heel side of the club head, 
  the heelside lane edgeline shown extended along a length of the first swing path lane; 
 and 
 a toeside lane edgeline for a toe side of the club head, 
  the toeside lane edgeline shown extended along the length of the first swing path lane and shown substantially parallel to the heelside lane edgeline; 
 
 and 
 when the swing display presents the golf ball and the one or more arrows:
 at least a first arrow of the one or more arrows depicts an arcuate first arrow path coplanar with a rotational plane of the golf ball for the direction of ball rotation; 
 and 
 when the rotational plane of the golf ball is non-planar to the swing display, the arcuate first arrow path is shown tilted, along a non-circular arc, to illustrate a non-planar relationship between the rotational plane of the golf ball and the swing display. 
 
 
   
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a processing device with an analyzer module configured to:
 receive at least one of:
 shot characteristic information of an individual; or 
 shaft feedback information with respect to a performance of a reference shaft for the individual, the shaft feedback information comprising, with respect to one or more golf swings with the reference shaft by the individual, an assessment of one or more reference shaft characteristics for the individual; 
 
 and 
 generate at least one of:
 a shaft ranking of one or more recommended shafts for the individual base on the shaft feedback information; or 
 a swing display of a portion of a golf swing at a golf ball with a club head of a golf club by the individual based on the shot characteristic information,
 the swing display presenting at least one of: 
  a swing top view of the portion of the golf swing from above the golf ball; or 
  the golf ball and one or more arrows located about the golf ball showing a direction of ball rotation of the golf ball; 
 
 
 wherein:
 when the processing device generates the shaft ranking, the analyzer module is configured to:
 execute a shaft characteristic comparison, based on the shaft feedback information, of the one or more reference shaft characteristics relative to database shaft characteristics of a plurality of database shafts not swung by the individual; 
 identify one or more recommended shafts from the plurality of database shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison to custom fit the individual with one or more golf clubs; and 
 generate the shaft ranking of the one or more recommended shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison and with respect to a weighting between the one or more reference shaft characteristics assessed for the individual from the reference shaft relative to the database shaft characteristics of the plurality of database shafts; 
 
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view:
 the swing top view is substantially perpendicular to a ground surface; 
 the swing top view comprises a first swing path lane for the club head with respect to the portion of the golf swing; 
 the first swing path lane comprises: 
  a heelside lane edgeline for a heel side of the club head, the heelside lane edgeline shown extended along a length of the first swing path lane; 
 and 
 a toeside lane edgeline for a toe side of the club head, 
  the toeside lane edgeline shown extended along the length of the first swing path lane and shown substantially parallel to the heelside lane edgeline; 
 
 and 
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the golf ball and the one or more arrows:
 at least a first arrow of the one or more arrows depicts an arcuate first arrow path coplanar with a rotational plane of the golf ball for the direction of ball rotation. 
 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the golf ball and the one or more arrows:
 the arcuate first arrow path is shown tilted, along a non-circular arc, when the rotational plane of the golf ball is non-planar to the swing display to illustrate a non-planar relationship between the rotational plane of the golf ball and the swing display. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view, the swing top view is configured to present:
 a range of target swing path lanes ranging from approximately +20 degrees to approximately −20 degrees relative to a target launch direction with respect to the golf ball. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first swing path lane defines a target swing path for the individual; and   the range of target swing path lanes comprises the first swing path lane.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the swing top view is further configured to present:
 an actual swing path lane for an actual swing path traversed by the golf club head for the portion of the golf swing by the individual. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view, the swing top view is configured to present:
 a first club head representation for the club head, comprising a first club face indicator for an alignment of a club face of the club head relative to the first swing path lane for the portion of the golf swing; 
 the toeside lane edgeline longer than a clubface-to-rear-end dimension of the first club head representation; 
 the heelside lane edgeline longer than the clubface-to-rear-end dimension of the first club head representation; and 
 the first swing path lane wider than the first club head representation. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view, the swing top view:
 is configured to present a range of club face indicators for club face alignments ranging from approximately +20 degrees to approximately −20 degrees relative to the first swing path lane; and 
 presents a first club face indicator, out of the range of club face indicators, for a club face of the club head relative to the first swing path lane for the portion of the golf swing. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view:
 the swing top view comprises a first club face indicator for a club face of the club head aligned relative to the first swing path lane for the portion of the golf swing; 
 when the individual is right-handed, the swing top view presents the first swing path lane as an outside-to-inside swing path lane of less than zero degrees relative to a target launch direction; 
 when the individual is left-handed, the swing top view presents the first swing path lane as an inside-to-outside swing path lane of greater than zero degrees relative to the target launch direction; and 
 when the individual is right-handed, the swing display:
 indicates a slice shot trajectory for the golf ball of the golf swing by the individual if the first swing path lane is an outside-to-inside swing path lane and
 the first club face indicator is at an open club face alignment of greater than zero degrees relative to the first swing path lane at impact with the golf ball; 
 
 indicates a hook shot trajectory for the golf ball of the golf swing by the individual if the first swing path lane is an outside-to-inside swing path lane and
 the first club face indicator is at a closed club face alignment of less than zero degrees relative to the first swing path lane at impact with the golf ball; 
 
 and 
 indicates an inline shot trajectory for the golf ball of the golf swing by the individual if the first swing path lane is an outside-to-inside swing path lane and
 the first club face indicator is at a squared club face alignment of approximately zero degrees relative to the first swing path lane at impact with the golf ball. 
 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the swing display is configured to present:
 an impact side view of the club head and the golf ball, 
   wherein:
 the impact side view of the swing display comprises:
 a club head attack angle pathline of the club head for a club head attack angle of the club head towards and prior to impact with the golf ball,
 the club head attack angle pathline presented along a club head approach direction path traversed by the club head towards and prior to impact with the golf ball; 
 
 and 
 a club head attack angle reference band showing, relative to the club head attack angle pathline:
 an upper-bound club head attack angle reference pathline, shown approaching an optimal impact area of the golf ball, for a reference negative upper-bound club head attack angle of a downswing portion of a reference upper-bound golf swing prior to impact with the golf ball; and 
 a lower-bound club head attack angle reference pathline, shown approaching the optimal impact area of the golf ball and displayed below the upper-bound club head attack angle reference pathline, for a reference positive lower-bound club head attack angle of an upswing portion of a reference lower-bound golf swing prior to impact with the golf ball. 
 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the upper-bound and lower-bound club head attack angle reference pathlines are generated based on attack angles from at least one of:
 previously monitored shots of one or more reference individuals different than the individual; or 
 previously monitored shots of the individual. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the swing display is configured to present:
 a club face indicator corresponding to a target club face alignment of a club face of the club head relative to the first swing path lane for the portion of the golf swing by the individual; and 
 a club face indicator corresponding to an actual club face alignment of the club face of the club head relative to the first swing path lane for the portion of the golf swing by the individual. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 10  wherein:
 processing device generates:
 the shaft ranking; 
 the swing display presenting the swing top view; and 
 the swing display presenting the golf ball and the one or more arrows. 
 
 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 10  wherein:
 processing device generates:
 the swing display presenting the golf ball and the one or more arrows; and 
 at least one of:
 the shaft ranking; or 
 the swing display presenting the swing top view. 
 
 
 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 10  wherein:
 processing device generates:
 the swing display presenting the swing top view; and 
 at least one of:
 the shaft ranking; or 
 the swing display presenting the golf ball and the one or more arrows. 
 
 
 
     
     
         24 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a processing device, at least one of:
 shot characteristic information of an individual; or 
 shaft feedback information with respect to a performance of a reference shaft for the individual, the shaft feedback information comprising, with respect to one or more golf swings with the reference shaft by the individual, an assessment of one or more reference shaft characteristics for the individual; 
   and   generating, with an analyzer module of the processing device, at least one of:
 a shaft ranking of one or more recommended shafts for the individual base on the shaft feedback information; or 
 a swing display of a portion of a golf swing at a golf ball with a club head of a golf club by the individual based on the shot characteristic information,
 the swing display presenting at least one of:
 a swing top view of the portion of the golf swing from above the golf ball; or 
 the golf ball and one or more arrows located about the golf ball showing a direction of ball rotation of the golf ball; 
 
 
   wherein:
 when the processing device generates the shaft ranking, the analyzer module is configured to:
 execute a shaft characteristic comparison, based on the shaft feedback information, of the one or more reference shaft characteristics relative to database shaft characteristics of a plurality of database shafts not swung by the individual; 
 identify one or more recommended shafts from the plurality of database shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison to custom fit the individual with one or more golf clubs; and 
 generate the shaft ranking of the one or more recommended shafts based on the shaft characteristic comparison and with respect to a weighting between the one or more reference shaft characteristics assessed for the individual from the reference shaft relative to the database shaft characteristics of the plurality of database shafts; 
 
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the swing top view:
 the swing top view is substantially perpendicular to a ground surface; 
 the swing top view comprises a first swing path lane for the club head with respect to the portion of the golf swing; 
 the first swing path lane comprises:
 a heelside lane edgeline for a heel side of the club head, the heelside lane edgeline shown extended along a length of the first swing path lane; 
 and 
 a toeside lane edgeline for a toe side of the club head, 
  the toeside lane edgeline shown extended along the length of the first swing path lane and shown substantially parallel to the heelside lane edgeline; 
 
 
 and 
 when the processing device generates the swing display comprising the golf ball and the one or more arrows:
 at least a first arrow of the one or more arrows depicts an arcuate first arrow path coplanar with a rotational plane of the golf ball for the direction of ball rotation.