Adjustable and convertible putter

Abstract

An adjustable and convertible putter is provided for use with any of the conventional putting styles or with an underarm putting style. The putter has a head connected to the shaft with an adjustable connector that permits the lie angle and the loft angle to both be adjusted within a wide range of angular orientations. A shaft connector assembly may be provided on the shaft with a first portion of the connector assembly being assembled to the lower portion of the shaft and a second portion of the connector assembly being attached to an upper portion of the shaft. The upper portion of the shaft may be provided in a length appropriate for an underarm putter, a belly putter, or a long putter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A putter comprising:
 a shaft;   a grip provided on at least an upper end of the shaft;   a head; and   a connector including a first part attached to the shaft and a second part connected to the head, wherein the first part and the second part define a ball joint connection between the shaft and the head that are configured to connect the head to the shaft in a range of angular orientations to permit a lie angle and a loft angle of the head to be adjusted and fixed in a selected orientation relative to the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the first part of the connector further comprises:
 a ball end including a cylindrical stub shaft adapted to be attached to a lower end of the shaft and a spherical lower portion. 
 
     
     
         3 . The putter of  claim 2  wherein the second part of the connector further comprises:
 a receptacle that defines a partially spherical surface; and 
 a threaded locking member that may be loosened to change an angular orientation of the head relative to the shaft and tightened to fix the angular orientation of the head relative to the shaft. 
 
     
     
         4 . The putter of  claim 3  wherein the receptacle further comprises:
 an adapter having a plurality of fingers on an upper end that have an outer surface that form a frustum of a cone with an increasing diameter in a vertical direction, and wherein the head defines an opening that receives the adapter; and 
 a lower portion that defines a threaded opening that receives the threaded locking member; wherein the threaded locking member loosens an engagement of the fingers on the ball end by extending the adapter out of the opening, and wherein the threaded locking member tightens the engagement of the fingers by drawing the adapter into the opening. 
 
     
     
         5 . The putter of  claim 3  wherein the receptacle further comprises:
 a socket having a partially spherical surface on an upper end that is secured in an opening in the head, and wherein the socket defines a threaded hole that opens into the partially spherical surface; and 
 a threaded fastener is received in the threaded hole, wherein the fastener is untightened to loosen an engagement of the fastener on the ball end, and wherein the threaded fastener is tightened to fix the ball end in place in the socket. 
 
     
     
         6 . The putter of  claim 5  wherein the opening in the head includes a shoulder that is disposed above the spherical lower portion of the ball end when the ball end is disposed in the opening in the head. 
     
     
         7 . The putter of  claim 6  wherein the shoulder has a lower surface that is a concave ring that conforms to a part of the spherical lower portion of the ball end. 
     
     
         8 . The putter of  claim 7  wherein the socket has a threaded outer surface in the opening in the head has a threaded inner surface, wherein the socket is retained in the opening by the threaded outer surface engaging the threaded inner surface, wherein a shoulder is provided on a lower end of the socket and a countersink bore is defined in the lower surface of the head, and wherein the socket is screwed into the opening in the head to engage the shoulder with the countersink bore. 
     
     
         9 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the shaft further comprises:
 a lower portion; 
 an upper portion; and 
 a connector assembly adapted to secure the upper portion of the shaft to the lower portion of the shaft, wherein the shaft is adapted to function as a belly putter. 
 
     
     
         10 . The putter of  claim 9  further comprises:
 an intermediate grip provided on an upper end of the lower portion. 
 
     
     
         11 . The putter of  claim 1  wherein the shaft further comprises:
 a lower portion; 
 an extended length upper portion; and 
 a connector assembly adapted to secure the extended length upper portion of the shaft to the lower portion of the shaft, wherein the shaft is adapted to function as a long putter. 
 
     
     
         12 . The putter of  claim 11  further comprises:
 an intermediate grip provided on an upper end of the lower portion. 
 
     
     
         13 . A putter comprising:
 a putter head;   a shaft connected to the putter head, wherein the shaft has a lower portion that includes a first portion of a connector assembly and an upper portion that includes a second portion of the shaft; and   a first grip provided on the lower portion of the shaft below and adjacent to the first portion of the connector assembly, and a second grip provided on the upper portion of the shaft in a spaced relationship relative to the second portion of the connector assembly and adjacent to an upper end of the upper portion of the shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The putter of  claim 13  wherein the upper portion of the shaft has a length LB that is less than the length of the lower portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The putter of  claim 13  wherein the upper portion of the shaft has a length LL that is greater than the length of the lower portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The putter of  claim 13  wherein the upper portion of the shaft may be selected from a first portion that has a length LB that is less than the length of the lower portion of the shaft, and a second upper portion of the shaft that has a length LL, and wherein the first portion is interchangeable with the second portion. 
     
     
         17 . The putter of  claim 13  wherein the shaft is configured to connect the head to the shaft in a range of angular orientations to permit a lie angle and a loft angle of the head to be adjusted and fixed in a selected orientation relative to the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The putter of  claim 13  wherein the shaft is connected to the putter head by a ball joint that further comprises:
 a ball end including a cylindrical stub shaft adapted to be attached to a lower end of the shaft and a spherical lower portion. 
 
     
     
         19 . The putter of  claim 18  wherein the ball joint further comprises:
 a receptacle on the putter head that defines a partially spherical surface; and 
 a threaded locking member that may be loosened to change an angular orientation of the head relative to the shaft and tightened to fix the angular orientation of the head relative to the shaft.