Putter with integral sightline and sole plate

Abstract

A putter having a body with a striking surface, an upper surface that is visible to player when in the address position and a sole plate that is coupled to a bottom surface of the body. The upper surface includes at least one aperture and the sole plate includes a sightline projection that extends into the aperture to form a sightline on the putter that is visible to the player.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A putter comprising:
 a putter body having a striking face member, an upper surface of the striking face member that is visible to player when in the address position and a back surface of the striking face member, and   a sole plate that forms a portion of a bottom surface of the putter and a portion of a face portion of the putter and is coupled to the body by a plurality of fasteners in the bottom surface of the putter and a plurality of fasteners extending from the back surface of the striking face member into the face portion of the sole plate,   wherein the body comprises at least one aperture on the upper surface and the sole plate includes a plurality of sightlines that are visible to the player in the address position through the aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The putter of  claim 1 , wherein the body is comprised of a plurality of spaced apart body portions extending rearward from the back surface of the striking face member and the aperture extends between the spaced apart body portions. 
     
     
         3 . The putter of  claim 1 , wherein the sole plate includes at least two sightlines that are substantially parallel and spaced apart by about 0.5 inches to 2.0 inches, wherein one of the sightlines is on a toe side of the putter and another sightline is on a heel side of the putter. 
     
     
         4 . A putter comprising a face, a back end, an upper surface and a bottom surface, the putter comprising:
 a putter body having a striking face member, an upper surface behind the striking face member that is visible to player when in the address position and a back surface of the striking face member, and   a sole plate that is forms a portion of a bottom surface of the putter and a portion of a face portion of the putter and is coupled to the body by a plurality of fasteners,   wherein the body is comprised of a plurality of spaced apart body portions extending rearward from the back surface of the striking face member and are coupled at the back end of the putter by a back bar member such that an aperture extends between the spaced apart body portions, and   wherein the sole plate further comprises a plurality of sightlines that extend from a back surface of the face member on the heel side and on the toe side and over the back bar member such that they extend to the back end of the putter.   
     
     
         5 . The putter of  claim 4 , wherein the putter includes a shaft having a lower portion shaft axis extends in a forward direction from the upper surface at an angle of between 10 and 15 degrees from a vertical plane and in a heelward direction from the upper surface at an angle of between 2 and 5 degrees from a vertical plane. 
     
     
         6 . The putter of  claim 5 , wherein the shaft lower portion and the heel side sightline align when the putter is in the address position. 
     
     
         7 . The putter of  claim 4 , wherein the sole plate includes a plurality of apertures for receiving weight members. 
     
     
         8 . The putter of  claim 7 , wherein the putter includes a weight member on a toe side and a weight member on the heel side, wherein each weight member has a mass of between 10 and 50 grams. 
     
     
         9 . The putter of  claim 4 , wherein the sole plate forms greater than 50% of the bottom surface of the putter and greater than 50% of the face of the putter.