Method and system for sales of golf equipment

Abstract

Methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. Using a website, for example, a golfer can input relevant information about his or her golf game, receive recommendations for golf club components, select from the recommendations, and have the desired golf club components manufactured and delivered. In some embodiments, the golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using layer by layer processing, such as direct metal laser sintering.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A system for providing selection and production of a personalized golf club component, the system comprising:
 a hardware processor coupled to a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the system to:
 receive information from a user, the information being associated with at least one of user identity, personal data and attributes of the user, user golfing ability and preferences, and user preferences related to characteristics of one or more golf club components; 
 compare the received user information to a database storing at least a plurality of different golf club component options; 
 identify one or more golf club component options corresponding to the user information based on a correlation of the user information to the one or more golf club component options; 
 output the identified one or more golf club component options and receive one or more golf club component selections from the user; and 
 generate a golf club component fabrication instruction file based, at least in part, on the one or more golf club component selections, wherein the golf club component fabrication instruction file is to be used for the formation of a personalized golf club component via a 3D printing or additive manufacturing process. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium additionally contains instructions causing the processor to cause the system to:
 compare the one or more golf club component selections to a database storing a plurality of different golf club component parameters; and   identify one or more golf club component parameters corresponding to the one or more golf club component selections;   wherein the fabrication instruction file comprises data associated with the identified one or more golf club component parameters.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of different golf club component parameters comprises at least one of schematic data and material data associated with the personalized golf club component to be formed. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the schematic data comprises at least one of computer-aided drafting (CAD) data and computer numerical control (CNC) data. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium additionally contains instructions causing the processor to cause the system to:
 output the golf club component fabrication instruction file to a fabrication assembly.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the fabrication assembly is configured to:
 receive the golf club component fabrication instruction file;   provide material for the golf club component to be produced based on data associated with the fabrication instruction file; and   form the golf club component layer by layer from the material based on data associated with the fabrication instruction file.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the fabrication assembly is configured to apply a controlled source of energy to the material layer by layer. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the fabrication assembly is configured to deposit the material layer by layer. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein a first portion of the golf club component comprises a first material and a second portion of the golf club head comprises a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium additionally contains instructions causing the processor to cause the system to:
 command a printer to print a label for shipping the formed golf club component to the user.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium additionally contains instructions causing the processor to cause the system to:
 notify the user that the golf club component has been formed and shipped.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium additionally contains instructions causing the processor to cause the system to:
 store the club component fabrication instruction file in a database.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the user information comprises user name, address, height, weight, sex, handedness, age, geographic location, golf score handicap, club head swing speed, club head angle of attack, club head swing path, physical limitations, annual income, frequency of play, frequency of airline travel, favorite color, alma matter, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the golf club component options comprises golf club head type, golf club shaft type, golf club shaft length, golf club grip type, golf club loft angle, golf club lie angle, golf club head weight, golf club head size, golf club head volume, golf club head shape, golf club shaft shape, golf club head center of gravity, golf club head face size, golf club head color, golf club shaft color, golf club grip color, golf club insignia, golf club head medallion, number of clubs, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the golf club component options additionally include golf club trajectory sensors, golf club tracking sensors, force sensors, accelerometers, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the golf club component comprises a sole, a crown, a heel, a toe, a hosel, a face insert, a weight insert, a medallion, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the golf club component is a golf club head. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising a computing device associated with the user, the computing device configured to provide an interface with which the user can interact to provide user information and select the one or more golf club component options. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the computing device is a smartphone.