Putter selection aid

Abstract

A putter selection aid includes a mat having a ball placement indicia, a stroke line extending through the ball placement indicia, and three demarcated areas. The first demarcated area is spaced from the stroke line by a first mean distance (d 1 ), the second demarcated area is spaced from the stroke line by a second mean distance (d 2 ), and the third demarcated area is spaced from the stroke line by a third mean distance (d 3 ), where d 1< d 2< d 3. The first demarcated area includes a first reference to a first putter style, the second demarcated area includes a second reference to a second putter style, and the third demarcated area includes a third reference to a third putter style.

1 . A putter selection aid comprising:
 a mat having disposed thereon:
 a ball placement indicia; 
 a stroke line extending through the ball placement indicia; 
 a first demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a first mean distance (d 1 ); 
 a second demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a second mean distance (d 2 ); 
 a third demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a third mean distance (d 3 ); 
 wherein d 1 <d 2 <d 3 ; and 
   wherein the first demarcated area includes a first reference to a first putter style, the second demarcated area includes a second reference to a second putter style, and the third demarcated area includes a third reference to a third putter style.   
     
     
         2 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , wherein the first putter style has a first center of gravity offset distance (X 1 ), the second putter style has a second center of gravity offset distance (X 2 ), and the third putter style has a third center of gravity offset distance (X 3 ); and
 wherein X 1 <X 2 <X 3 .   
     
     
         3 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first reference, the second reference, and the third references includes at least one of a name or a logo. 
     
     
         4 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first reference, the second reference, and the third references includes a different respective color. 
     
     
         5 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , further comprising a golf ball disposed on the ball placement indicia. 
     
     
         6 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions directing a user to stand on the mat and identify which of the three demarcated areas the user's toes lie within. 
     
     
         7 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first demarcated area, the second demarcated area, and the third demarcated area is a rectangle. 
     
     
         8 . The putter selection aid of  claim 1 , wherein the first demarcated area and the second demarcated area overlap; and
 wherein the second demarcated area and the third demarcated area overlap.   
     
     
         9 . A method of aiding the selection of a putter comprising:
 providing a mat having disposed thereon:
 a ball placement indicia; 
 a stroke line extending through the ball placement indicia; 
 a first demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a first mean distance (d 1 ); 
 a second demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a second mean distance (d 2 ); 
 a third demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a third mean distance (d 3 ); 
 wherein d 1 <d 2 <d 3 ; 
   providing a first golf putter of a first style and corresponding to the first demarcated area;   providing a second golf putter of a second style and corresponding to the second demarcated area; and   providing a third golf putter of a third style and corresponding to the third demarcated area.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising instructing a user to stand with a foot on the mat and in a position that is suitable to conduct a putting stroke to impact a ball placed on the indicia. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising indicating a suitable putter for the user according to the location of the foot of the user relative to one or more of the first demarcated area, the second demarcated area, or the third demarcated area. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first putter style has a first center of gravity offset distance (X 1 ), the second putter style has a second center of gravity offset distance (X 2 ), and the third putter style has a third center of gravity offset distance (X 3 ); and
 wherein X 1 <X 2 <X 3 .   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising referencing the first golf putter within the first demarcated area;
 referencing the second golf putter within the second demarcated area; and   referencing the third golf putter within the third demarcated area.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising placing a ball on the ball placement indicia. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing a retail display that visually correlates the first demarcated area with the first style, the second demarcated area with the second style, and the third demarcated area with the third style. 
     
     
         16 . A method of aiding a user in selecting a putter, the method comprising:
 standing in a putting stance on a putter selection aid relative to a ball placement indicia, the putter selection aid including a stroke line extending through the ball placement indicia, a first demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a first mean distance (d 1 ), a second demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a second mean distance (d 2 ), and a third demarcated area spaced from the stroke line by a third mean distance (d 3 ), wherein d 1 <d 2 <d 3 ;   identifying a selected area from the first, second, and third demarcated areas, the selected area surrounding a predefined portion of a foot of the user;   correlating a putter style with the selected area; and   selecting a putter having the correlated putter style from a display.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first, second, and third demarcated areas corresponds to a different respective putter style. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising placing a golf ball on the ball placement indicia; and
 striking the ball using the selected putter.