Method for configuring the face of a putter

Abstract

The present invention is a method of forming the ball striking face of a putter type golf club to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order that golf ball struck away from the center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of percussion.

1 . A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of percussion, comprising the steps of:
 a) calculating an amount of material to be progressively eliminated from the ball striking face to form variable ball contact surfaces on the ball striking face;   b) selectively eliminating portions of the ball striking face in accordance with the amount of material calculated to be eliminated;   c) and, creating variable ball contact surfaces as a result of the portions of the ball striking face eliminated; said variable ball contact surfaces characterized to impart progressively more energy to a golf ball the further away from the center of percussion the ball is struck to insure an equal amount of force is delivered to the ball wherever the ball contacts the striking face of the putter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said variable ball contact surfaces are created by forming recesses adjoining the ball contact areas below the surface of said ball striking face. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of selectively eliminating the calculated portions of said striking face is further defined by the step of forming ball contact surfaces at the center of percussion of the striking face that are smaller at the center than the ball contact surfaces at either side of the center of percussion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of selectively eliminating the calculated portions of said striking face is further defined by the step of forming the ball contact surfaces that become progressively larger toward the heel and toe portions of the striking face than the contact surfaces at the center of percussion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of selectively eliminating portions of the ball striking face is further defined by removing the portions in the shape of longitudinal, variable width, recessed grooves extending between the heel and toe portions of the ball striking face. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of selectively eliminating portions of the ball striking face is defined by removing the portions in the shape of parabolic recesses extending between the heel and toe portions of the striking face. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of selectively eliminating portions of the ball striking face is defined by the step of removing the portions in geometrical shapes extending between said heel and toe portions of the striking face. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating ball contact surfaces is defined by the contact surfaces being geometrically shaped. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step of determining a moment of inertia value of the putter type golf club; and, using the moment of inertia value to calculate the amount of the portions of the face to be eliminated. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein a lesser amount of material is eliminated from the ball striking face away from the center for putters with a high moment of inertia and a greater amount of material is removed away from the center for putters with a low moment of inertia. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  further including the step of filling the recesses with energy adsorbing material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the amount of face material to be eliminated is further calculated by considering the hardness of the putter face material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the face material to be eliminated is limited to a hitting area on the face inside the heel and toe of the ball striking face adjacent the center of percussion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of percussion, comprising the steps of:
 calculating an amount of material on the face to create ball contact areas that will impart the same force or energy transfer to a golf ball wherever on the face the ball is struck; and,   selectively forming the calculated material of ball contact surface areas of the ball striking face creating variable, ball striking surfaces that are progressively larger away from the center of percussion toward the heel and toe portions of the face.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of selectively forming calculated material of the ball striking is further defined by forming the calculated portions as geometrical shapes. 
     
     
         16 . A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of percussion, comprising the steps of:
 calculating an amount of material on the face to create ball contact surface areas that will impart the same force or energy transfer to a golf ball wherever on the face the ball is struck;   selectively forming ball contact areas on the face that become progressively larger away from the center of percussion toward the heel and toe portions of the face;   and, forming non-contact areas on the putter face adjacent the ball contact surfaces that are progressively smaller away from the center of percussion toward the heel and toe portions of the face.