Recommending optimal golf club grip using dynamic indicators on a smart grip

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining an optimal grip position on a golf club are disclosed. A method includes: obtaining, by a computer device, ball lie data; determining, by the computer device, an optimal grip position for a golf club based on the ball lie data and historical shot data of a user; and transmitting, by the computer device, data defining the optimal grip position to a smart grip attached to a shaft of the golf club.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining, by a computer device, ball lie data;   determining, by the computer device, an optimal grip position for a golf club based on the ball lie data and historical shot data of a user; and   transmitting, by the computer device, data defining the optimal grip position to a smart grip attached to a shaft of the golf club.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data defining the optimal grip position defines a subset of an array of visual indicators to selectively activate in the smart grip. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ball lie data comprises at least one from the group consisting of: ball location, distance from the ball location to a green, ball lie angle, and ball lie surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the obtaining the ball lie data is performed automatically by a location determining module and a mapping module of the computer device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 presenting the automatically determined ball lie data to the user via a user interface of the computer device; and   accepting user input via the user interface to accept or change the ball lie data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the obtaining the ball lie data comprises receiving user input via a user interface of the computer device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the historical shot data of the user and historical shot data of at least one other user is stored in a database in the computer device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining a result of a golf shot;   receiving data defining a detected grip position from the smart grip; and   storing the ball lie data, the data defining the detected grip position, and data defining the result of the golf shot as an entry in the database.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer device determining the golf club based on the ball lie data and the historical shot data of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club is manually selected by the user prior to the determining the optimal grip position for the golf club. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving, by the computer device, input of a user intent, wherein the determining the optimal grip position for the golf club is based on: the user intent, the golf club selected by the user, the ball lie data, and the historical shot data of the user. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer device to cause the computing device to perform the following steps for a plurality of golf shots by a user:
 determine ball lie data of a respective one of the plurality of golf shots;   determine a golf club used for the respective one of the plurality of golf shots;   determine a grip position of a user's hands on a grip of the golf club during the respective one of the plurality of golf shots;   determine a result of the respective one of the plurality of golf shots; and   save an entry in a database for the respective one of the plurality of golf shots, wherein the entry contains data defining the ball lie data, the golf club, the grip position, and the result.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the program instructions cause the computing device to:
 receive user input of a selected club and an intent of a current golf shot;   determine ball lie data of the current golf shot;   determine an optimal grip position based on the selected club, the intent, the ball lie data, and the database; and   transmit data defining the optimal grip position to a smart grip on the selected club, wherein the data defining the optimal grip position defines a subset of an array of visual indicators to selectively activate in the smart grip.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the program instructions cause the computing device to:
 determine ball lie data of a current golf shot;   determine an optimal club and an optimal grip position based on the ball lie data and the database; and   transmit data defining the optimal grip position to a smart grip on the optimal club, wherein the data defining the optimal grip position defines a subset of an array of visual indicators to selectively activate in the smart grip.   
     
     
         15 . A smart grip system, comprising:
 a grip material structured and arranged to fit on an end of a shaft of a golf club;   a processor embedded in the grip material;   an array of visual indicators connected to the grip material and operatively connected to the processor;   an array of pressure sensors connected to the grip material and operatively connected to the processor;   wherein the processor is configured to selectively activate a subset of the array of visual indicators to visually indicate a suggested grip position for a user's hands on the grip material.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the visual indicators comprise light emitting diodes that are underneath the grip material or embedded in the grip material. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a radio communication antenna connected to the processor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the processor is configured to receive data defining the subset of the array of visual indicators to activate; and   the data is received by wireless communication via the radio communication antenna connected to the processor.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the subset of the array of visual indicators is a first subset;   the processor is configured to selectively activate a second subset of the array of visual indicators to visually indicate a second grip position for the user's hands on the grip material; and   the first subset is different than the second subset.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the pressure sensors are configured to detect an actual grip position of the user's hands on the grip material.