Dynamic alignment aid for use on golf club grips

Abstract

A flexible elastomeric grip for a golf club having indicators on the upper face which indicate visibly to the user when the angle of lie is less than, greater than, and optimum when the user grips the club and addresses the ball. The indicator on its end cap indicates visibly to the user when the angle of lean is neutral or left or right of neutral by at least five degrees (5°). The visible indicator may be either by a changing holographic image or reflective coating. Another version provides a combined angle of lean and angle of lie indicator in an end cap on a flexible grip.

1 . A flexible grip for a golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a tubular member formed of elastomeric material with a substantially closed end and an open end configured for being received over the shaft of the club and having an upper side substantially perpendicular to the face of the blade head of the club upon being received on the shaft of the club and a lower side facing opposite the upper side; and,   (b) an insert disposed on the substantially closed end, the insert displaying a first user visible image when the user has addressed the club at one of (i) an optimum lie angle, and (ii) an optimum lean angle, displaying a second user visible image different from the first image when the user has addressed the club at the respective one of lie angle and lean angle less than optimum and displaying a third user visible image different from the first and second image when the user has addressed the club at the respective one of lie angle and lean angle greater than the optimum.   
     
     
         2 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially closed end includes an insert which displays the second image when the user has addressed the club at a respective one of lie angle and lean angle at least two degrees (2°) less than the optimum and displays the third image when the user has addressed the club at the respective one of lie angle and lean angle at least two degrees (2°) greater than the optimum. 
     
     
         3 . The grip of  claim 2 , wherein the first, second, and third images as comprise one of (i) holographic images, and (ii) a reflective coating. 
     
     
         4 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third images include different graphic designs. 
     
     
         5 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third images are of different colors. 
     
     
         6 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially closed end includes an end cap. 
     
     
         7 . The grip of  claim 6 , wherein the insert is disposed on the end cap. 
     
     
         8 . A flexible grip for a golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a tubular member formed of elastomeric material with a substantially closed end and an open end configured for being received over the shaft of the club and having an upper side substantially perpendicular to the face of the blade/head of the club upon being received on the shaft of the club and a lower side opposite the upper side; and,   (b) a coating applied to one of (i) the upper side, and (ii) the substantially closed end, wherein the coating has visible reflectiveness in a first region at an optimum angle of the respective one of the lie and the angle of lean of the club shaft when addressed by the user and a visible reflectiveness only in a second region when the club shaft is addressed by the user at the respective one of an angle of lie and angle of lean less than the optimum angle and a visible reflectiveness in a third region on a when the club shaft is addressed by the user at the respective one an angle of lie and angle of lean greater than the optimum angle.   
     
     
         9 . The flexible grip of  claim 8 , wherein only one of the first, second, and third regions is visibly reflective for a particular angle of the respective one of angle of lie and angle of lean. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible grip of  claim 8 , wherein the coating comprises clear paint having reflective particles disposed therein. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible grip of  claim 8 , wherein the second region is visibly reflective when the respective one of angle of lie and angle of lean is at least five degrees (5°) less than the optimum angle and the third region is visibly reflective when the respective one angle of lie and angle of lean is at least five degrees (5°) greater than the optimum angle. 
     
     
         12 . A flexible grip for a golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a tubular member formed of elastomeric material with a substantially closed end and an open end configured for being received over the shaft of the club and having an upper side substantially perpendicular to the face of the blade/head of the club upon being received on the shaft of the club and a lower side opposite the lower side; and   (b) an insert disposed on the upper side of the tubular member, the insert having a first distinct region displaying a first distinct user visible image when the user has addressed the club an angle of lie less than optimum and a second distinct region displaying an image when the user has addressed the club in at an angle of lie greater than optimum, wherein both first and second distinct user visible images are displayed when the user has addressed the club at an optimum angle of lie.   
     
     
         13 . The flexible grip of  claim 12 , wherein the image is displayed in the first and second distinct regions when the angle of lie differs from the optimum angle of lie by at least two degrees (2°). 
     
     
         14 . A flexible grip for a golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a tubular member formed of elastomeric material with a substantially closed end and an open end configured for being received over the shaft of a golf club and having an upper side substantially perpendicular to the face of the blade/head of the club upon being received on the shaft of the club and a lower side opposite the upper side; and   (b) an insert disposed on one of (i) the upper side of the tubular member, and (ii) the substantially closed end, the insert having a user visible image graphically displaying progressive changes in the angle of lie and the angle of lean of the club shaft wherein the image indicates graphically when the respective one of the angle of lie and the angle of lean is optimum, less than optimum, and greater than optimum.   
     
     
         15 . The grip of  claim 14 , wherein the image displays graphically the amount the angle of lie is less than or greater than optimum. 
     
     
         16 . A flexible grip for a golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a tubular member formed of elastomeric material with a substantially closed end and an open end configured for being received over the shaft of the club; and   (b) an insert disposed on the substantially closed end, the insert displaying a first user visible image when the user has addressed the club at an angle of lie and an optimum angle of lie and lean and a second user visible image different from the first user visible image when one of the angle of lean and angle of lie is greater than optimum and a third user visible image different from the first and second user visible image when one of the angle of lean and angle of lie is less than optimum.   
     
     
         17 . The flexible grip of  claim 16 , wherein the substantially closed end includes an end cap and the insert is disposed in the end cap. 
     
     
         18 . The flexible grip of  claim 16 , wherein the first, second, and third user visible images comprise a common image movable in a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         19 . The flexible grip of  claim 16 , wherein the first, second, and third user visible images comprise a common image movable in a horizontal and a vertical direction.