Adjustable length putter

Abstract

An adjustable length putter has a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball, a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer, and a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head. The shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism with an outer shaft having a hollow interior, an inner shaft slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft. The clamping mechanism can be a constrictor clamp, the constrictor clamp having a passageway that receives the outer shaft, wherein the constrictor clamp comprises a clamp actuator that moves the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position by changing a cross-sectional dimension of the passageway. The adjustable length putter is moveable from an extended configuration to a retracted configuration by sliding the inner shaft within the outer shaft when the clamping mechanism is in the unlocked position. In one version, a pivot pin of the clamp actuator is located in the front of the shaft portion to assist the golfer in aligning the putter during use.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of using an adjustable length putter, the method comprising:
 providing an adjustable length putter comprising a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball; a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer; and a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head, wherein the shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism comprising an outer shaft having a hollow interior, an inner shaft slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft;   moving the clamping mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position by pivoting a pivot arm about a pivot axis to deform a clamp body to change the cross-sectional dimension of a passageway of the clamping mechanism;   changing the length of the adjustable length putter; and   moving the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position by pivoting the pivot arm in the opposite direction about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the method further comprises: when the clamping mechanism is in the locked position, using the adjustable length putter to putt a golf ball and using the pivot axis as an alignment guide while putting the golf ball. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the step of changing the length of the adjustable length putter is performed after a user has grown to a new height. 
     
     
         22 . A method of using an adjustable length putter, the method comprising:
 providing an adjustable length putter comprising a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball; a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer; and a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head, wherein the shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism comprising an outer shaft having a hollow interior, an inner shaft slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft;   moving the clamping mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position by pivoting a pivot arm about a pivot pin;   changing the length of the adjustable length putter;   moving the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position by pivoting the pivot arm in the opposite direction about the pivot axis; and   using the adjustable length putter to putt a golf ball by:
 positioning the putter head next to a golf ball; 
 gripping the grip portion; 
 angling the shaft portion so that the pivot pin is aligned to a desired position relative to the putter head, and 
 putting the golf ball. 
   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the step of angling the shaft portion so that the pivot pin is aligned to a desired position relative to the putter head comprises aligning the pivot pin with the putter head. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the step of angling the shaft portion so that the pivot pin is aligned to a desired position relative to the putter head comprises aligning the pivot pin so that it is in front of the putter head. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 22  comprising providing a second clamping mechanism, the second clamping mechanism comprising a second clamping mechanism pivot pin. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the step of angling the shaft portion so that the pivot pin is aligned to a desired position relative to the putter head comprises aligning the pivot pin of the clamping mechanism with the second clamping mechanism pivot pin. 
     
     
         27 . A method of using an adjustable length putter, the method comprising:
 providing an adjustable length putter comprising a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball; a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer; and a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head, wherein the shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism comprising an outer shaft having a hollow interior and a window extending from an outer surface of the outer shaft to the hollow interior, an inner shaft slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism attached to the outer shaft at the window, the clamping mechanism being moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft;   moving the clamping mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position by pivoting a pivot arm about a pivot axis to change the cross-sectional dimension of a passageway of the clamping mechanism and press against the inner shaft through the window;   changing the length of the adjustable length putter; and   moving the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position by pivoting the pivot arm in the opposite direction about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the clamping mechanism is attached to the outer shaft at the window by an attachment system that maintains its position on the outer shaft. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the clamping mechanism is attached to the outer shaft at the window by an attachment system that maintains its position on the outer shaft in both the locked position and the unlocked position.