Adjustable length putter having a releasable clamp, and a putter fitting kit

Abstract

An adjustable clamp allows different grips to be coupled to different club heads using a simple, releasable clamp mechanism. The adjustable clamp is oriented on a shaft, and has a reduced profile perpendicular to the shaft, to have minimal impact on a sightline along the shaft during use. Additionally, putter fitting kits using multiple putter clamps to connect different grips to different shafts, as well as different heads to the different shafts, create a wider range of combinations available during a putter fitting.

1 . A putter-type golf club, comprising:
 a putter head having a toe and a heel;   a shaft, including:
 a shaft lower section defining a shaft lower end coupled to the putter head, the shaft lower section having a toe-ward side, oriented toward the toe of the putter head, and a heel-ward side, oriented toward the heel of the putter head; 
 a shaft upper section separate from the shaft lower section extending along a shaft upper section axis and sized to telescopically receive at least a portion of the shaft lower section, the shaft upper section defining a shaft upper end opposite the shaft lower end; 
   a grip attached to the shaft upper section and having a grip outer surface defining a grip cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the shaft upper section axis;   an adjustable clamp, including:
 a shaft sleeve, comprising:
 a shaft sleeve top section coupled to and surrounding a bottom end of the shaft upper section and defining a sleeve top section outer surface, having a sleeve top section outer diameter, and a sleeve top section inner surface, defining a sleeve top section receptacle and having a sleeve top section inner surface diameter sized to receive at least a portion of the shaft lower section; and 
 a shaft sleeve bottom section defining a sleeve bottom section outer surface, having a sleeve bottom section outer diameter that is smaller than the sleeve top section outer diameter, and a sleeve bottom section inner surface, defining a sleeve bottom section receptacle, the shaft sleeve bottom section being movable between a sleeve bottom open state, in which the sleeve bottom section inner surface has a first sleeve bottom section inner surface diameter sized to receive at least a portion of the shaft lower section, and a sleeve bottom closed state, in which the sleeve bottom section inner surface has a second sleeve bottom section inner surface diameter sized to frictionally engage the shaft lower section; 
 wherein the sleeve top section receptacle fluidly communicates with the sleeve bottom section receptacle; 
 
 a compression collar operably coupled to the shaft sleeve bottom section, comprising:
 a collar body extending from a collar first end to a collar second end and surrounding a majority of the shaft sleeve bottom section, the collar body defining a collar body inner surface and a collar body outer surface; 
 a first tab extending outwardly from the collar first end and defining a first tab aperture, the first tab including a first tab free end defining a first tab cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the shaft upper section axis; and 
 a second tab extending outwardly from the collar second end and spaced from the first tab, the second tab defining a second tab aperture, axially aligned with the first tab aperture, and having a second tab free end defining a second tab cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the shaft upper section axis; 
 wherein the compression collar is movable between a released state, in which the first tab is spaced from the second tab by a first tab distance and the collar body inner surface has a first collar diameter, and a compressed state, in which the first tab is spaced from the second tab by a second tab distance less than the first tab distance and the body collar inner surface has a second collar diameter less than the first collar diameter, and the collar body compresses the shaft sleeve bottom section to the sleeve bottom closed state when the compression collar is in the compressed state; and 
 
 a lever coupled to the compression collar, comprising:
 a cam section positioned adjacent the second tab of the compression collar and defining an inner cam surface movable between a disengaged state, in which the inner cam surface is in an initial position relative to the second tab of the compression collar with the compression collar in the released state, and an engaged state, in which the inner cam surface moves the first tab radially inwardly to place the compression collar in the compressed state; and 
 a clasp section coupled to the cam section and including a clasp base, extending relatively linearly from the cam section, and clasp free end, extending relatively accurately from the clasp base, wherein the clasp section defines a clasp section inner surface, closely overlying the collar body outer surface, and a clasp section outer surface defining a clasp cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the shaft upper section axis; 
 
 wherein the lever is selectively rotatable to move the cam section between the disengaged state and engaged state; and 
   wherein the shaft upper section is oriented relative to the shaft lower section so that the clasp section outer surface is oriented toward the toe-ward side of the shaft lower section, and the first and second tabs of the compression collar are oriented toward the heel-ward side of the shaft lower section; and   wherein the clasp section of the lever and the first and second tabs of the compression collar are sized so that the grip cross-sectional profile obscures most of the clasp cross-sectional profile, first tab cross-sectional profile, and second tab cross-sectional profile.   
     
     
         2 . The putter-type golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the clasp section of the lever is sized so that the grip cross-sectional profile obscures an entirety of the clasp cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         3 . The putter-type golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the collar body outer surface includes a first indent and a second indent, and the inner cam surface is at least partially harbored in the first indent and the second indent. 
     
     
         4 . The putter-type golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the inner cam surface comprises:
 first and second cam projections sized to harbor within the first and second indents, respectively, and   first and second recesses adjacent the first and second cam projections, respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The putter-type golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the clasp free end of the lever includes a finger tab that angles radially outwardly to create a finger tip gap between the clasp free end and the collar body outer surface. 
     
     
         6 . The putter-type golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the clasp free end comprises a tapered clasp free end that more closely conforms to the collar body outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . A putter fitting kit, comprising;
 a first putter head;   a first shaft lower section coupled to the first putter head; and   a set of grip assemblies comprising;
 a first grip assembly comprising;
 a first grip inserted onto a first shaft upper section; 
 a first adjustable clamp coupled to a bottom end of the first shaft upper section and having an open configuration, in which the first adjustable clamp slidably receives the first shaft lower section, and a closed configuration, in which the first adjustable clamp engages the first shaft lower section; and 
 
 a second grip assembly comprising;
 a second grip inserted onto a second shaft upper section; and 
 a second adjustable clamp coupled to a bottom end of the second shaft upper section and having an open configuration, in which the second adjustable clamp slidably receives the first shaft lower section, and a closed configuration, in which the second adjustable clamp engages the first shaft lower section. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 7 , wherein the first putter head is releasably coupled to the first shaft lower section. 
     
     
         9 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a second putter head configured to be releasably coupled to the first shaft lower section. 
     
     
         10 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 7 , wherein the first grip comprises a different size and or shape than the second grip. 
     
     
         11 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 7 , wherein the first adjustable clamp comprises a compression collar, a screw, a lever, a shaft sleeve, and a receiver pin. 
     
     
         12 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 11 , wherein the compression collar further comprises a collar body extending from a collar first end to a collar second end, a collar body inner surface and a collar body outer surface. 
     
     
         13 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 12 , wherein the compression collar can be moved between a released state and a compressed state. 
     
     
         14 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft sleeve further comprises a shaft sleeve top section having a sleeve top section outer surface and a sleeve top section outer diameter, and a sleeve top section inner surface having a sleeve top section receptacle and a sleeve top section inner surface diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 14 , wherein the shaft sleeve further comprises a shaft sleeve bottom section having a sleeve bottom section outer surface and a sleeve bottom section outer diameter that is smaller than the sleeve top section outer diameter, and a sleeve bottom section inner surface having a sleeve bottom section receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 11 , wherein the lever further comprises a clasp free end that includes a finger tab that angles radially outward to create a finger tip gap between the clasp free end and a collar body outer surface. 
     
     
         17 . The putter fitting kit of  claim 14 , wherein the finger tip gap better enables a user to grasp and rotate the lever.