Golf club grip with grip control portion

Abstract

A grip for a golf club includes an outer surface adapted to be grasped by a user, an inner surface the defines a cavity adapted to receive part of a shaft of a golf club, a main portion having a first end adapted to be received adjacent to a top end of the shaft and a second end spaced from the first end, the main portion defines part of the outer surface, the inner surface, and a control portion. The control portion extends from the main portion to a bottom end of the grip, and defines part of the inner and outer surfaces. At the outer surface, the control portion is arranged at a greater angle relative to a central axis of the cavity than the main portion, and the control portion is arranged to be contacted by a thumb and forefinger of a hand holding the grip.

1 . A grip for a golf club, comprising
 an outer surface adapted to be grasped by a user;   an inner surface the defines a cavity adapted to receive part of a shaft of a golf club;   a main portion having a first end adapted to be received adjacent to a top end of the shaft and a second end spaced from the first end, the main portion defines part of the outer surface and part of the inner surface; and   a control portion extending from the main portion to a bottom end of the grip, and the control portion defines part of the outer surface and part of the inner surface, wherein the portion of the outer surface that is defined by the control portion is arranged at a greater angle relative to a central axis of the cavity than is the portion of the outer surface defined by the main portion, and the control portion being arranged to be contacted by a thumb and forefinger of a hand holding the grip.   
     
     
         2 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein the angle of the portion of the outer surface defined by the control portion to the central axis is between or equal to eight degrees and twenty-five degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The grip of  claim 2  wherein the angle of the portion of the outer surface defined by the main portion to the central axis is between or equal to zero degrees and four degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein the control portion has an axial length of between or equal to 0.625 in and 1.5 in. 
     
     
         5 . The grip of  claim 4  wherein a combined axial length of the main portion and the control portion is between or equal to 7 in and 9 in. 
     
     
         6 . The grip of  claim 4  wherein the control portion has a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface at an upper end of between 0.33 in and 0.25 in, inclusive, and a thickness at the lower end  38  of between 0.2 in and 0.1 in, inclusive, wherein the upper end is adjacent to the main portion and the lower end is at the bottom end of the grip. 
     
     
         7 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein an included angle of between 174 degrees and 165 degrees, inclusive, is defined between the portion of the outer surface defined by the main portion and the portion of the outer surface defined by the control portion. 
     
     
         8 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein the control portion includes multiple discontinuities such that the portion of the outer surface defined by the control portion is not a smooth frustum-shaped or frustoconical portion of the grip. 
     
     
         9 . The grip of  claim 8  wherein the discontinuities are defined by a wavy outer surface having differing outer diameter along the axial length of at least part of the control portion. 
     
     
         10 . The grip of  claim 8  wherein the discontinuities include one or more of grooves or other inwardly extending voids, and outwardly extending nubs or ribs. 
     
     
         11 . The grip of  claim 10  wherein the discontinuities include multiple angled and intersecting ribs or grooves. 
     
     
         12 . The grip of  claim 1  wherein the main portion is configured to receive all of a top hand of a user and most of a second hand of the user with the control portion configured to be contacted by an index finger and thumb of the second hand. 
     
     
         13 . The grip of  claim 8  wherein the grip is adapted for use on a putter. 
     
     
         14 . A grip for a golf club, comprising:
 a main portion has a first end adapted to be received adjacent to a top end of the shaft and a second end spaced from the first end, the main portion has an inner surface that defines part of a cavity adapted to receive part of a shaft of a golf club, and the main portion has an outer surface that is at a first angle relative to a central axis of the cavity; and   a control portion extends from the main portion to a bottom end of the grip, the control portion has an inner surface that defines part of the cavity, and the control portion has an outer surface arranged at a second angle relative to the central axis that is greater than the first angle, wherein the control portion has an axial length of between 0.625 in and 1.5 in and the main portion has an axial length of between 6 in and 8 in, and an included angle is defined between the outer surface of the main portion and the outer surface of the control portion that is between 174 degrees and 165 degrees, inclusive.   
     
     
         15 . The grip of  claim 14  wherein the outer surface of the control portion is frustoconical and the second angle is defined by the outer surface of the control portion. 
     
     
         16 . The grip of  claim 14  wherein the outer surface of the control portion is defined in part by discontinuities and the outer surface of the control portion is not frustoconical in shape, and the second angle is defined by a center line through a center of mass between the inner surface in the control portion and the outer surface in the control portion. 
     
     
         17 . The grip of  claim 16  wherein the discontinuities are defined by one or more of a wavy outer surface having differing outer diameter along the axial length of at least part of the control portion, one or more of grooves or other inwardly extending voids, and/or outwardly extending nubs or ribs. 
     
     
         18 . The grip of  claim 14  wherein the main portion is configured to receive all of a top hand of a user and most of a second hand of the user with the control portion configured to be contacted by an index finger and thumb of the second hand.