US2962288A - Golf putter grip - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1960 E. F. LOWDEN GOLF PUTTER GRIP Filed Oct. 10, 1957 Fig.2

Edwin E Lawden INVENTOR.

United Statesv Patntbf GOLF PUTT ER GRIP Edwin F. Lowden, 295 W. Commerce St., Ext, Bridgeton, NJ.

Filed Oct. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 689,283

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-165) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in grip devices, and more specifically to a grip device for use in golf clubs.

In golfing, contrary to baseball and other sports, the

r 2,962,288 Patented Nov. 29, 1960 ice will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the hand grip in place on a golf club shaft;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 and shows further the relationship between the golf club shaft and the hand grip;

Figure 3 is an elevational view showing a primary position of the hand grip with respect to both the users hand and shaft of the golf club;

Figure 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the hand grip, the relationship of the golf club shaft with respect to the hand grip being shown by dotted lines;

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a grip attachment which may be used in golf clubs, primarily a putter, whereby the right hand of a right handed player may firmly grip the golf club shaft to produce both a power and a guiding stroke while the left hand of the player engages the golf club only for the purpose of guiding the'golf club.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved grip attachment for golf club shafts, the grip attachment being of -a configuration to be conveniently grasped in one hand and having a recess in that surface of the grip device which normally opposes the hand receiving the grip device, the recess extending generally transversely of the grip device and receiving a golf club shaft.

It has been found that a golf club may be conveniently gripped for both a power and guiding stroke by the right hand of a right handed golfer or a left hand of a left handed golfer by placing the shaft of the golf club between the index and forefingers of the appropriate hand and permitting the shaft to ride across the palm and along the heel of the thumb. However, at first this grip will appear unnatural to a golfer and it is desirable that there be provided a convenient grip device which may be grasped in ones hand and which is provided with a recess for receiving the golf club shaft so that the hand becomes accustomed to so gripping the golf club shaft.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grip device for golf clubs, the grip device being in the form of an elongated member which is intended to be grasped in the golfers hand, the elongated member including a main portion which has a rear arm engaging surface and is configurated for receiving the little finger, the ring finger and index finger of a users hand, the elongated member also including a projecting portion which is provided with a circumferential recess for receiving the forefinger and thumb of the users hand, the circumferential recess being spaced from the recess for the index finger, and there being a golf club shaft receiving recess in the rear palm engaging surface and opening through the lower surface of the main portion intermediate the index finger receiving recess and the circumferential recess whereby a golf club may be conveniently gripped in ones power or strength hand for exerting both a power and guiding stroke therewith.

These together with other objects and advantages which Figure 5 is an enlarged end view of the hand grip; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the hand grip.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the auxiliary grip device which is the subject of this invention, the auxiliary grip device being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The auxiliary grip device 10 is in the form of an elongated member or body which includes a main portion 12 and a projecting reduced portion 14. The main portion 12 includes a rear palm engaging surface 16 which is configurated for convenient reception of the palm of the users hand. The main portion 16 also includes a lower surface 18, a front surface 20 and an upperv surface 22-. The front surface 20 and the lower surface 18 are configurated so as to have transversely spaced-recesses or grooves formed therein; These recesses includea recess 24 for the little finger, a recess 26 for the ring finger and a recess 28 for the index finger. As is best shown in Figure 3, the recesses 24, 26 and 28 terminate adjacent the upper surface 22 of the main portion 16.

The projecting portion 14 is provided with a circumferential recess 30. The circumferential recess 30 is so configurated whereby it receives both the forefinger and thumb of the user. As is best shown in Figure 4, the circumferential recess 30 is spaced from the recess 28 for the index finger.

Formed in the rear surface 16 is a relatively deep recess 32 for the reception of a golf club shaft. The recess 32, as is best shown in Figure 4, is disposed in an angular relation to the major axis of the grip device 10 and opens through the lower surface 18 of the main portion 16 in the space between the recess 28 and the circumferential recess 30.

The grip device 10 may be formed of any desired material and will be preferably formed of a plastic in view of the fact that that material is both light in weight and may be very economically molded.

When it is desired to use the grip device 10, the grip device 10 is generally positioned on the grip portion 34 on a golf club shaft 36, as is best shown in Figure 3. The palm of a users hand 38 is then engaged with the rear surface 16 and the grip portion 34 of the golf club. Once the hand 38 has been positioned as is illustrated in Figure 3, the fingers of the hand 38 are curled upwardly into their respective recesses with the forefinger and index finger of the hand 38 being disposed on opposite sides of the grip portion 34. The thumb of the hand 33 is then moved downwardly into the circumferential recess 30 in overlying relation to the forefinger, as is best shown in Figure 2.

When the grip device 10 is properly positioned and grasped by the hand 38, the shaft 36 or the grip portion 34 thereof will pass between the forefinger and the index finger and be grasped thereby. The grip portion 34 will then pass along the normal longitudinal concavity of the hand when it is in a grip position, passing across the palm of the hand at the heel of the palm or thumb. By so grasping the golf club shaft 36, the user of the golf club may exert both a power and a guiding stroke with his strength hand. In other words, the grip device would be positioned in the right hand of a right handed golfer. The left hand 40 of the golfer would grip the upper part of the grip portion 34 of the golf club in the conventional manner. However, it would serve to guide the golf club in its stroke and not function to exert a major portion of the power of the stroke to the golf club.

The grip device 10 is primarily intended to be used only as a training device and once the player becomes accustomed to gripping the golf club shaft in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the grip device 10 may be ultimately dispensed with.

The grip device 10 will be used to the best advantage by a novice user thereof with the putter. However, with continued practice the grip device 10 will also be useful with nearly all of the irons and this will permit a much steadier game.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de- I In combination with sports equipment having an elon- I gated shaft adapted to be grasped in the hands for manipulation, an auxiliary gripping device comprising an elongated body having a length generally equal to the width of the palm of a hand of a user, the inner surface of said body forming a palm engaging surface and shaped v 'to' conform to the surface of the palm of a hand, the

outer surface of the body having a plurality of transversely spaced finger receiving recesses therein forming grooves for receiving the outer end portions of the fingers of a hand when the hand is in gripping engagement with the body, the bottom edge of said body having recesses therein forming continuations of the recesses on the outer surface thereof forming grooves for receiving the inner end portions of the fingers, the top edge of said body having an inclined and curved surface conforming generally to the surface of the heel of the palm of the hand and the base of the thumb when the hand grips the body, said palm engaging surface of the body having an elon gated recess therein extending transversely of the body, said elongated recess being considerably deeper than the relatively shallow finger receiving recesses, said elongated recess receiving the shaft of the sports equipment with the surface of the shaft being disposed adjacent the palm engaging surface whereby the shaft of the sports equipment will be frictionally engaged by the palm of the hand, the middle and forefinger and the heel of the palm of the hand with the gripping force exerted on the assembled body and shaft forming the sole means for maintaining the shaft, body and hand in adjusted assembled relation, the lower end of said elongated recess intersecting with the lower edge of the body intermediate the finger receiving recesses which receive the forefinger and middle finger whereby the shaft will extend therebetween, the upper end of the elongated recess intersect: ing the top edge of the body generally in alignment with the central portion of the heel of the palm of the hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain 1929 ear-w i Jinn

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