Weighted golf grip

Abstract

A golf grip having a weighted rear, longitudinal underside section providing a high Moment of Inertia to increase resistance to twisting and turning when the grip is connected to a golf club during the execution of a golf shot.

Claims

1. A grip assembly connectable to a golf club having a shaft, the grip assembly comprising: a grip body extending between an upper butt end and a distal end, and the grip body has a topside and a pair of sides extending from the topside to a rear underside; the grip body defining a bore extending between the upper butt end and the distal end, and the bore is sized to receive the shaft of the golf club; the grip body defining a channel spaced at least 15 mm from a center of the bore, and the channel extends from the upper butt end to adjacent the distal end in an outer surface of the rear underside; wherein the grip body includes to the upper butt end of the grip body, and an outer wrap permanently encases around an entire circumference of the grip body along a portion of a length of the grip body; the grip body end cap and the outer wrap define a first volume of material having a first weight; a rod disposed in the channel, and the rod defines a second volume of material having a second weight; the first volume of material and the second volume of material comprises a total volume and a total weight of the grip assembly, and the first volume of material is approximately 90% of the total volume and the second volume of material is approximately 10% of the total volume, and the second weight is greater than the first weight.

2. The grip assembly of claim 1 wherein the grip body and the outer wrap have a total weight which is not greater than 60 grams.

3. The grip assembly of claim 2 wherein said second weight is between 50 and 170 grams.

4. The grip assembly of claim 2 wherein said second weight is not less than 65 grams.

5. The grip assembly of claim 1 wherein the grip body is of a material 50 to 85 times lighter per cubic inch than the rod.

6. The grip assembly of claim 1 wherein at least 70% of the total weight of the grip assembly is below the center of the bore.

7. A golf club assembly comprising: a putter-type head presenting a face disposed in a first vertical plane and a shaft extending upwardly therefrom to a distal head end; a grip coupled to the distal head end; the grip having a grip body extending between an upper butt end and a distal grip end to define a first length, and the grip body has a topside and a pair of sides extending from the topside to a rear underside; the grip body defining a bore extending along a second vertical plane between the upper butt end and the distal grip end for receiving and connecting the grip body to the shaft such that the second vertical plane is parallel to the first vertical plane; the grip body defining a channel spaced below and at least 15 mm from a center of the bore and extending along the second vertical plane a second length from the upper butt end to adjacent the distal grip end in an outer surface of the rear underside; the second length being at least 80% of the first length; the grip having an end cap connected to the upper butt end of the grip body; wherein an outer wrap permanently encases around an entire circumference of the grip body along a portion of a length of the grip body; the grip body and the end cap and the outer wrap define a first volume of material having a first weight; the grip having a rod having the second length and permanently disposed in the channel, and the rod defines a second volume of material having a second weight; the second length being at least 80% of the first length; and the first volume of material and the second volume of material comprising a total volume and weight of the grip, and the first volume of material is approximately 90% of the total volume and the second volume of material is approximately 10% of the total volume, and the second weight is greater than the first weight.

8. The golf club assembly of claim 7 wherein the grip body and the outer wrap have a total weight which is not greater than 60 grams.

9. The golf club assembly of claim 8 wherein said second weight is between 60 and 170 grams.

10. The golf club assembly of claim 8 wherein said second weight is not less than 65 grams.

11. The golf club assembly of claim 7 wherein the grip body is of a material 50 to 85 times lighter per cubic inch than the rod.

12. The golf club assembly of claim 7 wherein at least 70% of a total weight of the grip assembly is below the center of the bore.

13. The golf club assembly of claim 7 wherein said second weight is approximately 65 grams.

14. A grip assembly connectable to a golf club having a shaft, the grip assembly comprising: a grip body extending between an upper butt end and a distal end to define a first length, and the grip body has a topside and a pair of sides extending from the topside to a rear underside; the grip body defining a bore extending between the upper butt end and the distal end for receiving the shaft of the golf club; the grip body defining a channel spaced at least 15 mm from a center of the bore, and the channel extends a second length from the upper butt end to adjacent the distal end; in an outer surface of the rear underside; wherein an end cap is connected to the upper butt end of the grip body, and an outer wrap permanently encases around an entire circumference of the grip body along a portion of a length of the grip body; the grip body, end cap and the outer wrap define a first volume of material having a first weight the second length being at least 80% of the first length; a rod disposed in the channel, and the rod defines a second volume of material having a second weight; the first volume of material and the second volume of material comprising a total volume and weight of the grip assembly, and the first volume of material is approximately 90% of the total volume and the second volume of material is approximately 10% of the total volume, and the second weight is greater than the first weight; and wherein the grip body is of a material 50 to 85 times lighter per cubic inch than the rod.

15. The grip assembly of claim 14 wherein the grip body and the outer wrap have a total weight which is not greater than 60 grams.

16. The grip assembly of claim 15 wherein said second weight is between 50 and 170 grams.

17. The grip assembly of claim 15 wherein said second weight is not less than 65 grams.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates an assembled golf grip of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the golf grip of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of the golf grip of FIG. 1 with an outer wrap removed.

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a view of the grip assembled on a putter type golf club.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(7) The drawings FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a first embodiment of a putter type golf grip 100 in accordance with the present invention. As seen in the exploded view of FIG. 2, the golf grip is formed with a light weight, grip body 102, end cap 104 and an outer, over layer wrap 106. The grip 100 includes an upper section or topside 108 and sides 110 extend from the upper section 108 to a rear underside 112 that forms a rearward part of the grip 110. The grip body 102 includes an elongated bore 114 that serves as a shaft encasing, grip opening when the grip 100 is mounted on the shaft of a golf club. The elongated bore 114 is open at a distal end 116 of the grip 100 opposite the end cap 104 to receive the golf club shaft when the grip 100 is connected to a golf club shaft. The grip body 102 is formed of with a channel 118 at the rear underside 112 of the grip body 102.

(8) The outer wrap 106 that forms the outermost layer of the grip 100 may include various gripping patterns and/or distinguishing material such as logos and trademarks. It will be appreciated that the outer layer wrap 106 may be eliminated, for example as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, whereby the outer layers of the grip body 102 form the outermost areas of the grip 100.

(9) Typically, the grip body 102 is a unitary member including the end cap 104 and the outer wrap 106 that is attached after the grip body 102 is formed by adhesive or a similar connecting means. The outer wrap 106 has a preferable weight of 15 grams.

(10) In a preferred embodiment, the grip body 102 is made of a low density, light material such as light weight foam material or synthetic polymer compound such as EVA foam. A typical, normal sized grip body will weigh approximately 40 grams.

(11) A weight member 120, such as a metal rod made of a material having a significantly heavier density, such as lead, steel or other heavy material, is sized to fit into the opening formed by the channel 118 formed into the rear underside 112 of the grip.

(12) The weight member 120 will weigh between 50 and 120 grams; preferably at least 65 grams. Thus, the weight member 120 represents at least one half and preferably slightly more than the total weight of the remaining parts of the grip 100 while being only approximately 10% of the total volume of the grip 100. It follows a great portion of the entire weight of the grip 100 is concentrated at the rear bottom location of the grip 100 such that the underside section 112 tends to gravitate downwardly due to the force of gravity when the grip 100 is permitted to freely assume a rest position without manipulation by a golfer's hands.

(13) As shown in FIG. 3, the weight member 120, in the form of a heavy rod, extends from just under the closed upper butt end 114 at least 80% of the entire distance between the end cap 104 and the lower distal end 116 of the grip 100.

(14) Typically, the grip 100 is made in a tapered configuration, becoming smaller toward the distal end 116. At an upper end of the grip adjacent the end cap 104, the grip 100 has a thickness of approximately 1.25 inches between the front 108 and the lower rear 112. As the grip 100 tapers toward the distal end 116 the thickness approaches 1.00 inch. In the preferred embodiment described above, the weight member 120 is located approximately 0.5 inches from a golf club shaft when the grip 100 is assembled on a golf club. This distance defines a moment arm that in combination with the weight member 120 creates a MOI value that is significant to overcome any natural tendency of the golf club to turn or twist as it is moved during a putting stroke.

(15) It will be appreciated that the size and material of the weight member 120 will vary the MOI of the golf grip 100. For example, if the thickness of grip is greater, a lesser weight is necessary to achieve the same MOI. It follows that using a same weight member 120 will create a greater MOI when located at an outer location of a larger or thicker grip. Increasing the weight of the weight member 120 either by making it larger or using more dense material also increases the MOI of the grip.

(16) Referring to FIG. 5, a golf grip 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown assembled on a putter 200 having a shaft 202 and a putter head 204 including a striking face 206 that engages a golf ball during the execution of a putting stroke.

(17) The elongated bore 114 of the grip 100 that serves as a shaft opening and a weight member 120 are shown in phantom. A line drawn directly through the center of the elongated bore 114 and the weight member 120 is parallel to the striking face 206 of the putter 200 when the grip 100 is properly aligned and installed on the putter shaft 202. The increased MOI of the grip 100 aids the golfer to maintain the putter striking face 206 at a square position perpendicular to an intended target direction.

(18) Various modifications may be made to the above described invention in keeping with the following claims.