Golf Club Grip

Abstract

A unitary golf grip for attachment to the handle of a golf club having three gripping sections including an upper section to accommodate the little finger of the golfer's upper hand; a tapered intermediate section to accommodate the remaining three fingers of the golfer's upper hand; and, a lower section to accommodate the fingers of the golfers lower hand.

Claims

1. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising: three gripping sections including; a lower end section of said grip having a first outer diameter constant along said lower end section; an upper end section having a second outer diameter constant along said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter; an intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section, said intermediate section having an outside diameter progressively tapering between said upper end section and said lower end section toward said upper end section; said upper end section having a relative length smaller than said intermediate section; said lengths of said upper end section and said intermediate section characterized by having a proportionate ratio of 5:12; said lower end section having a length at least equal to the length of both of said upper end section and said intermediate sections combined; said upper end section further characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface to accommodate the upper finger of a golfer's upper hand; said intermediate section characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface for the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; and, said lower end section characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping surface to accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.

2. The unitary golf grip of claim 1 wherein said upper end section has a length that is less than 50% of the length of said intermediate section.

3. The unitary grip of claim 2 wherein said upper section has a length of approximately 42% of the length of said intermediate section.

4. The unitary golf grip of claim 1 wherein said intermediate section, located between said upper end section and said lower end section, is further defined by a change in outer diameter from one end to the other of the intermediate section at a rate ranging between 0.02 to 0.03 inches per diameter per inch of length.

5. The unitary golf grip of claim 4 wherein said change in outer diameter is 0.0263 inches per diameter per inch of length.

6. The unitary golf grip of claim 1 wherein the length of said upper end section is 1.25 inches and the diameter of the upper end section is 0.75 inches; the length of said lower end section is at least four inches and the diameter is approximately 1.0 inch; and, the length of said intermediate section is three inches.

7. The unitary golf grip of claim 5 wherein the diameter of said intermediate section tapers between 0.75 and 1.0 inches.

8. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising: a lower end section of said grip having a first outer diameter constant along said lower end section; an upper end section having a second outer diameter constant along said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter; an intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section, said intermediate section having an outside diameter progressively tapering between said upper end section and said lower end section toward said upper end section; said upper end section having a relative length smaller than and less than 50% of the length of said intermediate section.

9. The unitary golf grip of claim 8 further defined by said upper end section having a length approximately 42% of the length of said intermediate section.

10. The unitary golf grip of claim 8 further defined by said upper end section having a size to accommodate the upper finger of a golfer's upper hand; said intermediate section characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface for the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; and, said lower section characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping surface to accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.

11. The unitary golf grip of claim 8 whereby said intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section is further defined by a change in outer diameter from one end to the other of the intermediate section being at a rate ranging between 0.02 to 0.03 inches per diameter per inch of length.

12. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising: a lower end section of said grip having a first outer diameter constant along said lower end section; an upper end section having a second outer diameter constant along said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter; an intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section, said intermediate section having an outside diameter progressively tapering between said lower end section and said upper end section toward said upper end section; and, said upper end section having a relative length smaller than said intermediate section; said lengths characterized by having a proportionate ratio of 5:12 whereby the length of said upper section is approximately 42% of the length of said intermediate section.

13. The golf grip of claim 12 being further defined by said lower section having a length at least equal to the length of both of said upper section and said intermediate sections combined.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the golf grip of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the golf grip of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the golf grip attached to the upper end of a full length golf club.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a full swing golf grip 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown attached to a golf club 102 on a shaft 104 at the opposite end of a club head 106. The grip 100 preferably is a unitary, single molded unit typically made of rubber or similar, generally flexible composite material. The grip 100 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a hollow interior. The grip 100 includes an opening 108 at the lower end to enable it to be placed over the golf club shaft 104 and a cap 110 at the top or butt end that covers the upper end of the shaft 104.

[0026] The grip 100 is formed in three separate, interconnected gripping sections, including an upper section 112, a lower section 114 and an intermediate or transitional section 116 between the upper section 112 and the lower section 114. The upper section 112 has a first non-tapered, constant outer diameter along the entire length of the upper section 112, as shown in FIG. 2. The lower section 114 has a second constant outer diameter, larger than the first diameter of the upper section 112, along the entire length of the lower section 114, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] The intermediate section 116 is tapered with a gradually decreasing diameter from the larger diameter of the lower section 114 toward the smaller diameter of the upper section 112 such that the diameter of the intermediate section 116 progressively decreases toward the upper end of the grip 100.

[0028] The upper section 112 is sized to accommodate the uppermost finger only, that is, the pinky or little finger of the golfer's upper hand when gripping the golf club 102 in a normal ball striking position. The intermediate section 116 is sized to accommodate the remaining fingers of the upper hand, that is, the ring finger, the middle finger and the index finger. The lower section 114 of the grip 100 accommodates all the fingers of the lower, dominant hand and is slightly less than the total length of the grip 100.

[0029] No matter what the overall grip size, the uppermost section 112 of the grip 100 relative to the intermediate section 116 is in a ratio of 5:12 and the uppermost section 112 and intermediate section 116 relative to the lower most section 114 is at least in the ratio of 1:1 and preferably sized where the lowermost section 114 is slightly larger than the length of the uppermost section 112 and the intermediate section 116 combined. It will be appreciated the lowermost section 114 may be even longer without departing from the essence of the present invention that creates simultaneous closing of the fingers of the upper hand during a golf shot.

[0030] Preferably the overall dimensions of the grip 100 are conventional although it will be appreciated the total length of the grip 100 and the length of the grip sections may vary slightly in keeping within the ratios of the relative proportions of the sections. In a preferred embodiment, the grip 100 has a cap 110 approximately one quarter of an inch or slightly longer to insure the golfer's hands do not slip off the club 102 should the grip 100 become slippery. The upper section 112 preferably is approximately 1.25 inches. This length fits the upper finger of the greater majority of golfers.

[0031] The length of the uppermost section 112 is no greater than 50% of the length of the intermediate section 116 and in a preferred embodiment the length of the upper section 112 is approximately 42% of the length of the intermediate section 116 and maintains this relative proportion no matter how large or small the overall size of the golf grip 100. The lower section 114 preferably is at least the same size as the upper section 112 and intermediate section 116 combined and may be slightly larger.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, that fits a majority of golfer's hands, the upper section is approximately 1.25 inches, the intermediate section 116 is preferably three inches in length to fit the remaining three fingers of the golfer's upper hand, and the lower section is four to five inches to fit all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.

[0033] The outside diameter of the upper section 112 is preferably 0.75 inches along the entire length. The lower section 114 has an outside diameter slightly less than 1.00 inches. The tapered intermediate section 116, between the upper section 112 and the lower section 114, tapers at a rate between 0.02 inches to 0.03 inches of diameter per inch of length. In the present embodiment, the rate of taper is 0.0263 inches per inch of length. The taper of the intermediate section 116 is constant along the length thereof presenting a linear gripping surface.

[0034] Whereas the present embodiment has been described in terms of conventional sizes, it will be appreciated the grips may be made smaller or larger to accommodate various golfers as long as the relative sizes of the sections are maintained. Other modifications may be made in keeping within the spirit and scope of the following claims.