Force Sensor for Alerting Golfer When Club Held Too Tightly

Abstract

A force sensor is provided for mounting on an outside lateral surface of a golf club grip to alert a user when an excessive manual grasping force is applied to the grip during a golf swing.

Claims

1. A force sensor mountable on an outside lateral surface of a golf club grip comprising: a base member having a substratum with a substratum inner face and a substratum outer face and a projection on said substratum outer face having a projection height, wherein said base member has a relatively high resistance to elastic compressive deformation when a manual grasping force is applied to said base member during a golf swing; and an overlying member positioned atop said base member and having an overlying member inner face, an overlying member outer face and a channel extending from said overlying member inner face to said overlying member outer face and configured to receive said projection in a channel interior, wherein said overlying member has an overlying member thickness with an ambient thickness value greater than said projection height when said overlying member is in an ambient state, and wherein said overlying member has a relatively low resistance to elastic compressive deformation, thereby reducing said overlying member thickness to a compressed thickness value less than said projection height when a manual grasping force exceeding a maximum permissible force value is applied to said overlying member during the golf swing and extending said projection out from said channel interior beyond said overlying member outer face.

2. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said overlying member inner face has an adhesive thereon enabling adherence of said base member outer face and said overlying member inner face to one another.

3. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said projection has a conical configuration.

4. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said channel has a cylindrical configuration.

5. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said base member has a base member outer perimeter defining a base member footprint and said overlying member has an overlying member outer perimeter defining an overlying member footprint, and wherein said overlying member footprint is greater than said base member footprint such that said overlying member fully covers and extends beyond said base member outer perimeter.

6. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said force member has a force sensor surface area and said force sensor is dimensioned so that said force sensor surface area is substantially less than a lateral surface area of a golf club grip said force sensor is mountable on.

7. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said overlying member has a Shore A durometer in a range between about 10 and about 30.

8. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said base member has a Shore A durometer in a range between about 60 and about 90.

9. The force sensor of claim 1, wherein said relatively low resistance to elastic compressive deformation enables said overlying member to elastically deform to said compressed thickness value that is 75% or less of said ambient thickness value when said manual grasping force applied to said overlying member during the golf swing exceeds said maximum permissible force value.

10. A force sensor mountable on an outside lateral surface of a golf club grip comprising: a base member having a substratum with a substratum inner face and a substratum outer face, a first projection, a second projection and a third projection, each said first, second and third projections positioned on said substratum outer face, and having a common projection height, wherein said base member has a relatively high resistance to elastic compressive deformation when a manual grasping force is applied to said base member during a golf swing; and an overlying member positioned atop said base member and having an overlying member inner face, an overlying member outer face, a first channel, a second channel and a third channel, each of said first, second and third channels extending from said overlying member inner face to said overlying member outer face and said first channel configured to receive said first projection in a first channel interior, said second channel configured to receive said second projection in a second channel interior and said third channel configured to receive said third projection in a third channel interior, wherein said overlying member has an overlying member thickness with an ambient thickness value greater than said common projection height when said overlying member is in an ambient state, and wherein said overlying member has a relatively low resistance to elastic compressive deformation, thereby reducing said overlying member thickness to a compressed thickness value less than said common projection height when a manual grasping force exceeding a maximum permissible force value is applied to said overlying member during the golf swing and extending said first, second and third projections out from said interiors of said first, second and third channels, respectively, beyond said overlying member outer face.

11. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said overlying member inner face has an adhesive thereon enabling adherence of said base member outer face and said overlying member inner face to one another.

12. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said first, second and third projections each has a conical configuration.

13. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said first, second and third channels each has a cylindrical configuration.

14. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said base member has a base member outer perimeter defining a base member footprint and said overlying member has an overlying member outer perimeter defining an overlying member footprint, and wherein said overlying member footprint is greater than said base member footprint such that said overlying member fully covers and extends beyond said base member outer perimeter.

15. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said force member has a force sensor surface area and said force sensor is dimensioned so that said force sensor surface area is substantially less than a lateral surface area of a golf club grip said force sensor is mountable on.

16. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said relatively low resistance to elastic compressive deformation enables said overlying member to elastically deform to said compressed thickness value that is 75% or less of said ambient thickness value when said manual grasping force applied to said overlying member during the golf swing exceeds said maximum permissible force value.

17. The force sensor of claim 10, wherein said first, second and third projections are aligned in series forming a single linear longitudinal projection column and are spaced a projection spacing distance apart from one another in said projection column.

18. The force sensor of claim 17, wherein said first, second and third channels are aligned in series forming a single linear longitudinal channel column and are spaced a channel spacing distance corresponding to said projection spacing distance apart from one another in said channel column.

19. A golf swing training method comprising: mounting a force sensor on a grip outside lateral surface of a golf club, wherein said force sensor includes a base member having a substratum with a substratum inner face and a substratum outer face and a projection on said substratum outer face having a projection height, said base member having a relatively high resistance to elastic compressive deformation when a manual grasping force is applied to said base member during a golf swing, wherein said force sensor further includes an overlying member positioned atop said base member, wherein said overlying member has an overlying member inner face, an overlying member outer face, a channel extending from said overlying member inner face to said overlying member outer face, wherein said channel is configured to receive said projection in a channel interior, and wherein said overlying member has a relatively low resistance to elastic compressive deformation when said manual grasping force is applied to said overlying member during said golf swing and has an overlying member thickness with an ambient thickness value greater than said projection height when said overlying member is in an ambient state; performing said golf swing while holding said golf club with a user's hand in contact with said force sensor, thereby applying said manual grasping force to said overlying member; and elastically deforming said overlying member to reduce said overlying member thickness to a compressed thickness value less than said projection height when said manual grasping force applied to said overlying member during said golf swing exceeds a maximum permissible force value, thereby enabling said projection to extend out from said channel interior beyond said overlying member outer face and engage said user's hand.

20. The golf swing training method of claim 19, wherein said golf club is a first golf club, said grip outside lateral surface is a first grip outside lateral surface, said force sensor is a first force sensor, said base member is a first base member, said substratum is a first substratum, said projection is a first projection, said height of said projection is a first projection height and said overlying member is a first overlying member, said method further comprising, mounting a second force sensor on a second grip outside lateral surface of a second golf club, wherein said second force sensor includes a second base member having said same relatively high resistance to elastic compressive deformation club as said first base member and a second overlying member substantially identical to said first overlying member, said second base member including a second substratum substantially identical to said first substratum and a second projection having a second projection height different than said first projection height, said second overlying member positioned atop said second base member on said second grip outside lateral surface and having a second channel configured to receive said second projection in a second channel interior, and wherein said second overlying member thickness has an ambient thickness value greater than said second projection height when said second overlying member is in an ambient state; performing a golf swing while holding said second golf club with said user's hand in contact with said second force sensor, thereby applying a manual grasping force to said second overlying member; and elastically deforming said second overlying member to reduce said overlying member thickness to a second compressed thickness value less than said second projection height when said manual grasping force applied to said second overlying member during said golf swing exceeds a second maximum permissible force value, thereby enabling said second projection to extend out from said interior beyond said overlying member outer face and engage said user's hand.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The below-listed drawing figures illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. Common reference characters are used among the different drawing figures to indicate the same structural elements.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a golf club grip with a force sensor mounted thereon, wherein the perimeter of the base member is shown in phantom.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a front view of a user holding a golf club with a force sensor mounted on the grip, wherein the user is in the address position of a golf shot.

[0025] FIG. 3 is an exploded elevation view of the force sensor of FIG. 1, wherein the channels through the overlying member are shown in phantom.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the force sensor of FIG. 1 taken along line 4-4, wherein the force sensor is in an ambient state.

[0027] FIG. 5 is the same sectional view of the force sensor shown in FIG. 4, but with the force sensor in a compressed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional golf club, namely a long iron, is shown and generally designated 10. The golf club 10 includes a shaft 12, a clubhead 14 and a grip 16. The shaft 12 has a distal end 18 and a proximal end 20. The clubhead 14 is mounted on the distal end 18 and the grip 16 is mounted on the proximal end 20. The grip 16 likewise has a distal end 22 and a proximal end. The proximal end of the grip 16 coincides with the proximal end 20 of the shaft 12. Therefore, both proximal ends are designated herein by the same reference number 20. The grip 16 has an outside lateral surface 24 that extends the entire length of the grip 16 from the proximal to distal grip ends 20, 22 A typical grip has a grip length of about 10 inches and an average grip radius of about 0.5 inches. The total area of the outside lateral surface 24 is termed the grip lateral surface area and a grip having the above dimensions has a grip lateral surface area of about 31 sq. in.

[0029] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a force sensor 26 mounted on the outside lateral surface 24 of the grip 16. With added reference to FIGS. 3-5, the force sensor 26 comprises a base member 28 and an overlying member 30. The base member 28 includes a substratum 32 which is a relatively rigid, narrow, elongated strip of material having an inner face 34 on one side of the substratum 32 and an outer face 36 on the opposite side. The relative terms inner and outer are used herein with reference to the common longitudinal axis of the shaft 12 and grip 16 when the force sensor 26 is mounted on the grip 16 in a manner described below. The substratum inner face 34 is more proximal to the common longitudinal axis and the substratum outer face 36 is more distal from the common longitudinal axis. Conversely, when a user, in this case a golfer, is holding the golf club 10 during a golf shot with the force sensor 26 mounted on the grip 16, the substratum inner face 34 is more distal from the hands of the user and the substratum outer face 36 is more proximal to the user's hands. The substratum inner face 34 preferably has an arcuate configuration with a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of the grip outside lateral surface 24 so that the relatively rigid substratum inner face 34 conforms to the contour of the outside lateral surface 24 and fits snugly against it when the force sensor 26 is mounted thereon.

[0030] The substratum inner and outer faces 34, 36 are laterally-bounded by parallel sides 38, 40 and are end-bounded by proximal and distal ends 42, 44 which define the planar outside perimeter of the substratum 32. The substratum sides and ends 38, 40, 42, 44 are all preferably rounded off to minimize sharp edges and corners. It is apparent that the sides and ends of the base member 28 are one and the same as the substratum sides and ends 38, 40, 42, 44, respectively. Accordingly, the planar outside perimeter of the base member 28 and the substratum outside perimeter are likewise one and the same and the dimensions of this outside perimeter are preferably correlated with the dimensions of a typical grip 16. An exemplary base member length, i.e., distance between ends 42, 44, is about 4 inches and an exemplary base member width, i.e., distance between sides 38, 40, is about ½ inch.

[0031] The base member 28 further includes a plurality of projections 46 positioned on the substratum outer face 36 and extending in a direction away from the substratum inner face 34. The present embodiment of the base member 28 has ten projections 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j extending from the substratum outer face 36. The projections 46 are preferably aligned in series on the substratum outer face 36 forming a single linear longitudinal column aligned with the longitudinal axis of the substratum 32 which is one and the same as the base member longitudinal axis. The projection column extends substantially the entire length of the substratum outer face 36. The projections 46 are longitudinally spaced apart from one another, preferably equidistantly. In the present embodiment, all of the projections 46 are identically configured as right circular cones resembling spikes. However, alternately configured projections are within the scope of the present invention. Regardless of the configuration, each projection 46 has a projection base 48 at one end of the projection 46 that is integral with the substratum outer face 36, a projection apex 50 at the opposite end of the projection 46 and a projection side 52 extending from the base 48 to the apex 50. Each projection 46 has a projection height defined as the linear distance from the base 48 to the apex 50. Where the projection 46 is a right circular cone as in the present embodiment, the projection height is the length of the cone axis and the projection side 52 is a curved surface that tapers to the projection apex 50, which is a fine point forming the tip of the cone.

[0032] The substratum 32 and projections 46 are preferably integrally formed with one another such that the base member 28 is a unitary integral structure. A preferred material of construction for the base member 28 is a readily-available, low-cost, disposable, rigid, hard plastic such as polypropylene and a preferred means of construction is injection molding. As such, the rigid, hard base member 28 is relatively firm and highly resistant to elastic compressive deformation so that it does not substantially indent or compress when subjected to the manual grasping force of a user's hands during a golf swing.

[0033] The overlying member 30, like the substratum 32, has an elongate configuration with an inner face 54 and an outer face 56 that are laterally-bounded by parallel sides 58, 60 and are end-bounded by proximal and distal ends 62, 64 which define the planar outside perimeter of the overlying member 30. The overlying member ends 62, 64 are preferably rounded off. The overlying member length and width are each greater than the respective base member length and width. Accordingly, the overlying member outside perimeter is larger than that of the base member 28 and the overlying member 30 correspondingly has a larger area and footprint than the base member 28.

[0034] The overlying member 30 is positioned atop the base member 28 with their longitudinal axes parallely aligned with one another so that the overlying member 30 member overlaps the base member 28 and covers the base member outside perimeter in its entirety. With the overlying member 30 and base member 28 so positioned, portions of the overlying member inner face 54 that are interior to the overlying member outside perimeter engage the relatively planar portions of the substratum outer face 36 that are not occupied by the projections 46. The remainder of the overlying member inner face 54 extends beyond the base member outside perimeter to the overlying member outside perimeter.

[0035] The base member 28 and overlying member 30 are attached to one another by any conventional attachment means that renders the overlying member inner face 54 and substratum outer face 36 in fixed engagement with one another during use of the force sensor 26. A preferred attachment means is an adhesive that adheres the base and overlying members 28, 30 to one another. The adhesive is preferably applied to the entirety of the overlying member inner face 54, but not any other surfaces of the force sensor 26. A paper backing (not shown) may be placed over the adhesive on the remainder of the overlying member inner face 54 that extends beyond the base member outside perimeter to prevent the adhesive from prematurely adhering to a surface before the user desires to mount the force sensor 26 on the grip outside lateral surface 24 in a manner described hereafter. When the user desires to mount the force sensor 26, the user simply peels away the paper backing from the overlying member inner face 54 to expose the adhesive.

[0036] It is apparent that the sides and ends of the force sensor 26 are one and the same as the overlying member sides and ends 58, 60, 62, 64, respectively. Accordingly, the planar outside perimeter of the force sensor 26 and the overlying member outside perimeter are likewise one and the same and the dimensions of this outside perimeter are preferably correlated with the dimensions of a typical grip 16 as well as the dimensions of the base member 28. An exemplary force sensor length, i.e., distance between ends 62, 64, is about 5 inches and an exemplary force sensor width, i.e., distance between sides 58, 60, is about 1 inch. The base member, overlying member and force sensor dimensions recited herein are offered by way of example rather than limitation. Base members, overlying members and force sensors having different dimensions than those recited above are within the scope of the present invention so long as the overlying member has a larger footprint than the base member.

[0037] The overlying member 30 has a thickness that is quantified as the distance between the overlying member inner face 54 and overlying member outer face 56. The overlying member 30 has a plurality of channels 66 formed therein, each of which extends through the entirety of the overlying member 30 from its inner to outer faces 54, 56. Accordingly, the thickness of the overlying member 30 and the distance each channel 66 extends through the overlying member 30 are one and the same. The number and placement of the channels 66 preferably correspond identically to those of the projections 46. Therefore, the overlying member 30 of the present embodiment has ten channels 66a, 66b, 66c, 66d, 66e, 66f, 66g, 66h, 66i, 66j passing through the overlying member 30. The channels 66 are preferably serially aligned on the overlying member 30 in a single linear longitudinal column aligned with the overlying member longitudinal axis. The channel column extends substantially the entire length of the overlying member 30 and the channels 66 have the same longitudinal spacing apart from one another as the projections 46 on the substratum outer face 36. Each channel 66 preferably has the same cylindrical configuration with circular openings in the opposing overlying member inner and outer faces 54, 56. The channel openings in the overlying member inner face 54 are each sized and configured to receive one of the projections 46 into the interior of the channel 66. As such, each channel 66 preferably has about the same diameter as each projection base 48, e.g, about 4 mm.

[0038] The overlying member 30 is a unitary integral structure preferably constructed from a readily-available, low-cost, disposable material such as a sheet of soft, pliable elastic foam. A preferred material having the recited properties is a synthetic rubber such as neoprene. The overlying member 30 is preferably readily elastically compressively deformable when subjected to the manual grasping force of a user's hands during a golf swing. As such, the overlying member 30 preferably has a relatively low density per cubic foot and a Shore A durometer in a range between about 10 and about 30, and more preferably in a range between about 15 and about 25. In contrast as noted above, the base member 28 does not elastically compressively deform when subjected to the manual grasping force of a user's hands during a golf swing. As such, the base member 28 has a density and durometer substantially greater than those of the overlying member 30. In particular, the base member 28 preferably has a relatively high density per cubic foot and a Shore A durometer in a range between about 60 and about 90, and more preferably in a range between about 70 and about 80. A typical golf club grip is harder, i.e., firmer, than the overlying member 30, while softer, i.e., less firm, than the base member 28. As such, the base member 28 has a density and durometer greater than those of the grip 16, while the overlying member 30 has a density and durometer less than those of the grip 16.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows the force sensor 26 when it is not subjected to any external forces (apart from gravity), such as the manual grasping force of a user's hands during a golf swing, that could elastically compressively deform the overlying member 30. As such, the overlying member 30 shown in FIG. 4 is not compressively deformed and is characterized herein as being in an ambient state. The thickness of the overlying member 30 in the ambient state, termed the ambient thickness value, is greater than the height of the projections 46. If the overlying member 30 has a preferred ambient thickness value of about 3.0 mm, the corresponding preferred height of the associated projection 46 is in a range between about 1.0 mm and about 2.2 mm. Overlying members having different ambient thickness values and projections having different heights than those recited above are within the scope of the present invention so long as the overlying member has an ambient thickness value greater than the height of the projections.

Swing Training Methods Using the Force Sensor

[0040] FIG. 2. shows a user holding the golf club 10 in the address position at the beginning of a golf shot. The lead hand 68 and trail hand 70 are positioned one after the other in series with the lead hand 68 positioned at the grip proximal end 20 and the trail hand 70 positioned immediately below, but still in engagement with the lead hand 68. Thus, the trail hand 70 is more distally positioned than the lead hand 68. The fingers and palms of both hands 68, 70 encircle the grip 16 and the thumbs are fully extended in a generally vertical downward direction perpendicular to the orientation of the fingers toward the clubhead 14. The thumbs are generally collinear with one another and in alignment with the common longitudinal axis of the shaft 12 and grip 16. The thumb of the lead hand 68 is tucked under the portion of the palm of the trail hand 70 that is immediately adjacent to the thumb and wrist of the trail hand 70. The relative lengths of the grip 16 and user's hands are such that the grip distal end 22 extends another inch or two in the distal direction below the tip of the trail hand thumb.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the force sensor 26 mounted on the grip outside lateral surface 24. Mounting is effected by positioning the force sensor 26 at a desired location on the grip outside lateral surface 24 with the force sensor longitudinal axis parallely aligned with the grip and shaft longitudinal axes and attaching the force sensor 26 to the grip outside lateral surface 24, preferably by means of the above-described adhesive on the overlying member inner face 54. It is apparent that when the force sensor 26 is mounted on the outside lateral surface 24, it only covers a fraction of the exemplary grip lateral surface area. Thus, the surface area of the force sensor is substantially less than the grip lateral surface area. As an example, a force sensor having the exemplary dimensions recited above has a force sensor surface area of about 5 square inches while an exemplary grip lateral surface area recited above is about 31 square inches which is only about 16% coverage. In any case, the force sensor surface area is preferably less than about 50% of the grip lateral surface area, more preferably less than about 30% and still more preferably less than about 20% of the grip lateral surface area.

[0042] When the force sensor 26 is mounted on the grip outside lateral surface 24, the force sensor 26 intervenes between the outside lateral surface 24 and the parts of the user's hands that are positioned over the force sensor 26 when holding the club 10. As a result these parts of the hands do not contact the outside lateral surface 24, but are instead in continuous contact with the overlying member outer face 56. In a preferred embodiment, the force sensor 26 is mounted in a position on the grip outside lateral surface 24 that is immediately beneath where the user would place the thumbs as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, when the thumbs are positioned over the front quadrant of the outside lateral surface 24, as is typical, the force sensor 26 is correspondingly mounted on the front quadrant of the outside lateral surface 24 with the force sensor distal end 64 positioned an inch or two above the grip distal end 22. In this mounting position, the force sensor 26 extends roughly half the length of the grip 16 and wraps around about ¼ to about ⅓ the circumference of the grip 16. The inside surfaces of both thumbs and the parts of the palm immediately adjacent thereto are in continuous contact with the overlying member outer face 56 throughout the shot while the fingers and remainder of the palms are in contact with the grip outer lateral surface 24. It is alternately within the scope of the present invention to mount the force sensor 26 at a different position on the outside lateral surface 24 rather than the front quadrant should the user desire to position the thumbs on an alternate quadrant of the outside lateral surface 24 when holding the club 10. It is still further within the scope of the present invention to mount the force sensor 26 at a position on the outside lateral surface 24 that lies under some part of the user's hands other than the thumbs should the user desire to monitor the manual grasping force of the user's fingers or palms on the club.

[0043] The function of the force sensor 26 is enabled by the positive differential between the overlying member ambient thickness value and the projection height. Because of this differential, the projection apexes 50 are hidden beneath the overlying member outer face 56 within the interiors of their respective channels 66 when the overlying member 30 is in the ambient state. When the manual force that the user subsequently applies to the force sensor 26 during a golf swing does not exceed a predetermined maximum permissible force value, the ambient thickness value, density and durometer of the overlying member 30 are pre-selected such that the parts of the user's hands contacting the overlying member outer face 56 do not elastically compressively deform the overlying member 30 to a degree sufficient to compress its thickness to a value that is less than the projection height. As a result, the projection apexes 50 remain beneath the overlying member outer face 56 within the channel interiors throughout the swing and the user does not feel the projection apexes 50. In sum, when the user applies a proper degree of manual force to the club 10 during the swing, the user is essentially unaware of the presence of the force sensor 26 and performs the golf swing as if holding the grip 16 without the force sensor 26 mounted thereon.

[0044] In contrast, FIG. 5 shows that when the manual force the user applies to the force sensor 26 during the golf swing exceeds the predetermined maximum permissible force value, the ambient thickness value, density and durometer of the overlying member 30 are pre-selected such that the user's hands (omitted from FIG. 5 for clarity) elastically compressively deform the overlying member 30 to a value termed the compressed thickness value that is less than the projection height. When the overlying member 30 is deformed to this degree, it is characterized herein as being in a compressed state. The projections 68 have a high density and durometer making them much harder and much more resistant to elastic compressive deformation than the overlying member 30, thereby causing the pointed projection apexes 50 to emerge out from the channel interiors, through the channel openings on the overlying member outer face 56 and extend above the outer face 56 into engagement with the parts of the user's hands positioned over the force sensor 26. The hands instantly proprioceptively sense the projection apexes 50 upon contact, which alerts the user that the handhold on the club 10 is too tight. In response the user can loosen the handhold and apply a manual force to the club 10 that is below the maximum permissible force value. This causes the overlying member 30 to elastically expand and return to a thickness greater than the projection height so that the projection apexes 50 re-submerge into the interiors of the channels 66 and no longer engage the user's hands.

[0045] As noted above, the proper level of handhold tightness, i.e., manual grasping force, for a golf swing is inter alia a function of the golfer's variation in swing length from shot to shot. The variability of the golfer's swing length and correspondingly of the optimal level of handhold tightness or manual grasping force for different golf shots is accommodated herein by providing two or more types of force sensors that are distinguished from one another solely by the different projection heights on each type of force sensor, while the overlying members retain the same uniform ambient thickness value, density and durometer. For example, one type of force sensor may be provided that has relatively short projections so it can be used when taking full swings that require a higher manual grasping force, e.g, projections having a height of about 1.0 mm when the ambient thickness value of the overlying member is about 3.0 mm. Another type of force sensor may be provided that has relatively tall projections so it can be used with putters that require a lower manual grasping force, e.g, projections having a height of about 2.2 mm for the same ambient thickness value as above. Yet another type of force sensor may be provided that has projections of intermediate height so it can be used when taking less than full swings that require an intermediate manual grasping force, e.g, projections having a height of about 1.3 mm for the same ambient thickness value as above.

[0046] It is apparent from the present example that the ambient thickness value, density and durometer of the overlying member is selected such that the overlying member is capable of being elastically deformed to a compressed thickness value that is substantially less than its ambient thickness value when a manual grasping force at or exceeding the maximum permissible force value is applied to it in order for the associated force sensor to perform effectively for its intended purpose. An overlying member is preferably selected that is capable of being elastically deformed to a compressed thickness value that is about 75% or less of its ambient thickness value when a manual grasping force at or exceeding the maximum permissible force value is applied to it, more preferably about 45% or less of its ambient thickness value, and most preferably about 35% or less of its ambient thickness value.

[0047] A user can employ the above-described swing training method while practicing a golf swing at any number of practice locations, e.g., at home or at a practice range. Alternatively, the user can employ the swing training method while actually playing a round of golf on a golf course. If the user only wishes to employ the force sensor while practicing, but not on the golf course, the user can easily remove the force sensor from the grip of the club it is mounted on without damaging club grip and store the force sensor for later use or dispose of it before using the club for a round of golf. The user can re-mount the same previously used force sensor on the grip or mount a new force sensor on the grip for practice or play thereafter.

[0048] While the forgoing preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and shown, it is understood that alternatives and modifications, such as those suggested and others, may be made thereto and fall within the scope of the invention. For example, the present embodiment of the force sensor 26 has ten projections 46 and correspondingly ten channels 66. However, this number of projections and channels is disclosed by way of example and not by way of limitation. Force sensors having an alternate number of projections and channels are within the scope of the present invention. The force sensor must have at least one projection and one corresponding channel, but a preferred force sensor has at least two projections and corresponding channels and more preferably has three or more. The advantage of a force sensor with multiple projections is that the projections are capable of engaging multiple points on a user's hands during use of the force sensor.

[0049] Although a preferred embodiment has been disclosed above, wherein the projection height is varied for different types of force sensors while maintaining the ambient thickness value, density and durometer of the overlying members constant to accommodate golf shots with different swing lengths, it is readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art applying the teaching herein that it is alternatively within the scope of the present invention to vary the ambient thickness value for different types of force sensors while maintaining the density and durometer of the overlying members and projection height constant. It is yet another alternative to vary the density and durometer of the overlying members while maintaining the ambient thickness value and projection height constant. It is a still further alternative to simultaneously vary more than one of the above-recited parameters, i.e., ambient thickness value, overlying member density and durometer and projection height, to accommodate different types of golf clubs.

[0050] In the present preferred embodiment, the force sensor is provided to the user in a fully assembled condition. However, it is alternatively within the scope of the present invention to provide the force sensor to the user in a disassembled condition with the base and overlying members separate from one another. The user can readily assemble the force sensor whenever desired applying the teaching herein.