No-head-turn putting and swing teaching aid

Abstract

A teaching aid promoting better shots in golf by prompting the user to keep his or her head still. Using a downwardly extending panel, the teaching aid system as described herein provides and / or enhances visual cues to the golfer so that he may keep his head in a still or relatively still position while making the shot. Such shots may particularly include the putt, but may also be applicable to the chip and the drive. A variety of embodiments provide multiple means by which the present system may be implemented. The descending panel may be folded into an invisible, unobtrusive, and / or unobstructive configuration that may either be incorporated into a hat or removably detachable from it.

Description

COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION[0001]Portions of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright and / or mask work protection. The copyright and / or mask work owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and / or mask work rights whatsoever.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to golfing systems and more particularly to a no-head-turn putting and swing teaching aid associated with headgear indicating to the golfer whether or not his head is remaining motionless during the golf swing.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]The game of golf is well-known in the art and has presented challenges to many generations of players.[0006]While there are certain times when the game of golfing appears to be easy in that success is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]As can be seen, above, there is a need in the art for readily and conveniently deployed devices that indicate to a golfer whether or not the golfer's head is moving during the golf swing. The present invention provides a new system for indicating to the golfer whether or not he (the masculine pronoun used herein is meant to indicate either masculine and feminine golfers or other persons) is moving his head during the golf shot. The no-head-turn putting and swing teaching aid of the present invention is conveniently deployed, incorporatable into a hat or headgear, and can be used (in another embodiment) in conjunction with any headgear having a bill, brim, or visor.

[0014]In one embodiment, a brim or visor for a hat provides visual indication of head turning or lack thereof for a wearer wearing the brim has a panel and a hinge hingedly attaches or coupling the panel to the brim. The panel is positioned generally adjacent and along the brim when in a folded or closed position and the panel projects downwardly and away from the brim when deployed and in an unfolded or open position. The panel is sized and positioned such that when it is deployed, it is generally before the eyes of the wearer such that head turning of the wearer is more easily noticed by the wearer in comparing a first position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer and a second position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer.

[0016]Another alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a detachable indicator detachably attachable to a brim or visor for a hat. The detachable indicator provides visual indication of head turning or lack thereof for a wearer wearing the brim and includes a clip adapted to be detachably attachable to a brim or visor for a hat and a panel. A hinge hingedly attaches the panel to the clip. The panel is positioned in alignment with the brim when in an undeployed position and projects downwardly and away from the brim when in a deployed position. The panel is sized and positionable so that when it is deployed, it is before the eyes of the wearer such that head turning of the wearer is more easily noticed by the wearer in comparing a first position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer and a second position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer

[0017]Another alternative embodiment of the present invention has a detachable indicator detachably attachable to a brim or visor for a hat. The detachable indicator provides visual indication of head turning or lack thereof for a wearer wearing the brim and includes a clip adapted to be detachably attachable to a brim or visor for a hat. The clip has an upper clip panel flexibly coupled to a lower clip panel such that the upper and lower clip panels define a brim slot therebetween. Generally, the brim slot is curved to match a curved surface of the brim, particularly to forward most free edge thereof. A hinge hingedly attaches the panel to the clip. The panel has a free end substantially opposite the hinge. The free end has a shape selected from the group including a substantially straight line, a point, a gore, a prong, a pair of adjacent and substantially parallel prongs defining a space therebetween, a pair of spaced-apart and substantially parallel posts, and combinations thereof. The hinge has cam or spring action to hold the panel in at least one position including resiliently holding the panel in an undeployed or folded position with the panel preferably positioned in alignment with the brim when in the undeployed position. The panel projects downwardly and away from the brim when in a deployed position and the panel is sized and positional to be before eyes of the wearer when deployed. The panel's deployment is such that head turning of the wearer is more easily noticed by the wearer in comparing a first position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer and a second position of the panel with respect to surroundings of the wearer. Such surroundings may include a golf ball that the wearer is attempting to strike with a club. The panel's first and second relative positions with respect to the golf ball may indicate to the wearer whether or not the wearer's head is turning when the wearer strikes the golf ball.

Problems solved by technology

Without stationary head position, golfers may often mis-hit the ball as they may be focusing on the results of the shot instead of the shot itself.

As opposed to a drive off of the tee or an iron shot from a fairway, putting on the green near the hole can require intense concentration and achieving natural control of the golf swing in order to achieve predictable shots can be a challenge.

It is relatively difficult for the individuals to self judge whether or not they are keeping is their head still when swinging a golf club.

It is too burdensome and difficult to have a natural constraint that would force a person to keep their head motionless.

Furthermore, such an indicator or device would conveniently used and generally unobtrusive and camouflaged when not in use.

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