GB2469036A

GB2469036A - Golf club with low friction membrane

Info

Publication number: GB2469036A
Application number: GB0905459A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Cameron Galloway Clark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-03-31
Filing date: 2009-03-31
Publication date: 2010-10-06
Also published as: GB0905459D0; GB201016264D0

Abstract

A golf club head includes a low friction material attached to the face of the golf club head so as to reduce the spin of a ball struck by the club, the low friction material may be a material such as Teflon ®, PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), plastics, metals, paints or glass and is preferably applied to the club face using commercially available adhesives either at original manufacture or as an adhesive patch that can be fitted after a club has been in use.

Description

Straighter, Longer Drive.

This invention relates to a low co-efficient of friction membrane applied and secured on the face of a golf club.

For the average golfer, hitting a straight shot from the tee is a difficult thing to do; hook, slice and a short drive is usually the result for the amateur when the professionals make it look so easy. Professionals hit long straight drives from the tee as they are able to return the clubhead square and on-line to the ball without imparting too much undesirable side or back spin to the golf ball. A hook shot or slice shot is caused by the golfer not bringing the clubhead back perfectly square and on-line with the ball with the clubhead moving mostly forward but with some small lateral movement either in or out across the direction-line of the swing. This small horizontal lateral movement causes the golf ball to receive a partial sideways hit putting a horizontal spin on the ball and thereby setting up the aerodynamics for the ball to move either left or right in a hook or slice. If this sideways spin could be reduced then the effect of a hook or slice could be reduced allowing a straighter shot to be played. The sketch below shows the relative clubhead movements off the ideal line that cause this undesirable horizontal side spin on the ball. *..,

A second undesirable action is, if the player does not hit the ball at the absolute bottom of the *....* vertical path of the swing arid if the club is still in a downward motion but mostly moving forward then unnecessary back spin is created. Even if the ball is hit straight, distance is * compromised as this undesirable back spin will result in the ball stopping short. The sketch : below shows an actual golf ball at impact demonstrating the compression of the golf ball and * the large area of contact of the ball on the clubface for friction forces to act between the * clubface and the ball. This confirms the importance of reducing the co-efficient of friction between the ball and the clubface to minimize the effects of an imperfect strike.

This patent application is to apply a low co-efficient of friction membrane on the face of a golf club that when the golf ball is struck the flat area of contact at the moment of impact of the club-face with the ball has a lower co-efficient of friction thereby minimising any imperfection in the golf swing and reducing the undesirable horizontal side spin that causes a hook or slice or the undesirable back spin that causes a short shot.

The low co-efficient of friction material can be made from a number of commercially available materials such as Teflon�, PTFE� (Polytetrafluoroethylene), plastics, metals, paints and glass and applied to the club face using commercially available adhesives either at original manufacture or as a patch that can be fitted after a club has been in use.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a golf club at impact with a golf ball showing the low co-efficient of friction membrane on the face of a golf club *: : : : Figure 2 shows a front view of the low co-efficient of friction membrane covering the face of a golf club In Figure 1, the low co-efficient of friction membrane 1 is attached to the golf club face 2 using * : commercially available adhesive 3. The low co-efficient of friction material can be made from a number of commercially available materials such as Teflon�, PTFE� (Polytetrafluoroethylene), plastics, metals, paints and glass.

: *. In Figure 2, the low co-efficient of friction membrane 1 is attached to the golf club face 2 using commercially available adhesive 3 and shows the low co-efficient of friction membrane : covering the face of the golf club face 2. * 3