United States Golf Association

U. S. Golf Association

Frankly Golf LLC

United States Golf Associates

Pulse Lite, Inc.

Frank W Thomas

Alexander J Smits

Burton B Lieberman

Douglas C Winfield

Leonard F Anfinsen

Stanley E Chrapowicki

Henry Thumm-Borst

Robert A Tygar

Mark Zagarola

Bernard C Soriano

Donald Brown

Steven J Quintavalla

A golf club, and particularly a putter, is provided with an alignment line which extends along a length of the putter shaft and a length of the putter head. The alignment line is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and parallel to the face of the putter head and allows a golfer to align the face of the club perpendicular to an imaginary line along which a golf ball is to be driven. The body of the putter head is a skeletal frame and is covered with a plastic coating to fill up the openings in the body and provide a flat striking surface.

Golf club having an alignment device thereon

A method is provided for determining at least one of the coefficient of lift and the coefficient of drag of a golf ball for a given range of velocities and a given range of spin rates from launch. A method is also described for simulating the flight of a golf ball in a computer. A ball is launched at a selected velocity, spin rate and launch angle. Calculations are made of the x and y coordinates of the ball during flight and the coefficients of lift and/or drag are calculated mathematically in dependence on the launch velocity, spin rate, angle and calculated x and y coordinates. Repeated launchings are made to obtain a plurality of mathematically calculated values of the coefficient(s). Thereafter, an aerodynamic model for the flight of the ball is mathematically determined in dependence upon the mathematically calculated values of at least one of the coefficients relative to the velocity and spin rate.

Method for determining coefficients of lift and drag of a golf ball

The test range is provided with a calibration system for calibrating the exact position of a light curtain formed by a ballistic screen. The calibration system uses a model ball which can be moved through a light screen at high speed in order to simulate the actual passage of a driven golf ball through the light screen. Positioning of the model golf ball at a point at which the golf ball just contacts the light screen serves to determine the exact location of the light screen. A laser ranging device is used to locate the calibration system relative to a launch point. Thus, the precise distance of the curtain of light from the launch point can be readily determined. The calibration system may also be used to determine if a ballistic screen is mounted in a true vertical plane.

Test range for determining the aerodynamic characteristics of a ball in

Signal light for timing a pulse rate

The turf gauge includes a housing, a probe assembly which is spring biased within the housing with a probe to penetrate into a green and a scale member to indicate the depth of penetration of the probe. A handle of the turf gauge acts to lock the scale member in place so that a reading can be obtained after withdrawal of the gauge from the green. The construction of the turf gauge permits ready replacement of spacer rings for changing the pre-stress of the spring on the probe assembly.

Turf gauge for measuring the hardness of a gold green

The tester for measuring the loft and lie of a matched set of irons includes a pair of holding units having jaws which mount each club of the set on a fixed common axis. The fixed axis is used as a reference axis in order to measure the lie and loft of a mounted club. The face progression of each club may also be obtained at the time that the loft and lie of the club is obtained.

Loft-lie tester for golf clubs

Growing community of inventors

Chester, NJ, United States of America

Frank W Thomas