A rather interesting golf related patent issued last week as USPN 7431199 titled “Golf Flog.” Yes, I know…. a what! A golf flog (yes, golf spelled backwards)! What would your reaction be if you met up with some strangers on the first tee and one of them pulled this flog out of their bag?..... Ahh, the perfect on-course accessory for Woody Austin!..... << MORE >>

Check out this putter design found in the recently issued utility patent USPN 7407446 titled “Putter with Aligned Front and Back Weights and a Forwardly Angled Shaft.”..... Sounds like a solid idea, now where can I go to try one out? << MORE >>

As you should know by now, the Callaway v. Titleist (Acushnet) golf ball battle has been pending for a couple of years, so a quick refresher is in order....... Now, for the update.... Yesterday, Acushnet’s attorneys filed a letter to the Court informing the Court that the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued rulings.....<< MORE >>

I have heard that some golfers cannot hit the ball on the club head sweet spot. Hard to believe, I know. Well if you are one of those unfortunate golfers then the club disclosed in USPN 7070514 titled “Golf Club Head Having Internal Impact Assembly” may be just what you need. The patent describes the invention as.....<< MORE >>

Who is Bob Vokey? Well, if you don’t know the answer to that question then you need to reconsider your commitment to the game! (Click HERE to brush up on your knowledge of Mr. Vokey). Let’s learn a little more about this golf legend by checking out Bob Vokey’s inventions......<< MORE >>

An interesting golf trademark infringement lawsuit was filed back in August. The case involves The Florida Golf School, Inc. d/b/a The United States Golf Teacher’s Association and The PGA of America. Which organization do you associate with the phrase SHARE YOUR PASSION? Well, if you are like me.... you have absolutely no clue. Perhaps that is because I am not a member of the “professional” golfing community (but I am a member of the weekend duffer golfing community). The dispute centers on The Golf Teacher’s Association allegation that it owns the service mark for the phrase “Share Your Passion” and that the PGA used that phrase in its promotional materials without permission.....<< MORE >>

A recent design patent discloses an interesting driver that may raise some eyebrows. The first thing you will notice is the unique shape, but then take a look at the loft!.....<< MORE >>

I am not quite sure what to make of this invention. Part of me likes it; but the realist in me says "come on Dave, you would never actually use that." It is interesting nonetheless..... << MORE >>

How familiar are you with the new lines of irons? Do these look familiar?.....<< MORE >>

Last year I wrote about a patent directed to a golf ball lubricant (click HERE). Hard to believe… I know. Well, this week a patent application published that may give the “golf ball lubricant” invention a run for its money. The patent application published as US Pub. No. 20080234063 titled “Method of Reducing Golf Ball Spin.” So, what is the secret behind this invention’s reduction in spin? The application describes the invention as..... Interesting, so how did the inventor come up with this invention? Judging from the figures below, I am guessing someone had a long wait on a tee box and an extra tube of Chapstick....<< MORE >>

OK, imagine this…. You can improve your game by practicing hitting a ball toward a hole. Who knew?..... << MORE >>

SRI Sports was granted an interesting golf shaft patent this week that is a little on the technical side. Would you ever have guessed that this much engineering goes into designing a golf shaft? The patent is USPN 7427240 titled “Shaft for Golf Clubs and Golf Club” and describes the invention as..... Now, think about that the next time you are standing over your ball on the first tee.....<< MORE >>

Hybrids, iron-woods, rescue clubs, utility clubs,.... whatever you call them, it seems as though their popularity is growing every year. The following figures come from a design patent directed to a hybrid. Can you identify the manufacturer?.....<< MORE >>

How much is a pretty face and a good golf game worth? A lot! Just ask 25 year old multimillionaire Natalie Gulbis. The products that she endorses get a lot of mileage from her name and face. In fact, in an unusual twist in the golf market..... << MORE >>

Wedges are interesting clubs. It is hard to define what makes a good wedge, but you know it when you feel it. One California inventor thinks they have developed the next big breakthrough in high-spin wedge design. Do you agree?..... << MORE >>

Can you identify these forged cavity back irons?.....<< MORE >>

Marketing types always say… it is all about brand recognition. I suppose “brand recognition” is slightly different than “design patent drawing recognition,” (ok, more than slightly) but they are not entirely unrelated. The following drawings come from a driver design patent that issued yesterday. Do you recognize this club?..... Admittedly, they do not have the brand recognition that they once had; but one player has been slowly changing that...... << MORE >>

The USPTO records provide us with a glimpse of what may be the future of Callaway’s popular FT line of drivers. Most golfers are familiar with the FT-3, FT-5, and the FT-i; and we are getting a behind the scenes glimpse of the new FT-9 and FT-iQ; but what is next? Well, the USPTO records indicate that Callaway has filed a trademark application for.....<< MORE >>

The following club head design comes from a “creative” South African inventor. The inventor was granted USPN 5944620 titled “Golf Club” in 1999. Check out this club!.... And now you know where the “smile” reference comes from. I suppose this club may work for those of us that have a tendency to occasionally hit the ball toward the toe or heel of the face. << MORE >>

We all know that feeling to hitting that first ball on a cold day. The sting that starts at your fingers and travels down to your toes. A pair of inventors decided to take a stab at eliminating the feeling that you just struck a rock at 100 mph. Their invention is disclosed in USPN 5899818 titled “Temperature Compensated Golf Club Head,” which describes the invention as..... Interesting concept, but I would need to see it work to believe it. << MORE >>

Most golfers can easily recognize the overall shape and boxy face of the popular Callaway FT-i driver. Does this design patent reveal a new variation of the FT-i?.....<< MORE >>

Remember my post back in April regarding John Daly’s battle with Hippo Holdings in an effort to collect a $2.7 judgment that he secured? If not click HERE to refresh your memory. Last week John launched his third lawsuit in the past couple years regarding his relationship with Hippo Golf. First, back in October 2007 John Daly was awarded a $2.7 million default judgment against Hippo Holdings. Unfortunately big John did not collect a penny. The “catch” with the default judgment is that it was issued against Hippo Holdings, the legal entity that contracted with John. Then, earlier this year.....<< MORE >>

OK, that title may be a stretch, but check out this training aid..... Of course, a steerable fin on the top of a club head. Perfect! The drawings come from a 1974 patent titled “Golf Swing Training Device.” (USPN 3829102) The patent describes the invention as.... << MORE >>

Could the inventor of this golf club actually be a golfer?.....<< MORE >>

Did you ever see the photo of an alligator that died trying to swallow another alligator? The problem was that they were both about the same size. Well, recently I came across a patent application disclosing a club head that reminded me of the alligator photo. The club head design looks like one club head unsuccessfully trying to swallow a second club head. Check out this club!....<< MORE >>

An interesting golf ball patent issued last week that I would have to see to believe that it works. The patent is USPN 7416493 titled “Golf Training Apparatus” and describes the invention as..... Now check out these drawings of the invention and ask yourself…. “if it could be made, what would it cost?”....<< MORE >>

An interesting design patent issued today. Check out these drawings.... Interesting design! Would these tees find their way into your golf bag?.... << MORE >>

I have enough trouble reading the break of greens, let alone factoring in the grain. However, if you are one of the golfers that is good enough to actually take the grain of a green into account then this ball marker may have some appeal to you. The invention is disclosed in a patent application that published last week as US Pub. No. 20080207356 titled “Ball Marker Used to Ascertain Grain Direction of a Putting Surface.” Check out this description of the invention (it is actually very educational).....<< MORE >>

I was just starting to think that there were enough golf grip variations to make everyone happy. Apparently David Cera does not agree. He is the inventor listed on a recently issued golf grip related patent; namely USPN 7407444 titled “Method for Cushioning the Grip of a Golf Club, and Apparatus for Practicing the Method.” The patent describes the invention as....<< MORE >>

It seems like every golfer has fought the chicken wing in their golf swing at some point in their life; and there is no shortage of training aides directed at solving the problem. Interestingly, many golfers end up reverting back to the golf towel or head cover tucked in the armpit. In fact it is not unusual to see professionals on the range practicing this technique. A recently published patent application takes a more elegant approach to treating the chicken wing problem. The patent application published as US Pub. No. 20080153615 titled “Golf Training Apparatus” and describes the invention as.... << MORE >>

I don’t. In fact I always heard that you should tilt the tee forward or backward to influence the backspin imparted on the ball. However, since I could not find any decent information on the subject, I suspect that it may be an old wives tale. Having a perfectly level tee is important enough to one inventor that he filed a patent application on his tee design. The patent application recently published as US Pub. No. 20080161137 titled “Golf Tee” and describes the invention as.... You can probably guess what the tee looks like.... This patent application also serves as yet another hard lesson as why inventors should not prepare and file patent applications themselves unless they thoroughly understand patent law. The following is the single claim from the patent application....<< MORE >>

Have you ever felt that you needed a free standing putter? Me neither, but fortunately the inventors associated with the patent application that published as US Pub. No. 20080171614 are not bound by such conventional thinking. The patent application describes the putter as.... I could see this putter helping my game..... << MORE >>

You make the call; worthwhile swing trainer or merely a wedgie creator? The invention was granted patent protection last month via USPN 7399232 titled “Golf Club Swing Training Device and Method.” The patent describes the invention as.....<< MORE >>

Familiar with the USGA Rules on Clubs & Balls? Well, if you intend to invent and market a golf product then you should familiarize yourself with the Rules. One of the Rules is often simply referred to as the “plain in shape” rule and reads as follows.... The USGA also publishes a Guide to the Rules on Clubs & Balls, which provides nice examples interpreting the Rules. The following is an excerpt from the Guide offering some assistance in interpreting the “plain in shape” rule.... Now, with that bit of background check out this recently issued design patent.... The patent is USPN D574455 titled “Golf Club Putter Head.” So do you think it conforms to the USGA Rules?....<< MORE >>

I don’t know the answer to that question, but a patent issued this week that makes me think that having spikes that independently rotate couldn’t hurt my game. This week Callaway was granted USPN 7412784 titled “Shoe Traction System” that describes the invention as..... << MORE >>

While I am not a cigar smoker, I do have to admit that this invention looks like a pretty handy device and an easy sell. The invention was granted a design patent today; namely USPN D575449 titled “Support for Cigars and the Like on a Golf Cart.” Check it out.....<< MORE >>

I was honored to be a guest on the nationally syndicated Small Business Advocate® radio show this morning. Jim Blasingame and I debunk some common patent myths. I have been a fan of Jim’s show for close to 10 years and highly recommend it. Click below to listen to the interview.... << MORE >>

Last week I was very fortunate to a get tour of the USGA Research and Test Center in Far Hills, NJ. The Senior Technical Director Dick Rugge led the tour and provided a great explanation of the role of the Center, as well as a breakdown of the testing and research performed at the Center. On my drive to the Center I was amazed at just how beautiful Far Hills New Jersey is, and felt like I was entering a quaint university as I turning up the street leading to the USGA headquarters. Check out these photographs of the amazing USGA campus..... The Research and Test Center is housed in a separate building on the campus that is loaded with high technology toys that would put a grin on the face of any golf gear-head.....<< MORE >>

Yesterday I was reviewing the latest patent applications that published related to golfing inventions and I actually found myself thinking “great idea!” That does not happen very often. The patent application published as US Pub. No. 20080190795 with the title “Golf Club Holder for Golf Carts.” Check out this rather handy invention..... << MORE >>

An interesting adjustable putter patent issued this week, just check out this design...... The invention comes from USPN 7410423 titled “Golf Club Having An Adjustable Shaft Angle” and describes the invention as..... Pretty ingenious design but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a new “concept,” just check out the putter found in USPN 1352020 from 1920!..... << MORE >>

Check out this putter design that recently issued as a utility patent. Would you be willing to give it a try?...... How is that for a little offset! The patent is USPN 7371185 titled “Putterhead with Center Line Forward Offset Hosel” and describes the invention as.....<< MORE >>

Remember a post I did for the Cele-Branding blog back in November regarding Bubba Watson’s deal with Steve & Barry’s®? No worries, let me recap...... The following comes from the original post..... So, why am I revisiting this topic? Well, last month Steve & Barry’s announced that they filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (click here for the press release). How would you like it if the federal trademark application for your line of golf products (which includes your name) and the URL that is your name (www.BubbaWatson.com) were both assets of a company in bankruptcy? I can’t even imagine the hassle that would be involved if Bubba wanted to obtain the rights to this intellectual property at this point. In fact, just consider this article highlighting the fact that the bankruptcy judge had to approve Steve & Barry's payment of $250,000 to tennis star Venus Williams under the terms of her clothing line contract.......<< MORE >>

It seems like the latest hot trend in putter designs is unique alignment features, but not necessary features that help you align the putter with the ball and the hole. Rather, the trend seems to be directed to features that provide feedback to the user regarding their stance and stroke. One putter with such alignment features recently issued as USPN 7393285 titled “Putter with Alignment Means.” The patent describes the invention as..... << MORE >>

Amazing, I just got done posting about Trisport, Ltd. suing Greenkeepers concerning USPN 6810608 titled “Shoe Cleats.” Now, it turns out that Softspikes sued MacNeill Engineering (a.k.a. Champ Spikes) on the same day in the same court, also for golf cleat patent infringement! What are the odds? On Tuesday Softspikes sued the makers of Champ Spikes for infringement of USPN 6052923 titled “Golf Cleat” and USPN 6167641 titled “Athletic Shoe Cleat.” Click HERE to read the actual Complaint..... << MORE >>

One year ago I wrote about a golf spike patent infringement lawsuit in which Greenkeepers sued Acushnet (FootJoy) and Softspikes for alleged patent infringement of USPN 6530162 titled “Sports Shoe Cleats.” Click HERE to review the post. Interestingly, this was not the first lawsuit centered on the ‘162 patent. Yesterday Greenkeepers found themselves in a different position; namely that of a defendant in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Trisport, Ltd. concerning USPN 6810608 titled “Shoe Cleats.” Click HERE to read the actual complaint filed in the Delaware District Court. Would you ever have guessed that the golf shoe spike / cleat market would be so competitive and litigious? True golf equipment gear heads may be interested in learning how the Trisport Fast Twist system works. Check out the following description and drawings from the patent..... Goodness, it is getting to the point that I have a hard time keeping track of all the golf industry patent infringement lawsuits!<< MORE >>

I am pleased to offer the first Bounty from the Golf-Patents.com Bounty Hunter Program and hope that it is claimed. The details are as follows: Bounty: $750.... Deadline: Submissions must be received by 5:00 EST August 1, 2008 ..... Quantity: Only one bounty will be awarded. The first submission meeting the criteria herein will be awarded the bounty within 1 week of notification that that the submission met the Bounty Criteria..... The Bounty Criteria are as follows..... Good Luck!<< MORE >>

Readers of the Golf-Patents blog know that there is a fair share of patent litigation in the golf industry. Further, the validity of the patent-in-suit is always brought into question, primarily by one of the parties producing prior art that was not considered by the US Patent and Trademark Office when it issued the patent. Thus, every year many illegitimate patent applications make their way through the US patent examination process without adequate review. The problem is particularly acute in the golf industry where the history of prior inventions (often called “prior art”) is widely distributed and poorly documented. In other words, a majority of golf industry prior art, whether it be clubs, balls, GPS range finders, training devices, etc. is not easily searchable in a nice library or convenient database. The reason is that a significant part of golf industry prior art consists of products that were not patented. For instance, very few, if any of the component club manufacturers patented their club designs; which often happen to be the most radical designs that gain mainstream acceptance years later. So how does a person find a component club catalog from 1982 containing a particularly relevant piece of prior art? Or how does one find that a particular golf product was sold in Japan five years before a patent application was filed in the US? The answer is the Golf-Patents.com Bounty Hunter Program. The goal of the Bounty Hunter Program is to tap into the knowledge of all hardcore golf enthusiasts and ..... << MORE >>

Check out the invention described in published patent application US Pub. No. 20080146363 titled “No-Head-Turn Putting and Swing Teaching Aid.”..... OK, I could imagine putting with this invention, but driving…. Really?<< MORE >>

Back in December I reported (click here) on a patent and trademark infringement lawsuit brought by The Grip Master Co. Pty Ltd. of Australia against TheGripMasterUSA. The patent at the center of the dispute is USPN 6449803 titled “Grip for a Handle or Shaft.” The patent is directed to an underlisting (or core) designed for wrapped grips, as seen below. Well, Grip Master obviously does not shy away from lawsuits and they have now sued Lamkin Grips alleging infringement of the same patent. Click HERE to read the actual Complaint......<< MORE >>

Two interesting design patents issued today to SRI Sports that may give us a look at some new Srixon clubs..... The designs look pretty nice, although I have to admit that I have never hit Srixon clubs..... << MORE >>