Vertical Adjustment of the Center of Gravity; Innovative?
Well, if you read my post yesterday then you already know the answer. Yesterday’s post titled “Introducing the Gravity Core by Cobra Golf” suggested that vertical center of gravity adjustability was indeed an innovation back in 1922, but not in 2013!
Why do I say this? Because vertical CG adjustability seems to be a hot topic this week, and the truth is that it rubs me the wrong way when any golf company goes too far in patting themselves on the back and suggesting they were the first to do something. After all, golfers have been tinkering with clubs since the first smother hook. As I mentioned yesterday, the word “innovation” is thrown around way too loosely in the golf industry.
There is no doubt that there are lots of elegant solutions found in today’s club designs, and there is no doubt that these elegant solutions required a lot of creativity and engineering hours, but are they really “innovations” or just a unique implementation of an older innovation?
You decide. Elegant solution or innovation? In addition to the two vertical CG adjustment systems mentioned yesterday, check out these designs! Notice the year that each application was filed.
Clearly the concept of vertical CG adjustability has been around for a long time.
Dave Dawsey – The “Innovation” Lawyer (please)
PS – Here are my numbers and preferred shaft if you want to send me one to test and determine if it is a true “innovation”