US 4,869,507 · Granted 1989-09-26
The Adjustable Golf Club That Golfers Could Customize Like a Sneaker
Imagine a golf club where you could swap out weights inside the club head like you change the battery in a video game controller. This patent describes a wood club with removable weights in three different spots that let golfers tune how the club feels and plays by just unscrewing and replacing them with heavier or lighter versions.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a wood golf club head with a specific three-socket weighting system: two sockets in the heel and toe (the sides) with axes parallel to the clubface, and one socket in the middle with an axis perpendicular to the face. What's protected is the arrangement of these sockets and the ability to use interchangeable weights made of different materials to adjust the club's weight distribution. The weights screw in and out, so golfers can customize the club without buying a new one.
Why it matters
This patent represents an early attempt to give golfers real customization power within a single club head. Rather than selling dozens of different club models, manufacturers could sell one club with swappable weight sets, reducing inventory and giving players flexibility to adjust performance for different swing styles or course conditions. The modular approach anticipated modern golf club design, where adjustability has become a major selling point in premium equipment.
Real-world use
A golfer could walk to the practice range with three different weight sets in their golf bag and swap them into the same club to test how each setup affects their swing and ball flight without changing clubs.
Original USPTO abstract
A weighting system for wood golf club heads comprising first, second and third weight receiving sockets and at least one set of removable and interchangeable weights receivable in the sockets. The first and third sockets are disposed in the heel and toe portions of the club head with axes substantially parallel to the face portion. The second socket is disposed between the first and third sockets, with a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the face portion of the club head. The weights are made of materials of varying density. Weighting changes can easily be effected by removing an existing set of weights and replacing them with a set made of greater or lesser density material. Preferably, the weights are screw-threaded into the sockets.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 4,869,507
- Filing date
- 1987-06-25
- Grant date
- 1989-09-26
- Assignee
- Players Golf, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- SAHM; DOUGLAS
- CPC class
- A63B53/04
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