Adjustable Golf Club and System and Associated Golf Club Heads and Shafts
In general, aspects of this invention relate to golf clubs or golf club components incorporating adjustment members that permit ready adjustability of golf club parameters and/or interchangeability of golf club components to change a golf club configuration, and methods for providing golf clubs. According to aspects of this invention, an adjustment member may be utilized to allow the adjustability of a golf club parameter to change a golf club configuration, while ensuring there is substantially no change to other club or club head variables, parameters or characteristics. According to another aspect of this invention, an adjustment member may be utilized to allow the adjustability of two golf club parameters independently to change a golf club configuration, while ensuring there is substantially no change to other club or club head variables, parameters or characteristics.
1 . A method of reducing the number of stock-keeping units in a golf club head inventory, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) maintaining with a processor a collection of a first plurality of stock-keeping units respectively corresponding to a first plurality of golf club heads in the golf club head inventory, each golf club head having a first distinct configuration value;
(b) providing a replacement golf club head having an adjustment member operably associated therewith and capable of adjusting the golf club head among the respective first distinct configuration values of the first plurality of golf club heads;
(c) updating the database with a processor to eliminate the first plurality of stock-keeping units corresponding to the plurality of golf club heads of the inventory, and replacing the first plurality of stock-keeping units with a universal stock-keeping unit corresponding to the replacement golf club head.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the golf club head inventory is managed by a manufacturer of golf club heads.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein (a) is at a manufacturer of golf club heads.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein (c) is at a manufacturer of golf club heads.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the golf club head inventory is managed by a seller of golf club heads.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein (a) is at a seller of golf club heads.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein (c) is at a seller of golf club heads.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the replacement golf club head is designed and manufactured by manufacturer of golf club heads.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the replacement golf club head is provided by a manufacturer.
10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a collection of a second plurality of stock-keeping units respectively corresponding to a second plurality of golf club heads in the golf club head inventory, each second golf club head having a second distinct configuration value, the adjustment member capable of adjusting the replacement golf club head among the respective second distinct configuration values of the plurality of golf club heads; and updating the database to eliminate the second plurality of stock-keeping units corresponding to the second plurality of golf club heads of the inventory, and replacing the second plurality of stock-keeping units with the universal stock-keeping unit corresponding to the replacement golf club head.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment member is operably connected to a hosel of the golf club head.
12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a shaft having a grip thereon and engaging the shaft with the golf club head.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the shaft is provided from one of a senior flex shaft, a regular flex shaft, a stiff flex shaft and an extra stiff flex shaft.
14 . A method of reducing the number of stock-keeping units in a golf club head inventory managed by a seller of golf club heads, the method comprising:
providing at the golf club seller location, a first plurality of SKUs corresponding to a plurality of golf club heads, each golf club head having a distinct loft angle configuration;
providing a golf club head, the golf club head having a base loft angle, the golf club head having an adjustment member operably associated therewith, the adjustment member capable of adjusting the golf club head to a +1 degree loft angle from the base loft angle and also capable of adjusting the golf head to a −1 degree loft angle from the base loft angle;
at the golf club seller location, eliminating with a processor the first plurality of SKUs corresponding to the plurality of golf club heads from the inventory from the database; and
replacing the first plurality of SKUs with a single SKU corresponding to the provided golf club head.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
providing at the golf club seller location, a second plurality of SKUs corresponding to a second plurality of golf club heads, each golf club head having a distinct face angle configuration;
wherein the provided golf club head has a base face angle, and wherein the adjustment member is capable of adjusting the provided golf club head to a closed face angle with respect to the base face angle and is also capable of adjusting the provided golf club head to an open face angle with respect to the base face angle;
at the golf club seller location, eliminating the second plurality of SKUs corresponding to the second plurality of golf club heads from the inventory; and
replacing the second plurality of SKUs with the single SKU corresponding to the provided golf club head.
16 . A method of processing an order for plurality of golf clubs comprising the steps of:
receiving an order for a selection of golf club heads;
receiving an order for a selection of shafts;
correlating, at a processor, the order for the selection of golf club heads with a quantity of adjustable golf club heads;
generating, at a processor, a file describing the selection of adjustable golf club heads and shafts; and
transmitting the file to a manufacturer for further order processing and fulfillment.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the order for a selection of golf club heads specifies a plurality of quantities of golf club heads having different loft angles.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of quantities of golf club heads includes a quantity of golf club heads having an 8.5 degree loft angle, a quantity of golf club heads having a 9.5 degree loft angle, a quantity of golf club heads having a 10.5 degree loft angle, a quantity of golf club heads having an 11.5 degree loft angle, and a quantity of golf club heads having a 12.5 degree loft angle.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of correlating includes determining a cumulative quantity of golf club heads from the order of the plurality of quantities of golf club heads and wherein the quantity of adjustable golf club heads corresponds to the cumulative quantity of golf club heads.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of correlating includes determining a cumulative quantity of golf club heads from the order of the selection of golf club heads and wherein the quantity of adjustable golf club heads corresponds to the cumulative quantity of golf club heads.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the order for the selection of shafts includes one or more of senior flex shafts, regular flex shafts, stiff flex shafts and extra stiff shafts.
22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ordered golf club head is one of a driver type golf club head, a fairway wood type golf club head, and a hybrid type golf club head and the adjustable club head is one of a corresponding adjustable driver type golf club head, adjustable fairway wood type golf club head, and an adjustable hybrid type golf club head.
23 . A method of processing an order for a plurality of golf club heads, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving an order for a plurality of golf club heads, each golf club head being assigned a respective first stock keeping unit;
(b) at a processor, associating a universal stock keeping unit with the first stock keeping units, the universal stock keeping unit assigned to a golf club head having an adjustment member operably associated therewith; and
(c) filling the order with the golf club head assigned to the universal stock keeping unit.
24 . A method of providing a line of golf clubs to a consumer, the line comprising at least one model of a first club type, the method comprising the steps of:
designing a head for the first club type, wherein the head has a reference loft angle;
providing an adjustable member;
fitting the adjustable member to the head,
wherein the adjustable member permits individual adjustment of at least one parameter such that the adjustable member has at least 3 settings for that parameter, and a set of parameters for the head are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, such that P*n*x club configurations are provided in the line, wherein P is a number of settings for the parameter, n is a number of shaft flex options, and x is a number of club head types.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the line includes a second club head type.
26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the line includes at least 3 shaft flex options.
27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the line includes a second model for the at least one club head type.
28 . The method of claim 24 , wherein P ranges from 3-9.
29 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least one parameter is loft angle.
30 . The method of claim 24 , wherein a second parameter can be adjusted that the set of remaining parameters remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the second parameter is face angle.
32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the second parameter is lie angle.
33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the second parameter has 3 settings.
34 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the adjustment member is rotated between settings.
35 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the axis of rotation of the adjustment member is at least 45 degrees from a horizontal plane.
36 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first model has a first reference face angle, and the second model has second reference face angle that is different from the first reference face angle.
37 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the second model has volume that is different from the first model.
38 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the first club head type is a driver.
39 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the second club head type is one of a fairway wood and a hybrid.