Golf Grip Design: Natural Golf

Burkhart, James Christopher, Steven Schmidt, Andy Thomas, Art

Natural Golf & IUPUI

Natural Golf
Natural Golf Swing (Moe Norman) 100,000 Customers Think out-of-box Quality Products Localized Training

Natural Golf & IUPUI

IUPUI
Leader in engineering education Capable Senior Engineers Current project with IUPUI Fort Wayne Scientific Design

Why a New Grip?

Increase Sales
Need story to tell Need features to sell

Meet customer desires

Increase distance Increase accuracy Increase Comfort
Reduce Vibration Reduce Slip Reduce Torque

Benchmarking
No Industry Data No Standard Testing No Specific Engineering Specs Measurable Specs
Distance (Yd) Accuracy (Ft) Slip Resistance (G) Vibration (Hz) Torque (Ft. lb.)

How to Measure?
Distance traveled Accuracy from the pin Vibration test Slip Resistance Torque Weight Verification

Distance & Accuracy

Three identical clubs Three different grips One Natural Golf Expert Laser and Tape Measure

Vibration
Fixture & Layout

Dont Slip (Dry or Wet)

Fixture & Layout

Torque
Analysis & Formula

T = F*rperpendicular

Improvement Grid
Benchmarks Direction of Improvement Engineering Requirement Natural Golf (Palm Grip) Unit of Measure Lamkin (Buster) Scuti (Big Lite) Design Target 110+ 200.00650.0+ D1 or D2 300+ 175+

Distance Traveled

Yards

114

111

n/a

Enlow

115

Distance from Pin

Feet

19

24

n/a

20

Vibration Torque*

< <

Hz In-Lb Industry Standard Grams

0.0093 36.4

0.006 47.7

n/a n/a

0.008 39.9

Weight

D3

E0

n/a

D2

Slip Resistance (Dry)

>

n/a

339

180.5

281

Slip Resistance (Wet)

>

Grams

n/a

175.5

156.5

175

Constraints to Creativity
USGA Rules
Cant be shorter than 7 Cant have bulges or waist Cant have ribs or indentations greater than .04

Experts Opinion
Realistic Improvements
Reduce Vibration Reduce Slip Reduce Torque

Guaranteed Sustainment
Distance Accuracy

Materials to be Tested
Material Silicone Polyurethane (HighDensity) Polyurethane (LowDensity) Neoprene Nitrile, Buna-N Hardness 60A 60A 40A 75A 75A Density (g/cm3) 1.34 1.32 1.26 1.29 1.26

Results (Vibration)
Able to reduce to nearly 500 Hz with Low-Density Polyurethane
Material Silicone Polyurethane (High-Density) Polyurethane (Low-Density) Neoprene Nitrile, Buna-N Frequency (Hz) 1167 633 533 1267 1633

Results (Slip Resistance)

Low-Density Polyurethane Demonstrated Best Results
Silicone Low-Density Polyurethane High-Density Polyurethane Nitrile (Buna-N) Neoprene

Dry (g)
1

171 170

Wet (g) 153 157

Dry (g) 200 210

Wet (g) 145 135

Dry (g) 80 85

Wet (g) 79 81

Dry (g) 125 120

Wet (g) 102 108

Dry (g) 170 168

Wet (g) 122 124

Results (Torque)
Oversized Design Reduces Torque from the Shaft by Over 60%

Results
Benchmarks Natural Golf (Palm Grip) Expected Results 110 20 53361.2 205++ 140++ Unit of Measure Lamkin (Buster) Scuti (Big Lite) Direction of Improvement Design Target 110+ 2060050.0+ 300+ 175+ Engineering Requirement Enlow n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Distance Traveled Distance from Pin Vibration Torque Weight Slip Resistance (Dry) Slip Resistance (Wet)

> > < < =

Yard Feet Hz % (In-Lb) Industry Standard Grams

114 19 667 36.4 D3

111 24 767 47.7 E0

115 20 867 39.9 D2

D1 or D2 D1 or D2

>

n/a

339

180.5

281

>

Grams

n/a

175.5

156.5

175

Final Design

Questions?