strokes from their games with new golf clubs.


A putter is the club used for over 40% of the total golf rounding shots. Applications for function-added putters are increasing for the golf maniacs who want to reduce strokes.


Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO, Commissioner JUN, Sang Sang Woo) said that the number of putter-related applications was only 40 in 2001. That number has continuously increased, and in 2005, 63 applications were related to the putter. The total putter-related applications between 2001 and 2005 are 248. According to the data, domestic individual applications have shown a high increase.


Looking at main technical functions, 90 applications (about 36%) are related to structural changes on putter head, which has an additional device on the backside of the putter for stability and the center of gravity. There are 27 putter applications related to laser beam-additions, and 25 applications for putters that have a rotating movement to improve the swing.



There are 23 applications for putters that help correct a golfer’s posture, 22 applications for a horizontal device that shows inclination, and 19 applications with a direction indicator showing the ball’s direction.


There are applications for putters with diamond or ceramic surface coating. These coated putters help the golfers to putt correctly and help the ball to keep its direction. (See the annex 2)


Most applications are made by domestic people, and individual application is about 83%. (See the annex 3)

The putter is an important club to help golfers reduce the number of their strokes. Better putter technique is expected to be constantly developed, increasing golfers’ putting success and strengthening the putting function