Putting trainer device and method

An apparatus for improving a golf stroke, for example a putting stroke, by aligning a heel portion of a putter along a desired stroke plane that includes a horizontal line that is parallel to a line of intended travel of a golf ball along the ground, comprising:

• a. a frame structure, comprising a first support leg and a second support leg spaced from the first support leg, and
• b. a putter alignment member defining
• i. a first end affixed to the first support leg,
• ii. a spaced second end affixed to the second support leg, and
• iii. a substantially planar contact face,
• wherein the contact face is oriented so that a horizontal line extending along the contact face is parallel to the line of intended travel, and so that when the heel portion of the putter head is moved back and forth in the putting stroke with the heel portion in contact with the contact face, the heel portion moves within a plane that is parallel to the contact face.

An apparatus for improving a golf stroke by imparting a force to a putter, the putter having a putter head and a connection location, tending to maintain the putter head along a line of intended travel of a golf ball when the putter head is moved back and forth in a putting motion, comprising:

• a. a frame structure, comprising a first support leg having a first base member, and a second support leg spaced from the first support leg and having a second base member, and
• b. a stroke resistance device supported by the frame structure, comprising
• i. a first resistance component, having a fixed end and an variable end spaced from the fixed end, the fixed end being connected to the first base member at a first fixed point and the variable end being connected to the putter at the connection location, and
• ii. a second resistance component, having a fixed end and a variable end spaced from the fixed end, the fixed end being connected to the second base member at a second fixed point and the variable end being connected to the putter at the connection location,
• wherein, when the putter head is moved back and forth in the putting motion generally between the first fixed point and the second fixed point, at least one of the first or second resistance components imparts a tensile force to the putter head toward the respective first or second fixed points.

An apparatus for improving a golf stroke along a line of intended travel of a golf ball by positioning a putter having a putter shaft connected to a putter head with a heel portion and a sole surface, so that the sole surface is substantially flat upon the ground, comprising:

• a. a frame structure, comprising a first support leg and a second support leg spaced from the first support leg, and
• b. a putter alignment member supported by the frame structure and defining a substantially planar contact face oriented so that a horizontal line along the contact face is substantially parallel to the line of intended travel,
• c. a substantially linear shaft alignment device supported by the frame structure and oriented substantially parallel to the line of intended travel,
• wherein the shaft alignment device is attached to the frame structure at a selected location so that when the heel portion of the putter head is in contact with the contact face, and the putter shaft is in contact with the shaft alignment device, the sole surface of the putter head is substantially flat upon the ground.