Appeal No. 2003-1451
Application No. 09/760,291
in Stuff in that Viste and Sasse are for golf clubs for striking a
ball with great force (Appeal Brief, page 2, lines 20-21, page 3,
lines 2-8). We disagree. Viste itself states that:
Clubs are classified into three categories designated by the
terms “woods,” “irons,” and “putter,” each of these
categories having a head with a specific shape and
dimensions.
This invention relates to all types of clubs and in
particular woods and irons... (Viste, column 1, lines 13-
18).
Although we recognize that the preferred embodiments of Viste
are in the woods and irons, the reference itself states that a
principal concern is not only the accuracy imparted by the spin,
but the “feel” of the club imparted by the grooves. (Column 1,
lines 43-53).
We also observe that the selection of putters, irons, and
woods, depends on, inter alia, the lie of the ball on the course,
the layout of the course, the shot to be made, the distance to the
hole, presence of obstacles and hazards, windage, and the feared
derision of other players due to lack of skill with a particular
club. Clubs are selected according to the skill of the player (or
caddy) and used at that level, and there is no firm rule as to
which clubs are hit with which shots and how much force. For
example, there are times where a putt requires more force than a
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