As a new golfer working tirelessly on my (sometimes inconsistent) swing, I discovered something about the sport that goes beyond fairways and putting greens. I discovered the enormous field of golf patents, where innovation meets fierce competition.

From multi-layered golf balls to the aerodynamic secrets hidden in club faces, there’s an extraordinary number of patents in this industry—22,000 since 1976, to be precise! What surprised me is that golf holds the most patents out of any other sports in the U.S.! Golf companies like Callaway and PXG own massive patent portfolios. In fact, there are over 750 patents filed annually for everything from clubs to balls. In the world of golf, innovation is no mere game.

With so much to protect, it’s no wonder golf companies spend as much time in court as they do on the course. Whether in federal courts or at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), golf’s major players are constantly battling to keep their patents safe from competitors eager to swing at them. This article explores how golf companies, in challenging that competitors’ inventions are an obvious combination of existing ideas, can protect themselves from infringement claims against their own inventions.

Fore! The Basics of Patents and Infringement

In simple terms, a patent gives an inventor the right to prevent others from making, using, or selling their invention for nearly 20 years. To get this exclusive right, the invention must be useful, new, and—here’s the kicker—not obvious.

Let’s consider what these terms mean. For example, a useful invention could be a golf club designed and suited to effectively hit a ball for a specific type of shot. What is “new” is a bit more complex. For example, a golf club with a unique loft (angle) or texture on the club’s head is new if the patent claims (legally defining the invention paramaters) are not identical to anything that previously existed. Ideally, what you want is a patent whose claims do not share all the same “elements” as what is known as prior art.

Once granted, the patent holder has the power to call out anyone using the invention without permission. They may assert what’s known as an infringement claim against another by filing a complaint in a federal court. In essence, the company bringing a claim for patent infringement is alleging infringement of their patented invention because the accused infringer is selling, making, or using the “infringing product.”

Take the example of a golf club manufacturer who believes a competitor’s club design uses their patented technology. They might allege that the competitor’s design is infringing on their patented invention. The accused, in response, may challenge the patent’s validity at the PTAB, or may raise a defense in court, zeroing in on the claimed invention’s obviousness (yep, we’re about to unpack that)!

As with any analysis of patent validity or violation (i.e. infringement), the first step is always to construe the language of the claimed invention’s claims through a process of claim construction. What this means is we try to interpret the patent claim that is written based on many different rules. After interpreting, i.e. construing the claim we can then compare the “construed” claim to see whether prior art overall contains those same elements. Following claim construction, we evaluate a patent claim’s usefulness, novelty, and obviousness. Here, we will focus only on what it means for an invention to be obvious.

Obvious or Not? That is the Question

So, what exactly is obviousness? Under U.S. patent law, a patent is invalid if the claimed invention would have been obvious to a person skilled in the relevant field. Essentially, this means that if someone knowledgeable about golf technology could have reasonably combined existing elements to create the same invention (at the same time), then it’s not worthy of patent protection. Quite literally, it is obvious.

However, getting to that conclusion happens only after several steps. Courts evaluate both primary factors, such as the relevant prior art, and secondary factors that may support a determination of nonobviousness. Moreover, even in evaluating primary considerations there are several steps.  An initial step considers the scope and content of “prior art,” or what came before the invention in the same or relevant field. Then, the prior art is all considered together and compared to the claimed invention.  If the prior inventions—whether in golf clubs or ball design—could feasibly be combined to achieve the patented invention, then the claim of non-obviousness crumbles.

Let’s consider an example. Say there was an older golf club with a lightweight shaft (long part of golf club connecting club’s ends) material designed for better swing speed, and another golf club with an anti-slip grip design for hand fatigue. If these two prior inventions (lightweight material and anti-slip grip) could logically and easily be combined, this may challenge a new club’s design as obvious.

In the competitive world of golf patents, “obviousness” challenges are par for the course. Companies like PXG and TaylorMade frequently find themselves at the PTAB, either  defending or challenging obviousness of golf club and ball designs. The PTAB is an administrative law body which decides issues of patentability. It is basically a specialized court for patent disputes. The PTAB scope stands in contrast to federal courts, where federal courts hear patent infringement claims, but also claims about virtually any subject matter. In essence, the PTAB is a means for challenging patents (s.a. for validity), whereas federal courts are used more for patent owner’s suing companies for infringement.

Even giants like Callaway and Bridgestone—known for golf ball manufacturing—have raised obviousness challenges (at the PTAB) and defenses (in federal courts) to fend off infringement suits, which generally is one of the most commonly litigated issues in patent infringement cases.

Who would’ve guessed that not all golf balls are created equal? But with so many companies patenting their designs, it’s no surprise they often try to knock out each other’s patents.

When “Obvious” Isn’t the Endgame: Secondary Considerations to the Rescue!

Obviousness isn’t always a slam-dunk defense, though. Even if an invention is initially considered obvious (based on primary considerations), that doesn’t mean it’s game over for the patent holder. Sometimes, secondary considerations can rescue an invention from obviousness. These secondary considerations must relate to the advantages of the invention such that it “negates” an initial finding of obviousness. AND, they are only applicable if there is a nexus to the patented invention, meaning the factor exists because or as a result of the claimed invention. They are evaluated to ensure that hindsight bias doesn’t result in too many inventions being considered obvious.

Commercial success, for instance, can tip the scales back toward patent protection IF the success is due to the invention. Commercial success due to the invention can show that the invention has qualities that make it valuable or desirable beyond what would have been “obvious” to others in the field. But, this only works if the success is due to the invention and not something else such as savvy marketing.

Solving an unmet need can also favor a finding of nonobviousness because others had long tried, but failed to meet the need.

In a sense, because the applicant/patentee is the first to succeed commercially, or solve an unmet need, their invention should be considered nonobvious.

For instance, if an invention has achieved commercial success or solved a long-standing need, it might be seen as nonobvious—even if the technical differences seemed minor at first glance. In the golf world, this could mean that a seemingly small tweak to a club’s design might survive an obviousness challenge if it has proven to be a game-changer for players, as evidenced by huge commercial success, or other another factor, such as copying by many others.

 A prime example? The legal showdown between True Spec Golf and Club Champion. True Spec Golf developed a nifty golf club connector. When Club Champion began selling a similar adapter, True Spec brought a claim for patent infringement. Club Champion retaliated with—you guessed it—an obviousness defense. True Spec’s patent validity was challenged at the PTAB, where the Board analyzed whether secondary considerations could save True Spec’s patent from invalid, as obvious.

True Spec argued that its invention achieved commercial success and satisfied a long-felt need. However, the PTAB determined there was no nexus between features in the claims at issue and secondary factors. Without a nexus, True Spec could not argue that it achieved commercial success or resolved an unmet need as a result of their invention. Unfortunately for True Spec, without a nexus and concrete evidence of commercial success tied to the actual invention, the PTAB ruled the invention obvious. 

Why Obviousness Matters: More than Just Golf Clubs

At the end of the day, obviousness challenges are a powerful tool for companies in the golf industry looking to invalidate a competitor’s patent. By arguing that an invention was simply an obvious combination of existing ideas, companies can protect themselves from infringement claims while also encouraging innovation beyond the “obvious.”

The next time you tee off, just remember: behind that perfect shot could be a legal battle over whether the club in your hand is really all that innovative.

 

Dasha Ignatova
Associate Blogger
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. 2026