Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads
Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head includes a body portion and an alignment aid coinciding with a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the body portion in a front-to-rear direction. A hosel portion is coupled to the body portion and is configured to attach to a shaft such that a shaft axis of the shaft does not intersect with the center of gravity. A visibility angle is formed between the vertical plane and a visibility plane bordering a toe-side extent of the hosel portion and intersecting the vertical plane at the alignment aid. The visibility angle is less than or equal to 20 degrees and represents a range of sightlines enabling the alignment aid to be fully visible at an address position. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
1 . A golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge, a front portion, a rear portion, a top portion, and a sole portion;
an alignment aid at the top portion, the alignment aid at least partially coinciding with a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the body portion in a front-to-rear direction and bisecting the body portion to define the toe portion and the heel portion;
a center of gravity located on a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to the vertical plane;
a hosel portion coupled to the body portion and located between the vertical plane and the heel portion edge, the hosel portion having a bend portion defining a toe-most extent of the hosel portion, and the hosel portion being configured to attach to a shaft such that a shaft axis of the shaft intersects the horizontal plane at an intersection point that is offset from the center of gravity; and
a visibility angle representing a range of sightlines enabling the alignment aid to be fully visible at an address position, the visibility angle being formed between the vertical plane and a visibility plane bordering the toe-most extent of the hosel portion and intersecting the vertical plane at the alignment aid,
wherein the visibility angle is greater than or equal to 0.5 degrees and less than or equal to 2 degrees.
2 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein center of gravity is located between the vertical plane and the heel portion edge.
3 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the intersection point is located between the vertical plane and the toe portion edge.
4 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the intersection point is located between the center of gravity and the toe portion edge.
5 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the intersection point and the center of gravity are separated by an offset distance in a heel-to-toe direction, and wherein the offset distance is less than or equal to 0.260 inches (6.604 mm).
6 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the hosel portion is configured to impart forward lean to the shaft.
7 . A golf club head as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a lie angle formed between the shaft axis and a ground plane, wherein the ground plane is parallel with the horizontal plane, and wherein the lie angle is greater to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 80 degrees.
8 . A golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a toe portion, a heel portion, a front portion, a rear portion, a top portion, and a sole portion;
an alignment aid at the top portion, the alignment aid at least partially coinciding with a center longitudinal plane bisecting the body portion to define the toe portion and the heel portion;
a center of gravity located on a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to the center longitudinal plane;
a hosel portion at or proximate the heel portion, a portion of the hosel portion extending toward the center longitudinal plane and defining a toe-most extent of the hosel portion, the hosel portion configured to attach to a shaft such that a shaft axis of the shaft intersects the center longitudinal plane and the horizontal plane; and
a visibility angle representing a range of sightlines enabling the alignment aid to be fully visible at an address position, the visibility angle being formed between the center longitudinal plane and a visibility plane tangent to the toe-most extent of the hosel portion and intersecting the center longitudinal plane at the alignment aid,
wherein the visibility angle is greater than or equal to 0.5 degrees and less than or equal to 2 degrees.
9 . A golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the shaft axis intersects the horizontal plane at an intersection point that is offset from the center of gravity.
10 . A golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the shaft axis intersects the horizontal plane at an intersection point that is toe-ward from the center of gravity.
11 . A golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the shaft axis intersects the horizontal plane at an intersection point that is toe-ward from the center longitudinal plane.
12 . A golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the center of gravity is located heel-ward from the center longitudinal plane.
13 . A golf club head as defined in claim 8 , further comprising a lie angle formed between the shaft axis and a ground plane, wherein the ground plane is parallel with the horizontal plane, and wherein the lie angle is greater to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 80 degrees.
14 . A golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge, a front portion, a rear portion, a top portion, and a sole portion;
an alignment aid at the top portion, the alignment aid at least partially coinciding with a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the body portion in a front-to-rear direction;
a center of gravity located on a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to the vertical plane;
a hosel portion coupled to the body portion and located between the vertical plane and the heel portion edge, the hosel portion configured to attach to a shaft such that a shaft axis of the shaft intersects the horizontal plane at an intersection point located between the center of gravity and the toe portion edge; and
a visibility angle representing a range of sightlines enabling the alignment aid to be fully visible at an address position, the visibility angle being formed between the vertical plane and a visibility plane bordering a toe-side extent of the hosel portion and intersecting the vertical plane at the alignment aid,
wherein the visibility angle is greater than or equal to 0.5 degrees and less than or equal to 2 degrees.
15 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the center of gravity is located between the vertical plane and the heel portion edge.
16 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the hosel portion is integral to the body portion.
17 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the hosel portion is a separate component attached to the body portion.
18 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the alignment aid comprises a line.
19 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , configured as a putter type golf club head.
20 . A golf club head as defined in claim 14 , further comprising a lie angle formed between the shaft axis and a ground plane, wherein the ground plane is parallel with the horizontal plane, and wherein the lie angle is greater to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 80 degrees.