A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a strike face, a rear wall behind the strike face, and a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall. The club head may further include a preload spacer associated with the rear wall and a resilient component associated with the perimeter-weighting element. The preload spacer engages the resilient component to provide positive reinforcement of the coupling between the resilient component and the perimeter-weighting element.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a strike face; a rear wall behind the strike face;
a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall;
a resilient component associated with the perimeter-weighting element and the rear wall; and
a one-piece preload spacer associated with the rear wall, a portion of the one-piece preload spacer contacting the resilient component, the portion of the preload spacer biasing the resilient component against a portion of the perimeter weighting element.
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the resilient component further comprises a top surface, a back surface, a bottom surface, and a recess disposed in one of the top and back surfaces.
3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the portion of the preload spacer contacting the resilient member extends into the recess.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the resilient component comprises a durometer hardness of less than about 100 Shore A.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the preload spacer has a greater density than the resilient component.
6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the preload spacer contacting the resilient component comprises a flange.
7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the flange is angularly disposed relative to the rear wall.
8. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the angle of the flange relative to the rear wall is between about 90° and about 170°.
9. The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the angle of the flange relative to the rear wall is between about 100° and about 150°.
10. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the preload spacer further comprises an anterior surface and a posterior surface, the flange extending from the anterior surface.
11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the anterior surface is substantially planar.
12. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the preload spacer is a constrained-layer damper.
13. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the resilient component is dissociated from the rear wall.
14. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece preload spacer is monolithic.
15. A golf club head comprising:
a strike face;
a rear wall behind the strike face;
a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall;
a resilient component associated with the perimeter-weighting element; and
a preload spacer associated with the rear wall, a portion of the preload spacer contacting the resilient component; the preload spacer biasing the resilient component against a portion of the perimeter weighting element, wherein the resilient component is associated with the rear wall.
16. A golf club head comprising:
a top portion;
a sole portion opposite the top portion;
a strike face disposed between the top portion and the sole portion;
a rear wall behind the strike face;
a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall;
a unitary preload spacer associated with the rear wall and a resilient component associated with the perimeter-weighting element, wherein a portion of the resilient component is positioned between the unitary preload spacer and the sole portion, and wherein a portion of the unitary preload spacer contacts and biases the resilient component against a portion of the perimeter weighting element.
17. The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein the resilient component further comprises a top surface, a back surface, a bottom surface, and a recess disposed in one of the top and back surfaces.
18. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the portion of the preload spacer contacting the resilient member extends into the recess.
19. The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein the portion of the preload spacer contacting the resilient component comprises a flange.
20. The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein the resilient component is associated with the rear wall.
21. A golf club head comprising:
a strike face;
a rear wall behind the strike face;
a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall;
a resilient component associated with the perimeter-weighting element, the resilient component defining a recess and a unitary preload spacer associated with the rear wall, the unitary preload spacer having a flange extending into the recess of the resilient component and contacting the resilient component to bias the resilient component against a portion of the perimeter weighting element.
22. The golf club head of claim 21 , wherein the flange is angularly disposed relative to the rear wall.
23. The golf club head of claim 21 , wherein the resilient component is associated with the rear wall.