A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Some embodiments of the club head form a club head for a fairway wood that has a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity and a thin crown.
1. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining an interior cavity, a sole portion positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown portion positioned at a top portion, and a skirt portion positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown, the body also having a forward portion and a rearward portion and a maximum above ground height;
at least one weight port formed in the body; and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body;
wherein:
the crown has a thickness less than about 0.65 mm for at least about 70% of the crown,
the golf club head has a front to back depth (D ch ) greater than about 85 mm,
the golf club head has an above ground center-of-gravity location, Zup, less than about 19 mm, and
the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a center-of-gravity x-axis, I xx , greater than about 150 kg-mm 2 .
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the above ground center-of-gravity location, Zup, and the moment of inertia about the center-of-gravity z-axis, I zz , specified in units of kg-mm 2 , together satisfy
I zz ≧13 ·Zup+ 105.
3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the moment of inertia about the center-of-gravity z-axis, I zz , exceeds one or more of 300 kg-mm 2 , 320 kg-mm 2 , 340 kg-mm 2 , and 360 kg-mm 2 .
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising at least one weight configured to be retained at least partially within the at least one weight port.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the face has a loft angle in excess of about 13 degrees.
6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has volume less than about 240 cm 3 .
7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially formed from a material selected from the group of materials consisting of a steel alloy, a titanium alloy, a graphitic composite, and a combination thereof.
8. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the body is substantially formed as an investment casting.
9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the maximum above ground height is less than about 46 mm.
10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the maximum above ground height is less than about 42 mm.
11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the maximum above ground height is less than about 38 mm.
12. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining an interior cavity, a sole portion positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head and having at least an exterior surface formed of a single material, a crown portion positioned at a top portion, and a skirt portion positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown, the body also having a forward portion and a rearward portion and a maximum above ground height; and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body;
wherein:
the body height is less than 46 mm,
a body front to back depth, D ch , is greater than about 77 mm, the golf club head has an above ground center-of-gravity location, Zup, less than about 19 mm, and
the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a center-of-gravity x-axis, I xx , greater than about 150 kg-mm 2 .
13. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the above ground center-of-gravity location, Zup, and the moment of inertia about the center-of-gravity z-axis, I ZZ , specified in units of kg-mm 2 , together satisfy
I zz ≧13 ·Zup+ 105.
14. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the moment of inertia about the center-of-gravity z-axis, I zz , exceeds 300 kg-mm 2 .
15. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the moment of inertia about the center-of-gravity z-axis, I zz , exceeds 360 kg-mm 2 .
16. The golf club head of claim 12 , further comprising:
one or more weight ports formed in the body; and
at least one weight configured to be retained at least partially within one of the one or more weight ports.
17. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the face has a loft angle in excess of about 13 degrees.
18. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the golf club head has volume less than about 240 cm 3 .
19. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the body is substantially formed from a material selected from the group of materials consisting of a steel alloy, a titanium alloy, a graphitic composite, and a combination thereof.
20. The golf club head of claim 19 , wherein the body is substantially formed as an investment casting.
21. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the maximum height is less than about 42 mm.
22. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the maximum height is less than about 38 mm.
23. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the body front to back depth, D ch , is greater than about 85 mm.