IP Library Granted Patent US 8,403,771
Granted Patent B1
US 8,403,771 · App. 13/555,406 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

Golf club head

Inventors: Bradley C Rice (Carlsbad, CA); William C Watson (Temecula, CA); Patrick Dawson (San Diego, CA); Irina Ivanova (San Marcos, AZ)
Assignee: Callaway Gold Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,403,771
App. No.
13/555,406
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

A golf club providing improved golf ball launch conditions is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a face component and a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component. The elongated recess preferably is tube shaped, and preferably has an opening with a smaller width than an innermost surface of the elongated recess.

Claims (40)

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face component; and

a sole comprising an elongated recess disposed proximate the face component;

wherein the recess comprises an innermost surface and an opening,

wherein the opening comprises a first width,

wherein the innermost surface of the recess comprises a second width,

wherein the first width is less than the second width,

wherein the recess comprises two overlapping prongs, and

wherein the opening comprises an axis that forms a non-ninety degree angle with a ground plane.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the recess extends from a heel side of the golf club head to a toe side of the golf club head.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the recess is tube shaped.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the recess further comprises two side walls, wherein the innermost surface is planar and is parallel with a ground plane, and wherein at least one of the side walls has an axis that forms a non-ninety degree angle with the ground plane.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein both side walls have axes that form non-ninety degree angles with the ground plane.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is selected from the group consisting of a driver head, a fairway wood head, and a hybrid head.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the face and the sole are integrally cast from a metal alloy.

8. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a crown, a face, a sole, a heel side, a toe side, and a junction between the face and the sole; and

a tube shaped recess disposed in the sole proximate the face,

wherein the tube shaped recess extends from the heel side to the toe side,

wherein the tube shaped recess is disposed no more than 0.01 inch from the junction,

wherein the tube shaped recess comprises a curved inner surface and an opening,

wherein the width of the opening is less than or equal to half of a width of the curved inner surface, and

wherein the opening comprises an axis that is perpendicular to a ground plane.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a metal face component; and

a metal sole comprising a heel side, a toe side, and a tube shaped recess extending from the heel side to the toe side,

wherein the recess comprises two overlapping prongs, an internal diameter, and an opening,

wherein the recess is disposed no more than 0.500 inch from an inner surface of the face component,

wherein the opening comprises a width and an axis that forms a non-ninety degree angle with a ground plane,

wherein the width of the opening is less than the internal diameter of the recess, and

wherein the golf club head has a volume of no less than 50 cubic centimeters and no more than 300 cubic centimeters.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the recess comprises a wall with a thickness of no less than 0.020 inch and no more than 0.075 inch.

11. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a crown, a face, a sole, a heel side, and a toe side; and

a tube shaped recess disposed in the sole proximate the face,

wherein the tube shaped recess extends from the heel side to the toe side,

wherein the tube shaped recess has a volume of no less than 0.150 cubic inch and no more than 0.400 cubic inch,

wherein the tube shaped recess comprises a curved inner surface and an opening,

wherein the width of the opening is less than or equal to half of a width of the curved inner surface, and

wherein the opening comprises an axis that is perpendicular to a ground plane.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 063665/0176 Recorded Jun 1, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY (F/K/A TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.); TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
Reel/Frame 075834/0150 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063692/0009 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (FORMERLY CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063665/0176 →
RELEASE (REEL 048172 / FRAME 0001) Recorded Mar 17, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (F/K/A CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 063622/0187 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 048110/0352 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 4, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 048172/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2018
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 045350/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2012
From: RICE, BRADLEY C; WATSON, WILLIAM C; DAWSON, PATRICK; IVANOVA, IRINA
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028612/0189 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 61578789 · Dec 21, 2011