Golf clubs and golf club heads having adjustable weight members
View Patent ↗Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, wherein the club head body includes a sole portion, wherein the sole portion includes a slot or rail defined therein; and (c) a weight member at least partially located within the slot or rail. The weight member may be mounted at plural positions along the slot or rail (optionally at least partially within a weight cartridge member provided with the club head body). The weight member also may be movably engaged with the weight cartridge member, slot, rail, and/or other portion of the club head body. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making and using such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.
1. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:
a wood-type club head body engaged or integrally formed with a ball striking face;
a raised sole portion extending from a heel portion to a toe portion of the body, and having a front edge extending along the ball striking thee, and a rear edge;
a heel side recess extending from the rear edge of the raised sole portion;
a toe side recess extending from the rear edge of the raised sole portion;
a first rail portion located in the heel side recess; and
a second rail portion located in the toe side recess, each of the first and second rail portions merging with the raised sole portion at the rear edge;
wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate at a point forward of a rearmost extent of the body.
2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1 , comprising a raised rail portion positioned between the heel side recess and the toe side recess, the raised rail portion having a rear edge proximate a rearmost extent of the body.
3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein a front edge of the raised rail portion merges with and extends from the raised sole portion.
4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein an acute angle is formed between the raised sole portion and each of a heel side surface and a toe side surface of the raised rail portion.
5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate at a point forward of the rear edge of the raised rail portion.
6. The wood-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the raised rail portion decreases along its length toward its rear edge.
7. The wood-type golf club head of claim 2 , further comprising:
an opening extending through the raised rail portion; and
a weight member at least partially located within the opening and mountable at plural positions along the raised rail portion.
8. The wood-type golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the opening is a slot extending in a front-to-rear direction of the raised rail portion.
9. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate in a point at their rearmost extent.
10. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions curve upwardly and rearwardly from forward most ends thereof toward their rearmost extent.
11. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:
a wood-type club head body engaged or integrally formed with a ball striking face;
a raised sole portion extending from a heel portion to a toe portion of the body, and having a front edge extending along the ball striking face, and a rear edge;
a raised rail portion extending rearwardly from the rear edge of the raised sole portion and having a rear edge proximate a rearmost extent of the body;
a heel side recess extending from the rear edge of the raised sole portion adjacent the raised rail portion;
a first rail portion located in the heel side recess;
a toe side recess extending from the rear edge of the raised sole portion adjacent the raised rail portion; and
a second rail portion located in the toe side recess.
12. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein an acute angle is formed between the raised sole portion and each of a heel side surface and a toe side surface of the raised rail portion.
13. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of e raised rail portion decreases along its length toward the rear edge.
14. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , further comprising:
an opening extending through the raised rail portion; and
a weight member at least partially located within the opening and mountable at plural positions along the raised rail portion.
15. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate at a point forward of the rear edge of the raised rail portion.
16. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate at a point forward of a rearmost extent of the body.
17. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions terminate in a point at their rearmost extent.
18. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second rail portions curve upwardly and rearwardly from forward most ends thereof toward their rearmost extent.