Iron-type golf club head or other ball striking device

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball and a rear surface opposite the ball-striking surface; and

a body connected to the face, the body having a sole member having a sole surface configured to confront a playing surface,

wherein the head is formed in part by a face member having a first leg forming at least a major portion of the face and a second leg extending rearwardly from a bottom end of the first leg and forming at least a portion of the sole member, and

wherein the head is further formed in part by a body member connected to the face member, the body member being welded to the to a top end of the first leg along a lateral weld line and forming an upper portion of the ball-striking surface and at least a portion of a top side of the body,

wherein the body member comprises a top portion welded to the top end of the first leg along the lateral weld line and forming the upper portion of the ball-striking surface and the at least a portion of the top side of the body, and a bottom portion welded to a rear end of the second leg along a second lateral weld line and forming at least a portion of the sole member.

2. The head of claim 1 , wherein the body member is formed of a single piece.

3. The head of claim 1 , wherein the rear end of the second leg of the face member comprises a projection extending rearward from the second leg, the projection forming a portion of the sole surface, such that the second lateral weld line between the face member and the body member has a rearward jog formed by the projection.

4. The head of claim 3 , wherein the body member has an indent cooperatively dimensioned with the projection, the indent receiving the projection when the body member is connected to the face member.

5. The head of claim 1 , wherein the second leg of the face member has a width that is narrower than a width of the face member.

6. The head of claim 1 , wherein the body member is connected to the face member by a peripheral weld line extending around edges of the face, wherein the lateral weld line and the second lateral weld line are continuous with the peripheral weld line.

7. The head of claim 1 , wherein the face has an area of highest response that is directionally enlarged toward a bottom edge of the face.

8. The head of claim 1 , further comprising a hosel configured for connection of a shaft thereto, wherein the hosel and the face member are integrally formed of a single piece.

9. A golf club, comprising the head of claim 1 and a shaft connected to the head.

10. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball; and

a body connected to the face, the body having a sole member having a sole surface configured to confront a playing surface,

wherein the head is formed by a plurality of members, comprising:

a face member comprising a first upwardly-extending leg having a top end and a bottom end and a second leg having a front end connected to the bottom end of the first leg and a rear end located rearwardly from the front end, such that the second leg extends rearwardly from the bottom end of the first leg, wherein the first leg forms a major portion of a face of the head, and the second leg forms a portion of a sole of the body, and

a body member connected to the face member, the body member comprising a top portion welded to the to the top end of the first leg along a first lateral weld line and forming an upper portion of the face and at least a portion of a top side of the body, and a bottom portion welded to the rear end of the second leg along a second lateral weld line and forming at least a portion of the sole member.

11. The head of claim 10 , wherein the body member is further connected to the face member by a peripheral weld line that extends around a periphery of the face from the first lateral weld line to the second lateral weld line.

12. The head of claim 11 , wherein the peripheral weld line comprises a first vertical weld line extending from a first end of the first lateral weld line to a first end of the second lateral weld line and a second vertical weld line extending from a second end of the first lateral weld line to a second end of the second lateral weld line.

13. The head of claim 11 , wherein the body comprises a peripheral wall extending rearward from outer edges of the face around the periphery of the face, and wherein the peripheral wall is formed by portions of the face member and the body member, such that the peripheral weld line extends along a portion of the peripheral wall.

14. The head of claim 10 , wherein the face member is substantially L-shaped in cross-section.

15. The head of claim 10 , wherein the face has an area of highest response that is directionally enlarged toward a bottom edge of the face.

16. The head of claim 10 , further comprising a hosel configured for connection of a shaft thereto, wherein the hosel and the face member are integrally formed of a single piece.

17. An iron-type golf club, comprising the head of claim 10 and a shaft connected to the head.

18. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball and a rear surface opposite the ball-striking surface; and

a body connected to the face, the body having a sole member having a sole surface configured to confront a playing surface and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member and the rear surface of the face, wherein the body has an elongated, recessed channel extending within the cavity along a juncture line between the rear surface of the face and the sole member,

wherein the head is formed in part by a face member having a first leg forming at least a major portion of the face and a second leg extending rearwardly from a bottom end of the first leg and forming at least a portion of the sole member, and

wherein the head is further formed in part by a body member connected to the face member, the body member comprising a top portion welded to a top end of the first leg along a first lateral weld line and forming an upper portion of the face and at least a portion of a top side of the body, and a bottom portion welded to a rear end of the second leg along a second lateral weld line and forming at least a portion of the sole member.

19. The head of claim 18 , wherein the body member is further welded to a rear end of the second leg along a second lateral weld line and forming at least a portion of the sole member.

20. The head of claim 19 , wherein the rear end of the second leg of the face member comprises a projection extending rearward from the second leg, the projection forming a portion of the sole surface, such that the second lateral weld line between the face member and the body member has a rearward jog formed by the projection.

21. The head of claim 20 , wherein the body member has an indent cooperatively dimensioned with the projection, the indent receiving the projection when the body member is connected to the face member.

22. The head of claim 19 , wherein the second leg of the face member has a width that is narrower than a width of the face member.

23. The head of claim 19 , wherein the body member is connected to the face member by a peripheral weld line extending around edges of the face, wherein the lateral weld line and the second lateral weld line are continuous with the peripheral weld line.

24. The head of claim 19 , wherein the channel is defined by portions of the rear surface of the face, the second leg of the face member, and the body member.

25. The head of claim 18 , wherein the body further comprises a rear wall extending upward from the sole member, such that the rear wall, the sole member, and the rear surface of the face define the cavity therebetween.

26. An iron-type golf club, comprising the head of claim 18 and a shaft connected to the head.