Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having Impact-Influencing Body Features

1 . A golf club head comprising:

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

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

a channel extending across a portion of the sole, wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole;

a void defined on the sole of the body and a cover defining a top of the void; and

at least one external rib is connected to the cover and extending downward from the cover, such that the at least one rib is positioned within the void,

wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity, with a top surface of the cover partially defining the internal cavity, such that a portion of the internal cavity is positioned between the cover and the crown,

wherein at least one internal rib is connected to an internal portion of the body and extending into the internal cavity, and wherein the golf club head has a first natural frequency greater than 3000 Hz.

2 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a face height between 55 mm and 65 mm, a head length measurement between 115 mm and 122 mm, and a breadth measurement between 113 mm and 119 mm.

3 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one external rib further comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a front portion, a back portion, and a central portion, wherein the lower portion has a width that is greater than the width of the central portion of the rib.

4 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one external rib comprises a pair of external ribs.

5 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal rib comprises at least three internal ribs.

6 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the body is made substantially from a titanium alloy.

7 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first natural frequency is greater than 3400 Hz.

8 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal rib and the at least one external rib enable the golf club head to have a mode shape or a Eigenvector of the first natural frequency to be located near the channel.

9 . The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the mode shape of the first natural frequency is located on the sole within a dimension of approximately 25% of a breadth of the golf club head when measured in a direction parallel to a Y-axis from a forward most edge of the golf club head.

10 . A golf club head comprising:

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

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body and the face define an internal cavity;

a channel extending across a portion of the sole, wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole; and

an opening defined in the sole and in communication with the internal cavity;

a sole piece received in the opening and defining a portion of the sole,

wherein the sole is made from a metallic material, and the sole piece is made from a polymeric material,

wherein the sole piece defines a void extending into the sole, and

wherein the golf club head has a first natural frequency greater than 3000 Hz.

11 . The golf club head of claim 10 , further comprising at least one internal rib connected to an internal portion of the body and extending into the internal cavity, and wherein the sole piece is configured to connect to the at least one rib.

12 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the golf club head has a face height between 50 mm and 60 mm, a head length measurement between 120 mm and 124 mm, and a breadth measurement between 105 mm and 108 mm.

13 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the sole piece defines a void extending into the sole, wherein the body and the sole piece combine to define a first leg and a second leg extending rearwardly from a base portion of the body, and wherein the void is defined between the first and second legs.

14 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric material is a fiber reinforced polymer material.

15 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the at least one internal rib is connected at an internal portion of the body opposite the sole and is connected at an internal portion of the body opposite the crown.

16 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first natural frequency is greater than 3400 Hz.

17 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the at least one internal rib and the at least one external rib enable the golf club head to have a mode shape or a Eigenvector of the first natural frequency to be located near the channel.

18 . The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mode shape of the first natural frequency is located on the sole within a dimension of approximately 25% of a breadth of the golf club head when measured in a direction parallel to a Y-axis from a forward most edge of the golf club head.