Golf club head
An iron-type golf club head comprising a topline, a sole in opposed relation to the topline, and a front portion extending from the topline toward the sole. The front portion includes a leading edge, a substantially planar hitting region including a face center, and a peripheral region. The peripheral region at least partially surrounds the hitting region such that the hitting region and the peripheral region define therebetween a visually-recognizable hitting region boundary line including a sole-proximate boundary line segment such that when the club head is oriented in a reference position relative to a virtual ground plane, and in a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the hitting region and passing through the face center, the sole-proximate boundary line segment is vertically spaced above the leading edge by a distance D 1 that is no less than 2.5 mm.
1. An iron-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position relative to a virtual ground plane, comprises:
a topline;
a sole; and
a front portion extending from the topline toward the sole, the front portion including a leading edge, a substantially planar hitting region including a face center, and a peripheral region at least partially surrounding the hitting region such that the hitting region and the peripheral region define therebetween a visually-recognizable hitting region boundary line including a sole-proximate boundary line segment,
wherein, in a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the hitting surface and passing through the face center:
the sole-proximate boundary line segment is vertically spaced above the virtual ground plane by distance D 2 no less than 7 mm; and
the sole comprises a sole length between 0.5 in and 1.2 in.
2. The iron-type club head of claim 1 , wherein, in the virtual vertical plane, the sole comprises a front-to-rear camber having a radius of curvature greater than 3 in.
3. The iron-type club head of claim 2 , wherein the radius of curvature is greater than 6 in.
4. The iron-type club head of claim 2 , wherein the front-to-rear sole camber comprises a variable radius of curvature.
5. The iron-type club head of claim 4 , wherein the radius of curvature decreases forwardly.
6. The iron-type club head of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral region is angularly offset from the hitting region such that the sole-proximate boundary line segment comprises an angular junction between the peripheral region and the hitting region.
7. The iron-type club head of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral region is substantially co-planar with the hitting region.
8. The iron-type club head of claim 1 , further comprising a loft angle no less than about 40 degrees.
9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the hitting region defines a first surface finish and the peripheral region defines a second surface finish different from the first surface finish, the visually-recognizable hitting region boundary line defined by a contrast between the first surface finish and the second surface finish.
10. An iron-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position relative to a virtual ground plane, comprises:
a topline;
a sole in opposed relation to the topline; and
a front portion extending from the topline toward the sole, the front portion including a leading edge, a substantially planar hitting region including a face center, and a peripheral region at least partially surrounding the hitting region such that the hitting region and the peripheral region define therebetween a visually-recognizable hitting region boundary line including a sole-proximate boundary line segment;
wherein, in a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the hitting surface and passing through the face center, the sole-proximate boundary line segment is coincident with the leading edge and vertically spaced above the virtual ground plane by distance D 2 between 4 mm and 12 mm.
11. The iron-type club head of claim 10 , wherein, in the virtual vertical plane, the sole comprises a front-to-rear camber having a radius of curvature greater than 3 in.
12. The iron-type club head of claim 11 , wherein the radius of curvature is greater than 6 in.
13. The iron-type club head of claim 11 , wherein the front-to-rear sole camber comprises a variable radius of curvature.
14. The iron-type club head of claim 13 , wherein the radius of curvature decreases forwardly.
15. The iron-type club head of claim 10 , wherein the peripheral region is angularly offset from the hitting region such that the sole-proximate boundary line segment comprises an angular junction between the peripheral region and the hitting region.
16. The iron-type club head of claim 10 , wherein the peripheral region is substantially co-planar with the hitting region.
17. The iron-type club head of claim 10 , further comprising a loft angle no less than about 40 degrees.
18. The iron-type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the hitting region defines a first surface finish and the peripheral region defines a second surface finish different from the first surface finish, the visually-recognizable hitting region boundary line defined by a contrast between the first surface finish and the second surface finish.