Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads
Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion, an interior, and a plurality of ports in an outer surface of the bottom portion. The golf club head may include an elastic polymer insert in contact with an inner surface of the bottom portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
1. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:
forming a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a bottom portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of ports in the outer surface of the bottom portion, the plurality of ports comprising a first set of ports and a second set of ports, the first set of ports being closer to the front portion than the rear portion, the second set of ports being closer to the rear portion than the front portion; and
inserting an elastic polymer insert through an opening in the body portion and attaching the elastic polymer insert to the inner surface of the bottom portion, the elastic polymer insert positioned between the first set of ports and the second set of ports, the elastic polymer insert comprising a plurality of recesses.
2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises forming an inner support portion, the inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into an interior of the body portion, the inner support portion extending from a first port in the first set of ports to a second port in the first set of ports.
3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises forming an inner support portion, the inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into an interior of the body portion, the inner support portion extending from a first port in the second set of ports to a second port in the second set of ports.
4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of ports comprises a sidewall portion that extends from the inner surface of the bottom portion into an interior of the body portion and contacts a perimeter portion of the elastic polymer insert.
5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the elastic polymer insert extends between the first set of ports and the second set of ports and contacts at least one port of the first set of ports and at least one port of the second set of ports.
6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the elastic polymer insert comprises a cutout portion along a rear perimeter of the elastic polymer insert, the cutout portion having a surface that contacts a sidewall portion of a port of the second set of ports.
7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least two ports of the first set of ports contact a perimeter portion of the elastic polymer insert.
8. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of recesses in the elastic polymer insert comprise a plurality of hexagonal recesses arranged in a honeycomb configuration.
9. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein attaching the elastic polymer insert to the inner surface of the bottom portion comprises attaching the elastic polymer insert to the inner surface of the bottom portion with a bonding portion.
10. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:
forming a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, an interior, a bottom portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of ports in the outer surface of the bottom portion, the plurality of ports comprising a first set of ports and a second set of ports, the first set of ports being closer to the front portion than the rear portion, the second set of ports being closer to the rear portion than the front portion; and
inserting an elastic polymer insert through an opening in the body portion and attaching the elastic polymer insert to the inner surface of the body portion, the elastic polymer insert extending between the first set of ports and the second set of ports, the elastic polymer insert contacting at least one port of the first set of ports and at least one port of the second set of ports.
11. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises:
forming a first inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into the interior, the first inner support portion extending between a first port of the first set of ports and the toe portion; and
forming a second inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into the interior, the second inner support portion extending between a second port of the first set of ports and the heel portion.
12. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises forming an inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into the interior, the inner support portion extending between a port of the second set of ports and the rear portion.
13. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein each port of the plurality of ports comprises a sidewall portion that extends into the interior and contacts a perimeter portion of the elastic polymer insert.
14. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the elastic polymer insert comprises a plurality of openings.
15. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the elastic polymer insert comprises a cutout portion along a rear perimeter of the elastic polymer insert, the cutout portion having a contoured surface that contacts a sidewall portion of a port of the second set of ports.
16. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the elastic polymer insert comprises a cutout portion along a front perimeter of the elastic polymer insert, the cutout portion having a contoured surface that contacts a sidewall portion of a port of the first set of ports.
17. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:
forming a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, an interior, a bottom portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of ports extending from the outer surface of the bottom portion into the interior, the plurality of ports comprising a first set of ports and a second set of ports, the first set of ports being closer to the front portion than the rear portion, the second set of ports being closer to the rear portion than the front portion; and
inserting an elastic polymer insert through an opening in the body portion and attaching the elastic polymer insert to the inner surface of the body portion, the elastic polymer insert comprising a first cutout portion along a front perimeter of the elastic polymer insert and a second cutout portion along a rear perimeter of the elastic polymer insert, the first cutout portion having a first contoured surface contacting a first sidewall of a first port of the first set of ports, the second cutout portion having a second contoured surface contacting a second port of the second set of ports.
18. A method as defined in claim 17 , wherein the elastic polymer insert comprises a thermoplastic elastomer material.
19. A method as defined in claim 17 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises forming an inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into the interior, and wherein the first set of ports comprises at least three ports connected by the inner support portion.
20. A method as defined in claim 17 , wherein forming the body portion further comprises forming an inner support portion extending from the inner surface of the bottom portion into the interior, and wherein the second set of ports comprises at least three ports connected by the inner support portion.