Golf club head
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a golf club head having improved mass distribution characteristics. The golf club head includes a body and a face positioned at a forward portion of the body. The golf club head also includes one or more mass elements positioned at predetermined locations about the head. The mass elements assist in achieving a desired relationship between the moment of inertia about a center of gravity x-axis and the moment of inertia about a center of gravity z-axis.
1. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion; and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body and including a striking surface, the striking surface having a golf club head origin positioned at a geometric center of the striking surface, the golf club head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis;
wherein the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin toward a heel portion of the golf club head, the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the rearward portion of the golf club head, and the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the crown of the golf club head;
wherein a ratio of a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis to a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the head origin z-axis is greater than approximately 0.6;
at least one mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body having a mass between approximately 3 g and approximately 23 g;
wherein the at least one mass element is located forward of the golf club head center of gravity; and
at least one weight port positioned below the crown, and the at least one weight port is configured to retain a weight;
wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity x-axis is at least 280 kg·mm 2 ;
wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity z-axis is between approximately 450 kg·mm 2 and approximately 600 kg·mm 2 .
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mass element has a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 30 mm, and a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 20 mm and about 10 mm.
3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the at least one mass element is a first element and further comprises at least a second mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body, the second mass element having a mass between approximately 5 g and approximately 25 g;
wherein the second mass element has a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 90 mm and about 120 mm, and a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −20 mm and about 10 mm.
4. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the second mass element has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −15 mm and about 15 mm.
5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the at least one weight port is proximate the second mass element.
6. The golf club head of claim 5 , further comprising at least one rib located within the interior cavity and connected to the at least one weight port.
7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the face comprises a composite material.
8. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the at least one mass element is a first mass element and further comprises at least a second mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body;
wherein the second mass element is located toe-ward of the golf club head center of gravity and forward of the golf club head center of gravity, and the first mass element is located heel-ward of the golf club head center of gravity.
9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity x-axis is between approximately 330 kg·mm 2 and approximately 550 kg·mm 2 .
10. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising at least one rib located within the interior cavity and connected to the at least one weight port.
11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the body comprises a composite material.
12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the face comprises a composite material.
13. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion; and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body and including a striking surface, the striking surface having a golf club head origin positioned at a geometric center of the striking surface, the golf club head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis;
wherein the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin toward a heel portion of the golf club head, the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the rearward portion of the golf club head, and the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the crown of the golf club head;
wherein a ratio of a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis to a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the head origin z-axis is greater than approximately 0.6;
at least one weight port positioned below the crown, and the at least one weight port is configured to retain a weight;
at least one mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body having a mass between approximately 5 g and approximately 25 g;
wherein the at least one mass element is located rearward of the golf club head center of gravity;
wherein the at least one mass element has a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 90 mm and about 120 mm and the at least one weight port is located proximate the at least one mass element;
wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity x-axis is at least 280 kg·mm 2 ;
wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity z-axis is between approximately 450 kg·mm 2 and approximately 600 kg·mm 2 .
14. The golf club head of claim 13 , further comprising at least one rib located within the interior cavity and connected to the at least one weight port.
15. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the body comprises a composite material.
16. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the face comprises a composite material.
17. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion; and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body and including a striking surface, the striking surface having a golf club head origin positioned at a geometric center of the striking surface, the golf club head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis;
wherein the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin toward a heel portion of the golf club head, the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the rearward portion of the golf club head, and the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the golf club head origin towards the crown of the golf club head;
wherein a ratio of a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis to a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the head origin z-axis is greater than approximately 0.6;
a first mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body having a mass between approximately 3 g and approximately 23 g;
a second mass element secured to or integrally formed in the body having a mass between approximately 5 g and approximately 25 g;
wherein the first mass element is located proximate the forward portion of the golf club head and forward of the golf club head center of gravity;
wherein the second mass element is located proximate the rearward portion of the golf club head;
wherein the moment of inertia about the golf club head center of gravity z-axis is between approximately 450 kg·mm 2 and approximately 600 kg·mm 2 ;
wherein the second mass element has a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 90 mm and about 120 mm and a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −20 mm and about 10 mm; and
the first mass element has a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 30 mm.
18. The golf club head of claim 17 , further comprising at least one weight port positioned below the crown and proximate the second mass element, and the at least one weight port is configured to retain a weight; and
at least one rib located within the interior cavity and connected to the at least one weight port.
19. The golf club head of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the body comprises a composite material.
20. The golf club head of claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the face comprises a composite material.