Golf club head
Disclosed herein is a driver-type golf club head that is made from at least one first material, having a density between 0.9 g/cc and 3.5 g/cc, at least one second material, having a density between 3.6 g/cc and 5.5 g/cc, and at least one third material, having a density between 5.6 g/cc and 20.0 g/cc. The first material has a first mass no more than 55% and no less than 25% of the total mass of the golf club head. The second material has a second mass no more than 65% and no less than 20% of the total mass of the golf club head. The third material has a third mass equal to the total mass of the golf club head less the first mass of the first material and the second mass of the second material.
1. A driver-type golf club head, comprising:
a forward portion, comprising a strike face;
a rearward portion, opposite the forward portion;
a crown portion;
a sole portion, opposite the crown portion;
a heel portion;
a toe portion, opposite the heel portion;
a body that comprises a cup and a ring joined to the cup via a joint, wherein the cup defines the forward portion of the driver-type golf club head and the ring is separately formed relative to the crown portion; and
a sole insert attached to the cup and the ring;
wherein:
a volume of the driver-type golf club head is between 390 cubic centimeters (cc) and 600 cc;
a total mass of the driver-type golf club head is between 185 grams (g) and 210 g;
the driver-type golf club head is made from at least one first material, having a density between 0.9 g/cc and 3.5 g/cc, at least one second material, having a density between 3.6 g/cc and 5.5 g/cc, and at least one third material, having a density between 5.6 g/cc and 20.0 g/cc;
the at least one first material has a first mass no more than 55% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no less than 25% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one second material has a second mass no more than 65% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no less than 20% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one third material has a third mass equal to the total mass of the driver-type golf club head less the first mass of the at least one first material and the second mass of the at least one second material;
the cup is made from at least one of a titanium alloy or a steel alloy;
material of the ring has a density between 0.5 g/cc and 4.0 g/cc, wherein a mass element is attached to the ring and the mass element is located rearward of the sole insert and forms an exterior portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one first material comprises a fiber-reinforced polymeric material comprising continuous fibers;
each one of the continuous fibers of the fiber-reinforced polymeric material does not extend from the crown portion to the sole portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the cup has a multi-piece construction comprising an upper cup piece and a lower cup piece;
the upper cup piece is made of either an aluminum alloy or a titanium alloy; and
the lower cup piece is made of either a steel alloy or a tungsten alloy.
2. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the third mass of the at least one third material is no less than 5% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no more than 50% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head.
3. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the third mass of the at least one third material is no less than 10% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no more than 20% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head.
4. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the upper cup piece is made of an aluminum alloy;
the lower cup piece is made of a steel alloy; and
the material of the ring comprises an aluminum alloy.
5. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one first material comprises a fiber-reinforced polymeric material; and
the fiber-reinforced polymeric material comprises a thermoset polymer.
6. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises a crown opening;
the cup comprises a forward crown-opening recessed ledge that defines a forward section of the crown opening; and
the ring comprises a rearward crown-opening recessed ledge that defines a rearward section of the crown opening.
7. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 6 , wherein:
the body comprises a sole opening;
the cup comprises a forward sole-opening recessed ledge that defines a forward section of the sole opening;
the ring comprises a rearward sole-opening recessed ledge that defines a rearward section of the sole opening;
the driver-type golf club head further comprises a crown insert;
the crown insert defines the crown portion;
the crown insert encloses the crown opening;
the crown insert is made from a material having a density between 0.5 g/cc and 4.0 g/cc;
the sole insert defines the sole portion;
the sole insert encloses the sole opening;
the crown insert comprises a crown-insert outer surface that defines an outward-facing surface of the crown portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the sole insert comprises a sole-insert outer surface that defines an outward-facing surface of the sole portion of the driver-type golf club head;
a total surface area of the sole-insert outer surface is smaller than a total surface area of the crown-insert outer surface; and
a total mass of the crown insert is less than a total mass of the sole insert.
8. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 7 , wherein:
the sole insert comprises a first quantity of stacked plies;
the crown insert comprises a second quantity of stacked plies; and
the first quantity is greater than the second quantity.
9. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , further comprising a strike plate that defines the strike face;
wherein:
the cup defines the forward portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the cup comprises a plate opening; and
the strike plate is joined to the cup and encloses the plate opening of the cup.
10. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the strike plate is made from a fiber-reinforced polymeric material.
11. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the strike plate is made from a metal material.
12. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein:
the cup further comprises a plate-opening recessed ledge that defines the plate opening; and
the strike plate is seatably engaged with the plate-opening recessed ledge of the cup.
13. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 12 , wherein the strike plate is adhesively bonded to the plate-opening recessed ledge.
14. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein:
the cup defines part of the crown portion, the sole portion, the heel portion, and the toe portion of the driver-type golf club head; and
the strike plate abuts the crown portion of the driver-type golf club head and defines a topline of the driver-type golf club head.
15. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the strike plate visibly contrasts with the crown portion of the driver-type golf club head such that the topline of the driver-type golf club head is visibly enhanced.
16. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises a sole opening; and
the sole insert defines the sole portion, is made of a material having a density between 0.5 g/cc and 4.0 g/cc, and encloses the sole opening.
17. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein in a forward-to-rearward direction, the driver-type golf club head further comprises a face section, comprising 25% of a total length of the driver-type golf club head, a middle section, comprising 50% of the total length of the driver-type golf club bead, and a back section, comprising 25% of the total length of the driver-type golf club head, and wherein at least 95% by weight of the middle section is made of material having a density between 0.9 g/cc and 2.0 g/cc.
18. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 17 , wherein the middle section comprises at least two adjoined parts.
19. A driver-type golf club head, comprising:
a forward portion, comprising a strike face;
a rearward portion, opposite the forward portion;
a crown portion;
a sole portion, opposite the crown portion;
a heel portion;
a toe portion, opposite the heel portion;
a body that comprises a cup and a ring joined to the cup via a joint, wherein the cup defines the forward portion of the driver-type golf club head and the ring is separately formed relative to the crown portion; and
a sole insert attached to the cup and the ring;
wherein:
a volume of the driver-type golf club head is between 390 cubic centimeters (cc) and 600 cc;
a total mass of the driver-type golf club head is between 185 grams (g) and 210 g;
the driver-type golf club head is made from at least one first material, having a density between 0.9 g/cc and 3.5 g/cc, at least one second material, having a density between 3.6 g/cc and 5.5 g/cc, and at least one third material, having a density between 5.6 g/cc and 20.0 g/cc;
the at least one first material has a first mass no more than 55% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no less than 25% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one second material has a second mass no more than 65% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head and no less than 20% of the total mass of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one third material has a third mass equal to the total mass of the driver-type golf club head less the first mass of the at least one first material and the second mass of the at least one second material;
the cup is made from at least one of a titanium alloy or a steel alloy;
a material of the ring has a density between 0.5 g/cc and 4.0 g/cc and a mass element is attached to the ring and the mass element is located rearward of the sole insert and forms an exterior portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the at least one first material comprises a fiber-reinforced polymeric material comprising continuous fibers;
each one of the continuous fibers of the fiber-reinforced polymeric material does not extend from the crown portion to the sole portion of the driver-type golf club head;
the cup is a multi-piece construction comprising an upper cup piece and a lower cup piece;
the material of the ring is the same as a material of the upper cup piece; and
a density of the lower cup piece is higher than a density of the upper cup piece.