GOLF CLUB HAVING A DAMPING ELEMENT FOR BALL SPEED CONTROL

1 . A golf club head comprising:

a striking face;

a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face;

a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards a heel of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;

a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head, said heel side located opposite a toe side;

wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;

a damping element comprising a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface of said damping element opposite said front surface of said damping element;

wherein said front surface of said damping element is in contact with said rear surface of said striking face;

wherein said striking face comprises a first portion having a substantially constant thickness;

wherein said striking face comprises a plurality of scorelines having the same length; and

a center face plane parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis, said center face plane located equidistant from a heel-most extent of said plurality of scorelines and a toe-most extent of said plurality of scorelines;

wherein said front surface of said damping element contacts said first portion of said striking face; and

wherein said front surface of said damping element comprises a geometric center.

2 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is aligned with said center face plane.

3 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance heelward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less.

4 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance toeward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less.

5 . The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein said first portion of said striking face has a thickness greater than 1.5 mm and less than 2.5 mm.

6 . The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising:

a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion;

a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head; and

a back cavity bridge which extends across said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.

7 . The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising:

a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and

a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head,

wherein said shelf includes a protruding section which spans said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.

8 . The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising:

a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and

a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head,

wherein said back cover includes a thermoset material.

9 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said rear surface of said striking face includes a thermoset material.

10 . The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein said thermoset material is applied to said rear surface of said striking face in an uncured state,

wherein said thermoset material subsequently cures with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm.

11 . The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein said thermoset material includes a filler material.

12 . A golf club head comprising:

a striking face;

a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face;

a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards a heel of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;

a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head, said heel side located opposite a toe side;

wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;

a damping element comprising a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface of said damping element opposite said front surface of said damping element;

wherein said front surface of said damping element is in contact with said rear surface of said striking face;

wherein said striking face comprises a first portion having a substantially constant thickness;

wherein said striking face comprises a plurality of scorelines having the same length; and

a center face plane parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis, said center face plane located equidistant from a heel-most extent of said plurality of scorelines and a toe-most extent of said plurality of scorelines;

wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole extending rearwards from a bottom of said striking face, a topline extending rearwards from a top of said striking face, and a back portion extending upwards from said sole and spaced from said striking face, wherein said striking face and said periphery portion form a cavity, wherein said damping element resides within said cavity;

wherein said front surface of said damping element contacts said first portion of said striking face;

wherein said front surface of said damping element comprises a geometric center; and

wherein at least a portion of said damping element overlaps said center face plane.

13 . The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance toeward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less.

14 . The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein said first portion of said striking face has a thickness greater than 1.5 mm and less than 2.5 mm.

15 . The golf club head of claim 14 , further comprising:

a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and

a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose said cavity,

wherein said shelf includes a protruding section which spans said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.

16 . The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein said rear surface of said striking face includes a thermoset material.

17 . The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein said thermoset material is applied to said rear surface of said striking face in an uncured state,

wherein said thermoset material subsequently cures with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm.

18 . The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein said thermoset material includes a filler material.

19 . The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein said striking face comprises a second portion, said second portion of said striking face located heelward of said center face plane, said second portion of said striking face having a thickness which tapers from a maximum thickness at a thick end of said second portion to a minimum thickness at a thin end of said second portion, wherein said thick end is located toeward of said thin end.

20 . The golf club head of claim 19 , wherein said striking face comprises a third portion, said third portion of said striking face located toeward of said center face plane, said third portion of said striking face having a thickness which tapers from a maximum thickness at a heel end of said third portion to a minimum thickness at a toe end of said third portion.