GOLF CLUB HEADS
A cast cup can include a forward portion of a golf club head, including a hosel, forward portions of a crown, sole, heel, and toe, and a face portion or an opening to receive a face insert. A rear ring can be formed separately from the cast cup and coupled to heel and toe portions of the cast cup to form a rigid club head body, such that the club head body defines a hollow interior region, a crown opening, a sole opening, and/or face opening. The cast cup and rear ring can be made of different materials, including various metals, composites, and polymers. Composite crown, sole, and/or face inserts can be coupled to the crown, sole, and/or face openings. Weights can be coupled to the cast cup and to the rear ring. The face can have a complex variable thickness geometry.
1 . A wood-type golf club head comprising:
a cast cup comprising a forward portion of the club head, including a hosel, a forward portion of a crown, and a forward portion of a sole, wherein the cast cup comprises titanium or titanium alloy and has a density greater than 4 g/cc;
a rear ring formed separately from the cast cup and coupled to heel and toe portions of the cast cup to form a club head body, the club head body defining a hollow interior region, a crown opening, and a sole opening, wherein the rear ring has a density between 1 g/cc and 3 g/cc;
a crown insert coupled to the crown opening;
a sole insert coupled to the sole opening; and
a rear weight coupled to a rearward portion of the rear ring, the rear weight comprising a material that has greater density than the rear ring;
wherein the club head has an I zz greater than 450 kg*mm 2 , an I xx greater than 300 kg*mm 2 , and a Delta 1 between 21 mm and 26 mm.
2 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head body comprises a crown ledge with a crown ledge bond area that bonds to the crown insert, and wherein the rear ring forms 25% to 65% of the crown ledge bond area.
3 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head body comprises a sole ledge with a sole ledge bond area that bonds to the sole insert, and wherein the rear ring forms 25% to 65% of the sole ledge bond area.
4 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the sole insert has a greater mass than the crown insert.
5 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the sole insert has a greater thickness than the crown insert.
6 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the sole insert and the crown insert are both formed from plural plies of material, and the sole insert comprises more plies than the crown insert.
7 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head comprises a strike surface and the crown insert forms a peak crown height of the club head, and the peak crown height is located toeward of a geometric center of the strike surface.
8 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head comprises a strike surface and the crown insert forms a peak crown height of the club head, the peak crown height is located toeward of a geometric center of the strike surface, and a ratio of a skirt height to the peak crown height of the club head ranges between about 0.45 to 0.59.
9 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head comprises a strike surface and the crown insert forms a peak crown height of the club head, the peak crown height is located toeward of a geometric center of the strike surface, and the peak crown height is at least two times (2×) larger than a Z-up value of the club head.
10 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the cast cup divided by a mass of the rear ring is between 3.5 to 7.5.
11 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a mass of the rear weight divided by a mass of the rear ring is between 0.60 to 1.9.
12 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the rear ring has a mass of between 12 g and 24 g.
13 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the rear ring comprises anodized aluminum.
14 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the rear ring comprises a polymeric material.
15 . The club head of claim 14 , wherein the rear weight is co-molded with the rear ring and at least partially surrounded by rear ring.
16 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the cast cup further comprises a face portion that has a variable thickness profile, the face portion being integrally formed with the hosel, the forward portion of a crown, and the forward portion of a sole.
17 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the cast cup defines a face opening at a front side of the cast cup, and wherein the club head further comprises a face insert that is coupled to the face opening.
18 . The club head of claim 11 , wherein the face insert comprises a composite material.
19 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the rear ring comprises a fiber reinforced polymeric material having a density between 1 g/cc and 2 g/cc.
20 . The club head of claim 1 , wherein the rear ring comprises a heel engagement portion at a heel end of the rear ring and a toe engagement portion at a toe end of the rear ring, and wherein the heel engagement portion of the rear ring mechanically interlocks with a heel portion of the cast cup and the toe engagement portion of the rear ring mechanically interlocks with the toe portion of the cast cup.