GOLF CLUB HEADS
A cast cup can include a forward portion of a golf club head, including a hosel, a face portion, and forward portions of a crown, sole, heel and toe. 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 metallic club head body, such that the club head body defines a hollow interior region, a crown opening, and a sole opening. The cast cup and rear ring can be cast of titanium alloys. Composite crown and sole inserts can then be coupled to the crown opening and sole opening. The face portion of the cast cup can have a desirably complex geometry. The rear surface of the face portion of the cast cup can be modified before the rear ring is attached.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . A driver-type golf club head having a volume between 300 cm 3 and 500 cm 3 , comprising:
a front portion comprising a forward portion of the driver-type golf club head and including: a face portion having a center face and defining a striking surface, a heel portion, a toe portion, a forward portion of a crown, and a forward portion of a sole, a hosel configured to receive a sleeve for a head-shaft connection assembly that is configured to permit adjustment to a loft and/or a lie of the golf club head, and a fastener port in the sole configured to receive a fastener to permit attachment of the head-shaft connection assembly, wherein the front portion comprises a first material having a first material density;
wherein:
the center face defines a club head coordinate system including:
an x-axis extending through the center face in a toe-to-heel direction,
a z-axis extending through the center face in a generally vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, the z-axis being orthogonal to the x-axis,
a y-axis extending through the center face in a front-to-back direction and orthogonal to the x-axis and to the z-axis,
wherein:
the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face toward a heel side of the golf club head that is opposite a toe side of the golf club head,
the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards a rear end of the golf club head that is opposite the striking surface of the golf club head, and
the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards the crown of the golf club head, which is opposite the sole of the golf club head;
a rear portion formed separately from the front portion and forming at least a portion of the rear end of the golf club head, wherein the rear portion comprises a second material having a second material density;
a rear weight secured to the rear portion, the rear weight having a greater material density than the first material and the second material; and
a composite portion of the golf club head formed separately from, and positioned at least partially between the front portion and the rear portion of the golf club head, the composite portion formed from a composite material having a third material density that is less than the first material density and the second material density;
wherein the composite portion:
spans across at least a portion of the sole extending between the heel side of the golf club head and the toe side of the golf club head, crossing an imaginary plane extending through the y-axis and perpendicular to a ground plane when the golf club head is in the normal address position;
spans across at least a portion of the crown extending between the heel side of the golf club head and the toe side of the golf club head, crossing the imaginary plane extending through the y-axis and perpendicular to a ground plane when the golf club head is in the normal address position; and
is adhesively bonded to both the front portion and the rear portion to define a hollow interior region of the golf club head;
wherein at least a sole portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a sole portion recessed ledge of the front portion;
wherein at least a crown portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a crown portion recessed ledge of the front portion;
wherein the composite portion is adhesively bonded to the rear portion along a rear portion recessed ledge; and
wherein the rear portion is bonded to the composite portion at or proximate to a location of a first joint positioned on the heel side of the golf club head and at or proximate to a location of a second joint positioned on the toe side of the golf club head, wherein the first joint and the second joint are each positioned at least 20 mm rearward of the center face of the club head, as measured along the y-axis.
22 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein a lower portion of the sole portion recessed ledge extends rearwardly to a position that is rearward of an upper portion of the crown portion recessed ledge.
23 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the sole portion recessed ledge is positioned forward of at least a portion of the fastener port.
24 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the sole portion recessed ledge is positioned forward of at least a portion of the hosel.
25 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the crown portion recessed ledge is positioned forward of at least a portion of the hosel.
26 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein the face portion has the striking surface and a rear surface defining a variable face thickness profile therebetween.
27 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 26 , wherein the variable face thickness profile is offset toward a toe side of the face portion.
28 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 26 , wherein a central portion thickness of the face portion is less than a maximum thickness of the face portion, and the face portion has a thickness change of at least 25% over the face portion.
29 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein the first material and the second material are different materials, and the second material density is lower than the first material density.
30 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 ,
wherein the front portion and the rear portion are joined together at least 20 mm rearward of the center face of the club head, as measured along the y-axis to form a club head body defining a sole opening and a crown opening; and
wherein the composite portion comprises:
a composite sole insert that is adhesively bonded to both the front portion and the rear portion to cover the sole opening, and
a composite crown insert that is adhesively bonded to both the front portion and the rear portion to cover the crown opening.
31 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 21 , wherein the rear end of the golf club head is above a center of gravity of the golf club head.
32 . A driver-type golf club head having a volume between 300 cm 3 and 500 cm 3 , comprising:
a front portion of the golf club head comprising a forward portion of the driver-type golf club head including: a striking face having a center face, a heel portion, a toe portion, a forward portion of a crown, and a forward portion of a sole, a hosel configured to receive a head-shaft connection assembly, and a fastener port in the sole configured to receive a fastener to permit attachment and/or adjustment of the head-shaft connection assembly, wherein the front portion comprises a first material having a first material density;
wherein:
the center face defines a club head coordinate system including:
an x-axis extending through the center face in a toe-to-heel direction,
a z-axis extending through the center face in a generally vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, the z-axis being orthogonal to the x-axis,
a y-axis extending through the center face in a front-to-back direction and orthogonal to the x-axis and to the z-axis,
wherein:
the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face toward a heel side of the golf club head that is opposite a toe side of the golf club head,
the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards a rear end of the golf club head that is opposite the striking face of the golf club head, and
the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards the crown of the golf club head, which is opposite the sole of the golf club head;
a rear portion formed separately from the front portion and forming at least a portion of the rear end of the golf club head, wherein the rear portion comprises a second material having a second material density, the rear portion further comprising a rear weight secured to the golf club head within the rear portion; and
a composite portion of the golf club head formed separately from, and positioned at least partially between the front portion and the rear portion of the golf club head, the composite portion formed from a composite material having a third material density that is less than the first material density and the second material density; and
wherein:
the composite portion is adhesively bonded to both the front portion and the rear portion to define a hollow interior region of the golf club head;
at least a portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a forward sole portion recessed ledge of the front portion and at least a portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a rearward sole portion recessed ledge of the rear portion;
at least a portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a forward crown portion recessed ledge of the front portion and at least a portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a rearward crown portion recessed ledge of the rear portion; and
both the rearward sole portion recessed ledge and the rearward crown portion recessed ledge are joined to the composite portion between 20-70 mm rearward of the center face of the club head, as measured along the y-axis.
33 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 32 , wherein the rear end of the golf club head is above a center of gravity of the golf club head.
34 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 32 , wherein the striking face has a front surface and a rear surface defining a variable face thickness profile therebetween.
35 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 34 , wherein the variable face thickness profile is offset toward a toe side of the striking face.
36 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 35 , wherein a central portion thickness of the striking face is less than a maximum thickness of the striking face, and the striking face has a thickness change of at least 25% over the striking face.
37 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 32 , wherein the rear portion comprises a material that is higher in density than the first material density.
38 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 32 , further comprising a forward weight secured to a bottom portion of the front portion.
39 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 38 , wherein the forward weight is secured at a position that is forward and heelward of the rear weight.
40 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 31 , further comprising a forward weight secured to a bottom portion of the front portion, wherein the forward weight is secured at a position that is forward and heelward of the rear weight.
41 . A driver-type golf club head having a volume between 300 cm 3 and 500 cm 3 , comprising:
a front portion comprising a forward portion of the driver-type golf club head and including: a face portion having a center face and defining a striking surface, a heel portion, a toe portion, a forward portion of a crown, and a forward portion of a sole, a hosel configured to receive a sleeve for a head-shaft connection assembly that is configured to permit adjustment to a loft and/or a lie of the golf club head, and a fastener port in the sole configured to receive a fastener to permit attachment of the head-shaft connection assembly, wherein the front portion comprises a first material having a first material density;
wherein:
the center face defines a club head coordinate system including:
an x-axis extending through the center face in a toe-to-heel direction,
a z-axis extending through the center face in a generally vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, the z-axis being orthogonal to the x-axis,
a y-axis extending through the center face in a front-to-back direction and orthogonal to the x-axis and to the z-axis,
wherein:
the x-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face toward a heel side of the golf club head that is opposite a toe side of the golf club head,
the y-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards a rear end of the golf club head that is opposite the striking surface of the golf club head, and
the z-axis extends in a positive direction from the center face towards the crown of the golf club head, which is opposite the sole of the golf club head;
a rear portion formed separately from the front portion and forming at least a portion of the rear end of the golf club head, wherein the rear portion comprises a second material having a second material density;
a rear weight secured to the rear portion, the rear weight having a greater material density than the first material and the second material; and
a composite portion of the golf club head formed separately from, and positioned at least partially between the front portion and the rear portion of the golf club head, the composite portion formed from a composite material having a third material density that is less than the first material density and the second material density;
wherein the composite portion:
spans across at least a portion of the sole extending between the heel side of the golf club head and the toe side of the golf club head, crossing an imaginary plane extending through the y-axis and perpendicular to a ground plane when the golf club head is in the normal address position; and
is adhesively bonded to both the front portion and the rear portion;
wherein at least a sole portion of the composite portion is adhesively bonded to a sole portion recessed ledge of the front portion;
wherein the composite portion is adhesively bonded to the rear portion along a rear portion recessed ledge;
wherein the rear portion is bonded to the composite portion at or proximate to a location of a first joint positioned on the heel side of the golf club head and at or proximate to a location of a second joint positioned on the toe side of the golf club head, wherein the first joint and the second joint are each positioned at least 20 mm rearward of the center face of the club head, as measured along the y-axis;
wherein the first joint is rearward of the hosel as measured along the y-axis;
wherein at least a portion of the first joint or the second joint is above the y-axis; and
wherein at least a portion of the rear weight is below the y-axis.
42 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 41 , wherein at least a portion of the sole portion recessed ledge is positioned forward of at least a portion of the hosel.
43 . The driver-type golf club head of claim 41 , wherein at least a portion of the rear portion is above the y-axis and at least a portion of the rear portion is below the y-axis.