Abstract: A golf club is manufactured by machining away a portion of the rear surface of a club face blank to form an elliptical central thickened region that tapers through a transition region to a thinner peripheral region. The elliptical central thickened region, transition region and the portion of the peripheral region surrounding the raised portion are formed in a single elliptical pass with a special cutting tool. The cutting tool, or “form cutter” has a conical lateral cutting surface, which forms the sloped transition region and the peripheral region surrounding it in a single operation.

Abstract: A a golf club head with a variable thickness face plate having a central thickened region surrounded by a transition region tapering from the central thickened region to a thinner peripheral region. The golf club head is made by locating a ball end mill revolving about an axis generally normal to the inner surface of the face plate at an initial location on a circumferential intersection between the outer edge of the central thickened region and a transition region. The inner surface of the face plate is machined by moving the revolving ball end mill in a radial direction outwardly toward and through the transition region and the peripheral region to machine the inner surface of the face plate creating a tool channel having a width as the ball end mill traverses the transition region and thereby vary the thickness of the face plate in the tool path.

Abstract: A golf club head, preferably a putter head, has a body fitted with inserts having a density greater than that of the club head body. Two cavities are formed in the body and are accessible only through a front face of the body. One cavity is adjacent a heel region of the body, and the other cavity is adjacent a toe region of the body. In a preferred embodiment, the inserts and the cavities are provided with a suitable draft angle. The inserts are bonded within the cavities and are subsequently finished using a milling process or the like so that a front surface of each insert is substantially flush with the front face of the body.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a heel end, a toe end, a front wall arranged for impacting a golf ball, and a crown extending between the heel and toe ends. The crown has a front portion and a rear portion. A sole extends between the heel and toe ends and extends between the front wall and the crown rear portion. The sole includes a primary portion and a relief portion. The sole relief portion extends rearwardly away from the front wall and upwardly toward the crown rear portion when the sole primary portion is positioned on a substantially horizontal surface. The sole relief portion may vary in thickness and may include a weight pad. The golf club head may have a hollow interior cavity with the crown curving inwardly toward the cavity between its front and rear portions.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body and ball alignment indicia that protrudes forwardly of the front surface of the body. A transparent plate covers the ball alignment indicia and has a front face arranged for impacting a golf ball. A flange on the transparent plate is received in a recess in the body thereby forming a mechanical interlock between the transparent plate and the body. The ball alignment indicia has a partial spheroid shape and is located intermediate heel and toe ends of the body.

Abstract: A golf club head has a face insert that is supported from beneath by a substrate composed of a plurality of elongate rod elements arranged in a parallel closely packed array. Because the face insert is made of a single material, the resiliency of the face insert itself does not vary across the front surface of the face insert; however, the effective resiliency of the face insert may be varied by varying the resiliency of the substrate. This is accomplished by selecting different materials and/or different overall lengths for the rod elements that comprise the substrate. Use of a substrate comprising a plurality of rod elements permits the effective resiliency of the face insert to be varied without varying the face material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for optimizing the flexibility of each shaft comprised in a set of golf clubs. In general, based on a golfer's estimated swing speed, skill level and/or other relevant factors, an appropriate category of golf club shafts is selected. Each category of golf club shafts employ a unique range of shaft flexibility. The range of flexibility exhibited by categories of golf club shafts optimized for golfers with relatively higher swing speeds is greater than the range of flexibility exhibited by categories of golf club shafts optimized for golfers with relatively slower swing speeds. Similarly, the range of flexibility exhibited by categories of golf club shafts optimized for golfers of relatively higher skill levels is greater than the range of flexibility exhibited by categories of golf club shafts optimized for golfers of relatively lower skill levels.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having a a heel end, a toe end, and a front surface extending between the heel and toe ends. A face plate is coupled to the body by a piston assembly through a fluid. The golf club head is tuned by changing the viscosity of the fluid.

Abstract: A golf club head has a cavity for receiving a face insert. A first face insert, which is disposed in the cavity, has a front surface that is contoured. A second face insert composed of multiple rod elements is disposed in the cavity on top of the first face insert so that the rod elements are supported by the contoured front surface of the first face insert. Because the first face insert supporting the rod elements is contoured, the individual rod elements are of different lengths and, therefore, exhibit different dynamic responses when striking a golf ball, even when the rod elements are made of the same material.

Abstract: A golf club head including filler material contained in a bladder disposed in a cavity that is formed in a club head body. A face plate is attached to the body and is arranged for impacting a golf ball. The bladder is located behind the face plate. When the club head strikes a golf ball on the face plate, the filler material dampens vibration which results. In one embodiment, the filler material is compressed air. In other embodiments, the filler material is a gel-like material or a granular material such as sand.