Golf clubs

Abstract

A head for a golf club has the leading edge (15) provided with a plurality of projections (17) formed with angled surfaces (20, 21, 22, 23). In this way, the resistance of the head (10) to passage through sand is reduced.

Description

The present invention relates to golf clubs. In particular, the present invention relates to a head for a golf club.

Golf clubs are made in various configurations designed to be used in different circumstances. One form of golf club, known as a sand iron or a sand wedge, is designed to hit a golf ball out of a bunker. In a golf course, bunkers are formed by a depression in the ground filled with sand. The rules of golf prevent a golf club touching the surface of the sand in a bunker before a shot is being taken from the bunker but the sand can be touched during the shot by the golf club. The most usual way of playing such a shot is to direct the club into the sand behind the ball with the head of the club passing beneath the ball which is forced out of the bunker with sand between the head and the ball.

It is generally accepted that shots in bunkers are among the most difficult in the game of golf. Many players find such shots frustrating. The head will generally as indicated above make contact with the sand in a bunker when playing a shot, resulting in a reduction of the accuracy with which the face of the club head strikes the ball. The speed at which the club head strikes the ball is also reduced and the ball will thus not travel as far as it otherwise might. These problems may result in a player needing more shots to complete a hole and therefore not achieve as high a score as he otherwise might. In addition, the impact of the club head on the sand can cause injury or discomfort to the player, in particular to the wrists. The impact of the club head on the sand can also spray sand over a distance and to a height such that sand may enter a person's eye causing discomfort and possibly injury.

US 2002/0042305 discloses a golf club head shaped to reduce the resistance of the head through grass. This golf club head includes grass relief grooves formed at a leading end of the club head, which include grass cutters formed with an edge of each of the walls defining the grass relief grooves.

According to the invention, there is provided a head for a golf club comprising a face and a sole, the face and the sole meeting at a leading end of the head, the leading end being provided with formations for reducing the resistance of the head through sand.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a head of a golf club and showing part of the shaft of the golf club,

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the head according to FIG. 1 passing through sand,

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a leading edge of the head of the golf club shown in FIG. 4 and

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the golf club comprises a head indicated generally at 10 connected to a shaft, part of which is shown at 11, by a hosel 12. The head 10 has a face 13 and a sole 14 meeting at a leading end 15.

The shape of the face 13 and the configuration of the sole 14 are such as conventionally provided on a sand iron. In addition, the face 13 has the usual grooves 16 provided on such a club and extending generally parallel to the leading end 15.

As seen in FIG. 2, the head 10 of a sand iron passes through sand, when a ball (not shown) is hit out of a bunker. The leading end 15 of the head 10 is configured to reduce the resistance of the head through sand.

For this purpose, the leading end of the head 10 is provided with a plurality of projections 17. Each projection 17 is defined by a V-shaped portion 13a of the face 13, a V-shaped portion 14a of the sole 14 and a first, second, third and fourth sand deflecting surfaces 20, 21, 22 and 23 extending between the associated face portion 13a and the sole portion 14a.

Each first surface 20 extends from one edge 18a of the associated V-shaped face portion 13a at an obtuse angle to the associated face portion 13a. Each second surface 21 extends correspondingly from the other edge 18b of the associated V-shaped face portion. Each third surface 22 extends at an acute angle to the plane of the sole 14 from one edge of the associated V-shaped sole portion 14a and each fourth surface 23 extends correspondingly from the other edge 19b of the associated V-shaped sole portion 14a (see FIG. 4).

Each first surface 20 meets the associated third 22 surface along a line 24 lying in a plane intermediate the plane of the face 13 and the plane of the sole 14. Each second surface 21 meets the associated fourth surface 24 along a line 25 also lying in that plane. The first and third surfaces 20, 22 of the projection 17 meet-the second and fourth surfaces 21, 23 of the next adjacent projection 17 along a line 26 lying in a plane normal to the plane of the face 13 (see FIG. 4).

As will be seen, as a result of this configuration, the intersection lines 24, 25 form a series of V-shaped indentations along the leading end 15 of the head 10. In addition, the V-shaped face portions 13a form a continuous zig-zag line 26 along the face which is inwardly of the indentations relative to the leading end 15. Further, the V-shaped sole portions 14a form a second zig-zag line 27 extending along the sole 14 again inwardly of the leading end 15 relative to the indentations formed by the lines 24, 25.

The first, second, third and fourth surfaces 20, 21, 22 and 23 of each projection 17 meet at a pointed end of the associated projection 17.

The first, second, third and fourth surfaces 20, 21, 22, 23 are planar.

In use, as the head 10 passes through sand in the manner shown in FIG. 2, the projections 17 separate the sand which then passes to the surfaces 20, 21, 22 and 23 which serve to divert the sand. At each projection 17, the first and third surfaces 20, 22 will deflect sand to one side of the direction of travel of the head through the sand while the second and fourth surfaces 21, 23 will divert the sand at an angle to the other side of the path of travel of the head through the sand. In addition, the first and second surfaces of one projection 17 together with the first and second surfaces of the adjacent projection 17 form grooved channels that divert sand separated by the projection 17. In this way, the resistance of the head to travel through sand is decreased. In effect, the surfaces 20, 21, 22 and 23 serve as ramps, the impact on the sand of which accelerates the sand and the sand is thus moved out of the path of travel of the club head. It should be noted that a conventional club head would push the sand in a tangential direction to the path of movement of the club head, rather than divert the sand to a side. It is thus easier to hit a golf ball out of sand using the golf club described above with reference to the drawings. In addition, it reduces the shock experienced by a golfer when hitting a ball out of sand using a sand iron and so reduces the chance of injury. This creates much less disturbance of the sand directly resulting in a reduction of the amount of sand thrown up in the air. This, in turn, may reduce sand disturbance which will have a direct effect on bunker maintenance and with it, bunker maintenance costs.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of variations that can be made to the head 10 described above with reference to the drawings. Although the surfaces 20, 21, 22 and 23 are shown as being planar, they need not be planar; they could be curved. The number of projections 17 is not critical; there could be more or less projections 17. Although the head described above with reference to the drawings has third and fourth surfaces 22, 23 leading from the sole 14, these surfaces are not essential; they could be omitted. The angles subtended by the V-shaped portions 13a, 14a can be altered as required.

The ends of the projection 17 are shown as pointed; they need not be pointed; they could be rounded or flattened.

It is not essential to have projections 17. The head 10 could be formed with one or more diverting surfaces angled relative to the face 11. For example, there could be a single elongate indentation of the leading end 15 of the head 10 with two diverting surfaces leading from the indentation to the face.

Although, as shown above, the angles made by the first and second surfaces 20, 21 to the associated V-shaped face portion 18a the same as the angles made by the third and fourth surfaces 22, 23 to the associated V-shaped sole portion 19a, this is not essential. There may be different angles. In addition, while the V-shaped face portions 18 have been shown as planar; they need not be planar they could be curved or any other suitable shape.

The features described above with reference to the drawings for reducing the resistance through sand could be applied to any known type of sand iron or sand wedge or any other club.

Claims

1. A head for a sand iron comprising a face and a sole, the face and the sole meeting at a leading end of the head, the leading end being provided with formations for reducing the resistance of the head through sand, said formations including at least one sand diverting surface to divert sand at an angle relative to the direction of the head through sand.

2. A head for a sand iron according to claim 1 wherein said formations comprise a number of projections formed at said leading end, said at least one sand diverting surface being associated with the or each projection for diverting sand displaced by the associated projection to reduce the resistance of the head through sand.

3. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 wherein the or each projection is associated with first and second sand diverting surfaces leading from and angled relative to the face, each surface being on a respective opposite side of the associated projection.

4. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 wherein the or each projection is also associated with third and fourth sand diverting surfaces leading from and angled relative to the sole, each surface being on a respective opposite side of the associated projection.

5. A head for a sand iron according to claim 3 wherein said face includes at least one non-linear edge, the or each first and second surfaces extending from the or each respective non-linear edge.

6. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein said sole includes at least one non-linear edge, the or each third and fourth surface extending from the or each respective non-linear edge.

7. A head for a sand iron according to claim 5 wherein the or each non-linear edge is V-shaped.

8. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein the first, second, third and fourth surfaces associated with the or each projection meet at a pointed end of the associated projection.

9. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein, at the or each projection, each first surface meets each third surface and each second surface meets each fourth surface along a line lying in a plane between the plane of the face and the plane of the sole.

10. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein, two or more projections are provided and wherein between adjacent projections, each first surface meets the next adjacent second surface and each third surface meets the next adjacent fourth surface along a line lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the face.

11. A head for a sand iron according to claim 1 wherein the leading end of the head is formed with first and second sand diverting surfaces, the first sand diverting surface diverting sand at an angle relative to the direction of travel of the head through the sand to one side of said direction and the second sand diverting surface diverting sand at a second angle relative to the direction of travel of the head through sand to the other side of said direction.

12. A head for a sand iron according to claim 11 wherein the leading end of the head is formed with third and fourth sand diverting surfaces, the third sand diverting surface diverting sand at an angle relative to the direction of travel of the head through the sand to one side of said direction and the fourth sand diverting surface diverting sand at an angle relative to the direction of travel of the head through sand to the other side of said direction.

13. A head for a sand iron according to claim 11 wherein the intersections of said first and third surfaces and of said second and fourth surfaces form a series of linked V-shaped indentations extending from the leading end into the face.

14. A head for a sand iron according to claim 11 wherein said first, second, third and fourth surfaces form at least one projection.

15. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein said first, second, third and fourth surfaces are planar.

16. A head for a sand iron according to claim 4 wherein said first, second, third and fourth surfaces are curved.

17. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 wherein said at least one projection has a pointed end.

18. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 wherein said at least one projection has a curved end.

19. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 wherein said at least one projection has a flattened end.

20. A head for a sand iron according to claim 2 including a plurality of projections.

21. A sand iron including a head for a sand iron according to claims 1.