UTILITY IRON

Abstract

The present invention relates to a utility iron which is characterized in that it has a lie angle of 58 to 64°, a loft angle of 20 to 28°, a head weight of 270 to 300g, and a shaft length of 35 to 38 inches. Thus, the loft angle is relatively reduced so as to prevent a golf ball from being hit high and increasing flight distance. Also, because the lie angle is relatively increased, the possibility of a hook or a slice occurring is reduced. Because the weight of the head is increased, repulsive force is augmented by the striking of the golf ball, which relatively increases the flight distance of the golf ball. Because the length of the shaft is relatively shortened, swing trajectory is reduced, and accurate striking is made easier so as to also increase flight distance.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a utility iron, and in particular to a utility iron which makes it possible to surely increase a driving distance during a golf game.

BACKGROUND ART

As the quality of life becomes better thanks to the development of industries, a golf game is recognized as one of the popular sports, so the golf game is widely spreading because middle and old-aged persons who enjoy exercise and leisure increase.

Such a golf game is performed in such a way that a player tries to input, using a variety of golf clubs, with less number of hits, a golf ball into a hole cup with a predetermined size. The player selects a club depending on a distance to a hole cup and a situation of the ground and then hits the golf ball.

For example, the player drives on the tee ground a golf ball using a driver to land the golf ball onto a fairway after a flight of 200˜300 meters. The player selects various irons and woods based on the distance from where the golf ball has landed to a hole cup and hits the golf ball onto the green. On the green, the player hits the golf ball into a hole cup using a putter and puts into the hole cup.

At this time, the player selects various irons and woods based on the distance from the golf ball landed on the fairway to the hole cup and then hits the golf ball. In this case, the player selects a proper club based on the body type of the player and hitting habit.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a driving distance of a golf ball when a player accurately has hit a golf ball using various conventional irons and woods. As illustrated therein, the nine iron has a short driving distance while the golf ball flies high, and the irons with the lower numbers have relatively longer driving distances while the golf ball flies low.

The above-described features are obtained because the irons with the higher numbers have greater loft angles, so the golf ball may be easily lifted up.

In case of the golf clubs, they are a little different from each other depending on each manufacturer. The irons with the higher numbers have greater loft angles and lie angles, and the weight of the head is heavy, and the length of the shaft becomes short.

Therefore, almost amateur players generally use the irons with the higher numbers in an effort to reduce the errors in the topping by easily lifting up the golf ball landed on the fairway while enhancing a repulsive power against the impact because the head is relatively heavy and reducing the hook or slice probability thanks to the lowered swing angles.

The irons with the higher numbers are capable of easily lifting up the golf ball thanks to the greater loft angles, and the repulsive power against the impacts may be increased due to the heavy head. Since the length of the shaft is short, the swing trace is decreased, and the player may easily hit the golf ball with the center of the head, so the irons with the higher numbers are more used.

As described earlier, in case of the irons with the higher numbers, it is easier to accurately hit the hitting point thanks to the heavier head and the shorter shaft length as compared with the irons with the lower numbers; however as illustrated in FIG. 1, the irons with the higher numbers have the greater loft angles, so the grade of elasticity of the golf ball is high, which makes it hard to increase the driving distance.

In case of the irons with the higher numbers, they have relatively greater loft angles and line angles as compared with the irons with the lower numbers, for which hooks due to flat and slices due to upright may occur.

In order to resolve the above-mentioned problems, it needs to select the irons with the lower numbers and hit the golf ball. In case of the irons with the lower numbers, the loft angles and the lie angles are relatively smaller, so it is possible to increase the driving distance when hitting the golf ball with the center of the head; however since the head is light, and the length of the shaft is long, almost amateur players have difficulties in accurately hitting the golf ball, thus causing a lot of mistakes such as topping, hook and slice.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Field

Accordingly, the present invention is made in an effort to improve the above-described problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a utility iron which makes it possible to obtain an accurate hitting for thereby increasing a driving distance in such a way to increase a repulsive power against an impact between a head and a golf ball and reduce a swing trace because a head is heavy and a shaft is relatively shorter while relatively increasing a loft angle and a lie angle.

Solution to Problem

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a utility iron wherein a lie angle is 58˜64°, a loft angle is 20˜28°, the height of a head is 270˜300 g, and the length of a shaft is 35˜38 inches.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, according to the utility iron of the present invention, the loft angle is relatively reduced, so the golf ball does not fly too high, which means that the driving distance can be increased.

Also, the lie angle relatively increases, so it is possible to decrease any concerns involved in hook or slice.

In particular, the weight of the head increases, and the repulsive power against the impact with the golf ball may also increase, thus relatively increasing the driving distance of the golf ball. The length of the shaft is relatively shortened, so the swing trace decreases, by means of which an accurate hitting is possible also along with the increased driving distance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a driving distance of a golf ball when a player accurately hits the golf ball using various related irons and woods.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a head of a utility iron according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a head of a utility iron according to the present invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a result of measurements during a driving distance experiment using a utility iron according to the present invention.

LEGEND OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10: utility iron 12: head
14: shaft

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a head of a utility iron according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a head of a utility iron according to the present invention.

The utility iron 10 according to the present invention comprises head 12 configured to hit a golf ball, and a shaft 14 a golf player grabs with hands.

It is preferred that the weight of the head is 270˜300 g, the loft angle is 20˜28°, and the lie angle is 58˜64°, and the length of the shaft is 35˜38 inches.

Since the weight of the head is relatively heavier than the irons with the lower numbers, the repulsive power against the impact with the golf ball increases, so the driving distance of the golf ball increases.

Also, since the loft angle is relatively smaller than the irons with the higher numbers, the golf ball is not lifted up too high, so the driving distance of the golf ball also increases.

Also, since the lie angle is relatively greater than the irons with the lower numbers, a good swing may be available even in a state that the golf player grabs the shaft almost vertically, not laying down the shaft, thus reducing any hook or slice.

Since the length of the shaft is relatively shorter than the irons with the lower numbers, the swing trace may be decreased, which results in the prevention of any swaying during the swing. So, it is easy to easily and accurately hit the golf ball against the center of the head.

Embodiment 1

The utility iron was manufactured, wherein the weight of the head is 284 g, the loft angle is 22°, the lie angle is 62.5°, and the length of the shat is 36 inches. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the head has one of the typical head shapes of the irons, the shape of which is different from the shapes of a typical wood or other utilities each having a dip face formed for the sake of a high elasticity.

Comparison Example 1

For the comparisons, the average data for 4 years of the golf players playing in the U.S.A. PGA and LPGA were adopted. The utility iron according to the present invention was compared with only the data related to the swing speed of the nine iron (refer to Table 1 and Table 2).

TABLE 1
PGA Tour Averages
	Club	Attack			Vertical			Land.
	Speed	Angle	Ball Speed	Smash	Launch	Spin Rate	Max Height	Angle	Carry
	(mph)	(deg)	(mph)	Factor	(deg)	(rpm)	(yds)	(deg)	(yds)
Driver	112	−1.3°	165	1.49	11.2°	2685	31	39°	269
3-wood	107	−2.9°	158	1.48	9.2°	3655	30	43°	243
5-wood	103	−3.3°	152	1.47	9.4°	3450	31	47°	230
Hybrid	100	−3.5°	146	1.46	10.2°	4437	29	47°	225
3 Iron	98	−3.1°	142	1.45	10.4°	4630	27	46°	212
4 Iron	96	−3.4°	137	1.43	11.0°	4836	28	48°	203
5 Iron	94	−3.7°	132	1.41	12.1°	5361	31	49°	194
6 Iron	92	−4.1°	127	1.38	14.1°	6231	30	50°	183
7 Iron	90	−4.3°	120	1.33	16.3°	7097	32	50°	172
8 Iron	87	−4.5°	115	1.32	18.1°	7998	31	50°	160
9 Iron	85	−4.7°	109	1.28	20.4°	8647	30	51°	148
PW	83	−5.0°	102	1.23	24.2°	9304	29	52°	136
Note:
Please be aware that the location and weather conditions haven't been taken into consideration. Besides these reservations the data is based on a large number of shots and give a good indication on by numbers for tour players.

The average values by the clubs for 4 years of the players playing in the U.S.A. PGA

TABLE 2
LPGA Tour Averages
	Club	Attack			Vertical			Land.
	Speed	Angle	Ball Speed	Smash	Launch	Spin Rate	Max Height	Angle	Carry
	(mph)	(deg)	(mph)	Factor	(deg)	(rpm)	(yds)	(deg)	(yds)
Driver	94	+43.0°	139	1.47	14°	2628	25	38°	220
3-wood	90	−0.9°	132	1.47	11.2°	2704	23	39°	195
5-wood	88	−1.8°	128	1.47	12.1°	4501	26	43°	185
7-wood	85	−3.0°	123	1.45	12.7°	4693	25	16°	174
4 Iron	80	−1.7°	116	1.45	14.3°	4801	24	43°	169
5 Iron	79	−1.9°	112	1.42	14.8°	5081	23	45°	161
6 Iron	78	−2.3°	109	1.39	17.1°	5943	25	46°	152
7 Iron	76	−2.3°	104	1.37	19.0°	6699	26	47°	141
8 Iron	74	−3.1°	100	1.35	20.8°	7494	25	47°	130
9 Iron	72	−3.1°	93	1.28	23.9°	7589	26	47°	119
PW	70	−2.8°	86	1.23	25.6°	8403	23	48°	107
Note:
Please be aware that the location and weather conditions haven't been taken into consideration. Besides these reservations the data is based on a large number of shots and give a good indication on by numbers for tour players.

The average values by the clubs for 4 years of the players playing in the U.S.A. LPGA

Experimental Example 1

As seen in the above, the experiments were performed using four golf balls and the utility iron of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention in such a way that hitting was performed 10 times with respect to each ball at the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. The average values are shown in the following Tables 3 to 5 and FIGS. 4 and 5.

TABLE 3

CLUB

Attack

Vert.

Horiz.

Club

Angle

Club

Swing

Swing

Face

AVERAGE

Speed

Valid

Path

Plane

Plane

Dyn. Loft

Angle

Shots

Player

Club

Boll

[mph]

[deg]

[deg]

[deg]

[deg]

[deg]

[deg]

10 Launch

The Open

25.8

Callaway

75.8

3.6

−3.1

53.0

−0.4

17.8

−1.6

10 Launch

The Open

23

Callaway

6.6

−0.8

−6.1

50.3

−0.8

18.7

−0.5

LAUNCH

LANDING

Ball

Vert.

Horz.

Spin

Spin

Max

Flight

Landing

Total

Speed

Smash

Angle

Angle

Rate

Axis

Height

Carry

Side

Time

Angle

Length

Side

[mph]

Factor

[deg]

[deg]

[rpm]

[deg]

[yds]

[yds]

[yds]

[s]

[deg]

[yds]

[yds]

153.1

1.48

15.0

−1.9

3113

3.8

18.8

165.1

−1.7

4.93

32.4

189.6

−1.4

125.9

1.46

15.4

−0.4

4148

−0.6

28.5

189.3

−2.3

6.01

41.9

204.5

−2.5

	TABLE 4
	CLUB
	Vert.	Horiz.		LAUNCH
		Club	Attack	Club	Swing	Swing	Dyn.	Face	Ball	Smash	Vert.	Horiz.
		Speed	Angle	Path	Plane	Plane	Loft	Angle	Speed	Factor	Angle	Angle
TMD No	Shot No	[mph]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[mph]	[ ]	[deg]	[deg]
1	74.8	2.3	−3.1	49.1	−1.1	18.1	−1.8	112.4	1.50	15.4	−2.1
2	78.7	2.4	−3.2	50.4	−1.2	17.2	−1.3	113.3	1.50	15.0	−1.8
3	77.4	4.8	−2.3	56.8	1.2	18.1	−1.6	113.3	1.46	15.3	−1.7
4	76.9	2.8	−3.4	51.1	−1.1	16.0	−1.8	112.9	1.47	15.4	−2.1
5	78.8	4.4	−2.7	55.0	0.4	16.1	−9.8	113.5	1.50	18.4	−1.6
6	76.8	3.4	−3.7	62.8	−1.1	17.5	−1.5	113.1	1.50	14.7	−2.0
7	78.5	2.9	−3.4	51.7	−1.1	17.8	−1.4	113.5	1.50	15.0	−1.8
8	75.2	5.2	−3.5	65.5	0.1	17.6	−1.8	112.8	1.50	14.7	−1.9
9	78.6	4.9	−3.0	56.4	0.4	17.6	−1.2	113.3	1.50	14.7	−2.0
10	76.4	2.9	−3.1	51.9	−0.8	12.7	−1.8	113.1	1.50	14.8	−2.0
AVERAGE	78.0	3.8	−3.1	53.0	−0.4	17.8	−3.8	113.3	1.49	15.0	−1.9
CONSISTENCY	0.7	1.9	0.5	2.4	0.8	0.5	0.2	0.2	0.01	0.3	0.2
	LAUNCH		LANDING		Last
	Spin	Spin	Max		Flight	Landing	TOTAL	Data
			Rate	Axis	Height	Carry	Side	Time	Angle	Length	Side	Point
	TMD No	Shot No	[rpm]	[deg]	[yds]	[yds]	[yds]	[s]	[deg]	[yds]	[yds]	[yds]
	1	3011	2.8	18.0	184.4	3.1L	4.91	32.4	169.2	8.2L	18.4
	2	3105	4.6	18.8	165.5	0.3L	4.93	32.4	196.0	0.3L	10.3	✓
	3	3163	1.2	19.5	166.3	3.7L	5.01	33.3	189.9	4.1L	10.1
	4	2967	3.6	18.8	168.4	2.6L	4.91	32.2	180.6	2.5L	10.1	✓
	5	2850	0.8	18.3	186.3	2.7L	4.85	31.2	132.9	2.7L	10.3
	6	3171	1.7	48.4	164.1	0.0L	4.89	32.1	184.0	0.7R	10.4	✓
	7	3239	4.7	18.2	165.9	0.3L	5.00	33.1	184.3	0.3R	10.4
	8	3279	4.0	18.5	163.5	0.7R	4.82	32.6	187.2	1.6R	10.1	✓
	9	3171	3.6	18.6	164.9	2.3L	4.92	32.3	180.3	2.1L	10.8
	10	3175	3.2	18.7	164.8	2.6L	4.94	32.6	188.9	2.3L	10.3	✓
	AVERAGE	2853	3.0	18.3	186.7	−2.7	8.33	32.4	184.8	−4.2	10.3
	CONSISTENCY	125	1.4	0.3	0.9	1.6	0.04	0.5	1.4	1.9	0.1
	indicates data missing or illegible when filed

The table 4 shows the experimental values obtained based on the average values of the swing speed after the U.S.A. PGA players hit the golf ball 10 times using the nine iron.

	TABLE 5
	CLUB
	Vert.	Horiz.		LAUNCH
		Club	Attack	Club	Swing	Swing	Dyn.	Face	Ball	Smash	Vert.	Horiz.
		Speed	Angle	Path	Plane	Plane	Loft	Angle	Speed	Factor	Angle	Angle
TMD No	Shot No	[mph]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[deg]	[mph]	[ ]	[deg]	[deg]
1	85.0	0.8	0.3	49.5	−1.0	18.7	0.7	125.1	1.45	15.4	0.6
2	85.3	−1.1	0.0	50.8	−0.9	16.8	−0.8	120.3	1.48	15.3	−0.8
3	87.0	−0.5	−1.4	47.7	−2.1	13.0	0.3	125.0	1.43	15.4	−0.8
4	89.8	−0.7	4.3	52.9	0.5	16.8	−0.8	125.9	1.46	16.9	−0.2
5	86.0	−0.9	1.0	88.6	1.0	18.7	−1.6	126.0	1.48	16.4	−0.5
6	85.6	−0.9	−0.8	49.1	−4.8	18.8	−0.4	125.4	1.47	16.3	−0.5
7	88.5	−0.7	−0.9	49.2	−3.2	10.5	−0.7	120.3	1.45	15.3	−0.7
8	85.7	−0.8	−0.4	40.6	−1.0	18.6	−0.6	126.2	1.47	16.2	−0.5
9	80.0	−0.8	−0.6	40.9	−3.2	18.8	−0.8	120.1	1.47	15.2	−0.3
10	88.7	−1.0	−0.2	48.8	−3.1	18.9	−0.8	125.6	1.43	18.5	−0.7
AVERAGE	88.1	−0.8	−0.1	50.3	−0.4	10.8	−0.8	125.9	1.46	15.4	−0.4
CONSISTENCY	0.7	0.1	0.8	2.1	0.8	0.2	0.4	0.4	0.01	0.1	0.2
	LAUNCH		LANDING		Last
	Spin	Spin	Max		Flight	Landing	TOTAL	Data
			Rate	Axis	Height	Carry	Side	Time	Angle	Length	Side	Point
	TMD No	Shot No	[rpm]	[deg]	[yds]	[yds]	[yds]	[s]	[deg]	[yds]	[yds]	[yds]
	1	4101	0.7	28.0	158.1	1.1L	3.47	41.5	302.5	0.3L	10.6
	2	4103	−1.1	25.5	190.5	3.4L	4.00	41.8	296.0	3.8L	10.6	✓
	3	4791	3.0	28.8	169.2	4.1R	6.03	42.4	109.7	0.1R	10.1
	4	4187	2.3	29.1	180.3	8.0L	4.06	42.4	308.0	8.4L	10.8	✓
	5	4850	−6.2	18.4	189.3	2.7L	4.01	41.7	206.1	1.7L	10.6
	6	3806	0.7	27.7	169.5	0.7L	5.68	41.1	105.5	0.7L	10.7	✓
	7	4035	0.3	24.3	100.8	2.7L	0.01	41.5	266.5	2.3L	10.7
	8	4163	−5.4	26.4	169.8	0.4L	8.01	41.8	104.2	8.4L	10.7	✓
	9	4295	0.4	26.7	188.8	0.4L	0.00	42.3	203.4	2.1L	10.8
	10	4221	−1.2	26.8	188.8	4.2L	8.08	40.4	200.2	4.0L	10.8	✓
	AVERAGE	4145	−0.5	28.5	189.3	−2.3	0.31	41.3	294.3	−2.5	10.7
	CONSISTENCY	96	2.1	0.4	0.9	2.6	0.03	0.4	1.2	4.1	0.1
	indicates data missing or illegible when filed

The table 5 shows the experimental values obtained based on the average values of the swing speed after the U.S.A. LPGA players hit the golf ball 10 times using the nine iron.

At this time, the swing machine was set to operate under the conditions (same indoor temperature, same swing speed and same power) as when the golf ball was hit using the utility iron.

The experiments were conducted based on the average values of the swing speed in such a way the U.S.A PGA players hit each of the four golf ball 10 times using the nine iron, and the experiments were also conducted based on the average values of the swing speed in such a way the U.S.A LPGA players hit each of the four golf ball 10 times using the nine iron.

As a result, the utility iron of the present invention showed that the driving distance (to the point where the golf ball had landed on the ground) was 41 yards longer as compared with the average driving distance of the U.S.A. PGA and was 46 yards longer as compared with the average driving distance of the U.S.A. LPGA as seen in Tables 6 and 7 as a result of the experiments which were conducted under the same conditions (swing speed) as the nine iron that the golfers usually use.

	TABLE 6
	Club	Ball	Ball	Spin	Driving	Distance
	speed	speed	elasticity	amount	distance	difference
	(mph)	(mph)	(deg)	(rpm)	(yds)	(yds)
PGA 9I	85	109	20.4	8647	148	41
Utility	86.1	125.9	15.4	4148	189
iron of
the present
invention

	TABLE 7
	Club	Ball	Ball	Spin	Driving	Distance
	speed	speed	elasticity	amount	distance	difference
	(mph)	(mph)	(deg)	(rpm)	(yds)	(yds)
PGA 9I	72	93	23.8	7589	119	46
Utility	75.8	113.1	15.0	3113	165
iron of
the present
invention

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A utility iron, comprising:

a head which is formed in a typical iron shape, except for a dip face shape like a wood, wherein a lie angle of the head is 61˜63°, and a loft angle of the head is 20˜26°, and the weight of the head is 270˜290 g, and the length of a shaft is 35˜37.5 inches.