Abstract: A golf club features a hollowed club head having an insert movably mounted therein. The insert is weighted so that it works like a pendulum during a user's swing of the club. The insert has a flat face that shifts to present a face to the ball that corrects for improper technique.

Abstract: A modular-design putter head, having an extruded main body with detachable, heat treated face and hosel bracket. A unique floating-face feature imparts a trampoline effect when a ball is struck. A flexible hosel, fastened at two points at the rear of the main body acts as a spring for softer touch. Acoustical properties are enhanced with an internal echo chamber which can be filled with foam. A further departure of the traditional putter design and method of manufacture involve the use of extruded metal to form the main putter head. The extruded stock can be cut to desired lengths allowing for economical production of different weight putter heads.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at varying the thickness of a striking plate of a golf club head according to the loft angle of the golf club head. The thickness of the striking plate is greater for lower loft angles, such as seven, eight and nine degrees loft angle drivers, as compared to ten, eleven and twelve degrees loft angle drivers. The striking plate may have a variable face thickness with the thickest region near the center.

Abstract: An improved set of golf club irons wherein each golf club iron club head has a structure for redistributing weight of the club head towards the perimeter thereof particularly in the rear cavity region. This is accomplished by enlarging the rear cavity surface, creating an undercut between said rear cavity surface and cavity perimeter further redistributing available weight toward the club head perimeter. In addition, the club head face thickness is reduced between the rear cavity surface and hitting surface allowing additional weight to be redistributed to the club head perimeter resulting in a larger thin faced cavity. The large thin faced cavity is reinforced by means of a lightweight web-like structure comprised of thin lightweight buttresses which protrude outward from the center of the cavity and intersect with the undercut and perimeter of the cavity.

Abstract: A golf club head (22) composed of an interior body (42) having a first density and an outer shell (40) having a second density is disclosed herein. The golf club head (22) is preferably a putter. A method (100) for forming the golf club head (22) is also disclosed herein. The interior body (42) is preferably composed of an injectable polyurethane material integrated with tungsten to have a density between 4.0 g/cc to 10 g/cc. The outer shell (40) is preferably composed of a thermoplastic material such as an ionomer blend to have a density less than 1.0 g/cc.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head made of a metallic material. The golf club head has a three piece structure, a main head body, face, and crown. The main head body and the crown are formed by casting or press-forming, the face is formed by press-forming, and these are joined together by welding. The metallic material used is selected from a steel material group of martensite deposition hardening-type stainless steel, maraging steel, and maraging stainless steel. Only a material having a specific gravity of 7.7 or higher is used, and the head body has a volume of 280-320 cc and a weight of 180-205 g. The golf club head enables increasing the meet rate, has design freedom, exhibits excellent processability, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

Abstract: A composite golf club head having a club having a striking plate portion with a texture coating is disclosed herein. The golf club head has a crown component composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material and a sole component composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material. The texture coating is composed of a plurality of polymer resin particles, a medium and a coupling agent. The polymer resin particles are preferably composed of a polyethylene or polypropylene material. The texture coating provides added durability to the composite striking plate portion.

Abstract: A golf club having an interior hosel that is disposed inward from a striking plate to allow for compliance of the striking plate during impact with a golf ball. The present invention also includes a method for producing the golf club in which the interior hosel is attached to a lateral extension of a face member. The lateral extension is connected to the striking plate. The striking plate is preferably composed of a forged titanium material.

Abstract: The high spin golf club uses modified grooves for use on all types of known golf clubs, wherein the modified grooves maximizes control of the golf ball through increasing backspin. The high spin golf club's modified grooves can be used alone or in a combination with conventional grooves to tailor the properties of the club face. The modified grooves are of varied configurations and all modified grooves can be used in combination with any other modified or conventional grooves to maximize the backspin of the golf ball and tailor the spin properties of the face of the club. Further a method for making high backspin golf clubs that reduce cover damage of golf balls is disclosed.

Abstract: A golf club head having a striking plate with concentric elliptical regions of varying thickness ranges is disclosed herein. A central elliptical region has a base thickness range that is thicker than the thickness range of any of the other elliptical regions. The thickness of the elliptical regions decreases outward from the center. The striking plate may be used on a wood-type golf club head or an iron-type golf club head. The striking plate is preferably composed of steel or titanium. The elliptical regions correspond to golf ball impact probability points on the striking plate.

Abstract: A golf club head has a weight compartment within a hollow interior, and a weight member that is injected into the weight compartment subsequent to formation of the body of the golf club head. The preferred weight member is bismuth. The golf club head has a body that has a volume between 140 cubic centimeters and 350 cubic centimeters. The body of the golf club head weighs between 140 grams and 215 grams.

Abstract: The golf putter head of the present invention is made of a uniform mixture of a base and a filler. The filler is chosen from materials with a high density such as metals, while the base is selected from low density materials such as plastics. The blend of the base and the filler into a uniform composite produces a putter head of unique feel and characteristics. The preferred filler for the composite is metal which adds weight and density to the total material. The metal added ranges from 50 to 95 percent by weight, depending upon the particular plastic and metal combined to achieve the desired results. The blend of metal and plastic provides a composite which is light enough to swing easily with enough weight to give a balanced feel to the putter head and furthermore, the resiliency of the material provides a good reliable response when striking a golf ball. The uniformity of the composition obviates a plastic-metal interface which can separate or mesh incorrectly leading to an inconsistent feel.

Abstract: The invention provides a highly durable and abrasion-resistant composite diamond-like carbon coating with controllable color which is ideally suitable as a decorative coating on electrically conductive, e.g. metal, substrates, including architectural hardware and fixtures made of brass and other metals, jewelry, medical and dental instruments, writing instruments such as pens and pencils, musical instruments, eyeglass frames, cigar and cigarette lighters, automobile hood ornaments and other components, sporting equipment and other products for leisure activities such as golf club shafts, golf club heads, cycling equipment, and fishing and hunting equipment, and other similar electrically conductive substrates. The invention also provides the process for depositing a highly adherent, highly abrasion resistant composite diamond-like carbon coating to metal substrates.

Abstract: A contoured golf club face providing increased structural integrity for a given weight and size is described and shown along with a method for its design. The contoured golf club face includes a vertical stiffening region, a tapered horizontal stiffening region, four similar contoured quadrants of increasingly thinning material toward the center of each quadrant, and thickening regions at face/sole and face/crown intersection regions. The thicknesses of adjoining regions are gradually blended to provide a smooth contoured surface. The present golf club face is light weight, is structurally resistant to impact deformation, is resistant to initial and long-term failure, has its mass center located at its sweet spot, exhibits inertial axes which are aligned with vertical and horizontal axes (i.e. primary club force directions: ball impact force and club centrifugal force directions), and produces acoustical tones.

Abstract: A is a golf club head in which a mass-adjusting weight is inserted into the inside of a cylindrical hosel portion, wherein a flange that can be deformed in a radial direction of the hosel portion is formed in a peripheral portion of the foregoing weight and the diameter of the flange is increased so as to fix the foregoing weight to the foregoing hosel portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a golf club with an improved durability which realizes so thin a club head that the head can be enlarged, suppressing the increase of the total weight. A cold rolled material, which is a beta type titanium alloy in a beta single phase and subjected to direct aging, is used for the head. Preferably, the material is subjected to at least 15% cold rolling reduction. The aging is able to improve durability and surface hardness. Due to the direct aging of the cold worked material without solution treatment, such a long time heat treatment is no longer necessary, thereby resulting in the reduction of production costs.

Abstract: A golf club head having a defined internal cavity, and a golf club head containing a bi-material weight having a nonhomogeneous structure is disclosed herein. A method to add the bi-material weight to the golf club entails heating, vibration and cooling to produce the nonhomogeneous structure is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A texture coating for golf club heads provides a durable and aesthetically pleasing exterior for wood, iron or putter golf club heads. The texture coating is a combination of a medium material, resin particles and a coupling agent. In a preferred embodiment the medium is a paint, the resin particles are olefins, most preferably polyethylene or polypropylene, and the coupling agent is a silane compound.

Abstract: The disclosed invention comprises a novel golf club head and method of manufacturing the golf club head. The golf club head comprises a multilayer construction having a soft nickel alloy core and a hard chrome coating. The process used to produce the golf club heads involves an investment casting process in which the soft nickel alloy core is cast and the hard chrome coating is plated to the core. This multilayer design produces a golf club iron that is durable and consistent from iron to iron with feel characteristics which are generally equal to or better than traditional clubs formed from forged mild carbon steel.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a golfing iron club and an iron golf club manufactured by the method. A shaft is connected to a head 1 having a face 3 on a front and a shaft attachment portion on one side. After a pre-forging stage using an upper die and a lower die, a rear region corresponding section 9′A and a lower peripheral face corresponding section 11A are machined with an end mill A. Then post-forging is performed using an upper die and a lower die to form the head 1. Thereafter, post-machining is performed using an end mill B. Thus, a rear region 9A and a lower peripheral face 11 can be formed without forging. Machining can be carried out between the pre-forging and post-forging stages, so that locations which are difficult to forge can be accurately formed. In addition, the head 1 is able to be formed more freely, owing to a post-machining stage.

Abstract: An iron golf club and a set of iron golf clubs which realize the accurate travelling direction of a ball as well as the accurate travelling distance thereof. Both a tolerance of a loft angle and that of a lie angle of a head 1 are set within a range of +0.25 degree. For a set of iron golf clubs, a difference between loft angles of respective two golf clubs of adjacent club numbers is set so as to have a tolerance of ±0.5 degree or less. To realize such accuracy, there is proposed for example a head 1 constructed of a head body 21 and a hosel member 22, which are joined to each other by laser welding, electron beam joining or amorphous joining.

Abstract: A golf club with an improved durability which realizes so thin a club head that the head can be enlarged, suppressing the increase of the total weight. A cold rolled material which is a beta type titanium alloy in a beta single phase and subjected to direct aging is used for the head. Preferably, the material is subjected to at least 15% cold rolling reduction. The aging is able to improve durability and surface hardness. Due to the direct aging of the cold worked material without solution treatment, such a long time heat treatment is no longer necessary, thereby resulting in the reduction of production costs.

Abstract: In a wood club head having a face 2 constituted by convex surfaces curved vertically and horizontally, a bulge radius forming the substantially horizontally-curved surface is set to be not smaller than 15 inches.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a golf club head in which in integrating a metal plate part with a club head main body, either a fused metal or a fused ceramic is adhered onto a surface of the metal plate part before the metal plate part is welded to the club head main body, and the metal plate part is then welded to the club head main body thus integrating the metal plate part with the club head main body.

Abstract: A diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated golf club head primarily for reduction of friction between the hitting surface and the golf ball at impact. The DLC coating comes in two varieties including dehydrogenated DLC or hydrogenated DLC and is thinly applied between about 0.1 and 10 &mgr;m. The diamond particle size of individual diamond-like carbon molecules or crystals can be less than 0.1 &mgr;m, and preferably less than 1 nanometer. The DLC coating may be bonded to the golf club head or hitting surface using cathodic arc method or other applicable methods at temperatures of less than 200° C.

Abstract: An insert for a golf club, wherein the insert is formed of a polyurethane composition comprising a prepolymer comprised of a polyol and a polyisocyanate, and a curing agent; and wherein the polyisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polymeric 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate.

Abstract: The present invention is a golf club (30) having a club head main body (34) with a hollow interior (49), a support layer 41 defining a depth of a recess (38), a polymer insert (40) in the recess (38), an isolation layer (52) and a weight body (50). The polymer insert (40) is composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material having a Shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 51 to 60. The preferred thermosetting polyurethane material is formed from a p-phenylene diisocyanate prepolymer and a curing agent. The golf club (30) is preferably a putter, however, it may be a wood or an iron. The particular thermosetting polyurethane provides a soft striking face for feel and a good rebound for distance. The weight body (50) is preferably composed of a tungsten alloy, and the isolation layer (52) is preferably composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head made of a metallic material. The golf club head has a three piece structure of a main head body, face and crown. The main head body and the crown are formed by casting or press-forming, the face is formed by press-forming, and these are joined together by welding. The metallic material used is selected from a steel material group of martensite deposition hardening-type stainless steel, maraging steel, and maraging stainless steel. Only a material having a specific gravity of 7.07 or higher is used, and the head body has a volume of 280-320 cc and a weight of 180-205 g. The golf club head enables increasing the meet rate, has design freedom, exhibits excellent processability, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

Abstract: A golf club head having a sole plate and hosel integral piece is disclosed herein. The integral piece may be composed of a metal material for with a golf club head having a composite body. The integral piece also improves the consistency of the loft and lie parameters of a golf club head. The hosel may be formed with the sole plate, or the hosel may be connected to the sole plate. The integral piece may also have a polymer sleeve thereabout to assist in reducing the stress at the tip end of a shaft inserted into the hosel.

Abstract: The present invention is a golf club (30) having a club head main body (34) with a recess (38), an polymer insert (40) in the recess (38), an isolation layer (52) and a weight body (50). The polymer insert (40) is composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material having a Shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 51 to 60. The preferred thermosetting polyurethane material is formed from a p-phenylene diisocyanate prepolymer and a curing agent. The golf club (30) is preferably a putter, however, it may be a wood or an iron. The particular thermosetting polyurethane provides a soft striking face for feel and a good rebound for distance. The weight body (50) is preferably composed of a tungsten alloy, and the isolation layer (52) is preferably composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane.

Abstract: A face wall for the hitting face of a golf club head is supported on a hollow structural shell. The face wall is formed to realize maximum face strength with minimum face mass. This is accomplished by varying the thickness of the face wall so it is thickest in the general vicinity of the face center and becomes thinner toward the edges of the face. This allows the club head to weigh less, incorporate a large face area and adequate strength while maintaining high moments of inertia of the head.

Abstract: A self-aligning, low or no self-torque club that is both statically- and dynamically-balanced is provided which is less prone to deleterious effects during its approach to and while striking the ball Static balance is achieved by ensuing the shaft axis intersects the line between the geometric center of the club face and the center of gravity of the club head. The club is self-aligning because the center of gravity naturally follows the shaft and since the shaft and center of gravity are in-line with the face center, the possibility of striking the ball with the club face square increases. By providing a symmetrical and, preferably elliptical face, forces due to air resistance act equally on both sides of the face with respect to the shaft further aligning the club face with the swing path. To further alignment, the club head may also be provided with a series of convergent channels in the direction of air flow over the club.

Abstract: A method of making a golf club head and the head itself which club head has two or more portions. Each portion comprises metals of differing characteristics. One portion may be made of ductile metal to facilitate bending.

Abstract: An iron golf club set comprises a plurality of iron golf clubs having respective club numbers different from each other. Face progressions of the iron golf clubs become gradually smaller from the club having the smallest club number toward the other club having the largest club number in at least one group comprising a series of consecutively numbered clubs of the plurality of iron golf clubs.

Abstract: A golf club with an enhanced degree of freedom with respect to design, and a method for manufacturing the same. A head 1 is formed with a face 3 on a front face, a cavity 9 on a rear face and a shaft attachment portion 8 on one side, to which is connected a shaft 2. If a maximum height of a bottom surface 9A of the cavity 9 in the top-to-sole direction is denoted by H1, and a maximum width thereof in the toe-to-heel direction is denoted by W1, the cavity 9 is formed to satisfy an inequality: H1/W1≧0.6. Further, if a maximum height of the face 3 is denoted by H2, then the cavity 9 is formed to satisfy an inequality: 0.7≦H1/H2≦0.85. Thus, the face 3 can be easily resiliently bent at the time of striking balls, thereby developing a greater repulsive force, elongating travelling distances of balls.

Abstract: A golf club with an enhanced degree of freedom in design as well as high efficiency. A head 2 is formed by combining two different metallic components. One is a head body 11 having a hosel 3, made from stainless steel such as SUS 304 that is easy to process, the other is a face plate 14 made from nickel beryllium alloy which is an expensive metal of high strength. These two components are joined to each other by laser beam welding. Thus, the inclination angle of the hosel 3 made from SUS 304 stainless steel or the like, i.e., the relative angle of the axis of a shaft 4 to the face 5 can be easily controlled, so that the loft/lie angle of a head also can be controlled easily. Further, due to the high strength of the face plate 14, the flight distance of ball can be elongated.

Abstract: The golf club has a length over 0.99 m, a loft angle of at least 35°, a head mass of about 0.260 kg or less, and a lie angle of less than 60°. The golf club allows long and high slots.

Abstract: By hot pressing a cold rolled &bgr; type titanium alloy which has not been subjected to solution heat treatment into a predetermined shape, it is possible to obtain a part with a cold rolled metallurgical texture in its approximately central portion in the thickness direction, and a solution heat treatment metallurgical texture in its other portions, and a golf club head is manufactured using this part as a face member.

Abstract: The present invention is a golf club head having a club head body with a recess and an insert therein. The insert is composed of a thermoset polyurethane material having a shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 51 to 60. The preferred thermoset polyurethane material is formed from a p-phenylene diisocyanate prepolymer and a curing agent. The golf club head is preferably a putter club head, however, it may be a wood club head or an iron club head. The particular thermoset polyurethane provides a soft striking face for feel and a good rebound for distance.

Abstract: A combination golf club with an insert and golf ball in which the cover of the golf ball and the insert are composed of substantially the same material. The preferred material is a thermoset polyurethane. An alternative material is an ionomer material. The golf club is preferably a putter.

Abstract: A golf club head (1) whose volume is delimited by a crown (3), a sole-plate (11), a belt (4), and a hitting surface (2), junctions between the belt (4) and the hitting surface (2) delimiting a heel (9) and a toe (10). The belt (4) comprises at least one arc-shaped portion (8, 32, 33, 34, 35) which forms a visible layer of the belt (4), while extending along the belt (4) between the heel (9) and the tip (10), the arc-shaped portion (8, 32, 33, 34, 35) being a peripheral weight made of a high-density material.

Abstract: A golf club head having a hollow construction, including a bar-like gravity adjusting piece (4) which extends longitudinally from a toe (7) towards a heel (8), or vice versa, of the head and is secured directly on an inner surface of a sole portion (2) in a position nearer to a front face (3) or wherein a forward half area (F) of the sole portion (2) as viewed from above, that is nearer to a face member (3′) of the head, has a thickness two or more times greater in at least a portion thereof than an average thickness of a rearward half area (R) of the sole portion, that is nearer to a back side (10).

Abstract: An improved golf club head consisting of a balance plane that derives markings visible on the club head face indicating the ideal points of contact with a golf ball regardless of whether the golf ball is lying on the ground, on a golf tee or otherwise, together with markings visible on club head top indicating basic alignment of club head and golf ball to the target, with methods and tools for determining same. The markings are determined by intersecting lines, planes and axes. The markings may be determined for an existing golf club or for a custom fitted golf club regardless of whether the golf club has a flat or curved base. The location of the markings may vary from golfer to golfer and from club to club depending upon parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a pattern in the surface of a golf club part having a surface area lacking smoothness using a radiated beam to make portions of such surface smoother. The disclosure is also directed to the golf club part created by the operation of such method and apparatus.

Abstract: A golf club head having a face plate that is tensioned, locally hardened and weighted at the impact zone by the presence of at least one hardened, dense metal plug to thereby provide enhanced distance and directional stability to a struck golf ball. The face plate has one or more metal plugs tensionally interfitted therewith, wherein the face plate is caused to be tensioned and locally hardened by the presence of the one or more metal plugs. The one or more metal plugs are located at the impact zone of the face plate where the golf ball is struck.

Abstract: Disclosed is an evaluation method of a golf club, where a rear end portion of a club shaft is vibrated in a state where a tip portion of the club shaft is fastened to measure a frequency per unit time, and a golf club using the club shaft is evaluated based on the frequency.

Abstract: A golf club having a club head with a striking plate composed of a composite material and having a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.250 inches is disclosed herein. The golf club head also has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.8 under test conditions such as the USGA test conditions specified pursuant to Rule 4-1e, Appendix II, of the Rules of Golf for 1998-1999. The golf club head body is also composed of a composite material, and a weight strip is placed within a ribbon of the body.

Abstract: A golf club head is formed from two separate pieces. One of such pieces constitutes the face plate while the other piece constitutes the sole plate and the top crown of the club head. The pieces are welded together to form a hollow shell. The sole plate and the top crown are connected together with a hinge. These hinged pieces are joined in a closed position in a nest die and spot welded together. The face plate is then seam welded to the sole plate and the top crown in an argon chamber to form an integral unit.

Abstract: A composite golf-club head is disclosed with at least one complex three-dimensional molded composite part. The part has multiple interleaved plies of reinforcing fiber, and has a wall with an interleave ratio greater than about 30, preferably greater than about 100.

Abstract: A mallet style golf club with a novel head design consists of solid materials laminated or inlaid horizontally to yield a single surface alignment aid on the surface that strikes the golf ball (the front face/face). Optional alignment markings on the top surface of the club, centered over the point on the face where there is minimal torque when the head strikes the golf ball (“sweet spot”), combine with the single surface alignment aid on the face to form a single surface two-dimensional alignment system. An inlaid or laminated line on the circumference of the mallet joins the inlaid or laminated horizontal line on the front face to form a visually perceived 360 degree, three dimensional alignment aid.