Abstract: A golf club which is so light as to be large-sized, with an improved durability, suited for easy casting. Ti—Be alloy is used for the material of a head 1. Be is present in Ti as a TiBe and/or TiBe2 in a proportion of about 20 mol %. The use of such Ti—Be alloy will result in the lightening of the head 1 as well as the enhanced Young's modulus thereof, thus improving the durability thereof. The Ti—Be alloy has such a lower melting point of 1000 degrees centigrade or below as compared to pure titanium, that the casting thereof is easy.

Abstract: A wood-type golf club head is provided with a face having a double-wall construction. The use of a double-wall construction allows two different materials for the face, allowing the golf club head to be fabricated with many different weight distributions, impact sounds, different feel and different impact energy transfer characteristics. The inside face plate can be solid, or perforated with openings, provided with center ribs, or other weight distributing and strengthening features. The club head bottom, sides and the inner face can be fabricated as a unitary formed plate by a press forming process from a single sheet of a metal material. The inner face plate is bent to the desired loft, and the top plate, hosel pipe and outer plate are attached to the unitary structure by welding or other attachment techniques. Another club head has a lowered and forwardly positioned center of gravity.

Abstract: In the metal iron golf club head (1), the rigidity of the medium sensitivity region (5) which is a region on the heel side and excluding the vicinity of the face center (3) is made lower than the rigidity of the low sensitivity region (4) so as to approximate the natural frequency of the metal iron golf club head to the natural frequency of the ball as well as to ensure the strength in the face portion (2).

Abstract: A golf wood-club head includes a rear shell member, a face member inclinedly affixed in front of the rear shell member, a hosel, and a L-shaped connecting stem. The L-shaped connecting stem has a head connecting member horizontally and integrally extended from a side of the rear shell member, and a shaft connecting member inclinedly and upwardly extended from the head connecting member for combining together with the hosel. A ring groove is provided around the head connecting member, and a shock absorbing ring is situated around the ring groove for absorbing vibration transferring from the club head. Therefore, the golf wood-club head can increase the horizontal distance between the golf head and the player's hand without changing the lie angle of the wood-club head and the vertical distance between the golf head and the player's hand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sinter and a casting comprising a high-hardness glassy alloy containing at least Fe and at least a metalloid element and having a temperature interval &Dgr;Tx of a supercooled liquid as expressed by &Dgr;Tx=Tx−Tg (where, Tx is a crystallization temperature and Tg is a glass transition temperature) of at least 20° C., which permit easy achievement of a complicated concave/convex shape.

Abstract: A golf club for imparting a desired spin to a golf ball. The golf club includes a club head having a cavity formed in its club face for securing a removable insert. The insert includes a striking face with a preferred frictional surface for imparting spin to a golf ball.

Abstract: In the metal iron golf club head (1), the rigidity of the medium sensitivity region (5) which is a region on the heel side and excluding the vicinity of the face center (3) is made lower than the rigidity of the low sensitivity region (4) so as to approximate the natural frequency of the metal iron golf club head to the natural frequency of the ball as well as to ensure the strength in the face portion (2).

Abstract: A process for modifying the face of a putter including the steps of milling out recess in a portion of the face, inserting a carrier strip coated on opposites with adhesive and inserting a plastic insert plate with the same dimensions as the recess. The insert plate is formed with an outward side having a group of closely spaced parallel V-shaped grooves running in one direction and another group of closely spaced parallel V-shaped grooves running in an intersecting direction, the grooves defining a plurality of pyramids having flat tops. The invention may also be described as a putter having such an insert and a plastic insert per se, described above.

Abstract: A golf club such as an iron golf club comprising a head body with a cavity formed on the rear surface thereof and a back member securely fitted into the cavity, with the both closely contacted each other. Prior to securing a back member 9 to a cavity 8 formed on the rear surface 7 of the head body 6, the back member 9 is heated to a high temperature. The temperature is set at about 750 degrees centigrade, approximated to standard finishing forging temperature if the member 9 is made of titanium or titanium alloy. As the back member 9 is fitted through deformation processing with the same being heated to the high temperature, the flow stress of the metallic material of the back member 9 can be lowered, thus enhancing ductility thereof. As a result, a front surface 14 and a peripheral surface 15 can be closely contacted by the cavity 8 without gaps, so that the back member 9 can be rigidly secured to the cavity 8.

Abstract: A golf club head having two layers of differently colored, material. One layer is molded with projections, and the other with corresponding recesses, into which the projections fit and are visible from the front strike face of the insert. In a preferred embodiment the projections include a border surrounding the strike face insert having a color selected in combination with an adhesive to mask the appearance of the adhesive at the strike face.

Abstract: A method for treating the surface of a golf club part having a non-smooth surface such as a part which has been cast. Preferably, in those instances where the part is cast, the part is abraded for example by tumbling or by directing a light sandblast against the part to create a low reflectivity surface. Such abrading roughens the golf club part so that greater contrast can be obtained using radiated beam treatment. Surface roughening can also be created by acid etch or other suitable method. The club part is mounted in a beam treatment station to permit projecting a radiated beam on selected areas of the part's surface resulting in the momentary and superficial melting or fusing of the surface which makes such areas less rough and more light reflective than adjacent surface areas. Patterns are formed by causing relative movement between the part and a high energy heat source such as a radiated beam. Preferably the heat source or beam is held fixed and the part mounted on a movable table.

Abstract: A method for producing a golf club head includes: preparing a plurality of face plates that complement with one another to form the golf club head; joining edges of the face plates to form a shape of the golf club head, and providing grooves which extend between the adjoining edges of the face plates and which open at an outer surface of the golf club head; and welding the adjoining edges by placing the joined face plates in a mold and by introducing a solder into the mold casting in the grooves.

Abstract: A golf club head made by brazing certain ceramic materials to certain metals by utilizing brazing alloys so as to provide, upon cooling, a compressively loaded component of the golf club head. The certain ceramic materials are joined to the certain metals by a brazing alloy.

Abstract: A golf club head comprising a face portion and a main body portion, wherein at least the face portion or a face of the face portion comprises an amorphous alloy having a glass transition range. The amorphous alloy preferably has a composition represented by the general formula X.sub.a M.sub.b Al.sub.c (where X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr and Hf, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Ti and Cu, and a, b and c are, in atomic percentages, 25.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.85, 5.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.70 and 0<c.ltoreq.35), and comprises at least 50% by volume thereof being an amorphous phase. The golf club head has a high strength and yet has a low elastic modulus.

Abstract: A golf club head for a wood club type that has a thick, light weight, low density face wall supported to its rear by a hollow shell structure. The shell structure supports the face wall around the periphery of the face wall, and a club shaft is attached suitably to the rear of the front face of the face wall. The face wall preferably has a club face area greater than 5.3 square inches, and a weight not exceeding half of the total club head weight.

Abstract: A golf club having an elastomer head which is easily constructed of relatively inexpensive components making the club particularly suitable as an introductory golf club for teaching the game of golf to youths, is described. The club comprises a metal insert configured to a desired shape, an elastomeric material molded around the metal insert, and a pad at the back of the striking head. A shaft is attached to the metal insert.

Abstract: A golf club head provided with a head main body, and a face body fitted to a concave portion of the head main body. A caulking member is press-fitted into an aperture between an inner peripheral surface of the concave portion of the head main body and a peripheral surface of the face body, and the head main body and the face body are connected and fixed by plastic deformation of the caulking member. A contact area for positioning the face body, where the peripheral surface of the face body and the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion of the head main body directly contact, is arranged on at least a part of the concave portion.

Abstract: In a golf club head having a face body, the face body is composed of a hybrid of an amorphous phase layer and a crystal phase layer. The crystal phase layer is disposed on a reverse face side of a face. And, thickness of the face body is 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, thickness of the amorphous phase layer is, on average in whole area of the face body, more than 50% of the thickness of the face body, and thickness of the crystal phase layer is arranged to be 0.01 mm to 3.0 mm.

Abstract: A metallic hollow golf club head and a method for manufacturing it in which a head structure is constructed by welding a light metal sole plate, in which a heavy metal weight has been secured to an inner surface thereof, to a light metal outer mold comprising a hosel and then injecting thermosetting resin into the hollow portion of the head structure so as to cover at least the inner surface of the sole plate and to flow into any gap between the sole plate and the weight and the joint between the sole plate and the outer mold.

Abstract: A golf club includes an elongated shaft and a head and coupling structure at an end of the shaft for joining it to the head. The coupling structure can include a flexing portion of reduced cross-sectional area for improved flexure or a thin strip member defining a unidirectional flexing portion which is resiliently flexible substantially only in a single plane. A shroud may surround the flexing portion to limit flexing thereof. The coupling structure may also include a pivot coupling for pivoting the head about the axis of the shaft or an axis parallel thereto. In another embodiment of the invention the coupling structure is connected to the head only at the rear thereof at the bottom and/or upper edge thereof intermediate the toe and heel and, in the case of a wood-type head, such coupling structure is disposed in a socket in the top of the head. The coupling structure may include any one or more of the flexing, pivoting and medial rear edge attachment features.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for hitting an object in a substantially straight-line pathway. The method comprises the steps of applying a composition to a hitting surface and impacting the object. In particular, the composition can be applied to a golf club face to reduce hooks or slices. The composition is a product of a mixture comprising a saturated oil, a water soluble lubricant and an aqueous carbon dioxide solution.

Abstract: A golf club has a lobe defining a first club head thickness spaced between leading and trailing edges of the club face and on an opposite side of the club head relative to the face. An entry region of the club head is located below the lobe and adjacent to the leading edge on an opposite side of the club head relative to the face, and is spaced inwardly from the lobe to define a second club-head thickness less than the first club-head thickness. The entry region permits the club head to penetrate downwardly into a ground surface. A curved transition surface extends between the lobe and the entry region, and cooperates with the lobe to guide the club head generally forwardly after downward penetration of the leading edge into the ground.

Abstract: A utility golf club including a shaft having a grip at a first end and a metal wood-type head at the second end. The golf club has a length which is typical for putters and the metal wood-type head has a weight which is also typical of many putters. The lie or angle between the shaft and horizontal is upright and the angle of the front face of the head is generally similar to typical wood clubs, such as the number 3 through 5 woods. The golf club may be used with a familiar putting stroke from a variety of positions on the golf course to achieve chip shots, bump-and-run shots, sand shots and trouble shots.

Abstract: A golf club putter head is provided in the shape of a quarter cylinder with a quarter cylinder outer surface having an imprintable material thereon. Four such golf club putter heads may be assembled and inserted into a cylindrical imprinting apparatus, such as an imprinter for coffee mugs for imprinting custom images and designs on the outer cylindrical portion of the putter heads.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to the striking head of a golf club designed to maximize both the distance a golf ball will travel and the "forgiveness" of the club to off-center hits. These two advantages are achieved by a novel approach to club head design for improving the properties of stiffness and moments of inertia. The increased stiffness reduces the energy absorbed by the club head, thereby increasing the distance the ball will travel. Increasing the moments of inertia increases the "sweet spot" or "forgiveness" of the club by reducing the rotation of the club head during off-center hits. This invention has application to putter, iron, and wood golf club heads. The approach is to concentrate the majority of the mass of the club head into one structural member in the shape of a ring. The ring is formed by attaching a low-density rigid striking face to a high-density rigid ring segment extending behind the face.

Abstract: A contoured golf club face provides 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 contoured back surface of a golf club face is shown and described along with a method for its design. The preferred back surface comprises a surface with varying thicknesses such that regions of the face which experience an approximately similar load due to application of a certain force (e.g. at least one ball impact) have an approximately similar thickness to result in a golf club face in which the stress is approximately uniform upon application of a similar force. In a preferred embodiment regions experiencing the most internal load due to a given applied force are thickest, regions experiencing lower internal load due to the same applied force are thinner, and the regions experiencing the lowest magnitude of internal load due to the same applied force are thinnest (i.e. the thickness of a region corresponds to the expected or measured applied load of that region, so that the load produced stress levels are below the material allowable stress level).

Abstract: A method of coating a golf club head under vacuum conditions with an open hanger type shot blasting machine includes the steps of forming a blank of golf club head; grinding the blank to form large pores on the surface of the blank; polishing the blank to form a refined blank containing fine pores on the surface thereof; hanging multiple refined blanks on hangers in an opening hanger type shot blasting machine to rotate and move the blanks into a vacuum rear portion of the machine. Meanwhile, shot blasting material containing mixed shot grit and powdered metal coating material is centrifugally thrown with mechanical throwing arms, so that shot grit strikes and forms numerous deeply depressed pores on the refined blanks. The shot grit quickly leaves the surfaces of the refined blanks due to a reactive force produced during impact of the shot grit on the blanks.

Abstract: A multiple density golf club head including a heel formed of a dense metallic material, a toe formed of a dense metallic material and a center segment formed of a non-metallic material is provided. The non-metallic material of the center segment has a density substantially less than the metallic material comprising the heel or the toe. The materials in the heel, toe and center segment extend for the entire depth of the club head. The positioning of the higher density regions at the heel and toe of the golf club provides for desirable heel-toe weighting characteristics. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. The method incorporates various manufacturing techniques into a cost effective process for manufacturing the club head of the present invention.

Abstract: A golf club and a manufacturing method therefor which can prevent a copper or copper alloy material for a head from corroding. The invention also aims at preventing electrification corrosion when combining this material with another material such as aluminum alloy. A head body 31 forming a peripheral portion of a head 1 is made of beryllium copper. A face member 32 pressed into a through-hole 33 of the head body 31 is made of aluminum alloy. A surface of the head body 31 is formed with a lower plating such as nickel plating, onto which is formed an upper plating such as chrome plating. By this plating, not only the corrosion of the head body 31 itself but also that of the face member 32 due to galvano-corrosion can be prevented.

Abstract: An iron type golf club head includes a club head body having a heel portion, toe portion, bottom sole, top ridge, planar ball striking face including an enlarged hitting area adjacent the heel portion and a permanently non-rotatable hosel affixed to the club head body outside the outer periphery thereof by a connector extending the hosel laterally in a heel to toe direction and also offset beyond the leading edge of the club face, in a rear to front direction, permitting full ball striking face contact, without shanking, for hitting a golf ball during the execution of a golf shot.

Abstract: A fairway type metal wood golf club head having a low profile and an upright trapezoidal shape providing a low center of gravity to facilitate getting a golf ball airborne from a tight or rough lie condition.

Abstract: A golf club head having two layers of differently colored, material. One layer is molded with projections, and the other with corresponding recesses, into which the projections fit and are visible from the front strike face of the insert.

Abstract: (1) A golf wood club having a loft angle of 16 degrees or less, a head volume V of 270 to 450 ml, a head weight G of 160 to 195 g, and a shaft length S of 120 cm or more, the shaft length S being in the range expressed by the following inequality:315.8-1.023G.ltoreq.S.ltoreq.327.8-1.023G;and (2) a golf wood club having a loft angle in the range of 15 to 20 degrees, a face height of 30 to 40 mm, a head volume V of 180 to 300 ml, a head weight G of 170 to 200 g, and a shaft length S of 120 cm or more, the shaft length S being in the range expressed by the following inequality:315.8-1.023G.ltoreq.S.ltoreq.327.8-1.023G.The golf wood clubs do not show decrease in the reproducibility of good shot although the club has a length of 120 cm or more, preferably 125 cm or more.

Abstract: A golf club is provided with an elongate shaft portion and a club head coupled to the shaft portion. The club head holds an impact surface designed to strike a ball when the club is swung at the ball. The impact surface, club head and shaft all cooperate to produce a drum-like tone when the ball is struck. The club head includes front face with a platform and a clamp that mate and hold the impact surface therebetween. The platform is provided with a raised ridge or brace that is surrounded by the clamp. When the platform and clamp are assembled together, the impact surface is tensioned by the brace to make the impact surface an audibly vibratory member. The club head is hollow within to augment the sound produced by the impact surface and has a plurality of ports to an interior cavity to further augment the sound.

Abstract: A golf club head is provided with an impact surface formed of a shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy is selected to have a transformation temperature applicable for the range of normal golf playing temperatures, that is in the range between about 0 and 15 degrees C. This selection of the transformation temperature of the impact surface provides an effective variation of the stiffness of the golf club head that compensates for changes of the stiffness of a golf ball with changing temperatures.

Abstract: An iron-type golf club head which can elongate a travelling distance of balls for a long iron, and enable the better controlling of balls for a short iron. A head body 8, having a face 3, is formed from one material, while a hosel 7 formed from another material having the different specific gravity than that of the head body 8. For long irons, the material of the hosel 7 is thinner than that of the head body 8, while for short irons, the material of the head body 8 is denser than that of the hosel 7.

Abstract: The invention relates to a golf club head and a method of manufacturing the same, the external surface of which a plate is attached as a sole plate or face plate. A pair of protruding pieces which protrude approximately in the opposite direction with respect to the center of the plate are provided in the periphery of the plate, and the protruding pieces are respectively embedded in a head body of the golf club head. The ends of the protruding pieces are extended so that they are exposed onto the external surface of the head body. By this arrangement, the plate can be positively fixed to a predetermined position without causing removal from the head body, and thus there is no possibility that the plate comes off from the head body even if an impact is given to the head body when a ball is hit.

Abstract: A device-coupled golf club 80 includes a club head 64 which is assembled with a shaft 22 by use of a coupling device 40. Club head 64 is formed with a hosel 68 which is formed with a bore 70 having threads 76 formed in an upper portion thereof and a floor 74 at the base thereof. Coupling device 40 is formed with a body 41 having a bore 42 formed axially therethrough. A flange 44 is formed radially outwardly from one end of the body 41 and is formed with threads 50 from the flange toward the opposite axial end of the body. A ferrule 56 is located on shaft 22 and a tip end 30 of the shaft is inserted into bore 42 of body 41 and secured there by an epoxy glue 82. An exterior surface of body 41 is formed with threads 50 which engage threads 76 formed within bore 70 of hosel 68 to removably secure device 40 with head 64 whereby shaft 22 is assembled with the head 64 to form club 80.

Abstract: A golf club has a high modulus of elasticity grip which is, preferably, an all-metal grip. The grip is connected to the shaft and the shaft is connected to the head without intervening material, such as by welding, brazing, force fit, pinning or similar method, or by intervening material having a modulus of elasticity 100,000 psi or greater. The golf club, or its parts, may be cast, forged, bonded, or otherwise manufactured and assembled. In the preferred embodiment, which is a putter, the grip and shaft both have high modulus of elasticity. In the putter, there is achieved a very stiff, but sensitive, low frequency "feel". Such metal or high modulus of elasticity grip is also used in irons, woods and playing utility clubs and provides an improved "feel" and sound.

Abstract: When a golf club head is placed on a plane with a predetermined lie angle and a predetermined loft angle, coordinate axes are arranged with a center of gravity of a golf club head as an origin, an axis perpendicular with the plane as a Z axis, an axis perpendicular with the Z axis and parallel with a tangent of a midpoint of a face of the golf club head as an X axis, and an axis intersecting the X axis and the Z axis at right angles as a Y axis. A line formed by projecting a principal axis of inertia intersecting the X axis at a most acute angle among three principal axes of inertia perpendicular with each other on an XZ plane, is arranged to intersect the X axis at an angle between 10.degree. and 40.degree..

Abstract: A golf club head has a body, a face on a front side of the body, and a neck extending upward from a heel. The heel has a wall section that is thicker than that of the neck to lower the center of gravity of the body. A through hole is provided in the neck and the heel for receiving a lower end of a shaft therein. The combination provides a longer hitting force arm for hitting balls a further distance.

Abstract: A contoured golf club face provides 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 correlated set of iron-type golf club heads, wherein each head in the set employs the same sized vibration damping plaque. Each club head includes a substantially planar blade element having a front striking face for impacting a golf ball, and a rear surface opposite the front striking face. A perimeter weighting element is formed integrally with at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the rear surface and extends substantially rearwardly from the rear surface. The remainder of the rear surface not covered by the perimeter weighting element defines the bottom of an open cavity which is substantially surrounded by an inner peripheral surface of the perimeter weighting element. The area and shape of the remainder of the rear surface that defines the bottom of the open cavity are substantially identical in each club head of the correlated set, thus making it possible to use the same sized and shaped vibration damping plaque in each club head.

Abstract: A golf club part including a metal component requiring subsequent finishing steps after initial formation which part as photo chemically engraved artwork formed in its surface after completion of the finishing step. The method of fabrication and etching of the metal part includes application of photoresist material to the metal surface, use of graphic art film, masking of surface areas in which artwork will be created by subsequent photochemical engraving, thereafter stripping of the photoresist from the metal surface. Creation of customized patterns on graphic art films is accomplished utilizing a programmable computer.

Abstract: A fairway type metal wood golf club head having a low profile and an upright trapezoidal shape providing a low center of gravity to facilitate getting a golf ball airborne from a tight or rough lie condition.

Abstract: A golf club head fabrication method including the steps of i) preparing a rubber mixture and pre-warming it in a material tank of an injection molding machine; ii) preparing a club head casing having a front open chamber, a top filling hole and an inside flange within the front open chamber, then welding a face panel to the inside flange to close the front open chamber, and then filling a bonding agent through the filling hole into the front open chamber, and then pre-heating the club head casing; and iii) injecting the pre-warmed rubber mixture into the filling hole to mold a shock absorbing rubber layer in the front open chamber of the club head casing through a vulcanization process.

Abstract: Composite golf club heads having high density inserts cast by investment casting of reactive metals such as titanium that result in a high degree of bonding between the head and the insert.

Abstract: A golf putter having a monolithic head consisting of a section of a composite intrusive igneous rock having a generally ellipsoidal flattened shape that has been sliced diagonally. The top of the section is drilled to receive the bottom end of the club shaft.

Abstract: A golf club head improved in its center of gravity has its center of gravity of the face arranged to be located at a point of more than a half height of the face.