Abstract: A golf club with a rigid shaft band is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club with a rigid shaft band that is placed at a precise location on the shaft itself, utilizing a precise taper within the internal surface of the rigid shaft band to control the location. Even more specifically, the rigid shaft band may be placed at a distance that is greater than about 1 inch and less than about 3 inches away from the butt end of the golf club with a tapered internal surface of greater than about 0.573 degrees and less than about 1.146 degrees.

Abstract: A golf club head designed for an open face approach is provided. Several factors encountered when hitting a ball from an open face position are addressed by the disclosed club head. As a result, precision, spin rate, loft, and stopping power are significantly improved from an open face strike. The club head includes a club face having a plurality of parallel, non-intersecting grooves extending across the club face and offset at an angle to optimize backspin and minimize sidespin when a ball is struck in the toe region. The club head also provides a sole and/or trailing edge designed to accommodate an open face position and to avoid “thinned” shots.

Abstract: A golf club that picks up a golf ball, sets the golf ball on a tee and may be used to hit the golf ball by providing an opening in the golf club head for entrance of the golf ball which through a series of inclining and declining planes and bumpers the ball rolls into the back of the golf club via a push down motion, thence the golf club can be picked up, held above the tee, and with a turn of the wrist the golf ball can be set upon the tee for driving by the same golf club.

Abstract: An improved golf club wedge configured for reliable ball contact out of deep rough and other difficult lies, employs a striking surface leading edge that precedes the hosel by a significant onset. Nevertheless, the wedge hereof hits the golf ball along a lower and longer trajectory than its closest predecessor by reducing the distance from the hosel/face center line to that leading edge along both the striking face and the sole. Moreover, the wedge of the present invention uses a bigger bounce as well, which gives the head a more acceptable appearance and makes it more compatible with other clubs in a set of golf clubs.

Abstract: A golf club head with improved striking face performance is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club head having a thickened central region surrounded by an internal and an external transition region; wherein the thickened central region has an inner perimeter that takes on a shape that substantially resembles the shape of an outer perimeter of the striking face of the golf club head.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head made of metal includes a face portion, a sole portion, a side portion, and a crown portion. The crown portion and at least a part of the side portion have a Young's modulus lower than the face portion and the sole portion.

Abstract: Sports training apparatuses, systems and methods for allowing a golf club user to estimate the trajectory and distance of a golf ball once it has been impacted with the golf club. One embodiment includes a golf club made up of a head, a ferrule, a shaft and a grip wherein one or more markings are positioned on said head, ferrule, shaft or grip or any combination of the head, ferrule, shaft and grip so the one or more markings may be used for monitoring and aiding in the improvement of the player's performance. The markings may be positioned at one or more locations about the external surface of one or more portions of the golf club including the head, the ferrule, the hosel, the shaft, and the grip. In other embodiments, additional markings may be used in conjunction with the first set of markings.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at a quick release connection system to facilitate customization of golf clubs. It can be used to interchange soleplates quickly and easily. Teeth are disposed on the inside of a frame so that a soleplate may be inserted with minimal resistance, but cannot be removed without specific steps which may require the use of a simple tool. Strengthening and interlock devices are provided to ensure performance quality akin to traditional golf clubs.

Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.

Abstract: The accuracy or computation speed of analysis of a club head using the finite element method is improved. In a method of analysis of a golf club head, a model of the golf club head represented by a set of elements including tetrahedral solid elements 30 is prepared on a computer, nodes 32 are provided at the vertexes and on at least one side of the tetrahedral solid element, and the kinetic properties of the golf club head are computed by the finite element method in which the elements and nodes of the model are used and the nodes are made output points of computation. At this time, in at least some of the tetrahedral solid elements, the number of nodes provided per one element is made not fewer than ten.

Abstract: A protective cover for a golf club, such as a driver or wood, is disclosed that remains in place during play to prevent scuffing, scratching, and the like of the surface finish. The golf club includes a head having a striking face portion and a non-planar body portion, and a shaft extending from the head. The protective cover includes a one-piece continuous polymeric film that closely conforms to the shape of at least a portion of the non-planar body portion of the golf club head, such as the entire crown, and a layer of adhesive adhering the polymeric film to the club head. The polymeric film preferably does not cover the face portion of the golf club head so that it has minimal impact on the performance of the golf club. A method of applying the protective cover to the club head is also disclosed.

Abstract: The accuracy or computation speed of analysis of a club head using the finite element method is increased. In a method of analysis of a golf club head, a model of a golf club head represented by the collection of elements including polygonal shell elements 30 each having three or four vertexes is prepared on a computer, six or more nodes 32 are provided at the vertexes and on at least one side of the element, and the kinetic properties of the golf club head are computed by the finite element method in which the elements and nodes of the model are used and the nodes are made output points of computation.

Abstract: An iron golf club head includes a hosel part embedded member installed in a hosel part thereof, a sole part embedded member installed in a sole part thereof, and a top part embedded member installed in an upper portion of a face part of thereof. In a shank part (neck part) connecting the hosel part to the body part, a connecting embedded member for connecting the hosel part embedded member to the sole part embedded member is installed. These embedded members are covered with a synthetic resin layer. The hosel part embedded member and the connecting embedded member each are preferably made of a metal.

Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body including heel, toe, crown, sole, and weighted rear portions; and (b) a variable thickness ball striking face. The club head body parts and weighted portion(s) may be arranged such that the club head has a moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity of at least 5000 g-cm2. Such club heads may include: (a) a cup face member including a ball striking face portion and a return portion; (b) sole and crown portions engaged with the return portion; (c) a rear body member engaged with the crown and/or sole portions; (d) a weight member at the club head rear; and/or (e) a hosel member engaged with the cup face member, the crown portion, and/or the sole portion. Methods of making such club heads also are described.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a skirt extending between the crown and the sole and between the toe and the heel. The club head includes a drag-reducing structure that may include one or both of a continuous groove extending from a front portion to a rear edge of the toe, and along an entire length of the skirt, and a substantially V-shaped recess formed in the sole and having a vertex positioned proximate the ball striking face and the heel and away from the skirt and the toe, and a pair of legs extending to a point proximate the toe and away from the ball striking face, and curving toward the skirt and away from the ball striking face.

Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves formed therein. This base may be joined with another material to form the insert. In some arrangements, the insert may be a two-sided, reversible construction and may have different performance characteristics associated with each side of the insert. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for treating a surface of a first golf club head component with a plasma treatment prior to bonding a second golf club head component to the plasma-treated surface of the first golf club head component.

Abstract: A golf club head is disclosed. The golf club head has a body member and a face insert formed of different materials. The body material is relatively soft and ductile to allow the club to be customized, and the face insert member is relatively hard and wear resistant to ensure that the face groove geometry remains substantially unaltered through use.

Abstract: A golf club or component thereof has a surface, wherein at least one area of the surface has a level of hydrophilicity which is less than the level of hydrophilicity in at least one surrounding portion, causing moisture to be preferentially attracted to the surrounding portion. In one aspect, the surface is a striking face and the surrounding portion is one or more grooves formed in the striking face. In another aspect, the surface is a grip and the surrounding portion is one or more channels formed in the grip. In some examples, hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces on golf club components repel water and, in some instances, also offer self-cleaning functionality.

Abstract: A golf club or component thereof has a surface, wherein at least one area of the surface has a level of hydrophilicity which is less than the level of hydrophilicity in at least one surrounding portion, causing moisture to be preferentially attracted to the surrounding portion. In one aspect, the surface is a striking face and the surrounding portion is one or more grooves formed in the striking face. In another aspect, the surface is a grip and the surrounding portion is one or more channels formed in the grip. In some examples, hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces on golf club components repel water and, in some instances, also offer self-cleaning functionality.

Abstract: A weight piece (14) containing 15 wt. % or greater of iron and tungsten, and having a specific gravity of 9 or larger, larger than a material of a head body (10) made of steel or pure iron, is joined to the head body (10) by welding.

Abstract: Fine-grained (average grain size 1 nm to 1,000 nm) metallic coatings optionally containing solid particulates dispersed therein. The fine-grained metallic materials are significantly harder and stronger than conventional coatings of the same chemical composition due to Hall-Petch strengthening and have low linear coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). The CTE of the fine-grained metallic coating is matched to the one of the substrate by adjusting the composition of the alloy and/or by varying the chemistry and volume fraction of particulates embedded in the coating. The fine-grained metallic coatings are particularly suited for strong and lightweight articles, precision molds, sporting goods, automotive parts and components exposed to thermal cycling. The low CTEs and the ability to match the CTEs of the fine-grained metallic coatings with the CTEs of the substrate minimize dimensional changes during thermal cycling and prevent premature failure.

Abstract: A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.

Abstract: A golf putter with a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel, or the coupling member may be adjustable such that the longitudinal axes are not parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user's view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting. Thus, putter disclosed and claimed herein provides both offset and a putting alignment aide.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center, a bottom portion, a top portion including an exterior surface, a hosel including an imaginary vertical hosel plane, a forwardmost point, and a rearwardmost point. In an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the hosel plane and passing through the face center, the exterior surface includes a path having a first point and a second point rearward of the first point. An imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first point and the second point, but does not penetrate the exterior surface. A segment of the imaginary straight line is delimited by the first point and the second point. A maximum distance between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.70 mm and a distance between the first point and the second point is no less than 22 mm.

Abstract: Golf club heads include white diffusing top surfaces to aid in club head alignment. Wood type club heads also include a dark diffusing club face so that a crown/face border is emphasized. Scorelines in wood type clubs can be provided with an intermediate contrast surface, and can be displaced from club face center to accommodate player perception when confronted with a white diffusing crown. Putter heads can include dark diffusing alignment lines, and iron-type club heads can include white diffusing surfaces at a sole portion of a club face, at a top line, or a top portion of a club face.

Abstract: A golf club head having a translucent insert disclosed. The club head includes a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a back, a heel, and a toe. The back contains a cavity that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the face. A recess is provided within the cavity, with the recess extending away from the cavity and toward the sole. A translucent insert, such as a vibration dampening member, may be provided within the recess. The insert may contain secondary inserts, such as weight members, therein in strategic locations. The insert may completely fill the recess, or may fill only a portion thereof.

Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a filling material, which may be in the form of an insert, connected to a rear surface of the face. The filling material may fill in a thinned portion of the face, which may form a recess on the rear surface of the face that receives the filling material. The filling material has a density that is lower than the density of the face material. Depending on the size, shape, and location of the filling material, the weight distribution, the moment of inertia, and/or the center of gravity of the face may change.

Abstract: A golf club head having a body, a hosel, and a bolt that connects the hosel to the body such that the hosel can rotate around the bolt is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a worm gear engages gear teeth located at an interface of the hosel and the body, and turning the worm gear causes the hosel to rotate around the bolt. In another embodiment, a circular wedge is disposed between the hosel and the body, and rotating the circular wedge around the bolt changes the orientation of the hosel with respect to the body.

Abstract: A golf club or component thereof has a surface, wherein at least one area of the surface has a level of hydrophilicity which is less than the level of hydrophilicity in at least one surrounding portion, causing moisture to be preferentially attracted to the surrounding portion. In one aspect, the surface is a striking face and the surrounding portion is one or more grooves formed in the striking face. In another aspect, the surface is a grip and the surrounding portion is one or more channels formed in the grip. In some examples, hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces on golf club components repel water and, in some instances, also offer self-cleaning functionality.

Abstract: Golf clubs and/or golf club heads include a club head body defining an interior chamber, structure for engaging a shaft with the body, and/or a shaft engaged with the body. The club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.5 inches and an overall breadth of at least 4.2 inches. In other examples, the club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.6 inches and a ratio of the overall breadth dimension to the overall length dimension of 1 or less. If desired, the ratio of the head breadth to head length dimensions may be in a range from at least 0.94 to 1 or less.

Abstract: The performance of a golf club is enhanced through the provision of a void space behind a face plate and above a sole portion, to decrease club weight and provide single, or combinations, of selectable weighting elements within volumetric coordinates of an orthonormal matrix about the void space and entire club. The weighted coordinates are provided in response to ball strike, flight analysis and physiologic observation of the golf strike swing. Ball backspin, trajectory, penetration hook or slice, and ballooning may be modified through the use of definable combinations of weighting strategies and sub-strategies.

Abstract: A golf club head has a face portion and a body portion. The face portion has a support frame, a matrix structure attached to and contained within the support frame, and a face material surrounding the matrix structure. In some aspects, the matrix structure may be a racquet structure that is tensioned to influence performance characteristics. The face material may be a metal, polymer, ceramic, or a combination thereof, and may be encapsulated over the matrix structure by suitable techniques such as coating, dipping, or molding processes such as injection molding or metal injection molding (MIM). In some aspects, the face material is lighter than the body portion of the club head, to concentrate mass away from the striking face, e.g., as in cup face technology.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of identifying an antinode of a primary vibration mode of the golf club head having a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a side portion. A viscoelastic body is to be mounted in at least one of the face portion, crown portion, sole portion, and side portion. The viscoelastic body is mounted in a part of a portion where the viscoelastic body is to be mounted, the part corresponding to an antinode of a primary vibration mode.

Abstract: A golf club having a head is disclosed. The head comprises a base layer and a compounded transfer layer. The base layer has a coupling face. The compounded transfer layer is formed on the coupling face of the base layer. The compounded transfer layer has a dye layer and a protection layer. The dye layer is sandwiched between the base layer and the protection layer.

Abstract: Certain disclosed embodiments concern making sports equipment, such as golf club heads, using polishing marks to facilitate removing material from as-cast work pieces to produce a final thickness within a desired specification, such as 0.6 millimeter or less ±0.05 millimeter. At least one polish mark, more typically plural polish marks, is formed into an outer surface of an as-cast article to a depth selected to provide a final product thickness subsequent to polishing that is ±0.05 millimeter of a final desired thickness. The golf club head or component is then polished at least once to remove club head material substantially corresponding to the depth of the at least one polish mark. The method may further comprise joining the club head to a shaft.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with a three-dimensional alignment member and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with a three-dimensional alignment member and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with hosel weights are disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also presented herein.

Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a body that has an address position with a zero degree bounce portion on the sole and a center sole position with a multi-relief surface of the sole having a negative bounce portion. The negative bounce portion may comprise a negative 0.5 to a negative 4.0 degree surface. In one embodiment, the multi-relief surface may comprise the negative bounce portion and a cutaway portion extending to the back of the sole, which may have a depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 inch from a regular sole surface. In another embodiment, the golf club head includes a weight system to adjust the center of gravity. In one embodiment, the weight system is a tube having a weight at one end that may be inserted into the golf club head to move the center of gravity at least forward and backward within 6 mm and up and down within 6 mm. Preferably, the tube is angled downward toward the face by at least 3 degrees.

Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, a main body member connected to the face and having an engagement surface located in the rear side, a removable body member removably connected to the main body member, and a connecting element removably connecting the removable body member to the main body member. The connecting element includes a moveable engaging member that is moveable between a locked position, where the engaging member engages the engagement surface to retain the removable body member to the main body member, and an unlocked position, where the engaging member does not engage the engagement surface and the removable body member is removable from the main body member.

Abstract: Golf club, golf club shaft and golf club head structures are presented. The golf club may include an adjustable shaft configured to be received in a slot formed in a crown of the golf club head. In some examples, the slot may include a plurality of receivers, such as apertures, configured to receive the shaft in various positions along the length of the slot. The various positions may be progressively closer to a central area of the ball striking surface in order to increase the power transferred to the ball upon striking it.

Abstract: A sweetspot golf club assembly is designed to help a golfer to drive a golf ball further and to its target more accurately , because of its sweet spot location on the face of the club head and its shaft location at the club head. The sweetspot is where the center-line of the head will pierce the face of the head. The club shaft is attached to the head so its center-line will intersect the center-line of the club head . The center-line of the club head is established by constructing a line from the center of gravity of the head to a perpendicular line that is on the flat face of the head , and is parallel to the ground line, and at the same height to the center of gravity of the head. This club head includes a high lighted straight line on top of a fore and aft rib that is above , and parallel , and on center with the center-line of the club head .

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a modular golf club. In particular, golf club includes a plurality of components that are removably coupled so that the physical attributes of the golf club head may be tuned. The inventive golf club head includes a body member and at least one of a removable sole member and a removable face member.

Abstract: A golf club with an improved interchangeable hosel is disclosed herein. More specifically, the improved interchangeable hosel is independent of the golf club head as well as the shaft; and has a non-threaded connection mechanism that releasably connects the shaft to the golf club head quickly and easily. The non-threaded connection mechanism disclosed in accordance with the present invention may generally utilize a circumferentially constricting clamping force to secure the shaft of the golf club to the head of the golf club.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus adapted for use with an assistive energy type golf club which is safe to use, inconspicuous, and able to release sufficient assistive energy at the optimum time during a golf swing to add prescribed incremental velocity to a golf ball.

Abstract: A sport set (10) and methods for golf club identification are provided. The sports set (10) includes a plurality of clubs (10 and 12) with each club (10 or 12) or subset of the plurality of clubs (10 or 12) provided with a distinguishing surface configuration on at least a portion of the exterior surface of head (18) to enable a golfer to visually distinguish between each club (10 or 12) or between subsets of clubs (10 or 12).

Abstract: A golf club having a bent hosel. The hosel is approximately five inches long and the bend is approximately centered on the hosel. The hosel is connected to the golf club base to angle toward the golfer. At its middle, or approximately two and one half inches above the golf club base, the hosel is bent away from the golfer to a nearly vertical angle. The shaft of the golf club is connected to the upper portion of the bent hosel causing the shaft to continue at the nearly vertical angle. The novel angling of the hosel and shaft allow an average golfer to consistently hit straighter shots beginning with a putter, but including golf irons and golf woods.

Abstract: A golf club head in which a top surface of the body includes an actual top surface visible profile region and a varied top surface visible profile region is provided. The varied top surface visible profile region may provide a visual impression of a varied profile of the body distinct from an actual profile of the body. The visual impression is oriented in a manner that allows the golfer to address the ball at the heel region of the golf club. The perimeter of the top surface visible profile region may be complementary in shape to the perimeter of the top surface of the body and the varied top surface visible profile region and the actual top surface visible profile region may be distinct in shape, size, color, and/or finish etc. An associated golf club and a method for fitting a golf club are also provided.