Abstract: A hollow golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature including at least a toe located stress reducing feature or a heel located stress reducing feature at least partially located on the skirt of the golf club head. The location and size of the stress reducing feature and their relationship to one another play a significant role in selectively increasing deflection of the face.

Abstract: An iron-type golf club head comprising a high strength face plate with a face support is disclosed herein. In particular, the face plate is affixed to a perimeter region and to a face support that extends upwards from the sole proximate a front opening. The face plate preferably is welded to the perimeter region and brazed to the face support to optimize the sound and feel of the golf club head while preserving the strength of the face.

Abstract: A hollow golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature including an aperture located on the crown or sole of the club head. The location and size of the stress reducing feature and aperture, and their relationship to one another, play a significant role in selectively increasing deflection of the face.

Abstract: A muscle-back iron golf club head includes a blade-like upper mass, a muscle-like lower mass, a planar front surface, a top surface, a sole surface, a heel surface, a toe surface, and a rear surface having a first contour. A recess is in the rear surface, the recess having a first portion in the blade-like upper mass and a second portion in the muscle-like lower mass. An insert may be provided in the recess, and such insert may substantially fill the recess and may include a back surface having a second contour which is different from the first contour of the club head rear surface.

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: A golf club head is provided having a body and a face, with a slot in a perimeter region of the body of the club head adjacent the face. The slot increases the flex of the hitting surface on impact with a golf ball, thereby increasing the speed with which the ball rebounds off the hitting face and increases the overall distance the ball is hit. The slot preferably moves the sweet spot of the hitting face a distance X from the face center of the hitting face. The slot may be filled with an insert.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with frequency modulation devices are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A golf club iron having a thin front face which is supported by a biasly connected insert that is inserted into a perimeter groove defined in the body of the club which gives the thin front face added support. The insert has a flange about its perimeter, and the perimeter groove has an opening ledge. The insert flange is slightly larger in thickness than the ledge and when the insert is biasly pushed into the perimeter groove a mechanical connection is created between the insert and the body of the club.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.

Abstract: A wood-type golf club head includes a main body and a striking wall associated with the main body. The striking wall has a striking face including a face center, a first imaginary plane tangent to the face center, and a rear surface opposite the striking face. In a second imaginary plane perpendicular to the first imaginary plane and passing through, the face center, the striking face includes a first point associated with a maximum thickness, tmax, of the striking wall, and a second point associated with a minimum thickness, tmin, of the striking wall, such that a ratio, tmax/tmin, is no less than 1.70. Also, in the second imaginary plane, the striking wall gradually tapers in thickness entirely from the first point to the second point.

Abstract: A putter head has a head main body and a face insert mounted on a face surface of the head main body. The face insert has a slit which is cut in from an end face on a sole or top side of the face insert toward an opposite side thereof. In one embodiment, the slit is cut in from an end face on the sole side of the face insert toward the top side thereof. The slit may be extended obliquely such that the top side of the slit is located forward of the face insert. In another embodiment, the slit is cut in from the side face on the top side of the face insert toward the sole side thereof. The slit may be extended obliquely such that the sole side of the slit is located rearward of the putter head. Any slit may be extended from the side face on a toe side of the face insert to the side face on a heel side thereof. The face inserts may contain viscoelastic material loaded in the slit.

Abstract: A putter-type golf club head having a face insert comprising a metal sheet and a urethane backing is disclosed herein. The metal sheet, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of oval-shaped holes extending through the entire thickness of the sheet and having a specific size and spacing, and the urethane backing has a hardness that optimizes performance of the face insert, and thus the putter.

Abstract: A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face that forms a pocket, wherein the pocket is filled with a secondary material having a lower density to improve the performance of the golf club head. The multi-material face disclosed in accordance with the present invention may generally have a characteristic time slope of greater than about 5 and less than about 50, wherein the characteristic time slope is determined based on the various data points collected according to the United States Golf Association's (USGA's) Characteristic Time (CT) test.

Abstract: An iron type golf club head with improved performance is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses an iron type golf club head having a frontal face portion made out of a lightweight material that is separate and distinct from the material used to form the remaining body portion of the iron type golf club head. The thinner material allows the frontal face portion of the iron type golf club head to be made thinner, yielding improved performance characteristics such as a higher Coefficient of Restitution (COR) of greater than about 0.770, a lower Center of Gravity (CG) location of less than about 5.0 mm from a ground, and a lower primary resonant frequency of less than about 5,000 Hertz.

Abstract: A golf club head with an improved sweet spot, defined as a portion of the striking face that has at least 99.7% of the maximum ballspeed is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club head with a significantly circular sweet spot that encompasses at least about 1.5% of the total striking face. A golf club head in accordance with the present invention may generally have a improved face geometry with an elliptical factor of greater than about 0.5, a beveled transition portion around the striking face of the golf club head, a variable face thickness region with decreases thickness, or even a tilted bulge and roll radius all helping improve the performance of the golf club head.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution.

Abstract: A golf club head (such as a putter head), has a face that includes a ball-contacting region. The ball-contacting region has an inset containing an elastically deformable material and at least one rigid element disposed within the elastically deformable material. When a golf ball is struck, the elastically deformable material compresses and the rigid element imparts overspin to the ball that causes it to roll more accurately.

Abstract: A golf club head with a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a front opening is described. A face insert support structure is located at the front opening. The support structure includes a peripheral member and a rear support member. The rear support member has a front surface and a rear surface. A face insert is attached at the front opening and closes the front opening of the body. An undercut fill structure is attached to a portion of the rear surface of the rear support member.

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 or openings formed therein. This base may be joined with another material (such as a polymer backing material) to form the insert, wherein the backing material at least partially fills the grooves or openings. In some arrangements, the backing material of the insert may be visible at the top and/or bottom surfaces of the putter structures. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.

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, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.

Abstract: Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.

Abstract: A golf club head with a hollow comprises a face portion whose front face defines a clubface for hitting a ball, the face portion comprising a central thicker portion provided in a center region thereof and a peripheral thinner portion provided around the central thicker portion and with a thickness smaller than that of the central thicker portion, the inner surface of the peripheral thinner portion comprising a first region and a second region, the first region being provided with a plurality of first grooves which extend straightly in a certain direction, and the second region being provided with a plurality of second grooves which extend straightly in the different direction of first grooves.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head incorporating a stress reducing feature including a sole located stress reducing feature. The location and size of the sole stress reducing feature, and their relationship to one another and other club head engineering variables, play a significant role in selectively influencing deflection of the face.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to composite articles, and in particular a composite face plate for a golf club-head, and methods for making the same. In certain embodiments, a composite face plate for a club-head is formed with a cross-sectional profile having a varying thickness. The face plate comprises a lay-up of multiple, composite prepreg plies. At least a portion of the plies comprise a plurality of elongated prepreg strips arranged in a predetermined criss-cross pattern in the lay-up. The prepreg strips create one or more areas of increased thickness where the strips overlap each other, thereby creating a desired profile for the plate. Metallic or polymer covers or cover layers can be used to define a striking surface.

Abstract: A golf club head with a face insert that is only partially connected to the body of the golf club head is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club head with a face insert wherein the face insert is only connected to the body of the golf club head at specific engagement portions around the perimeter of the face insert while keeping the remainder of the perimeter unengaged. The golf club head disclosed in accordance with the present invention will allow for removal of excessive weight traditionally needed to connect the face insert to the body of the golf club head, therefore improving the performance of the golf club head.

Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a body and a face insert, with a slot in a perimeter region of the body of the club head adjacent the face insert. The slot increases the flex of the hitting surface on impact with a golf ball, thereby increasing the speed with which the ball rebounds off the hitting face and increases the overall distance the ball is hit. The slot preferably moves the sweet spot of the hitting face a distance X from the face center of the hitting face. The slot may be filled with an elastomeric material.

Abstract: A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face that forms a pocket, wherein the pocket is filled with a secondary material having a lower density to improve the performance of the golf club head. The multi-material face disclosed in accordance with the present invention may generally have a characteristic time slope of greater than about 5 and less than about 50, wherein the characteristic time slope is determined based on the various data points collected according to the United States Golf Association's (USGA's) Characteristic Time (CT) test.

Abstract: A putter-type golf club head having a face insert comprising a metal sheet and a urethane backing is disclosed herein. The metal sheet, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of oval-shaped holes extending through the entire thickness of the sheet and having a specific size and spacing, and the urethane backing has a hardness that optimizes performance of the face insert, and thus the putter.

Abstract: A face for a golf club head is disclosed herein. The face has an interior surface comprising a central region having a first perimeter having an elliptical shape, an outer edge having a non-elliptical, driver-face profile shape, a first intermediate region located between the first perimeter and the outer edge, the first intermediate region having a second perimeter with a shape that is more similar to the shape of the first perimeter than the shape of the outer edge, and a second intermediate region located between the second perimeter and the outer edge, the second intermediate region having a third perimeter with a shape that is more like the shape of the outer edge than the shape of the first perimeter. The thicknesses of the perimeters of the face disclosed herein may vary around their respective circumferences.

Abstract: A golf club has a reverse flex of 110 to 160 mm. The face portion includes a central thick part, a toe-crown-side thin part on a crown-side and on a toe-side of the central thick part, and a heel-sole-side thin part on a sole-side and on a heel-side of the central thick part. In the front view of the head, a first straight line passing an area centroid of the toe-crown-side thin part and an area centroid of a back surface of the face portion has an angle ?A of 10 to 30 degrees, and a second straight line passing an area centroid of the heel-sole-side thin part and the area centroid of the back surface of the face portion has an angle ?B of 36 to 40 degrees, each with respect to the horizontal plane.

Abstract: A putter-type golf club head having a face insert comprising a metal sheet and a urethane backing is disclosed herein. The metal sheet, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of oval-shaped holes having a specific size and spacing, and the urethane backing has a hardness that optimizes performance of the face insert, and thus the putter.

Abstract: A golf club head manufacturing method, including: welding a first reinforcing piece with first thickness to a central portion between a toe and a heel, so as to extend along an edge of a face side of a sole part, the sole part being part of a lower part formed integrally with a side part; welding a second reinforcing piece of second, larger thickness to a central portion between the toe and heel so as to extend along the edge on the face side of the first piece; welding a face part to the first and second pieces from an inner space of the lower part; welding a hosel part to the lower and face parts; welding a crown part to the lower, face and hosel parts; and welding the lower and face parts together from the outside.

Abstract: A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a club head with a deflection mechanism. Other embodiments for related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: A golf club head having a good feel of hitting a ball, comprising a head body 1A having a face 2 for hitting a ball on a front side of the head body and having at least one recess portion 10 in an outer surface 1S thereof except the face 2, and at least one vibration absorbing member made of a viscoelastic material and disposed in the recess portion 10, the recess portion 10 including a bottom surface 10a and a sidewall surface 10b extending from the bottom surface 10a to the outer surface 1S, and the vibration absorbing member 11 being fixed to the bottom surface 10a to provide a free vibration portion 11A extending up to a position corresponding to the outer surface 1S of the head body 1A without coming into contact with the sidewall surface 10b of the recess portion 10.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf club face plates with internal cell lattices are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face includes one or more stiffening members or other structures on the inner surface of the face to provide locally increased stiffness to particular areas of the face. Certain stiffening members may provide greater stiffness than other stiffening members, allowing the face to be configured for areas of greatest stiffness and greatest COR tailored to common impact patterns.

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: A golf club (10) is configured to dissipate kinetic energy during the impact when striking the golf ball, thereby to reduce the quantum of kinetic energy transferred from the golf club (10) to the ball and reducing the distance that the ball travels. The reduction in ball travel encourages the player to use more concentric muscle action at the moment of impact and thus to have better control over the impact. The golf club (10) includes a shaft (18) and a head (14) and the head (14) comprises a support structure (22) that is connected to the shaft (18), and an impact absorbent structure (16) that defines a face (46) of the golf club (10). The impact absorbent structure (16) includes a cushion (48), disposed between the face (46) and the support structure (22) and the cushion (48) is made of a shear thickening material.

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, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.

Abstract: Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.

Abstract: A golf club head enables the initial velocity of a ball to be increased and enables the carry to be lengthened. In some example structures, the golf club includes a face plate formed from metal and club head body (e.g., a crown and sole) formed from fiber reinforced plastic. A weighted body is provided inside the rearmost portion of the golf club head and a low rigidity portion whose width becomes gradually narrower as it approaches the rearmost portion is provided in the crown extending from the vicinity of the face plate to the rearmost portion.

Abstract: A golf club head (20) having optimized ball speed robustness is disclosed. The golf club head (20) preferably has one or more channels (100, 110, 120) disposed proximate to a striking face (40), and in some embodiments the one or more channels (100, 110, 120) substantially encircle the striking face (40).

Abstract: This invention provides a putter head comprising a head body and a face insert mounted on a face surface of the head body. Slits are vertically aligned in multiple stages so as to extend in the face insert in a toe-to-heel direction. A depending portion is provided in the slit on a side of the face surface so as to reduce a vertical dimension of the slit. The slit is filled with a viscoelastic material.

Abstract: Embodiments of club heads with contoured back faces and methods of manufacturing the same are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A golf club head with an increased moment of inertia (MOI) about the X axis and the Z axis. Generally, the MOI about the Z axis is at least about 4400 g·cm2 and the MOI about the X axis is at least about 2500 g·cm2. The radius of the bulge of the club face is increased while the radius of the roll is reduced to compensate for the gear effect produced by the increased MOIs. The bulge curvature is generally between about 0.016 cm?1 and about 0.028 cm?1, and the roll curvature is between about 0.033 cm?1 and about 0.066 cm?1. The roll curvature is greater than the bulge curvature.

Abstract: Golf club and golf club head structures include an inner wall or backstop arranged behind a ball striking surface of the golf club head and defining a gap between the inner wall and a rear surface of the ball striking surface. In some arrangements, the size of the gap may vary along a heel-to-toe length of the inner wall or backstop. For instance, the size of the gap may gradually increase from a first end of the inner wall toward a central region of the inner wall, and may gradually decrease from the central region toward a second end of the inner wall. In some examples, the inner wall or backstop may be connected to the golf club head, for instance, at a first end and/or a second end.

Abstract: Iron-type golf club heads are disclosed having a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. The iron-type golf club heads include a flexible boundary structure (“FBS”) that is provided at one or more locations on the club head. The flexible boundary structure may comprise, in several embodiments, a slot, a channel, a gap, a thinned or weakened region, or other structure that enhances the capability of an adjacent or related portion of the golf club head to flex or deflect and to thereby provide a desired improvement in the performance of the golf club head.

Abstract: A putter head includes a head main body having a depressed portion and a face insert disposed within the depressed portion so that the face insert is mounted in a face surface of the head main body. The face insert includes at least one low hardness portion and at least one high hardness portion. The face insert has a boundary face between the at least one low hardness portion and the at least one high hardness portion which is inclined relative to a back-to-forth direction of the putter head. The boundary face may decline toward the rear or may rise toward the rear. The face insert may comprise a plurality of the low hardness portions and a plurality of the high hardness portions so that the low and high hardness portions are arranged vertically in multiple layers. The sectional shapes taken perpendicularly to the back-to-forth direction of the high hardness portion and the low hardness portion may be substantially of a right triangle.