Abstract: Provided is a soft golf club head that forms a striking surface with a plurality of strings fixed to a body of the head and a tension adjusting screw to enable adjusting of string tension, so that shock transferred to a golfer is reduced, flight distance of the golf ball can be adjusted, and a broader demography can enjoy golfing with less restrictions.

Abstract: A golf club head having a cavity back design with a cavity therein for placement of lightweight dual-durometer silicone. The club head is prepared by brushing an adhesive onto the interior wall, but omitting a pre-selected area of the wall to allow silicone to shrink away at the omitted area to allow for control of the shrinkage. A first shot of 80 Shore A silicone is placed into the cavity and disposed against the interior wall. Next, a softer 50 Shore A silicone is juxtaposed against the first shot of silicone and it is pressed using a hot mold finishing tool wherein a substantial portion of the cavity is filled. A polycarbonate insert is attached to an outer surface of the second silicone to provide a zero gap appearance. A tan delta ratio of the first silicone to the second silicone is greater than 1.6. A storage modulus of the first silicone is at least three times greater than the second silicone. And, a loss modulus of the first silicone is at least ten times the second silicone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club head having multiple undercuts. The club head includes a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, and a back, and having a heel and a toe. The back contains a cavity. Multiple undercuts in the form of a plurality of recesses are provided within the cavity. The recesses extend away from the cavity. The recesses may be oriented in a variety of ways. In a first arrangement, the recesses are aligned longitudinally to the striking face in a heel-to-toe direction. In a second arrangement, the recesses are recesses are aligned transverse to the striking face in a front-to-back direction and extend in a heel-to-toe direction. In a third arrangement, the plurality of recesses includes both longitudinally arranged and transversely arranged recesses. An insert, such as a weight insert, a dampening insert, or a combination insert, is preferably positioned within each of the recesses.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a golf club head has a body with a front section, a first restrictor of a restrictor mechanism coupled to a first portion of the body, and a weight having a first end coupled to the restrictor mechanism and to the body. The first restrictor has a first stiffness and is non-integral with the weight. Responsive to impact at a first zone of the front section, the first restrictor and the first end of the weight react towards each other, and the first stiffness can resist a deformation of the first restrictor by the first end of the weight. Responsive to impact at a second zone of the front section, the first restrictor and the first end of the weight react away from each other such that the first stiffness is substantially non-involved with first end of the weight. Other examples and related methods are also described herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a golf club head includes a body and a restrictor mechanism coupled to a first portion of the body. The restrictor mechanism can have a base coupled to the first portion of the body, and a weight coupled to the base. The restrictor mechanism can be configured to (1) present a first resistance to a first deformation of the base in response to a rotational inertia of the weight relative to a rotation of the golf club head in a first direction, and (2) present a second resistance to a second deformation of the base in response to the rotational inertia of the weight relative to a rotation of the golf club head in a second direction opposite the first direction, where the first resistance is greater than the second resistance. Other examples and related methods are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body having a ball-striking face and a rear face, the body defining a cavity; (b) a bridge member extending across the cavity, wherein the bridge member is provided to affect, at least in part, a position of a center of gravity of the club head; and (c) a feel altering element provided between the bridge member and the rear face. The feel altering element may affect a wide variety of parameters that relate to the “feel” of the golf club head when it strikes a golf ball, such as the sound produced by the club head during the strike, the vibrational response of the club head during the strike, the swing characteristics of the club head (e.g., weight, center of gravity position, etc.), and the like.

Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body having a ball-striking face and a rear face, the body defining a cavity; (b) a bridge member extending across the cavity, wherein the bridge member is provided to affect, at least in part, a position of a center of gravity of the club head; and (c) a feel altering element provided between the bridge member and the rear face. The feel altering element may affect a wide variety of parameters that relate to the “feel” of the golf club head when it strikes a golf ball, such as the sound produced by the club head during the strike, the vibrational response of the club head during the strike, the swing characteristics of the club head (e.g., weight, center of gravity position, etc.), and the like.

Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a club head body having a ball striking face and defining a rear cavity; (b) a fluid-filled bladder in the cavity; and (c) a retaining member holding the fluid-filled bladder in the cavity. Other club heads include: (a) a club head body having a ball striking face and defining a rear cavity; and (b) an insert member in the rear cavity, wherein the insert member interior includes one or more chambers facing the rear surface of the ball striking face. The chamber(s) may cover at least 30% of a total surface area of the interior surface of the insert member and/or at least 30% of a total interior major surface area of the rear cavity. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.

Abstract: A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a main cavity having at least one auxiliary cavity and a base surface. An insert may be associated with the base surface and may comprise at least two contact elements, with a bridge member disposed therebetween. Different contact elements of the insert may be disposed in separate respective auxiliary cavities, such that each contact element may be associated with the base surface. The bridge member of the insert may be dissociated from the base surface. Moreover, a surface coating may be selectively applied to the head to permit a durable adhesive bond between the insert and the base surface.

Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body member defining an interior chamber; (b) a weight system engaged with a rear perimeter portion of the club head body member; and (c) a connection system connecting the weight system with the club head body (e.g., with the rear of the ball striking face portion). The club heads further may include one or more damping members in the interior chamber to alter the sound and/or otherwise attenuate a vibrational response of the club head. The damping members may extend between the ball striking face and the weight system, and optionally may engage the connection system. The damping member(s) may constitute a foam material compressed within the interior chamber of the club head. Methods of making such golf club head structures also are described.

Abstract: A wood-type golf club head has a hollow structure comprising a face portion having a back surface and a front surface defining a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion. The hollow structure is provided with a hollow and a solid part. The solid part extends forward from the backmost point of the club head by a distance of from 0.08 to 0.20 times the maximum size of the club head in the back-and-forth direction, the hollow extends between the front surface of the solid part and the back surface of the face portion. The main frame of the hollow structure integrally includes the solid part.

Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a club head body having a ball striking face and defining a rear cavity; (b) a fluid-filled bladder in the cavity; and (c) a retaining member holding the fluid-filled bladder in the cavity. Other club heads include: (a) a club head body having a ball striking face and defining a rear cavity; and (b) an insert member in the rear cavity, wherein the insert member interior includes one or more chambers facing the rear surface of the ball striking face. The chamber(s) may cover at least 30% of a total surface area of the interior surface of the insert member and/or at least 30% of a total interior major surface area of the rear cavity. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.

Abstract: A wood-type golf club head includes a metal sole portion, an elastic body and a weight member. At least one recess is defined in the metal sole portion to extend in a front-rear direction over at least half-length of a front-rear length of the sole portion. The elastic body is embedded in the recess. The weight member is fixed to the recess to cover the elastic body. The weight member is flush with the sole portion. A total area of the recess is in a range of 10% to 60% of that of the sole portion.

Abstract: A golf club head is disclosed. The golf club head comprises a main body, a striking plate and a thermoplastic elastic vibration-absorbing material. The main body includes a chamber. The striking plate is disposed on the front side of the main body. The thickness of the striking plate is between 0.76 mm and 2.25 mm. The thermoplastic elastic shock absorber is formed in the chamber of the main body and touches the back of the striking plate, wherein the density of the thermoplastic elastic vibration-absorbing material is between 0.5 g/cm3 and 1.3 g/cm3.

Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body having a ball-striking face and a rear face, the body defining a cavity; (b) a bridge member extending across the cavity, wherein the bridge member is provided to affect, at least in part, a position of a center of gravity of the club head; and (c) a feel altering element provided between the bridge member and the rear face. The feel altering element may affect a wide variety of parameters that relate to the “feel” of the golf club head when it strikes a golf ball, such as the sound produced by the club head during the strike, the vibrational response of the club head during the strike, the swing characteristics of the club head (e.g., weight, center of gravity position, etc.), and the like.

Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs, golf club heads and removable golf club weights are generally described herein. According to certain embodiments, an example golf club head comprises a face for striking a golf ball, a backside portion, a sole portion, and one or more removable weights. According to such embodiments, the example golf club head may further comprise a vibration damping composition disposed between the removable weights and the golf club head.

Abstract: A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a strike face, a rear wall behind the strike face, and a perimeter-weighting element at least partially surrounding the rear wall. The club head may further include an insert, associated with the rear wall and the perimeter-weighting element, having a first portion and a second portion. Preferably, the second portion engages a supplementary component, associated with the perimeter-weighting element and dissociated from the rear wall.

Abstract: A golf club head with sound tuning composite members forming at least a portion of the surface of the golf club head is disclosed herein. The composite members being a composite layer made out of a sandwiched core layer that is interposed inside the midsection of the composite member to provide vibration damping and sound tuning characteristics.

Abstract: A set of iron-type golf clubs includes long irons with channel back configurations and short irons with cavity back configurations. The rear face configurations transition from channel backs through to pure cavity backs for increased performance continuum for the set. Additional design parameters for the set may also be systematically varied through the set, such as groove type and depth, loft angle, cavity volume, hitting face roughness, and sole width. At least one of the clubs of the set includes a sandwich-type construction for the hitting face having a dampening element disposed between a hitting face insert and a lightweight reinforcing core. In one embodiment, at least one club head is oversized.

Abstract: A golf club head 2a of a first aspect is provided with a head body h1a, a double-stick tape w1, and an adherend s1a bonded to the head body h1a by the double-stick tape w1. When an average thickness of a lower part of the adherend s1a is defined as f1 and an average thickness of an upper part of the adherend s1a is defined as f2, the thickness f2 is smaller than the thickness f1. A golf club head 2 according to a second aspect is provided with a head body h1, a double-stick tape w1 and an adherend s1 bonded to the head body h1 by the double-stick tape w1. When an average thickness of a heel part of the adherend s1 is defined as t1 and an average thickness of a toe part of the adherend s1 is defined as t2, the thickness t2 is smaller than the thickness t1.

Abstract: A force dampening and redirection system for use with a golf driver or fairway club head including an elongated handle terminating in a three-dimensional shaped driver or fairway head exhibiting a substantially smooth ball striking face. A vibration dampening and absorbing component, such as an elongated spring, extends within a hollow three dimensional interior associated with the club head. Upon impacting a golf ball offset from a center line associated with the striking face, an off-center striking force is more readily transferred to the spring, both to counteract twisting of the putter head and to reduce vibration of the club face at the ball contact zone, thereby increasing an effective surface area of the striking face creating a perpendicular travel direction of the ball relative to the golf club striking face.

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 (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 having a good impact-absorbing property improved to provide a good hitting feel without deteriorating the repulsion property, which includes a metallic face member 8 including at least a part of face F, and a metallic head body 9 to be joined with face member 8, wherein the face member 8 has back surface 8b, and the head body 9 has receiving surface 12 contacting a periphery 8be of the back surface 8b, and fold-back portion 14 which extends backward of the head from the receiving surface 12 and is folded toward the head center without contacting the back surface 8b so that it has opposite surface 18 facing the back surface 8b and it forms space 13 between them, and wherein at least one impact-absorbing member 15 made of an elastic material is disposed in the space 18 such that a front portion 15a thereof is in contact with the back surface 8b, a rear portion 15b thereof is in contact with the opposite surface 18 and a middle portion thereof between them extends in the space 13 without contact

Abstract: A golf club head in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, may have a higher volume and/or higher strength. The golf club head may also comprise a variously configured and/or detachable face, allowing various faces of differing materials to be attached to the body. A detachable face further allows the head to be tuned via placement/rearrangement of weights within the head to change the center of gravity and moment of inertia.

Abstract: A sports implement in accordance with at least one exemplary implementation includes a golf club head and a force diversion apparatus on the golf club head. The force diversion apparatus may include a force conversion portion configured to redirect at least a portion of a force associated with an object impacting the force diversion apparatus and a strike plate.

Abstract: This invention provides a hollow golf club head having a first viscoelastic body made of a first viscoelastic material and a second viscoelastic body made of a second viscoelastic material with a loss coefficient the temperature dependence of which is different from that of a loss coefficient of the first viscoelastic material.

Abstract: A golf club is provided having improved playing characteristics based upon a multiple material construction. This construction involves a club body in combination with a face insert that defines a hollow channel therebetween. This hollow channel is substantially filled with a heterogeneous viscoelastic material, such as urethane containing tungsten powder. The heterogeneous material is formulated such that the density of the material is varied based upon the location of that material within the hollow channel of the golf club head. In particular, lower density portions of the material are located near the top of the club head, and higher density portions are located near the bottom or sole of the club head. This moves the center of gravity of the club head downward and rearward, yielding improved feel and improved weight distribution and enhancing performance of the club.

Abstract: A head of a first aspect is provided with a head body h1x, a double-stick tape t1, and an adherend s1x bonded to the head body h1x by the double-stick tape t1. The double-stick tape t1 has a first adhesive layer 30 provided as an innermost layer, a second adhesive layer 36 provided as an outermost layer, and intermediate layers 32 and 34 provided between the first adhesive layer 30 and the second adhesive layer 36. The intermediate layer includes a fiber layer 34 and/or a resin layer 32. The resin layer 32 is free of bubbles. In a head of a second aspect, a head body h1y or an adherend s1y has a recessed part 27y. In a head of a third aspect, an adherend s1 has a metal member 27 and an elastic member 29. The elastic member 29 has a peripheral part 29a directly or indirectly abutting on a side surface 31 of the metal member 27.

Abstract: A multi-piece iron-type golf club head with a substantial weight member is disclosed and claimed. The golf club head includes a plurality of body members. A first body member includes a face, a rear surface, and a hosel. A viscoelastic material is attached to the rear surface, and a second body member is attached to the viscoelastic material. The second body member, which may be a weight member, has a substantially larger mass than in known golf clubs. The viscoelastic member may form a substantial part of the club head. The club head may also have a recess located in a top portion thereof between the heel and the toe and extending toward the sole. A low-density insert may be positioned within the recess.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body and a retaining element removably mounted to the body. The retaining element includes a main body and an annular wall extending from a side of the main body of the retaining element. The annular wall defines a compartment for receiving a weight that is retained to the body of the golf club head by the retaining element. A vibration absorbing washer is received in the compartment of the retaining element and mounted to the weight. The vibration absorbing washer absorbs vibration during swing, thereby enhancing assembling reliability of the weight.

Abstract: A set of iron-type golf clubs includes long irons with channel back configurations and short irons with cavity back configurations. The rear face configurations transition from channel backs through to pure cavity backs for increased performance continuum for the set. Additional design parameters for the set may also be systematically varied through the set, such as groove type and depth, loft angle, cavity volume, hitting face roughness, and sole width. At least one of the clubs of the set includes a sandwich-type construction for the hitting face having a dampening element disposed between a hitting face insert and a lightweight reinforcing core. In one embodiment, at least one club head is oversized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for beneficially controlling the impact between a club head and a golf ball are described. A golf club head (such as on a driver, iron, or putter) has a body and a face mechanically supported thereon, wherein the face and body are elastically tailored to create beneficial face motion and deformation at impact. The tailored clubhead compliance is shown to influence impact properties and resulting ball parameters such as speed, direction and spin rates resulting from the impact event between the face of the club and the golf ball. Several embodiments are presented for controlling ball spin through design of the elastic and dynamic response of the face and body under impact loading.

Abstract: A golf club head with a vibration damping insert is disclosed. The club head includes a face member, a damping member, and a body member. The damping member is sandwiched between the face member and the body member and extends along a large percentage of the face member. The damping layer attenuates vibrations, providing consistent feel across the length of the striking face.

Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of a golf club head having at least one rib with an external portion. For example, according to one embodiment, a wood-type golf club head includes a body that has at least one wall defining an interior cavity. The golf club head further includes at least one rib projecting from the at least one wall. The at least one rib can include an internal portion located within the interior cavity and an external portion located without the interior cavity.

Abstract: This invention provides a hollow golf club head including a fixing member which includes a shaft body formed with a threaded portion at one end, and a head portion at the other end of the shaft body, a viscoelastic body having an opening through which the shaft body extends, a recess portion formed in a circumferential wall of the golf club head and in which the viscoelastic body is disposed, and a screw hole formed in a bottom portion of the recess portion and threadably engages with the threaded portion. The viscoelastic body is fixed between the head portion and the bottom portion by threadably engaging the threaded portion with the screw hole.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are muscle-back iron golf clubs that have improved mass qualities to provide higher rotational moments of inertia and lower center of gravity while retaining the workability of muscle-back irons and the size, shape and dimensions preferred by tour players and low handicap players.

Abstract: A golf club head with sound tuning. The golf club head includes a hollow body that defines an interior cavity and at least one tuning member extends across the interior cavity. The tuning member dimensions, stiffness and dampening characteristics are selected to alter the vibration behavior of the golf club head.

Abstract: A club head has a body, a shock-absorber and a plug assembly. The body is hollow and has a rear face, a top face, an inner chamber, an absorber mount and a shaft mount. The inner chamber is defined in the hollow body and has an inner surface. The absorber mount is formed on and protrudes internally from the rear face of the body and has an air hole. The shaft mount is formed through and protrude from the top face of the body. The shock-absorber is hollow and is mounted in the inner chamber of the body and abuts the inner face of the inner chamber. The plug assembly is securely mounted in the absorber mount. Due to the shock-absorber being mounted in the body, the shock-absorber can decrease vibrations of the club due to a player hitting a golf ball.

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. A bimetallic face insert may be used. The outer layer is hard and wear resistant, and the inner layer is softer and may include copper. The outer layer is thin, and the inner layer may be seen in the bottoms of the face grooves. A cavity may be provided underneath the face insert. This cavity may be either empty or filled, such as with a dampening member or a weight member.

Abstract: A golf club is provided having improved playing characteristics based upon a multiple material construction. This construction involves a club body in combination with a face insert that defines a hollow channel therebetween. This hollow channel is substantially filled with a heterogeneous viscoelastic material, such as urethane containing tungsten powder. The heterogeneous material is formulated such that the density of the material is varied based upon the location of that material within the hollow channel of the golf club head. In particular, lower density portions of the material are located near the top of the club head, and higher density portions are located near the bottom or sole of the club head. This moves the center of gravity of the club head downward and rearward, yielding improved feel and improved weight distribution and enhancing performance of the club.

Abstract: At least two golf clubs of a set, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a strike face and a perimeter weighting element disposed behind the strike face. The perimeter weighting element may include an inner peripheral wall having a sole surface, a top surface, a heel surface, and a toe surface. A cavity, having a base surface, may be delimited by the inner peripheral wall and may include an insert disposed therein. The insert may comprise a primary element passively flexurally associated with one or more secondary elements and may be substantially identical for each head within the set. The primary element may be associated with the base surface and the at least one secondary element may be associated with at least one of the sole surface, the top surface, the toe surface, and the heel surface.

Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head having a first viscoelastic body made of a first viscoelastic material and a second viscoelastic body made of a second viscoelastic material with a loss coefficient the temperature dependence of which is different from that of a loss coefficient of the first viscoelastic material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a golf club head having a face insert that is mechanically isolated from the body of the club head involves inserting a face insert into a cavity formed in the body. The face insert is suspended above a bottom wall of the cavity by tabs that rest on the front face of the body. A curable liquid material, such as polyurethane, is injected between the face insert and the cavity. Once the polyurethane is cured, the tabs are machined off leaving a striking surface on the face insert that is flush with the front face of the body. Since the only part of the face insert that was in contact with the body is removed during the machining operation, the face insert is completely isolated from the body by the cured polyurethane.

Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head comprising a head main body, a face plate fixed to a front surface side of the head main body to form a face surface, a cavity portion formed in the head main body and open to a face plate side, and a viscoelastic body inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by the cavity portion and the face plate. An end face on the face plate side of a circumferential wall defining the cavity portion comprises a contacting portion contacting with a rear surface of the face plate, and a non-contacting portion spaced apart from the rear surface of the face plate to form a gap communicating with the cavity portion between the non-contacting portion and the rear surface of the face plate.

Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head having a viscoelastic body, wherein the viscoelastic body is made by mixing a plurality of types of viscoelastic materials with loss coefficients temperature dependences of which are different.

Abstract: A hollow golf club head has a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. Assuming that a primary deflection mode frequency of the face portion is Ff, a primary deflection mode frequency of the crown portion is Fc, and a primary deflection mode frequency of the sole portion is Fs, the Ff, Fc and Fs satisfy the following expressions: 3000 Hz<Ff<4000 Hz; 3000 Hz<Fc<4000 Hz; Fs>4000 Hz. The face portion, the crown portion and the sole portion have no mode frequency of 3000 Hz or less.

Abstract: A golf club head comprises a main body provided with at least two holes and detachable parts attached to said holes, the detachable parts including a weight member and a damper, the weight member having a specific gravity larger than the main body, the damper having a specific gravity different from the weight member and made of elastic material at least partially for absorbing a vibration of the main body, and the damper and the weight member being attached to the holes of the main body so that each position can be exchanged.

Abstract: A multi-piece iron-type golf club head with a substantial weight member is disclosed and claimed. The golf club head includes a plurality of body members. A first body member includes a face, a rear surface, and a hosel. A viscoelastic material is attached to the rear surface, and a second body member is attached to the viscoelastic material. The second body member, which may be a weight member, has a substantially larger mass than in known golf clubs. The viscoelastic member may form a substantial part of the club head. The club head may also have a recess located in a top portion thereof between the heel and the toe and extending toward the sole. A low-density insert may be positioned within the recess.

Abstract: A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft, comprising of a body portion and a crown portion, each portion constructed of a different density material. Combining a high-density material in the body portion, with a low-density material in the crown portion, creates an ultra-low center of gravity relative to the geometric face center, resulting in higher launch angles and spin rate ratios. The material for the crown portion is preferably a composite. A vibration dampening gasket is disposed between the ledge and lip sections of the body and crown respectively.