Golf club with high moment of inertia

• US 7,674,187 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Hocknell, Alan, Stevens, Daniel M., Cackett, Matthew T., Williams, Luke R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/501,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473316-323, 473300-303, 473287-292, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club (40) has a golf club head with a large mass, relatively short club length and a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 5000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club head (42) preferably has a volume ranging from 400 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (42) preferably has a moment of inertia about the Ixx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club (40) preferably has an inertia ratio greater than 0.0019.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a volume ranging from 400 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 210 grams to 250 grams, a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranging from 4700 grams-centimeters squared to 6000 grams-centimeters squared, and a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.81 to 0.94;

a shaft connected to a heel end of the golf club head, the shaft having a mass ranging from 50 grams to 90 grams; and

a grip disposed on a butt end of the shaft, the grip having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 50 grams;

wherein the golf club has a length ranging from 42 inches to 44 inches;

wherein the golf club has an inertia ratio of the Izz moment of inertia of the golf club head about the Z axis through a center of gravity of the golf club head divided by a golf club Iyy moment of inertia of the entire golf club taken at the butt end of the shaft that is greater than 0.00230.

2. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranging 4900 grams-centimeters squared to 6000 grams-centimeters squared.

3. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranging 5000 grams-centimeters squared to 6000 grams-centimeters squared.

4. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a mass of 220 grams to 250 grams.

5. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head comprises:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component comprising a striking plate portion and a return portion, the return portion extending a distance ranging from 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion; and

a substantially square aft-body coupled to the return portion of the face component, the aft-body composed of a non-metal material having a density less than that of the first material, the aft-body comprising a crown portion, a sole portion, the sole portion having a bottom section and a ribbon section, the ribbon section being located between the crown portion and the bottom section of the sole portion;

wherein the golf club head is substantially square.

6. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the golf club has a loft angle of thirteen degrees.