Golf club set providing improved distance gapping adjustability

• US 9,333,400 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Girard, Justin M., Burnett, Michael Scott, Sulak, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/227,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20140206469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/026 loft angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

A set of golf clubs having a degree of adjustability to provide improved distance gapping across the transition from a curved face golf club head to a flat face golf club head.

Claims

1. A set of golf clubs, comprising:

A) a first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club having;

(I) a first curved face golf club head having;

(a) a first curved face positioned at a first front portion of the first curved face golf club head where the first curved face golf club head impacts a golf ball, wherein the first curved face has a first design loft of at least 15 degrees and no more than 42.5 degrees, and wherein the first curved face includes a first engineered impact point, and a first rear portion opposite the first curved face;

(b) a first sole positioned at a first bottom portion of the first curved face golf club head;

(c) a first crown positioned at a first top portion of the first curved face golf club head;

(d) a first skirt positioned around a portion of a periphery of the first curved face golf club head between the first sole and the first crown, wherein the first curved face, first sole, first crown, and first skirt define a first outer shell that further defines a first head volume that is at least 40 cubic centimeters and less than 130 cubic centimeters;

(e) a first hosel with a first bore having a first center that defines a first shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define a first origin point, wherein the first bore is located at a first heel side of the first curved face golf club head, and wherein a first toe side of the first curved face golf club head is located opposite of the first heel side;

(II) a first shaft having a first proximal end and a first distal end;

(III) a first adjustability system including a first shaft sleeve attached to an end of the first shaft that adjustably cooperates with the first hosel of the first curved face golf club head and capable of adjusting the first design loft to a first weak loft, thereby defining a first loft adjustability range, wherein the mass properties of the first curved face golf club head with the first adjustability system installed produce a first center of gravity (CG) located;

(a) vertically toward the first top portion of the first curved face golf club head from the first origin point a first distance Ycg;

(b) horizontally from the first origin point toward the first toe side of the first curved face golf club head a first distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the first curved face and the ground plane (GP);

(c) a first distance Zcg from the first origin toward the first rear portion in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure the first Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure the first Xcg; and

(d) thereby defining a first club moment arm measured from the first CG to the first engineered impact point;

(IV) a first grip attached to the first shaft proximal end; and

(V) wherein the first curved face golf club has a first club length of at least 36 inches and no more than 42 inches;

B) a first flat face golf club having;

(I) a first flat face golf club head having;

(a) a first flat face positioned at a first flat face front portion of the first flat face golf club head where the first flat face golf club head impacts a golf ball, wherein the first flat face has a first flat face loft of at least 2 degrees greater than the first design loft, and wherein the first flat face includes a first flat face engineered impact point and defines a first flat face club moment arm, and a first flat face rear portion opposite the first flat face;

(b) a first flat face club head volume that is less than 90 cubic centimeters;

(c) a first flat face hosel with a first flat face bore having a first flat face center that defines a first flat face shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define a first flat face origin point, wherein the first flat face bore is located at a first flat face heel side of the first flat face golf club head, and wherein a first flat face toe side of the first flat face golf club head is located opposite of the first flat face heel side;

(II) a first flat face shaft having a first flat face proximal end and a first flat face distal end;

(III) a first flat face grip attached to the first flat face shaft proximal end; and

(IV) wherein the first flat face golf club has a first flat face club length of at least 36inches and no more than 42 inches;

C) wherein the first weak loft is no less than 1.5 degrees less than the first flat face loft; and

D) wherein a difference between the first club moment arm and the first flat face club moment arm is less than 0.300 inches and the first flat face club moment arm is at least 60% of the first club moment arm.

2. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club has a first curved face performance indicator and the first flat face golf club has a first flat performance indicator, and the first flat face performance indicator is within 20% of the first curved face performance indicator.

3. The set of golf clubs of claim 2, wherein the first curved face performance indicator is no greater than the first flat face performance indicator.

4. The set of golf clubs of claim 3, wherein the first curved face performance indicator is at least 5% less than the first flat face performance indicator.

5. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the difference between the first club moment arm and the first flat face club moment arm is less than 0.250 inches and the first flat face club moment arm is 75%-95% of the first club moment arm.

6. The set of golf clubs of claim 5, wherein the difference between the first club moment arm and the first flat face club moment arm is less than 0.200 inches and the first flat face club moment arm is 80%-90% of the first club moment arm.

7. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the first weak loft is equal to, or greater than, the first flat face loft.

8. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club is adjustable in length and the first adjustability system further includes:

a) a first hosel sleeve configured to cooperate with the first hosel and receive the first shaft sleeve;

b) wherein in a first minor length configuration the first shaft sleeve is releasably secured to the first curved face golf club head producing a first curved face minor club length;

c) wherein in a first intermediate length configuration the first shaft sleeve and the first hosel sleeve are releasably secured to the first curved face golf club head producing a first curved face intermediate length;

d) the first intermediate length is at least 0.25 inch greater than the first minor length; and

e) the first minor length is within 0.5 inch, or less, of the first flat face club length.

9. The set of golf clubs of claim 8, wherein the first intermediate length is at least 0.5 inch greater than the first minor length.

10. The set of golf clubs of claim 8, wherein the first minor length is within 0.25 inch, or less, of the first flat face club length.

11. The set of golf clubs of claim 8, wherein the first adjustability system further includes a first minor length weight system and a first intermediate length weight system, wherein a first minor length swing weight of the first curved face golf club at the first minor length is equal to the first intermediate length swing weight of the first curved face golf club head at the first intermediate length;

and wherein the first minor length weight system produces a first minor length center of gravity (CGm) and a first minor length moment of inertia, and the first intermediate length weight system produces a first intermediate length center of gravity (CGi) and a first intermediate length moment of inertia; and

wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 percent of the first minor length moment of inertia; and

wherein the first minor length swing weight and the first intermediate length swing weight are equal to a first flat face golf club swing weight.

12. The set of golf clubs of claim 11, wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 percent of a first flat face club head moment of inertia.

13. The set of golf clubs of claim 11, wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates of a first intermediate length center of gravity (CGi) are all within 15 percent of the X, Y, and Z coordinates of a first minor length center of gravity (CGm);

and wherein the first minor length weight system produces a first minor length moment of inertia, and the first intermediate length weight system produces a first intermediate length moment of inertia; and

wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 mpercent of the first minor length moment of inertia and a first flat face club head moment of inertia.

14. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club is adjustable in lie from a first curved face design lie angle to a first curved face upright lie angle, and the first curved face upright lie angle is at least as great as a first flat face lie angle.

15. The set of golf clubs of claim 1, wherein the first head volume that is at least 80 cubic centimeters and less than 120 cubic centimeters, the first club moment arm is 0.7-0.9 inches, the first design loft is twenty to thirty degrees, the first flat face loft is twenty to thirty degrees, the first curved face adjustable hybrid golf club is adjustable in lie from a first curved face design lie angle to a first curved face upright lie angle that is at least 0.5 degrees greater than the first curved face design lie angle, a first curved face golf club head moment of inertia around an axis through the CG, parallel to a Y-axis, is 2200-3000 g*cm², a first flat face golf club head moment of inertia around an axis through the CG, parallel to a Y-axis, is 2200-3000 g*cm², and the first curved face golf club head moment of inertia is within 15 percent of the first flat face golf club head moment of inertia.

16. The set of golf clubs of claim 15, wherein the first week loft is at least 2 degrees more than the first design loft, and the first curved face design lie angle to a first curved face upright lie angle that is at least 1.0 degrees greater than the first curved face design lie angle.

17. The set of golf clubs of claim 15, wherein the first flat face club head volume is 45-75% of first head volume, and the first flat face club moment arm is 0.5-0.6 inches.

18. A set of golf clubs, comprising:

A) a first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club having;

(I) a first curved face golf club head having;

(a) a first curved face positioned at a first front portion of the first curved face golf club head where the first curved face golf club head impacts a golf ball, wherein the first curved face has a first design loft of at least 15 degrees and no more than 42.5 degrees, and wherein the first curved face includes a first engineered impact point, and a first rear portion opposite the first curved face;

(b) a first sole positioned at a first bottom portion of the first curved face golf club head;

(c) a first crown positioned at a first top portion of the first curved face golf club head;

(d) a first skirt positioned around a portion of a periphery of the first curved face golf club head between the first sole and the first crown, wherein the first curved face, first sole, first crown, and first skirt define an first outer shell that further defines a first head volume that is at least 40 cubic centimeters and less than 130cubic centimeters;

(e) a first hosel with a first bore having a first center that defines a first shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define a first origin point, wherein the first bore is located at a first heel side of the first curved face golf club head, and wherein a first toe side of the first curved face golf club head is located opposite of the first heel side;

(II) a first shaft having a first proximal end and a first distal end;

(III) a first adjustability system including a first shaft sleeve attached to an end of the first shaft that adjustably cooperates with the first hosel of the first curved face golf club head and capable of adjusting the first design loft to a first weak loft, thereby defining a first loft adjustability range, wherein the mass properties of the first curved face golf club head with the first adjustability system installed produce a first center of gravity (CG) located;

(a) vertically toward the first top portion of the first curved face golf club head from the first origin point a first distance Ycg;

(b) horizontally from the first origin point toward the first toe side of the first curved face golf club head a first distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the first curved face and the ground plane (GP);

(c) a first distance Zcg from the first origin toward the first rear portion in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure the first Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure the first Xcg; and

(d) thereby defining a first club moment arm measured from the first CG to the first engineered impact point;

(IV) a first grip attached to the first shaft proximal end; and

(V) wherein the first curved face golf club has a first club length of at least 36 inches and no more than 42 inches;

B) a first flat face golf club having;

(I) a first flat face golf club head having;

(a) a first flat face positioned at a first flat face front portion of the first flat face golf club head where the first flat face golf club head impacts a golf ball, wherein the first flat face has a first flat face loft of at least 2 degrees greater than the first design loft, and wherein the first flat face includes a first flat face engineered impact point and defines a first flat face club moment arm, and a first flat face rear portion opposite the first flat face;

(b) a first flat face club head volume that is less than 90 cubic centimeters;

(c) a first flat face hosel with a first flat face bore having a first flat face center that defines a first flat face shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define a first flat face origin point, wherein the first flat face bore is located at a first flat face heel side of the first flat face golf club head, and wherein a first flat face toe side of the first flat face golf club head is located opposite of the first flat face heel side;

(II) a first flat face shaft having a first flat face proximal end and a first flat face distal end;

(III) a first flat face grip attached to the first flat face shaft proximal end; and

(IV) wherein the first flat face golf club has a first flat face club length of at least 36inches and no more than 42 inches;

C) wherein the first weak loft is no less than 1.5 degrees less than the first flat face loft; and

D) wherein the first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club is adjustable in length and the first adjustability system further includes;

(I) a first hosel sleeve configured to cooperate with the first hosel and receive the first shaft sleeve;

(II) wherein in a first minor length configuration the first shaft sleeve is releasably secured to the first curved face golf club head producing a first curved face minor club length;

(III) wherein in a first intermediate length configuration the first shaft sleeve and the first hosel sleeve are releasably secured to the first curved face golf club head producing a first curved face intermediate length;

(IV) the first intermediate length is at least 0.25 inch greater than the first minor length;

(V) the first minor length is within 0.5 inch, or less, of the first flat face club length; and

(VI) a first minor length weight system and a first intermediate length weight system, wherein a first minor length swing weight of the first curved face golf club at the first minor length is equal to the first intermediate length swing weight of the first curved face golf club head at the first intermediate length; and

wherein the first minor length weight system produces a first minor length center of gravity (CGm) and a first minor length moment of inertia, and the first intermediate length weight system produces a first intermediate length center of gravity (CGi) and a first intermediate length moment of inertia, and wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 percent of the first minor length moment of inertia, and wherein the first minor length swing weight and the first intermediate length swing weight are equal to a first flat face golf club swing weight.

19. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the first curved face adjustable loft hybrid golf club has a first curved face performance indicator and the first flat face golf club has a first flat performance indicator, and the first flat face performance indicator is within 20% of the first curved face performance indicator.

20. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein a difference between the first club moment arm and the first flat face club moment arm is less than 0.300 inches and the first flat face club moment arm is at least 60% of the first club moment arm.

21. The set of golf clubs of claim 20, wherein the difference between the first club moment arm and the first flat face club moment arm is less than 0.250 inches and the first flat face club moment arm is 75%-95% of the first club moment arm.

22. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the first weak loft is equal to, or greater than, the first flat face loft.

23. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the first intermediate length is at least 0.5 inch greater than the first minor length.

24. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the first minor length is within 0 25 inch, or less, of the first flat face club length.

25. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 percent of a first flat face club head moment of inertia.

26. The set of golf clubs of claim 18, wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates of a first intermediate length center of gravity (CGi) are all within 15 percent of the X, Y, and Z coordinates of a first minor length center of gravity (CGm);

and wherein the first minor length weight system produces a first minor length moment of inertia, and the first intermediate length weight system produces a first intermediate length moment of inertia; and

wherein the first intermediate length moment of inertia is within 15 percent of the first minor length moment of inertia and a first flat face club head moment of inertia.