COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION

The disclosure below may be subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the documents containing this disclosure, as they appear in the Patent and Trademark Office records, but otherwise reserves all applicable copyrights.

BACKGROUND

It is generally known to those skilled in the art of golf club making that the travel distance of a struck golf ball is related to the club-head speed (swing speed) generated at ball impact. Attempting to increase the swing speed by simply making the club longer may negatively affect shot accuracy and ball-travel distance. Alternatively, to increase swing speed, some manufacturers have produced golf clubs having a diminished overall weight. However, these clubs generally have lighter shafts that communicate a vague feel to the player, leading to inconsistent shots and a loss of confidence in the equipment.

SUMMARY

The present invention, in one or more aspects thereof, may advantageously comprise a golf club that delivers increased swing speed, augmented forgiveness on off-center shots, improved ball-launch conditions, a solid feel, and greater ball-travel distance.

In one example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may have a total club mass less than about 300 g, a swing weight between D0 and D6, a club-head mass less than about 200 g, a club-head volume of at least about 360 cm3, a grip mass less than about 50 g, and a shaft having a tip end, a butt end, and a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the butt end.

In another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than about 300 g; a club-head mass less than about 200 g; a club-head volume greater than about 360 cm3; a shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the tip end, and a torsional displacement angle greater than about 5.5°; and an imaginary coordinate system having an origin coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, the coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4500 g·cm2.

In another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than about 300 g; a club length greater than about 45 inches; a club head having a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a mass less than about 200 g, and a volume of at least about 360 cm3; a club balance point located no more than 35 inches from the butt portion of the grip, wherein a ratio of the distance between the club balance-point and the butt portion of the grip to the club length is greater than 0.76; and a shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft length greater than about 44 inches, and a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the butt end, wherein a ratio of the distance between the shaft balance point and the butt end to the shaft length is less than 0.47.

In yet another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than about 300 g; a swing weight between D0 and about D6; a club head having a volume greater than about 360 cm3, a face bulge between about 12.5 inches and about 16 inches, and a mass less than about 200 g; a shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the tip end, and a mass less than about 55 g; a grip having a mass less than about 40 g; and an imaginary coordinate system having an origin coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, the coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, wherein the head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4500 g·cm2.

In yet another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than 300 g; a swing weight between D0 and about D6; a club length greater than about 45 inches; a club head having a face center, a sweet spot, a volume greater than about 360 cm3, and a mass less than about 200 g, wherein the sweet spot is substantially coincident with the face center; a shaft having a mass less than about 50 g; a grip having a mass less than about 40 g; and an imaginary coordinate system having an origin coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, the coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4500 g·cm2and a moment of inertia about the y-axis of at least about 3000 g·cm2.

In yet another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than about 300 g; a club length greater than about 45 inches; a club head having a face center, a sweet spot, a volume greater than about 360 cm3, a face bulge between about 12.5 inches and about 16 inches, and a mass less than about 200 g, wherein the sweet spot is substantially coincident with the face center; a shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the butt end, and a torsional displacement angle greater than about 5.5°; a grip having a mass less than about 40 g; and an imaginary coordinate system having an origin coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, the coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, wherein the head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4500 g·cm2.

In yet another example, a golf club, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may include a total club mass less than about 300 g; a swing weight between D0 and D6; a club length greater than about 45 inches; a club head having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft balance point located no more than 24 inches from the butt end, and a mass less than about 50 g; a grip having a mass less than about 40 g; and an imaginary coordinate system having an origin coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, the coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4500 g·cm2and a moment of inertia about the y-axis of at least about 3000 g·cm2.

These and other features and advantages of the golf club according to the invention in its various aspects, as provided by one or more of the examples described in detail below, will become apparent after consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

