Golf club with uniform face thickness

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a putter head comprises a face with a striking surface having a predetermined angular loft and a pocket positioned behind the striking surface, and including a back wall adjacent to the striking surface and oriented in a first direction and at least four flanges protruding from the back wall in a second direction differing from the first direction, wherein the back wall is substantially in parallel with the striking surface.

1 . A putter head comprising: 
 a face with a striking surface having a predetermined angular loft; and    a back wall that is on an opposite side of the face from the striking surface and that extends in a first direction that is substantially parallel to the striking surface providing a uniform thickness between the striking surface and the back wall,    a pocket positioned behind the striking surface, wherein the pocket is formed by the back wall and a plurality of flanges that protrude from the back wall in a second direction, differing from the first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The putter head of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the face between the striking surface and the back wall is substantially uniform.  
   
   
       3 . The putter head of  claim 2 , wherein the flanges include a bottom flange which is below and defines the back wall and protrudes from the back wall at an angle complementary to an angle of the predetermined angular loft of the striking surface.  
   
   
       4 . The putter head of  claim 3 , wherein the angle complementary to the predetermined angular loft is between 85 degrees and 89.5 degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The putter head of  claim 3 , wherein the flanges include a top flange, opposite the bottom flange which flanges protrudes from the back wall at an obtuse interior angle, wherein the obtuse interior angle is equal to ninety degrees plus an angle of the predetermined angular loft.  
   
   
       6 . The putter head of  claim 5 , wherein the obtuse interior angle is between 90.5 degrees and 95 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The putter head of  claim 1 , wherein the flanges include a top flange above and a bottom flange below the back wall, the back wall is positioned between the bottom flange and the top flange and the back wall is substantially vertically and horizontally parallel to the striking surface.  
   
   
       8 . The putter head of  claim 1 , wherein the flanges include a bottom flange below the back wall and further comprising at least one slot provided through the bottom flange.  
   
   
       9 . The putter head of  claim 1 , wherein the flanges include a bottom flange below the back wall and further comprising at least one slot provided through the bottom flange, wherein the at least one slot is provided at an angle equal to an angle of the predetermined angular loft.  
   
   
       10 . The putter of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of predetermined angular loft is a negative angle.  
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing a putter head wherein the putter head includes a face with a striking surface that has a loft of a predetermined angle, and a pocket formed behind the face defined by a back wall on the opposite side of the face from the striking surface and positioned adjacent to the striking surface, the back wall extending in a first direction and a plurality of flanges extending from the back wall in a second direction, different from the first direction, 
 the method comprising:    providing the putter head with the back wall not parallel to the striking surface; and    altering the pocket of the putter head so that the back wall is substantially parallel to the striking surface.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the altering step further comprises rotating the putter head by the predetermined angle such that the striking surface is substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the altering step further comprises milling the pocket with an end mill, wherein the end mill is moved to contact and mill the back wall of the putter head.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the altering step further comprises: 
 milling the pocket so that a thickness of the face between the striking surface and the back wall is substantially uniform.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the flange include a bottom flange and the altering step further comprises: milling the back wall of the pocket so that an angle is formed between the back wall and the bottom flange which is complementary to the predetermined angle and ranges between 85 degrees and 89.5 degrees.  
   
   
       16 . The method of paragraph  15 , wherein the flanges also include a top flange, and the altering step further comprises milling the back wall of the pocket so that an interior angle is formed between the back wall and the top flange, is an obtuse angle ranging between 90.5 degrees and 95 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the end mill further comprises: 
 a cutter positioned at the cutting end of the end mill; and    a shank connected to the cutter on an end opposite the cutting end, wherein an outer diameter of the cutter is greater than that of the shank and wherein the cutter includes a plurality of cutting surfaces including an end cutting surface and a side cutting surface positioned around a perimeter of the end cutting surface wherein the side cutting surface is tapered at an angle at least equal to the predetermined angle.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pocket is altered by milling the back face through computer numeric controlled milling, hand milling, or electrical discharge milling.