Metal wood club

Abstract

A golf club head is provided having a body and a face insert, with a slot in a perimeter region of the body of the club head adjacent the face insert. The slot increases the flex of the hitting surface on impact with a golf ball, thereby increasing the speed with which the ball rebounds off the hitting face and increases the overall distance the ball is hit. The slot preferably moves the sweet spot of the hitting face a distance X from the face center of the hitting face. The slot may be filled with an elastomeric material.

1 . A golf club head, the club head comprising: 
 a body having a perimeter region defining an opening;    a face insert disposed in the opening, the face insert having a geometric face center and an area of maximum coefficient of restitution; and    at least one slot disposed in the perimeter region of the body,    wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed between the geometric face center and the slot.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is an elongated slot substantially parallel to a portion of an edge of the body.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot has a width of greater than 1 mm.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot has a length of greater than 15 mm.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot comprises two opposing ends, the ends having expanded slot portions.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot provides a space in the body, such that the face insert flexes when the face insert impacts a golf ball.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face insert defines a face plane and the slot is disposed less than 30 mm from the face plane.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is substantially filled with at least one elastomeric material.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is provided less than 20 mm from the geometric face center.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is provided less than 10 mm from the geometric face center.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face insert defines a plane and at least one of the slots is disposed on a sole portion of the perimeter region adjacent the face plane.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face insert defines a plane and at least one of the slots is disposed on a crown portion of the perimeter region adjacent the face plane.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face insert defines a plane and at least one of the slots is disposed on a heel portion of the perimeter region adjacent the face plane.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face insert defines a plane and at least one of the slots is disposed on a toe portion of the perimeter region adjacent the face plane.  
   
   
       15 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot increases the carry distance of a ball hit with the club head as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       16 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot increases the speed at which a golf ball rebounds from the face insert of the club head as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the speed at which a golf ball rebounds from the face insert of the club head is increased at least 0.5 mph as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       18 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot increases the launch angle of a golf ball leaving the face insert after impact with the club head as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the launch angle of a golf ball leaving the face insert is increased by at least 0.5 degrees as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       20 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the slot decreases the back spin of a golf ball leaving the face insert after impact with the club head as compared with a club head without a slot.  
   
   
       21 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the slot decreases back spin by at least 100 rpm as compared with a club head without a slot.