Metal Wood Club with Improved Moment of Inertia

Abstract

A golf club head having at least two discrete weight members positioned on the sole to optimize moment of inertia is disclosed. A first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel with the face edge of the sole. A second member is located toward the back of the sole and substantially centered between the heel and toe edges of the sole. In one embodiment, a golf club head includes a sole comprising four sections and wherein a rib of material connects two of said sections. In another embodiment, a golf club head includes a cavity formed between the crown and sole and having an opening at the back of the club head. In yet another embodiment, a golf club head is tapered to form a waist and has a back that has a bowed-shape.

1 . A golf club head comprising a face, crown, skirt, hosel and sole,
 wherein the sole comprises at least a first and a second weight member,   wherein a first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel to the face edge of the sole and is substantially centered between the toe edge and heel edge of the sole, and   wherein a second weight member is located toward the back edge of the sole and is substantially centered between the toe edge and heel edge of the sole, and   wherein the weight members have a higher density than the sole or have a higher thickness than the sole to increase the moment of inertia of the golf club head.   
   
   
       2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first weight member is located between about 1.0 and about 4.0 cm from the face edge of the sole. 
   
   
       3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second weight member is located between about 0.1 and 1.5 cm from the back edge of the sole. 
   
   
       4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second discrete weight member comprises two separate sub-weights, wherein a first sub-weight is located toward the back and toe edge of the sole, and wherein a second sub-weight is located toward the back and heel edge of the sole. 
   
   
       5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first discrete weight member comprises two separate sub-weights, wherein a first sub-weight is located toward the face and toe edge of the sole, and wherein a second sub-weight is located toward the face and heel edge of the sole. 
   
   
       6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first discrete weight member comprises two separate sub-weights, wherein a first sub-weight is located toward the face and toe edge of the sole, and wherein a second sub-weight is located toward the face and heel edge of the sole, and
 wherein the second discrete weight member comprises two separate sub-weights, wherein a first sub-weight is located toward the back and toe edge of the sole, and wherein a second sub-weight is located toward the back and heel edge of the sole.   
   
   
       7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a driver-style club head. 
   
   
       8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a utility-style club head. 
   
   
       9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a hybrid-style club head. 
   
   
       10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a weight member is disposed on a surface of the sole. 
   
   
       11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a weight member further comprises an area of the sole having a greater thickness than other areas of the sole. 
   
   
       12 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole further comprises four sections,
 wherein a first section comprises the area beginning at the face edge and continuing back approximately one-third of the length of the sole and which extends along the length of the face edge, and   wherein a second section begins at the back edge and extends toward the face edge about one-third of the length of the sole, and   wherein a third section comprises the area between the toe edge and the first and second sections and a rib that connects the first and second sections, and   wherein a fourth section comprises the area between the heel edge and the first and second sections and said rib that connects the first and second sections.   
   
   
       13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the third and fourth sections comprise the same material as the skirt and crown and wherein no ornamental or structural seams exist between said sections and the skirt and crown. 
   
   
       14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the third and fourth sections comprise composite. 
   
   
       15 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the third and fourth sections are depressed with respect to first and second sections such that the sole has a varied elevation. 
   
   
       16 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the first weight is located within the first section and wherein the second weight is located within the second section. 
   
   
       17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the second weight comprises all or a substantial portion of the second section. 
   
   
       18 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a cavity formed between the crown and the sole having an opening at the back of the club head and an inner wall opposite said opening, and
 wherein the sole further comprises four sections,   wherein a first section has an edge coinciding with the entire face edge of the sole and which tapers as it extends back toward the back edge of the sole forming a waist and which then flutes slightly at its terminating edge, and   wherein a second section has an edge coinciding with the terminating edge of the first section and which extends off of the sole unconnected to the skirt or crown to form the back edge of the sole and which has a bowed shape, and   wherein a third section comprises the area between the toe edge of the sole and the first section and which has a terminating edge that comprises a portion of the edge of said cavity, and   wherein a fourth section comprises the area between the heel edge of the sole and the first section and which has a terminating edge that comprises a portion of the edge of said cavity.   
   
   
       19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the third and fourth sections comprise the same material as the skirt and crown and wherein no ornamental or structural seams exist between said sections and the skirt and crown. 
   
   
       20 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the third and fourth sections are depressed with respect to first and second sections such that the sole has a varied elevation. 
   
   
       21 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the third and fourth sections comprise composite. 
   
   
       22 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the first weight is located within the first section and wherein the second weight is located within the second section. 
   
   
       23 . The golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the second weight comprises all or a substantial portion of the second section. 
   
   
       24 . The golf club head of  claim 1  which tapers to form a waist and which has a back having a bowed shape.