Angle Adjustment Features for Golf Clubs

Abstract

A golf club having a golf club shaft and a golf club head is provided. The shaft includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The golf club head, which is attached to the distal end of the golf club shaft, extends from a heel region to a toe region and from a front surface to a back surface. The golf club head includes an angle adjustment void structure that is located below the distal end of the golf club shaft. The angle adjustment void structure may include a cavity formed in the back surface, the depth dimension of the cavity extending from the back surface toward the front surface. The cavity, when viewed from the back surface, may be aligned with the longitudinal axis.

1 . A golf club comprising:
 a golf club shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and   a golf club head attached to the distal end of the golf club shaft, the head including a front surface having a ball-striking surface and a back surface on the side opposite the front surface, the head further including:
 an angle adjustment void structure located below the distal end of the golf club shaft, the angle adjustment void structure including a cavity formed in the back surface, a depth dimension of the cavity extending from the back surface toward the front surface, wherein the cavity, when viewed from the back surface, is aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is intersected by the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the cavity extends more than 50 percent through the thickness of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the cavity extends more than 75 percent through the thickness of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the cavity extends more than 85 percent through the thickness of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is symmetric with respect to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the head includes a neck region and wherein the cavity is located at least partially in the neck region. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the head includes a heel region and wherein the cavity is located at least partially in the heel region. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the cavity extends more than 25 percent across the minimum back-surface dimension of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the cavity extends more than 50 percent across the minimum back-surface dimension of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the cavity extends more than 75 percent across the minimum back-surface dimension of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a cross section that is constant along the depth dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle adjustment void structure includes a second cavity formed in the back surface, the depth dimension of the second cavity extending from the back surface toward the front surface. 
     
     
         15 . A golf club comprising:
 a golf club shaft having an outer diameter, a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween; and   a golf club head attached to the distal end of the golf club shaft, the head including a front surface having a ball-striking surface, a back surface on the side opposite the front surface, and a longitudinal axis region defined by projecting the outer diameter of the golf club shaft along an extension of the longitudinal axis, the head further including:
 an angle adjustment void structure located below the distal end of the golf club shaft, the angle adjustment void structure including a cavity formed in the back surface, the cavity located at least partially in the longitudinal axis region. 
   
     
     
         16 . The golf club according to  claim 15 , further including a second cavity formed in the back surface and located at least partially in the longitudinal axis region. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club according to  claim 15 , wherein the cavity, when viewed from the back surface, is aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club according to  claim 15 , wherein the depth of the cavity extends more than 50 percent through the thickness of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club according to  claim 15 , wherein the head includes a neck region and the first cavity is located at least partially in a neck region. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club according to  claim 15 , wherein the angle adjustment void structure is symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         21 . A golf club head comprising:
 a main body extending from a heel region to a toe region;   a neck region extending from the heel region to a connection region, the connection region configured for attachment to a distal end of a golf club shaft and defining a longitudinal axis; and   an angle adjustment void structure located below the connection region, the angle adjustment void structure including a cavity formed in a back surface of the golf club head, a depth dimension of the cavity extending from the back surface toward a front surface of the golf club head, wherein the cavity is at least partially located within a 10 mm radius of the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         22 . The golf club head according to  claim 21 , wherein the cavity, when viewed from the back surface, is aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         23 . A golf club comprising:
 a golf club shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and   a golf club head attached to the distal end of the golf club shaft, the head including a front surface having a ball-striking surface and a back surface on the side opposite the front surface, the head further including:
 a means for relieving strains located below the distal end of the golf club shaft, the means for relieving strains including a void formed in the back surface, a depth dimension of the void extending from the back surface toward the front surface, wherein the void, when viewed from the back surface, is aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         24 . The golf club according to  claim 23 , wherein the depth of the void extends more than 50 percent through the thickness of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club according to  claim 23 , wherein the cross section of the void extends more than 25 percent across the minimum back-surface dimension of the head at the location of the cavity. 
     
     
         26 . The golf club according to  claim 23 , wherein the means for relieving strain includes a second void formed in the back surface, the depth dimension of the second void extending from the back surface toward the front surface.