Golf club with improved performance characteristics

Abstract

A metal wood type golf club with improved performance characteristics is disclosed herein where the metal wood type golf club head will combined the performance characteristics of both a driver type golf club head and a fairway type golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head with a volume of between about 150 cc to about 360 cc, a CG location between about 10 mm to about 20 mm above the ground, a face depth of between about 30 millimeters (mm) to about 65 millimeters (mm), a loft of about between 10 degrees to about 16 degrees, and a COR of about 0.790 to about 0.830, wherein the entire golf club has a length of between about 41 inches to about 45 inches.

1 . A metal wood type golf club comprising:
 a shaft;   a grip connected to a proximal end of said shaft; and   a head connected to a distal end of said shaft, wherein said head further comprises,
 a face portion providing a striking surface having a measurable face depth for striking a golf ball; 
 a body portion having a measurable body length extending from a rear section of said face portion including a crown portion and a sole portion; 
 wherein said head has a volume of between about 150 cc to about 360 cc, 
 wherein said head has a CG location that is positioned at a measurable height above a horizontal plane containing a ground, 
 wherein said face depth is greater than about 50 mm and less than about 65 mm, 
 wherein said body length is less than about 85 mm, 
 wherein said head has a COR value between about 0.790 to about 0.830. 
   
     
     
         2 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 1 , wherein said head has a face depth to body length ratio of greater than about 0.575;
 wherein said face depth to body length ratio is defined as a ratio of said face depth divided by said body length.   
     
     
         3 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said face depth to body length ratio of said head is greater than about 0.59. 
     
     
         4 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 3 , wherein said face depth to body length ratio of said head is greater than about 0.60. 
     
     
         5 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 2 , wherein said golf club head has an accuracy factor of less than about 550 g-cm 2 ;
 said accuracy factor defined as the product of a MOI value of said head about a shaft axis and said height of said CG location divided by the product of said face depth and said COR value of said head.   
     
     
         6 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 5 , wherein said MOI value of said head about said shaft axis is between about 3,000 g-cm 2  to about 6,000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 6 , wherein said MOI value of said head about said shaft axis is between about 3,000 g-cm 2  to about 5,500 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 7 , wherein said MOI value of said head about said shaft axis is between about 3,000 g-cm 2  to about 5,000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         9 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 6 , wherein said height of said CG location above said horizontal plane containing said ground is between about 10 mm to about 20 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 9 , wherein said head has a loft angle of between about 10 degrees to about 16 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 10 , wherein said COR value is between about 0.800 to about 0.830. 
     
     
         12 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 11 , wherein said COR value is between about 0.810 to about 0.830. 
     
     
         13 . A metal wood type golf club comprising:
 a shaft;   a grip connected to a proximal end of said shaft; and   a head connected to a distal end of said shaft, wherein said head further comprises,
 a face portion providing a striking surface having a measurable face depth for striking a golf ball; 
 a body portion having a measurable body length extending from a rear section of said face portion including a crown portion and a sole portion; 
 wherein said head has a volume of between about 150 cc to about 360 cc, 
 wherein said head has a CG location that is positioned at a measurable height above a horizontal plane containing a ground, 
 wherein said head has a CG to face depth ratio, defined by said height of said CG location over said face depth, of less than about 0.40, and 
 wherein said golf club head has a performance factor of greater than about 2,900 g-cm 2 ; 
 said performance factor defined as the product of said face depth, said COR value and said MOI value of said head about a y-axis all divided by said height of said CG location 
   
     
     
         14 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 13 , wherein said face depth is greater than about 50 mm and less than about 65 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 14 , wherein said head has a face depth to body length ratio of greater than about 0.575;
 wherein said face depth to body length ratio is defined as a ratio of said face depth divided by said body length.   
     
     
         16 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 15 , wherein said face depth to body length ratio of said golf is greater than about 0.59. 
     
     
         17 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 16 , wherein said face depth to body length ratio of said head is greater than about 0.60. 
     
     
         18 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 15 , wherein said height of said CG location above said horizontal plane containing said ground is between about 10 mm to about 20 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 15 , wherein said golf club head has a COR value between about 0.790 to about 0.830. 
     
     
         20 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 15 , wherein said golf club head has an MOI value of said head about said shaft axis is between about 3,000 g-cm 2  to about 6,000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . A metal wood type golf club comprising:
 a shaft;   a grip connected to a proximal end of said shaft; and   a head connected to a distal end of said shaft, wherein said head further comprises,
 a face portion providing a striking surface having a measurable face depth for striking a golf ball; 
 a body portion having a measurable body length extending from a rear section of said face portion including a crown portion and a sole portion; 
 wherein said head has a volume of between about 150 cc to about 360 cc, 
 wherein said head has a CG location that is positioned at a measurable height above a horizontal plane containing a ground, 
 wherein said face depth is greater than about 50 mm and less than about 65 mm, and 
 wherein said head has a CG to face depth ratio, defined by said height of said CG location over said face depth, of less than about 0.40. 
   
     
     
         22 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 21 , wherein said body length is less than about 85 mm 
     
     
         23 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 22 , wherein said height of said CG location above said horizontal plane containing said ground is between about 10 mm to about 20 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 23 , wherein said golf club head has a COR value between about 0.790 to about 0.830. 
     
     
         25 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 24 , wherein said golf club head has an MOI value of said head about said shaft axis is between about 3,000 g-cm 2  to about 6,000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         26 . The metal wood type golf club of  claim 21 , wherein said golf club head has a face area factor of greater than about 50 and less than about 300;
 said performance factor defined as the product of a face area of said golf club head multiplied by said height of said CG location divided by said volume.