Golf club with reversible sole

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf club having a reversible sole member. The reversible sole member provides a plurality of bounce contours. The user may select one of the plurality of bounce contours and orient the sole member so that the selected bounce contour forms the sole contour of the golf club head.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a main body member defining a hosel, and a face, wherein the face defines a ball-striking surface, a leading edge and a rear surface;   a sole member including a mounting surface, a first bounce contour and a second bounce contour, wherein the mounting surface abuts a lower portion of the rear surface of the main body member so that the sole member forms a muscle portion of the golf club head, and wherein one of the first bounce contour and the second bounce contour forms an upper surface of the muscle portion and the other of the first bounce contour and the second bounce contour forms a majority of the sole contour of the golf club head, and   a mechanical fastener removably coupling the sole member to the body member,   wherein the sole member is shaped to be selectively attached to the main body in a first configuration or a second configuration of the golf club head, and wherein the first bounce contour forms the majority of the sole contour of the golf club head in the first configuration and the second bounce contour forms the majority of the sole contour of the golf club head in the second configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises an elongate support extending across the rear surface in a heel-to-toe direction. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the rear surface is planar, and wherein the elongate support extends rearward from the planar rear surface by about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a first bounce angle in the first configuration and a second bounce angle in the second configuration and the first bounce angle is different than the second bounce angle. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first bounce contour includes at least one of a heel relief and a toe relief. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the second bounce contour includes at least one of a heel relief and a toe relief. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the rear surface is planar, and wherein the thickness of the main body between the ball-striking surface and the rear surface is less than about 6.0 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole member provides more than about 60% of the arc length of the sole surface of the golf club head in a central portion of the sole surface of the golf club head. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the sole member provides more than about 75% of the arc length of the sole surface of the golf club head in a central portion of the sole surface of the golf club head. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises a boss that extends rearward from the rear surface by about 3.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, and wherein the boss includes a bore that receives a portion of the fastener. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a main body member defining a hosel, and a face, wherein the face defines a ball-striking surface, a leading edge and a rear surface;   a sole member including a first bounce contour and a second bounce contour, wherein the sole member is shaped to be selectively attached to the main body in a first configuration or a second configuration of the golf club head, and wherein the first bounce contour forms the majority of the sole contour of the golf club head in the first configuration and the second bounce contour forms the majority of the sole contour of the golf club head in the second configuration, and   a mechanical fastener removably coupling the sole member to the body member, and   wherein the main body member and the sole member form the entire sole surface of the golf club head.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the main body further comprises an elongate support extending across the rear surface in a heel-to-toe direction. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the rear surface is planar, and wherein the elongate support extends rearward from the planar rear surface by about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the golf club head has a first bounce angle in the first configuration and a second bounce angle in the second configuration and the first bounce angle is different than the second bounce angle. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first bounce contour includes at least one of a heel relief and a toe relief. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the second bounce contour includes at least one of a heel relief and a toe relief. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the rear surface is planar, and wherein the thickness of the main body between the ball-striking surface and the rear surface is less than about 6.0 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the sole member provides more than about 60% of the arc length of the sole surface of the golf club head in a central portion of the golf club head. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the sole member provides more than about 75% of the arc length of the sole surface of the golf club head in a central portion of the golf club head. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the second bounce contour forms an upper surface of a muscle portion of the golf club head in the first configuration and the first bounce contour forms an upper surface of a muscle portion of the golf club head in the second configuration.