High loft, low center-of-gravity golf club heads

Abstract

A golf club and golf club head having a high static loft angle, low forward center of gravity, and enhanced z-axis gear effect via a large roll radius and/or tightly controlled moment of inertia about the CG x-axis, Ixx, associated with upward and downward twisting of the club head.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A golf dub head, comprising:
 a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a skirt portion positioned around a periphery between the sole portion and crown portion, a ball striking face having a thickness, and a hosel integrally formed with the club head body and extending outward from the club head body proximate to a crown and heel transition region;   wherein the ball striking face of the dub head body has a geometric center;   wherein the crown portion has one or more openings, and wherein one or more corresponding crown panels are placed in the one or more openings, the crown panels having a first material density and a first portion thickness;   wherein a portion of the club head body located below a geometric center of the ball striking face is formed of a second material having a second material density and a second portion thickness, wherein the second material density is at least twice the first material density of the crown panels;   wherein at least a portion of the club head body is formed of an aluminum alloy;   wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center-of-gravity x-axis, Ixx, is between 250-800 kg-mm 2 ;   wherein the golf club head has a Delta 1 between 10 to 25 mm; and.   where the dub head has a dub head volume of at least 250 cm 3  and a dub head weight of between about 180 and 210 grams.   
     
     
         22 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the ball striking face is formed of a composite material. 
     
     
         23 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity that is 5-20 mm below the geometric center of the ball striking face of the golf club head as measured along a z-axis of the golf club head having an origin at the geometric center. 
     
     
         24 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the club head body has a center of gravity whose projection onto the ball striking face of the club head body is located off-center from the geometric center in a direction toward the sole portion. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the sole portion is at least partially formed of a material that is denser than the material used to form the crown portion. 
     
     
         26 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the sole portion is formed at least partially of tungsten or includes one or more tungsten plates or weights. 
     
     
         27 . The golf dub head of  claim 21 , wherein the one Of more crown panels are formed of a composite material. 
     
     
         28 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the ball striking face has a varying thickness of no greater than 5 mm. 
     
     
         29 . The golf club head of claim  1 , wherein the first material density has a density of approximately 2.8 g/cc. 
     
     
         30 . The golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the first material density and the at least a portion of the ball striking face formed of composite material have a density of approximately 1.5 glee. 
     
     
         31 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the second material is formed of a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         32 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the second material is formed of a Steel alloy. 
     
     
         33 . The golf dub head of  claim 21 , wherein the dub head body is formed from a combination of an alloy of titanium, an alloy of aluminum, and a composite material. 
     
     
         34 . The golf club head of  claim 33 , wherein the crown panels, the skirt, and ball striking face are attached to the dub head body by adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         35 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the sole portion is formed of the second material and at least a portion of the sole portion has a sole thickness that is at least twice the first portion thickness. 
     
     
         36 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the crown panels, the skirt, and ball striking face are attached to the club head body by adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         37 . A golf dub head, comprising:
 a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a skirt portion positioned around a periphery between the sole portion and crown portion, a ball striking face having a thickness, and a hos& integrally formed with the dub head body and extending outward from the club head body proximate to a crown and heel transition region;   wherein the ball striking face of the club head body has a geometric center;   wherein the crown portion has one or more openings, and wherein one or more corresponding crown panels are placed in the one or more openings, the crown panels having a first material density and a first portion thickness;   wherein a portion of the club head body located below a geometric center of the ball striking face is formed of a second material haying a second material density and a second portion thickness, wherein the second material density is at least twice the first material density of the crown panels;   wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center-of-gravity x-axis, Ixx, is between 250-800 kg-mm 2 ;   wherein the golf club head has a Delta 1 between 1.0 to 25 mm;   where the club head has a club head volume of at least 250 cm 3  and a club head weight of between about 180 and 210 grams;   wherein the dub head body is formed from a combination of an alloy of titanium, an alloy of aluminum, and a composite material;   wherein the crown panels and the skirt are attached to the club head body by adhesive bonding; and   wherein the ball striking face has a roll radius of 300 mm or greater.   
     
     
         38 . The golf club head of  claim 37 , wherein the ball striking, face has a varying thickness no more than 5 mm and no less than 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         39 . The golf club head of  claim 38 , wherein at least a portion of the ball striking face is formed of a composite material. 
     
     
         40 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a skirt portion positioned around a periphery between the sole portion and crown portion, a ball striking face having a thickness, and a hosel integrally formed with the dub head body and extending outward from the club head body proximate to a crown and heel transition region;   wherein the ball striking face of the club head body has a geometric center;   wherein the crown portion has one or more openings, and wherein one or more corresponding crown panels are placed in the one or more openings, the crown panels having a first material density and a first portion thickness;   wherein a portion of the club head body located below a geometric center of the ball striking face is formed of a second material haying a second material density and a second portion thickness, wherein the second material density is at least twice the first material density of the crown panels;   wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center-of-gravity x-axis, Ixx, is between 250-800 kg-mm 2 ;   wherein the golf club head has a Delta 1 between 1.0 to 25 mm;   where the club head has a club head weight between about 180 and 210 grams;   wherein the ball striking face, the skirt, and the one or more crown panels are attached. to the club head body by adhesive bonding;   wherein the one or more crown panels are formed of a composite material; and   wherein the ball striking face has a roll radius of 300 mm or greater.