Iron-type golf club head or other ball striking device

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface and a body connected to the face. The body has a sole surface extending rearward from a leading edge of the face, and a toe surface extending rearward from a toe edge of the face. The sole surface configured to confront the playing surface. The iron-type club head may have an elongated channel extending from a heel side in the sole member to an end point within the toe surface. The elongated channel is recessed from the sole surface and toe surfaces and is spaced from the leading and toe edges of the face. The iron-type club head may also have a plurality of weighting elements that are adjustable by the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An iron-type golf club head, comprising:
 a face comprising a ball striking surface with a plurality of grooves,   a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface,   a body comprising a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a toe surface, a top surface, and a sole surface, and   an elongated channel located in the sole surface being spaced backward from a leading edge, the elongated channel being recessed from the sole surface,   wherein the elongated channel has a depth of recession from the sole surface and has a length defined between a first end located on the heel side of the sole surface and extending toward the toe side to a second end,   wherein:   the elongated channel has a forward edge and a rear edge,   a distance between the forward edge and the rear edge defines a channel width, and   the channel width is larger near the first end and the second end than in a center portion of the elongated channel.   
     
     
         2 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the elongated channel is located on the toe surface, and wherein the second end of the elongated channel is located within a range of 40 percent to 70 percent of a maximum club head height. 
     
     
         3 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated channel is generally parallel to the leading edge of the face. 
     
     
         4 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face further comprises a plurality of regions comprising a plurality of thicknesses measured between the ball striking surface and the rear surface. 
     
     
         5 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the plurality of regions comprises a toe region having a first thickness, a heel region having a second thickness, and a central region having a third thickness, and   the third thickness is greater than the first thickness or second thickness.   
     
     
         6 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the channel width ranges inclusively between 2.0 to 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the iron-type golf club head further comprises a plurality of weighting elements positioned on the sole surface and the toe surface. 
     
     
         8 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the elongated channel is located within a range of 40 percent to 70 percent of a maximum club head height. 
     
     
         9 . An iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the iron-type golf club head has an overall sole thickness within a range between 13 mm and 31 mm. 
     
     
         10 . An iron-type golf club head, comprising:
 a face comprising a ball striking surface with a plurality of grooves,   a body comprising a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a toe surface, a top surface, and a sole surface, and   an elongated channel located in the sole surface and the toe surface and being spaced backward from a leading edge, the elongated channel being recessed from the sole surface and the toe surface,   wherein the face further comprises a plurality of regions comprising a plurality of thicknesses measured between the ball striking surface and the rear surface,   wherein the elongated channel has a depth of recession from the sole surface and the toe surface, and a length defined between a first end located on the sole surface and a second end located on the toe surface,   wherein the elongated channel has a forward edge and a rear edge,   wherein a distance between the forward edge and the edge defines a channel width, and   wherein the channel width is greater at the first end and at the second end than at a center portion of the elongated channel.   
     
     
         11 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the iron-type golf club head has an overall sole thickness within a range between 13 mm and 31 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the channel width ranges inclusively between 2.0 to 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the plurality of regions comprises a toe region having a first thickness, a heel region having a second thickness, and a central region having a third thickness, and   the third thickness is greater than the first thickness or second thickness.   
     
     
         14 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the second end of the elongated channel is located within a range of 40 percent to 70 percent of a maximum club head height. 
     
     
         15 . An iron-type golf club head, comprising:
 a face comprising a ball striking surface with a plurality of grooves,   a body comprising a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a toe surface, a top surface, and a sole surface,   an elongated channel located in the sole surface and the toe surface and being spaced backward from a leading edge, the elongated channel being recessed from the sole surface and the toe surface,   wherein the elongated channel has a depth of recession from the sole surface and the toe surface and a length defined between a first end located in the heel side and a second end located on the toe surface,   wherein:   the elongated channel has a forward wall, a rear wall, and an upper wall,   a distance between the forward wall and the rear wall defines a channel width, and   the channel width is greater near the sole surface than near the upper wall.   
     
     
         16 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the channel width ranges inclusively between 2.0 to 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a ratio between a channel width near the sole surface and a channel width between the upper wall is between 1.2:1 and 1.4:1.   
     
     
         18 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the second end of the elongated channel is located within a range of 40 percent to 70 percent of a maximum club head height. 
     
     
         19 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the iron-type golf club head has an overall sole thickness within a range between 13 mm and 31 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the iron-type golf club head further comprises a plurality of weighting elements positioned on the sole surface and the toe surface.