Golf club having a damping element for ball speed control

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face, a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from the striking face, a damping element including a first end abutting the striking face and a second end having a tool engagement feature to rotatably adjust the damping element against the striking face.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face having a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   a periphery portion extending rearward from said striking face and including a sole, a topline opposite said sole, a heel side, a toe side opposite said heel side, and a back portion extending from said sole to said topline and from said heel side to said toe side;   a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on said heel side;   a cavity formed between said periphery portion and said striking face;   a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards said heel side of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;   an aperture extending through said back portion and into said cavity; and   a damping element comprising a first end and a second end opposite said first end,   wherein said damping element is positioned within said aperture, and   wherein said first end of said damping element abuts said rear surface of said striking face.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said aperture comprises a threaded portion, and
 wherein said damping element is threadedly engaged with said threaded portion of said aperture.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said second end of said damping element includes a tool engagement feature. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein said damping element has an elastic modulus of about 40 GPa or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said damping element has an elastic modulus of about 70 GPa or greater. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , further comprising a first weight member and a second weight member,
 wherein said first weight member is positioned proximate said toe side, and   wherein said second weight member is positioned proximate said heel side.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein said first weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein said second weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein said striking face is integrally formed with said hosel,
 wherein an additional cavity is located soleward of said hosel at said heel side, and   wherein a third weight member is positioned within said additional cavity.   
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein said back portion further comprises a pocket, and
 wherein a back weight is positioned within said pocket.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , further comprising a cap covering said aperture. 
     
     
         12 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face having a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   a periphery portion extending rearward from said striking face and including a sole, a topline opposite said sole, a heel side, a toe side opposite said heel side, and a back portion extending from said sole to said topline and from said heel side to said toe side;   a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on said heel side;   a cavity formed between said periphery portion and said striking face;   a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards said heel side of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;   an aperture extending through said back portion and into said cavity; and   a damping element comprising a first end and a second end opposite said first end,   wherein said damping element is positioned within said aperture,   wherein said first end of said damping element abuts said rear surface of said striking face,   wherein said second end of said damping element includes a tool engagement feature,   wherein said aperture comprises a threaded portion, and   wherein said damping element is threadedly engaged with said threaded portion of said aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said damping element is made from aluminum, steel, or titanium. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein said striking face includes a thickened portion overlapping a face center of said golf club head. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said striking face further includes a thinned portion at least partially surrounding said thickened portion. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein said thickened portion has a thickness measured from said front surface of said striking face to said rear surface of said striking face between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said thinned portion has a thickness measured from said front surface of said striking face to said rear surface of said striking face between 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 17 , wherein said thickness of said thickened portion is between 10% and 50% greater than said thickness of said thinned portion. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein said first end of said damping element abuts said rear surface of said striking face at said thickened portion. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said damping element is welded to said back portion.