Iron with Sole Slot

Abstract

A golf club head having a slot in the sole filled with an insert in which the slot is positioned close to the striking face. The slot can be a uniform distance from the striking face or the slot can curve away from the striking face in the toe region. The insert can have a uniform height or a non-uniform height. Inserts with uniform heights can have a low height profile. Inserts with non-uniform heights can have a lower height in a central portion of the insert compared to an edge portion or a perimeter portion of the insert. The insert can also have flanges or protrusions for installation into the slot. The resulting golf club head improves performance, as the sole slot with insert allows the striking face to have a profile that meets the needs at that location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a) a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club bead, the striking face having an outer wall, and an inner wall opposite the outer wall;   b) a back portion located opposite the striking face;   c) a heel portion located at a proximal end of the golf club head;   d) a hosel adjacent to the heel portion, the hosel defining a longitudinal axis and configured to receive a shaft;   e) a toe portion located at a distal end of the golf club head opposite the heel portion;   f) a topline located at an upper portion of the golf club head;   g) a sole located at a lower portion of the golf club head opposite the topline;   h) a slot defined in the sole; and   i) an insert configured to fit inside the slot,   j) wherein the slot is defined by a front edge, a back edge opposite and behind the front edge, a proximal edge adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, and a distal edge opposite the proximal edge and adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, the slot having a length as measured from the proximal edge to the distal edge, and a width as measured from the front edge to the back edge, and   k) wherein the insert defines a non-uniform height.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a main body having a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion, the insert having a length as measured from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, and a centerline along the length of the insert, wherein the non-uniform height of the insert is along the centerline. 
     
     
         3 . The club head of  claim 1 , wherein the distal edge of the slot passes into the toe portion and curves away from the striking face. 
     
     
         4 . The club head of  claim 3 , wherein the front edge at the distal end portion curving away from the striking face has a radius of curvature of about 20.0 mm to about 40.0 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The club head of  claim 3 , wherein the distal edge terminates at a distal edge height of up to about 50 mm as measured from the sole portion to the distal edge. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein a height of a central portion of the insert is about 4.9 mm or less. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein a height of a central portion of the insert is about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a) a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head, the striking face having an outer wall, and an inner wall opposite the outer wall;   b) a back portion located opposite the striking face;   c) a heel portion located at a proximal end of the golf club head;   d) a hosel adjacent to the heel portion, the hosel defining a longitudinal axis and configured to receive a shaft;   e) a toe portion located at a distal end of the golf club head opposite the heel portion;   f) a topline located at an upper portion of the golf club head;   g) a sole located at a lower portion of the golf club head opposite the topline;   h) a slot defined in the sole, the slot defined by a front edge, a back edge opposite and behind the front edge, a proximal edge adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, and a distal edge opposite the proximal edge and adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, the slot having a length as measured from the proximal edge to the distal edge, and a width as measured from the front edge to the back edge; and   i) an insert comprising a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a central portion therebetween, the insert having a length and a width configured to fit inside the slot, a central portion height measured at the central portion of the insert from a bottom surface to a top surface of the central portion of the insert, a proximal end height measured at the proximal end portion of the insert, and a distal end height measured at the distal end portion of the insert, wherein one of the proximal end height or the distal end height is greater than the central portion height.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the proximal end height and the distal end height are greater than the central portion height. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the central portion height of the insert is about 4.9 mm or less. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the central portion height of the insert is about 4.5 mm or less. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the central portion height of the insert is about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The club head of  claim 8 , wherein the distal edge of the slot passes into the toe portion and curves away from the striking surface, wherein the front edge of the distal edge curving away from the striking surface has a radius of curvature of about 20.0 mm to about 40.0 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The club head of  claim 13 , wherein the distal edge of the slot terminates at a distal edge height of up to about 50 mm as measured from the sole portion to the distal edge. 
     
     
         15 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a) a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head, the striking face having an outer wall, and an inner wall opposite the outer wall;   b) a back portion located opposite the striking face;   c) a heel portion located at a proximal end of the golf club head;   d) a hosel adjacent to the heel portion, the hosel defining a longitudinal axis and configured to receive a shaft;   e) a toe portion located at a distal end of the golf club head opposite the heel portion;   f) a topline located at an upper portion of the golf club head;   g) a sole located at a lower portion of the golf club head opposite the topline;   h) a slot defined in the sole, the slot defined by a front edge, a back edge opposite and behind the front edge, a proximal edge adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, and a distal edge opposite the proximal edge and adjacent to the front edge and the back edge, the slot having a length as measured from the proximal edge to the distal edge, and a width as measured from the front edge to the back edge; and   i) an insert having a length and a width configured to fit inside the slot, and a height as measured from a bottom surface of the insert to a top surface of the insert, wherein the insert has a central portion that is recessed.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the central portion that is recessed is surrounded by a perimeter rim portion of the insert defining the top surface, wherein the height of the top surface is greater than a height of the central portion. 
     
     
         17 . The club head of  claim 15 , wherein the distal edge of the slot passes into the toe portion and curves away from the striking face, wherein the front edge at the distal edge that curves away from the striking surface has a radius of curvature of about 20.0 mm to about 40.0 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The club head of  claim 17 , wherein the distal edge terminates at a distal edge height of up to about 50 mm as measured from the sole portion to the distal edge. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein a height of the central portion of the insert is about 4.9 mm or less. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein a height of the central portion of the insert is about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.