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, wherein the striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, a support arm spaced from the rear surface of the striking face, the support arm extending from the periphery portion, wherein the support arm extends from the sole to the topline, a first damping element residing between the support arm and the rear surface of the striking face, a second damping element located between the support arm and the striking face, the second damping element in contact with the rear surface of the striking face and the support arm, and wherein the second damping element wraps around the support arm.

1 . A method of assembling a golf club head comprising:
 providing a striking face;   providing a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face,   wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole extending rearwards from a bottom of said striking face, a topline extending rearwards from a top of said striking face, a toe, and a heel opposite said toe;   defining 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 prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards said toe of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face,   wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface,   wherein said sole comprises an aperture extending entirely through said sole in a direction substantially parallel to said striking face,   wherein said topline comprises an aperture extending entirely through said topline in a direction substantially parallel to said striking face;   installing a support arm through said aperture in said topline into said aperture in said sole or through said aperture in said sole and into said aperture in said topline,   wherein said support arm is spaced from said rear surface of said striking face.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing a first damping element between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising placing a second damping element between said support arm and said striking face, said second damping element in contact with said rear surface of said striking face and said support arm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said second damping element includes an open slit in a topline-to-sole direction directly adjacent to said striking face. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein an elastic modulus of said first damping element is greater than an elastic modulus of said second damping element. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said second damping element contacts a first surface of said support arm facing towards said striking face, a second surface of said support arm facing away from said striking face, a third surface of said support arm facing said toe, and a fourth surface of said support arm facing said heel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said second damping element comprises a void which receives said first damping element. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said periphery portion is formed from a first material,
 wherein said support arm is formed from a second material, and   wherein said first material is different from said second material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said first material has a first stiffness,
 wherein said second material has a second stiffness, and   wherein said second stiffness is greater than said first stiffness.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a third damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face,
 wherein said third damping element is located entirely beneath said topline.   
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a golf club head comprising:
 providing a striking face;   providing a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face,   wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole extending rearwards from a bottom of said striking face, a topline extending rearwards from a top of said striking face, a toe, and a heel opposite said toe;   defining 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 prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards said toe of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face,   wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   installing a support arm spaced from said rear surface of said striking face;   placing a first damping element between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face;   wrapping a second damping element around said support arm, said second damping element in contact with said rear surface of said striking face and said support arm; and   wherein said second damping element contacts a first surface of said support arm facing towards said striking face, a second surface of said support arm facing away from said striking face, a third surface of said support arm facing said toe, and a fourth surface of said support arm facing said heel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said sole comprises an aperture extending entirely through said sole,
 wherein said topline comprises an aperture extending entirely through said topline, and   wherein said support arm resides within said aperture in said sole and within said aperture in said topline.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein an elastic modulus of said first damping element is greater than an elastic modulus of said second damping element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said periphery portion is formed from a first material,
 wherein said support arm is formed from a second material,   wherein said first material is different from said second material,   wherein said first material has a first stiffness,   wherein said second material has a second stiffness, and   wherein said second stiffness is greater than said first stiffness.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a third damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face,
 wherein said third damping element is located entirely beneath said topline.   
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling a golf club head comprising:
 providing a striking face;   providing a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face,   wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole extending rearwards from a bottom of said striking face, a topline extending rearwards from a top of said striking face, a toe, and a heel opposite said toe;   defining 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 prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards said toe of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;   wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   installing a support arm spaced from said rear surface of said striking face, said support arm extending from said periphery portion;   placing a first damping element between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face;   placing a second damping element between said support arm and said striking face, said second damping element extending from said topline to said sole.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein an elastic modulus of said first damping element is greater than an elastic modulus of said second damping element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said second damping element comprises a void configured to receive said first damping element. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said second damping element includes an open slit in a topline-to-sole direction directly adjacent to said striking face. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising a third damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face,
 wherein said third damping element is located entirely beneath said topline.