Correlated set of golf clubs and method of forming the same

Abstract

A correlated set of golf clubs includes a first golf club and a second golf club. The first and second golf clubs are successively-lofted and differ in loft by no less than 6°. The correlated set further includes a third golf club that has a loft L3. The loft L3 differs from a loft Lc of a closest-lofted golf club of the correlated set by no more than 3°. The third golf club has a non-loft variant.

1 . A correlated set of golf clubs comprising:
 a first golf club and a second golf club that are successively-lofted and differ in loft by no less than 6°; and   a third golf club comprising a loft L3 that differs from a loft Lc of a closest-lofted golf club of the correlated set by no more than 3°, the third golf club having a non-loft variant.   
     
     
         2 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein L3 is substantially equal to Lc. 
     
     
         3 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the third golf club comprises a first external surface with first indicia including a first numerical club designation; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a second external surface with second indicia including a second numerical club designation that is the same as the first numerical club designation.   
     
     
         4 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein the non-loft variant is selected from the group consisting of: a club length, a club head moment of inertia about a center of gravity, a sole camber, a leading edge height, a club head volume, a club head center of gravity height, a leading edge radius, a striking face surface area, a striking face average roughness Ra, and a head mass. 
     
     
         5 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein the third golf club further comprises a club head moment of inertia, Izz3, and the closest-lofted golf club comprises a club head moment of inertia, Izzc, that is less than Izz3 by at least 500 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 5 , wherein Izzc is less than Izz3 by at least 1000 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein the third golf club further comprises a head volume V3 and the closest-lofted golf club comprises a head volume Vc that is less than V3 by at least 75 cc. 
     
     
         8 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 7 , wherein Vc is less than V3 by at least 100 cc. 
     
     
         9 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third golf club further comprises a third striking face and a third head center of gravity having a depth from the third striking face, D3; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a fourth striking face and a fourth head center of gravity having a depth from the fourth striking face, D4, that is less than D3 by at least 10 mm.   
     
     
         10 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third golf club further comprises a third striking face having a face area, A3; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a fourth striking face having a face area, Ac, that is less than A3 by at least 20%.   
     
     
         11 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 1 , wherein the third golf club is configured for hitting off a tee, and the closest-lofted golf club is configured for hitting off a fairway. 
     
     
         12 . A correlated set of golf clubs comprising:
 at least three pairs of successively-loft golf clubs, each of the pairs defining a loft difference that is greater than 4°; and   a non-loft variant (NLV) golf club comprising a loft Lv that differs from a loft Lc of a closest-lofted golf club of the correlated set by no more than 3°.   
     
     
         13 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein Lv is substantially equal to Lc. 
     
     
         14 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the NLV golf club comprises a first external surface with first indicia including a first numerical club designation; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a second external surface with second indicia including a second numerical club designation that is the same as the first numerical club designation.   
     
     
         15 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein the NLV golf club further comprises a club head moment of inertia, IzzV, and the closest-lofted golf club comprises a club head moment of inertia, IzzC, that is less than IzzV by at least 500 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 15 , wherein IzzC is less than IzzV by at least 1000 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein the NLV golf club further comprises a head volume Vv and the closest-lofted golf club comprises a head volume Vc that is less than Vv by at least 75 cc. 
     
     
         18 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the NLV golf club further comprises a first striking face and a first head center of gravity having a depth from the third striking face, D1; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a second striking face and a second head center of gravity having a depth from the second striking face, D2, that is less than D1 by at least 10 mm.   
     
     
         19 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the NLV golf club further comprises a first striking face having a first face area, A1; and   the closest-lofted golf club comprises a second striking face having a second face area, A2, that is less than A1 by at least 20%.   
     
     
         20 . The correlated set of golf clubs of  claim 12 , wherein the NLV golf club is configured for hitting off a tee, and the closest-lofted golf club is configured for hitting off a fairway.