Iron golf club head

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an iron-type golf club head. The iron-type golf club head comprises a body, having a density of less than 8 grams-per-cubic-centimeter (g/cc). The body comprises a heel portion, a toe portion, a sole portion, a top portion, and a front portion. The body also comprises a rear portion, comprising an insert shelf, adjacent the sole portion and extending from the toe portion to the heel portion, and a retention bar, integrally formed with a portion of the insert shelf and circumferentially closing the portion of the insert shelf to define a first insert channel. The iron-type golf club head also comprises a high-density insert, having a density of greater than 7.5 g/cc, supported by the insert shelf, and retained within the first insert channel by the retention bar.

1 . An iron-type golf club head, comprising:
 a body, having a density of less than 8 grams-per-cubic-centimeter (g/cc) and comprising:
 a heel portion; 
 a toe portion; 
 a sole portion; 
 a top portion; 
 a front portion, comprising a strike face; and 
 a rear portion, comprising:
 an insert shelf, adjacent the sole portion and extending from the toe portion to the heel portion; and 
 a retention bar, integrally formed with a portion of the insert shelf and circumferentially closing the portion of the insert shelf to define a first insert channel; and 
 
   a high-density insert, having a density of greater than 7.5 g/cc, supported by the insert shelf, and retained within the first insert channel by the retention bar.   
     
     
         2 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , further comprising an internal cavity enclosed by the heel portion, the toe portion, the sole portion, the top portion, the front portion, and the rear portion. 
     
     
         3 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the high-density insert is external to the internal cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the internal cavity is filled with a filler material. 
     
     
         5 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 4 , wherein the filler material is a foam. 
     
     
         6 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the high-density insert is made of a material having a density of at least 16.7 g/cc. 
     
     
         7 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 6 , wherein the high-density insert is made of a tungsten alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the high-density insert is asymmetric. 
     
     
         9 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 8 , wherein a mass of the high-density insert at a toe end of the high-density insert is greater than at a heel end of the high-density insert. 
     
     
         10 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel portion, the toe portion, the sole portion, the top portion, the front portion, and at least a portion of the rear portion are made of a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the high-density insert defines an exterior surface of the iron-type golf club head. 
     
     
         12 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein the high-density insert defines an exterior surface of the iron-type golf club head at the rear portion and the toe portion of the body. 
     
     
         13 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rear portion further comprises a retention flap, spaced apart from the insert shelf and from the retention bar;   the retention flap at least partially circumferentially closes the insert shelf to define a second insert channel; and   the high-density insert is retained within the second insert channel by the retention flap.   
     
     
         14 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the rear portion further comprises a rear wall; and   the insert shelf, the retention bar, and the retention flap, and the rear wall form a one-piece monolithic construction with the heel portion, the toe portion, the sole portion, and the top portion.   
     
     
         15 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 14 , wherein the front portion further comprises:
 a face opening; and   a strike plate coupled to and enclosing the face opening;   wherein the strike plate defines at least a portion of the strike face.   
     
     
         16 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion further comprises:
 a rear opening;   a rear panel coupled to and enclosing the rear opening; and   a retention flap, integrally formed in the rear panel, spaced apart from the insert shelf and from the retention bar, and at least partially circumferentially closing the insert shelf to define a second insert channel;   wherein the high-density insert is retained within the second insert channel by the retention flap.   
     
     
         17 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the heel portion, the toe portion, the sole portion, the top portion, the front portion, the insert shelf, and the retention bar are made of a first material;   the rear panel is made of a second material; and   the second material is different than the first material.   
     
     
         18 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first material has a density lower than the density of the high-density insert; and   the second material has a density greater than 1 g/cc and no more than the density of the first material.   
     
     
         19 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first material comprises a titanium alloy;   the high-density insert is made of a tungsten alloy; and   the second material comprises one of a titanium alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a polymer.   
     
     
         20 . The iron-type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the high-density insert is elongated;   a length of the high-density insert is substantially parallel to the strike face; and   the high-density insert tapers toward the heel portion.   
     
     
         21 - 44 . (canceled)