Golf club

Abstract

A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body having front end, a rear end, a top side, a lower side, a toe side, a heel side, and a hosel positioned at the heel side of the body, a sole positioned at the lower side of the body and defining a sole opening, and a crown positioned at the top side of the body with at least 50 percent of the crown having an areal weight less than 0.4 g/cm 2 , the golf club head having a volume between 400 cm 3  and 500 cm 3 , a head mass less than 210 grams, and an interior cavity;   a weight, having a weight mass, attached to the body proximate the rear end;   a face positioned at the front end of the golf club head and including a striking surface having a face thickness that varies, the striking surface having a club head origin positioned at a geometric center of the striking surface, the club head origin defining a head origin coordinate system including:
 a head origin z-axis extending through the head origin in a generally vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, 
 a head origin x-axis extending through the head origin in a toe-to-heel direction generally perpendicular to the head origin z-axis, and 
 a head origin y-axis extending through the head origin in a front-to-back direction and generally perpendicular to the head origin x-axis and to the head origin z-axis,
 wherein:
 the head origin x-axis extends in a positive direction from the club head origin toward the heel side of the golf club head, 
 the head origin y-axis extends in a positive direction from the club head origin towards the rear end of the golf club head, and 
 the head origin z-axis extends in a positive direction from the club head origin towards the crown of the golf club head; 
 
 wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity (CG) with a head origin x-axis (CGx) coordinate between about −5 mm and about 10 mm, a head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate between about 15 mm and about 50 mm, and a head origin z-axis (CGz) coordinate between about −8 mm and about 0 mm; 
 wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis (Ixx) generally parallel to the head origin x-axis is 250-500 kg·mm 2 ; 
 wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity y-axis (Iyy) generally parallel to the head origin y-axis is 250-350 kg·mm 2 ; and 
 wherein a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis (Izz) generally parallel to the head origin z-axis is 400-600 kg·mm 2 , and the Izz is no more than 190 kg·mm 2  greater than the Ixx; and 
 
   an adjustable head-shaft connection assembly coupled to the hosel and configured to adjust an orientation of the golf club head relative to a golf club shaft to produce a loft change of at least 1.5 degrees, wherein the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly comprises a shaft sleeve having a sleeve mass, and a sleeve screw having a sleeve screw mass;
 wherein the hosel extends upwards from the top side of the body when the golf club head is in the normal address position and defines a hosel opening; 
 wherein the shaft sleeve is configured to be inserted into the hosel opening, and comprises:
 a shaft sleeve upper portion defining a shaft sleeve upper opening that is configured to receive a lower end portion of the golf club shaft, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve upper portion has a first diameter that is greater than a hosel opening diameter, and 
 a shaft sleeve lower portion defining an internally threaded opening configured to receive the sleeve screw, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve lower portion has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; and 
 
 wherein the sleeve screw is configured to be inserted through the sole opening and into the shaft sleeve lower portion that is inserted into the hosel opening. 
   
     
     
         22 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly includes at least four discrete positions; and   the shaft sleeve comprises a shaft sleeve intermediate portion having a third diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second and third diameters, and the third diameter is greater than the second diameter.   
     
     
         23 . The golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the CGz coordinate is less than about −2 mm, the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is at least 25 mm, and the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly is configured to produce a maximum lie angle change of at least 0.7 degrees. 
     
     
         24 . The golf club head of  claim 23 , wherein at least a portion of the weight intersects a vertical plane including the head origin y-axis, and further including at least one rib connected to the lower side proximate the weight. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club head of  claim 24 , wherein and the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is at least 31 mm, and the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly and the weight are configured to be adjustable by a single engagement end of a single tool. 
     
     
         26 . The golf club head of  claim 24 , wherein at least a portion of the hosel opening is dimensioned to form a gap between a circumferential outer surface of the shaft sleeve and an opposing circumferential internal surface of the hosel opening. 
     
     
         27 . The golf club head of  claim 24 , wherein the weight mass is greater than the sleeve mass. 
     
     
         28 . The golf club head of  claim 24 , wherein the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is no more than 36 mm, and the Izz is no more than 170 kg·mm 2  greater than the Ixx. 
     
     
         29 . The golf club head of  claim 23 , wherein at least a portion of the weight intersects a vertical plane including the head origin y-axis. 
     
     
         30 . The golf club head of  claim 29 , wherein the weight mass is at least 15 grams, the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is at least 31 mm, the Izz is no more than 170 kg-mm 2  greater than the Ixx. 
     
     
         31 . The golf club head of  claim 29 , wherein and the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is at least 31 mm, and the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly and the weight are configured to be adjustable by a single engagement end of a single tool. 
     
     
         32 . The golf club head of  claim 29 , further comprising a second weight attached to the body and having a second weight mass less than the weight mass, wherein the second weight mass is 1-6 grams, wherein a weight separation distance separates the weight and the second weight, and wherein the weight mass multiplied by the weight separation distance is between 450 g·mm and 2,000 g·mm. 
     
     
         33 . The golf club head of  claim 32 , wherein the second weight is secured to the golf club head at a location heelward of the head origin y-axis and forward of the weight. 
     
     
         34 . The golf club head of  claim 32 , wherein the shaft sleeve is received in a hosel opening of the body, and a diameter of the hosel opening is dimensioned to form a gap between a circumferential outer surface of the shaft sleeve and an opposing circumferential internal surface of the hosel opening, and the Izz is no more than 170 kg·mm 2  greater than the Ixx. 
     
     
         35 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the CGz coordinate is less than about −2 mm and the head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate is at least 25 mm;   the adjustable head-shaft connection assembly is configured to produce a maximum lie angle change of at least 0.7 degrees;   the hosel opening extends from a first end positioned above the top side of the body when the club head is in the normal address position to a second end positioned below the top side of the body when the club head is in the normal address position;   the shaft sleeve lower portion is inserted directly into the hosel opening; and   the shaft sleeve is configured to be inserted into the hosel opening through the first end of the hosel opening and towards the second end of the hosel opening.   
     
     
         36 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve upper portion comprises an annular surface that is in direct contact with a top edge of the hosel.   
     
     
         37 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve upper portion comprises an annular surface that is in direct contact with a top edge of the hosel.   
     
     
         38 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve tapers down in diameter between the shaft sleeve upper portion and a shaft sleeve intermediate portion having a third diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second and third diameters, and the third diameter is greater than the second diameter.   
     
     
         39 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve comprises a shaft sleeve intermediate portion having a third diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second and third diameters, and the third diameter is greater than the second diameter, and further wherein the shaft sleeve tapers down in diameter between the shaft sleeve intermediate portion and the shaft sleeve lower portion.   
     
     
         40 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the face has a face thickness that varies including a maximum face thickness, a minimum face thickness, and the face thickness has a thickness change of at least 25% between the maximum face thickness and the minimum face thickness; and   at least a portion of the weight intersects a vertical plane including the head origin y-axis.   
     
     
         41 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , further including a sole plate rib that intersects a vertical plane including the head origin y-axis, and at least a portion of the weight intersects the vertical plane. 
     
     
         42 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , further comprising a second weight attached to the body and having a second weight mass less than the weight mass, the second weight mass is 1-6 grams, wherein a weight separation distance separates the weight and the second weight, and the weight mass multiplied by the weight separation distance is between 450 g·mm and 2,000 g·mm. 
     
     
         43 . The golf club head of  claim 42 , further comprising a third weight attached to the body, wherein the third weight is secured to the golf club head at a location toeward of the head origin y-axis.