Golf club heads with a multi-material striking surface

Abstract

Embodiments of putter-type golf club head comprising a striking surface capable of achieving consistent ball speeds across the striking surface to account for various ball impact locations are described herein. The striking surface has at least two materials that differ in concentration away from the geometric center of the striking surface to provide this consistency. Consistent (or uniform) ball speed is achieved throughout the striking surface as the portion of the golf ball that contacts the striking surface interacts with at least two materials having a differing material characteristic.

1 . A putter-type golf club head, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a heel portion; 
 a toe portion distal from the heel portion; 
 a top rail; 
 a sole portion distal from the top rail; and 
 a striking surface forming a recess defined by the heel portion, the toe portion, the top rail, and the sole portion of the body; 
 an insert configured to be received within and complementary to the recess defined by the striking surface; 
 wherein: 
 the insert comprises a first part formed of a first material, and defines a rear surface of the insert; 
 the insert comprises a second part formed of a second material, and defines a front surface of the insert adapted for impact with a golf ball; and 
 the second part of the insert further defines a plurality of voids arranged in a bowtie configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a horizontal axis that extends through a geometric center of the striking surface in a heel-to-toe direction and is approximately parallel to a ground plane and a vertical axis that extends through the geometric center of the striking surface and is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids is defined by five zones, namely a central zone, a toe side zone, a heel side zone, a toe side intermediate zone, and a heel side intermediate zone; and
 each void in the plurality of voids extends continuously across all the zones in an approximately horizontal direction.   
     
     
         4 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the toe side zone, the heel side zone, and the central zone, are defined by where the plurality of voids are parallel to a ground plane and the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone are defined by where the plurality of voids are angled relative to adjacent zones. 
     
     
         5 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein each void in the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone are angled toward a center of the striking surface. 
     
     
         6 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of voids in the heel side zone, the toe side zone, and the central zone are connected to each other by angled voids in the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone. 
     
     
         7 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material combine to form a single, continuous striking surface. 
     
     
         8 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first material can be selected from a group comprising: an elastomer, a polyurethane, a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoset elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, a viscoelastic material, and a urethane. 
     
     
         9 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the first material has a first hardness, the second material has a second hardness and the second hardness is greatest than the first hardness. 
     
     
         10 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the second material is substantially constant. 
     
     
         11 . A putter-type golf club head, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a heel portion; 
 a toe portion distal from the heel portion; 
 a top rail; 
 a sole portion distal from the top rail; and 
 a striking surface forming a recess defined by the heel portion, the toe portion, the top rail, and the sole portion of the body; 
 an insert configured to be received within and complementary to the recess defined by the striking surface; 
 wherein: 
 the insert comprises a first part formed of a first material, and defines a rear surface of the insert; 
 the insert comprises a second part formed of a second material, and defines a front surface of the insert adapted for impact with a golf ball; 
 the second part of the insert further defines a plurality of voids arranged in a bowtie configuration; and 
 a stance between each void in the plurality of voids gradually increase from a geometric center of the striking surface. 
   
     
     
         12 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a horizontal axis that extends through a geometric center of the striking surface in a heel-to-toe direction and is approximately parallel to a ground plane and a vertical axis that extends through the geometric center of the striking surface and is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of voids is defined by five zones, namely a central zone, a toe side zone, a heel side zone, a toe side intermediate zone, and a heel side intermediate zone; and
 each void in the plurality of voids extends continuously across all the zones in an approximately horizontal direction.   
     
     
         14 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the toe side zone, the heel side zone, and the central zone, are defined by where the plurality of voids are parallel to a ground plane and the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone are defined by where the plurality of voids are angled relative to adjacent zones. 
     
     
         15 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein each void in the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone are angled toward a center of the striking surface. 
     
     
         16 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of voids in the heel side zone, the toe side zone, and the central zone are connected to each other by angled voids in the toe side intermediate zone and the heel side intermediate zone. 
     
     
         17 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first material and the second material combine to form a single, continuous striking surface. 
     
     
         18 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first material can be selected from a group comprising: an elastomer, a polyurethane, a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoset elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, a viscoelastic material, and a urethane. 
     
     
         19 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the first material has a first hardness, the second material has a second hardness and the second hardness is greatest than the first hardness. 
     
     
         20 . The putter-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second material is substantially constant.