Golf club

Abstract

A golf club includes a club head having a volume of greater than about 360 cm3 and a mass less than 200 g. A shaft attachable to the club head has a tip end, a butt end, and a shaft balance point distance, BPs, as measured from the butt end, of no more than 19 inches. And the golf club has a mass less than 300 g.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club comprising:
 a club head having a volume of greater than about 360 cm3 and a mass less than 200 g;   a shaft attachable to the club head having a tip end, a butt end, and a shaft balance point distance, BPs, as measured from the butt end, of no more than 19 inches; and   a golf club mass less than 300 g;   an overall club length, Lc; and   a club balance point distance, BPc, measured from the butt end of the shaft;   wherein a ratio (BPc/Lc) is no less than 0.76.   
     
     
       2. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft further comprises a shaft length, Ls, no less than 44 inches. 
     
     
       3. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein, respective to an imaginary coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, a z-axis and an origin located at a center of gravity of the club head, the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of at least about 4000 g-cm2. 
     
     
       4. The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the MOI about the z-axis is about 4500 g-cm2. 
     
     
       5. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the golf club is less than 295 g. 
     
     
       6. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the golf club is between 285 g and 295 g. 
     
     
       7. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the overall club length, Lc, is no less than 45 inches. 
     
     
       8. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the mass of the club head to the club balance point distance, BPc, is no greater than 8.5 grams/inch. 
     
     
       9. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the club head is between 190 g and 200 g. 
     
     
       10. The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a torsional displacement angle of greater than about 5.5°. 
     
     
       11. A golf club comprising:
 a club head having a volume of greater than about 360 cc and a mass less than 200 g;   a shaft attachable to the club head, the shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft mass less than 40 g, and a shaft balance point distance, BPs, as measured from the butt end, of no greater than 24 inches;   a golf club mass less than 300 g;   an overall club length, Lc, of no less than 45 in;   a shaft length, Ls; and   a club balance point distance, BPc, measured from the butt end of the shaft,   wherein a ratio (BPc/Lc)/(BPs/Ls) is at least about 1.68.   
     
     
       12. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the shaft mass is less than 30 g. 
     
     
       13. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the club head comprises a fiber-reinforced plastic. 
     
     
       14. The golf club of claim 13, wherein the club head comprises a main body and a striking face coupled to the main body, the main body including a top plate comprising a fiber-reinforced material. 
     
     
       15. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the shaft balance point distance, BPs, is no greater than 19 inches. 
     
     
       16. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the shaft length, Ls, is no less than 44 inches. 
     
     
       17. The golf club of claim 11, wherein, respective to an imaginary coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, a z-axis, and an origin located at a center of gravity of the club head, the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis (Izz) of at least about 4000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
       18. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the mass of the golf club is less than 295 g. 
     
     
       19. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the mass of the golf club is between 285 g and 295 g. 
     
     
       20. The golf club of claim 11, wherein the mass of the club head is between 190 g and 200 g. 
     
     
       21. A golf club comprising:
 a club head comprising a volume of greater than about 360 cc and a mass less than 200 g, the club head including a fiber-reinforced plastic material;   a shaft attachable to the club head, the shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft mass less than 40 g, and a shaft balance point distance, BPs, as measured from the butt end, of no greater than 24 inches;   a golf club mass less than 300 g;   an overall club length, Lc, of no less than 45 in;   a shaft length, Ls; and   a club balance point distance, BPc, measured from the butt end of the shaft,   wherein a ratio (BPc/Lc)/(BPs/Ls) is at least about 1.68.   
     
     
       22. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the club head comprises a main body and a striking face coupled to the main body, the main body including a top plate comprising a fiber-reinforced material. 
     
     
       23. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the shaft balance point distance, BPs, is no greater than 19 inches. 
     
     
       24. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the shaft length, Ls, is no less than 44 inches. 
     
     
       25. The golf club of claim 21, wherein, respective to an imaginary coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, a z-axis, and an origin located at a center of gravity of the club head, the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis (Izz) of at least about 4000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
       26. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the mass of the golf club is less than 295 g. 
     
     
       27. The golf club of claim 26, wherein the mass of the golf club is between 285 g and 295 g. 
     
     
       28. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the mass of the club head is between 190 g and 200 g.