Golf club head with variable face thickness

Abstract

A metal wood golf club head having a faceplate which is first cast or forged then CNC (computer numerical control) milled to a controlled thickness to form a precisely configured faceplate optimizing the sweet spot.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of forming a golf club head comprising: 
 forming a sole plate;    forming a faceplate having an approximately constant cross sectional thickness;    forming a top plate;    forming a hozel;    shaping a backside of said faceplate on a CNC mill machine so that the cross sectional thickness of said faceplate decreases radially outward from a constant thickness sweet spot area;    attaching said faceplate to said sole plate, said hozel to said sole plate and faceplate and said top plate to said sole plate, faceplate and hozel; and    grinding and finishing the exterior surface of said club head.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a generally circular pattern.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a generally oval pattern.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a pattern generally matching the striking surface of said faceplate.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the approximate center of the CNC milled pattern is positioned at an optimal point within the sweet spot.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said faceplate is welded to said sole plate, said hozel is welded to said sole plate and faceplate and said top plate is welded to said sole plate, faceplate and hozel.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said faceplate, said sole plate and said top plate are formed by forging a metallic material.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said faceplate, said sole plate and said top plate are formed by casting a metallic material.  
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a faceplate for a golf club head comprising: 
 forming a faceplate having an approximately constant cross sectional thickness; and    shaping a backside of said faceplate on a CNC mill machine so that the cross sectional thickness of said faceplate decreases radially outward from a constant thickness sweet spot area having a thickness of between about 2.5 mm to 4 mm.    
     
     
         10 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a sole plate;    a faceplate having a sweet spot portion having an approximately constant cross sectional thickness and a CNC milled backside surrounding said sweet spot portion wherein the cross sectional thickness of said faceplate decreases radially outward from said sweet spot portion;    a top plate; and    a hozel, said sole plate, faceplate, top plate and hozel being assembled together to form said club head.    
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a generally circular pattern.  
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a generally oval pattern.  
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said backside of said faceplate is CNC milled in a pattern generally matching the striking surface of said faceplate.  
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein the approximate center of the CNC milled pattern is positioned at an optimal point within the sweet spot.  
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said faceplate is welded to said sole plate, said hozel is welded to said sole plate and faceplate and said top plate is welded to said sole plate, faceplate and hozel.  
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said faceplate has a cross sectional thickness of about 3 millimeters in the sweet spot portion decreasing to about 2.5 millimeters at the outer peripheral edge of the CNC milled portion of said faceplate.  
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said cross sectional thickness of said faceplate decreases by between about ten percent to twenty percent from the thickness of said faceplate in said sweet spot portion to the cross sectional thickness at the outer peripheral edge of the CNC milled portion of said faceplate.  
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said faceplate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and similar metallic materials.  
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 10  wherein said sole plate, said faceplate and said top plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and similar metallic materials.