Multi-use golf club head

Abstract

A utility golf club that combines a number of features not otherwise found in any one standard golf club. A golf club having a short shaft, a heavy head, a strong loft angle, a deep face, a wide sole, a sharp edge sole pattern, an increased lie angle and hitting surface and sightline alignment aids, can be advantageously employed in a variety of difficult game situations. The short shaft aids precision and increases attack angle. The heavy head helps defeat deep rough and permits a shortened back swing. The deep face assures a greater probability of striking the ball even in the rough where the ball may sit very high. A stronger loft angle is useful for bump and run shots near the greens as well as extricating shots out of the rough. The sharp edge sole pattern permits more consistent shots on hard surfaces. The alignment aids permit accurate orientation of the club head particularly near the green where it can be controlled like a putter. In addition, the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a high lie angle and a hosel shifted behind the club head's leading edge to reduce turf contact particularly in the rough and thus minimize induced twisting.

1 . A golf club head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the head comprising a hitting surface having a plurality of score lines and a plurality of punch marks, the punch marks configured as a visual aid formed as apparent lines that are perpendicular to said score lines.  
     
     
         2 . A golf club head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the head comprising a sole having a groove pattern formed from a plurality of parallel grooves terminating adjacent said hitting surface and providing teeth-like edges adjacent said hitting surface.  
     
     
         3 . The golf club head recited in  claim 2  wherein said groove pattern is trapezoidal.  
     
     
         4 . The golf club head recited in  claim 3  wherein a groove of said groove pattern that is closest to said heel is shorter than a groove that is closest to said toe.  
     
     
         5 . A golf club iron head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the iron head comprising a hitting surface that has a maximum distance between said sole and said top line surface that is at least 1.75 inches, a sole that has a maximum distance from said hitting surface that is at least 1.2 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The golf club iron head recited in  claim 5  wherein said head has a loft angle that is less than 30°.  
     
     
         7 . The golf club iron head recited in  claim 5  wherein said head has a total mass which exceeds 320 grams.  
     
     
         8 . A golf club iron having a shaft connected through a hosel to a golf cub head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the head comprising: 
 a sole having a groove pattern formed from a plurality of parallel grooves terminating adjacent said hitting surface and providing teeth-like edges adjacent said hitting surface.    
     
     
         9 . The golf club head recited in  claim 8  wherein said groove pattern is trapezoidal.  
     
     
         10 . The golf club head recited in  claim 8  wherein a groove of said groove pattern that is closest to said heel is shorter than a groove that is closest to said toe.  
     
     
         11 . A golf club iron having a shaft connected through a hosel to a golf cub head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the head comprising: 
 the iron head comprising a hitting surface that has a maximum distance between said sole and said top line surface that is at least 1.75 inches, a sole that has a maximum distance from said hitting surface that is at least 1.2 inches.    
     
     
         12 . The golf club iron recited in  claim 11  wherein said head has a loft angle that is less than 30°.  
     
     
         13 . The golf club iron recited in  claim 11  wherein said head has a total mass which exceeds 320 grams.  
     
     
         14 . The golf club iron recited in  claim 11  wherein said shaft has a length which is less than 37 inches.  
     
     
         15 . The golf club iron head recited in  claim 5  wherein said head has a loft angle that is less than 30° wherein said head has a total mass which exceeds 320 grams.  
     
     
         16 . The golf club head recited in  claim 11  wherein a groove of said groove pattern that is closest to said heel is shorter than a groove that is closest to said toe; 
 a shaft connected through a hosel to a golf cub head having a hitting surface defined by a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface; the head comprising: 
 the iron head comprising a hitting surface that has a maximum distance between said sole and said top line surface that is at least 1.75 inches, a sole that has a maximum distance from said hitting surface that is at least 1.2 inches;  
 wherein said head has a loft angle that is less than 30°.  
 
 
     
     
         17 . A golf club iron head having a sole, a toe, a heel and a top line surface, all defining a hitting surface and a rear cavity; the head comprising a flange extending from said rear cavity away from said hitting surface, the bottom of said flange being defined by a portion of said sole, the top of said flange having a groove that is parallel to the desired direction of travel of a ball hit by said hitting surface.