Golf club head

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a main body that defines a front face. The front face includes a plurality of projections extending from the front face. The ends of the projections define a plurality of individual contact surfaces for striking a golf ball. The plurality of projections prevent a golf ball from contacting the front face thereby resulting in a change of the golf ball general contact area. A golf club incorporating the club head provides improved control of a golf ball and also provides improved feel when the club head impacts a golf ball.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising: 
 a main body defining a strike portion sized to strike a golf ball, the strike portion comprising: 
 a main surface;  
 a plurality of projections integrally formed with the main surface, the plurality of projections extending outward from the main surface, the projections being spaced apart and defining individual flat end surfaces for contacting the surface of a golf ball, the flat end surfaces extending along a plane substantially parallel to the main surface, wherein the projections are stiff enough to prevent a golf ball from contacting the main surface when the golf club head strikes the golf ball.  
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head comprises one of a wood-type head and an iron-type head.  
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the projections are sized to fit within the dimples of a golf ball.  
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head comprises a putter head.  
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the flat end surfaces collectively define an area that is between 15%-45% of the area of the strike portion.  
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the projections on the strike portion is at least 30 projections per square inch.  
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the projections are uniformly distributed on the strike portion to form a plurality of interlinked hexagonal patterns.  
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of projections is separated from adjacent other of said plurality of projections by a distance between 0.020 and 0.078 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the end surfaces of the projections are circular.  
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the end surfaces of the projections have a diameter of approximately 0.020-0.078 inches.  
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the projections have a length of at least approximately 0.010 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the projections have a length of approximately 0.010-0.045 inches.  
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the projections extend in a direction substantially normal to a plane defined by the main surface of the front face.  
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the end surfaces of the projections each define an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape.  
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the head defines a lower edge and an upper edge, and wherein the projections are uniformly spaced from the lower edge to the upper edge.  
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the end surfaces of the projections located within a lateral region of the strike portion are larger than the end surfaces of the projections located within a central region of the strike portion.  
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises a face insert sized to fit within a recess, and wherein the projections extend outward from the face insert.  
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface and the projections are integrally formed of a metallic material.  
     
     
         19 . A golf club head comprising; 
 a main body defining a front face;    a plurality of projections extending from the front face, the ends of the projections defining a plurality of individual contact surfaces for striking a golf ball, wherein the plurality of projections prevent a golf ball from contacting the front face thereby resulting in a decrease of the golf ball general contact area.    
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the ends of the projections are flat.  
     
     
         21 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the ends of the projections collectively define a strike face that is substantially parallel to the front face.  
     
     
         22 . The golf club head of  claim 21 , wherein the projections are integrally formed with the main body.  
     
     
         23 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the head comprises a peripheral portion defining a peripheral surface and a strike portion surrounded by the peripheral portion, and wherein the projections extend from the strike portion.  
     
     
         24 . The golf club head of  claim 23 , wherein the strike face is recessed with respect to the peripheral surface.  
     
     
         25 . The golf club head of  claim 23 , wherein the strike face is coplanar with the peripheral surface.  
     
     
         26 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the ends of the projections collectively have an area that is between 15%-45% of the area of the strike portion.  
     
     
         27 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the density of the projections in the strike portion of the head is at least 30 projections per square inch.  
     
     
         28 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the projections are uniformly distributed on the strike portion to form a plurality of interlinked patterns.  
     
     
         29 . The golf club head of  claim 28  wherein the interlinked patterns comprise hexagons.  
     
     
         30 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein each of said plurality of projections is separated from adjacent other of said plurality of projections by a distance between 0.020 and 0.078 inches.  
     
     
         31 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the ends of the projections have a circular shape.  
     
     
         32 . The golf club head of  claim 31 , wherein the ends of the projections have a diameter of approximately 0.020-0.078 inches.  
     
     
         33 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the projections have a length of at least approximately 0.010 inches.  
     
     
         34 . The golf club head of  claim 33 , wherein the projections have a length of approximately 0.010-0.045 inches.  
     
     
         35 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the projections extend in a direction substantially normal to a plane defined by the front face.  
     
     
         36 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the ends of the projections each define an elliptical shape.  
     
     
         37 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the ends of the projections each define a polygonal shape.  
     
     
         38 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the head defines a lower edge and an upper edge, and wherein the projections are uniformly spaced from the lower edge to the upper edge.  
     
     
         39 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the size of the ends of the projections varies across the strike portion of the golf club head.  
     
     
         40 . The golf club head of  claim 38 , wherein the sizes of the ends of the projections located within a lateral region of the front face are larger than the sizes of the ends of the projections located within a central region of the front face.  
     
     
         41 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the main body further comprises a face insert sized to fit within a recess, and wherein the projections extend outward from the face insert.  
     
     
         42 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the front surface and the projections are both formed of a metallic material.  
     
     
         43 . In a golf club for use in striking a golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed therein, a club having a head with a faceplate which contacts the surface of a golf ball when said golf ball is being driven, the improvement comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid projections having spaces therebetween formed on said faceplate integrally therewith and extending therefrom, said projections being distributed in a substantially uniform pattern with their distal ends forming a striking surface of said face plate, surfaces being formed in said spaces which are substantially parallel to the striking surface of said projections, said projections being of a small enough size to fit within the dimples of a golf ball;    whereby when said faceplate strikes a golf ball, a substantial number of said projections enter and frictionally engage a corresponding substantial number of dimples on a golf ball to enhance the spin characteristics of a golf ball.    
     
     
         44 . The golf club of  claim 43 , wherein said projections are all of uniform length and diameter.  
     
     
         45 . The golf club head of  claim 43 , wherein said projections are cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         46 . The golf club head of  claim 45 , wherein said projections have a diameter of 0.08-0.12 inch.  
     
     
         47 . The golf club head of  claim 43 , wherein said projections extend from the main body of the faceplate 0.03-0.06 inch.  
     
     
         48 . The golf club head of  claim 46 , wherein the spacing between said projections is approximately 0.14 inch.  
     
     
         49 . The golf club head of  claim 45 , wherein said projections extend in a direction substantially normal to a plane parallel to said striking surface of said faceplate.  
     
     
         50 . A golf club head with a faceplate for use in striking a golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed therein, said faceplate having a striking surface which contacts the surface of a golf ball when a golf ball is driven, comprising: 
 a plurality of substantially cylindrical projections having spaces therebetween formed on the faceplate, the distal ends of said projections forming a striking surface of the faceplate, surfaces being formed in the spaces which are substantially parallel to the distal ends of the projections,    said projections extending from said faceplate in a direction substantially normal to a plane parallel to the striking surface of said faceplate,    said projections being distributed substantially uniformly over said striking surface and being small enough to fit within the dimples of a golf ball,    whereby when said faceplate strikes a golf ball a substantial number of said projections enter a corresponding substantial number of dimples on a golf ball to enhance the spin characteristics of a golf ball.    
     
     
         51 . The golf club head of  claim 50 , wherein said projections have a diameter of 0.08-0.12 inch.  
     
     
         52 . The golf club head of  claim 50 , wherein said projections extend from the main body of the faceplate 0.03-0.06 inch.  
     
     
         53 . The golf club head of  claim 51 , wherein the spacing between said projections is approximately 0.14 inch.  
     
     
         54 . In a golf club for use in striking a golf ball having dimples formed therein, said club having a head with a faceplate which contacts the surface of a golf ball when a golf ball is driven, the improvement comprising: 
 a plurality of projections formed on said faceplate and extending therefrom, said projections being distributed in a substantially uniform pattern with their distal ends forming a striking surface of said faceplate, said projections being of a small enough size to fit within the dimples of a golf ball, the projections at a top of said faceplate being larger in diameter than those at a bottom of said faceplate, the diameter of the projections gradually decreasing from the top to the bottom of the faceplate.    
     
     
         55 . The golf club head of  claim 54 , wherein said projections have a diameter of 0.08-0.12 inch.  
     
     
         56 . The golf club head of  claim 54 , wherein said projections are cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         57 . The golf club head of  claim 54 , wherein said projections extend from the main body of the faceplate 0.03-0.06 inch.  
     
     
         58 . The golf club head of  claim 54 , wherein said projections extend in a direction substantially normal to a plane parallel to the striking surfaces of said faceplate.  
     
     
         59 . A golf club comprising; 
 a shaft;    a grip on a first end of the shaft;    a golf club head on a second end of the shaft, comprising: 
 a main body defining a front face;  
 a plurality of projections extending from the front face, the ends of the projections defining a plurality of individual contact surfaces for striking a golf ball, wherein the plurality of projections prevent a golf ball from contacting the front face thereby resulting in a decrease of the golf ball general contact area.