Steel golf club head having reduced face thickness and optimum distributed mass

Abstract

A golf club head is comprised of cryogenically treated steel resulting in the striking face having a reduced face thickness of between 0.115 inches and 0.130 inches, and therefore, a reduced striking face mass. Extra material which is eliminated from the striking face, is distributed in other areas of the club head to enhance performance. In an iron club head embodiment, the club head includes a heel portion, toe portion, bottom sole portion, top ridge portion, hosel portion, striking face, rear surface, and peripheral mass on the rear surface which forms a rear cavity. A cantilevered mass extends from the bottom sole portion toward the top ridge portion within the rear cavity, spaced apart from the rear surface. In a wood club head embodiment, the club head includes a hollow body having an inner cavity delimited by a sole portion, a striking face, a heel portion, a toe portion, and a crown portion which links the striking face, toe portion, and heel portion. A weight chip of higher density material is located along the sole portion of the head. The iron and wood embodiments enjoy an optimum weight distribution which is below and behind the sweet spot, producing higher trajectory golf shots and more forgiving off-center hits.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be:  
     
         1 . An iron type golf club head comprising: 
 a heel portion, a toe portion, a bottom sole portion, a top ridge portion, a hosel portion, a striking face having a primary striking zone, a rear surface, a peripheral mass formed on the rear surface adjacent said heel, toe, bottom sole, and top ridge portions, said peripheral mass defining a rear cavity, a bottom of said rear cavity being defined by said rear surface; and    a cantilevered mass extending from the bottom sole portion toward the top ridge portion within the rear cavity, said cantilevered mass being spaced apart from the rear surface.    
     
     
         2 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.115 inches and 0.135 inches.  
     
     
         3 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.115 and 0.120 inches.  
     
     
         4 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.120 and 0.125 inches.  
     
     
         5 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.125 and 0.135 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the cantilevered mass is positioned below and behind the primary striking zone of the striking face.  
     
     
         7 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 6 , wherein the cantilevered mass is disposed toward the heel portion.  
     
     
         8 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the cantilevered mass tapers from a thickness that is greatest at the sole portion toward the top ridge portion.  
     
     
         9 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 8 , wherein the cantilevered mass is smoothly contoured on a back side and substantially flat on a front side, said substantially flat front side being substantially parallel to the rear surface.  
     
     
         10 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein the golf club head is comprised of cryogenically treated steel.  
     
     
         11 . The iron type golf club head according to  claim 9 , wherein the cryogenically treated steel is controllably cooled to approximately −300 degrees Fahrenheit.  
     
     
         12 . A metal wood type golf club head comprising: 
 a hollow body having an inner cavity delimited by a sole portion, a striking face having a primary striking zone, a heel portion having an opening defining a shaft axis for the introduction of a shaft, a toe portion, and a crown portion linking said striking face, said toe portion, and said heel portion, wherein the hollow body is comprised of cryogenically treated steel;    a weight chip located along the sole portion of the head, said head having a center of gravity substantially closer to the sole portion than said crown portion; and    wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.130 and 0.135 inches.    
     
     
         13 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 12 , wherein the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness of approximately 0.130 inches.  
     
     
         14 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 12 , wherein the cryogenically treated steel is controllably cooled to approximately −300 degrees Fahrenheit.  
     
     
         15 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 13 , wherein the weight chip is welded into a weight insert pocket on the sole portion.  
     
     
         16 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 15 , wherein the weight chip is made of a higher density material than the body.  
     
     
         17 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 16 , wherein the weight chip is made of tungsten or a tungsten-based alloy.  
     
     
         18 . The metal wood type golf club head according to  claim 17 , wherein the weight chip has a mass between 25 and 45 grams.  
     
     
         19 . A iron set comprising a plurality of irons having increasing size numbers, said irons each having an iron head comprising: 
 a heel portion, a toe portion, a bottom sole portion, a top ridge portion, a hosel portion, a striking face having a primary striking zone, a rear surface, a peripheral mass formed on the rear surface adjacent said heel, toe, bottom sole, and top ridge portions, said peripheral mass defining a rear cavity, a bottom of said rear cavity being defined by said rear surface; and    a cantilevered mass extending from the bottom sole portion toward the top ridge portion within the rear cavity, said cantilevered weight mass being spaced apart from the rear surface.    
     
     
         20 . The iron set according to  claim 19 , wherein the primary striking zone of each iron head has a thickness between 0.115 and 0.135 inches.  
     
     
         21 . The iron set according to  claim 20 , wherein each iron head is comprised of cryogenically treated steel.  
     
     
         22 . The iron set according to  claim 21 , wherein the cantilevered mass tapers from a thickness that is greatest at the sole portion toward the top ridge portion.  
     
     
         23 . The iron set according to  claim 22 , wherein the cantilevered mass is smoothly contoured on a back side and substantially flat on a front side, said substantially flat front side being substantially parallel to the rear surface.  
     
     
         24 . The iron set according to  claim 23 , wherein depending on the size number of the iron, the cantilevered mass is located in one of (1) a first position which is disposed toward the heel portion; (2) a second position which is disposed medially along the sole portion; and (3) a third position which is disposed toward the toe portion.  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a golf club head, said method comprising: 
 forming a club head having a primary striking zone, a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion, wherein at least the striking face of the club head is cryogenically treated steel, the primary striking zone having at least a portion having a thickness between 0.115 inches and 0.135 inches, said face thickness resulting in a reduced striking zone mass; and, distributing mass not used in the reduced striking zone mass about at least one of the striking face, the top portion, the bottom portion, the toe portion, the heel portion.    
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein in a wood-type golf club head, step (c) includes: 
 welding a weight chip into a weight insert pocket on the bottom portion of the club head, wherein the weight chip is made of a higher density material than the cryogenically treated steel.    
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein in an iron-type golf club head, step (c) includes: 
 forming a peripheral mass on a rear surface of the striking face, said peripheral mass defining a rear cavity; and,    forming a cantilevered mass extending from the bottom portion toward the top portion within the rear cavity, said cantilevered mass being spaced apart from the rear surface.    
     
     
         28 . A method of constructing a golf club head comprising: 
 assembling the golf club head including a striking face, a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion; and cryogenically treating the assembled golf club head; or    cryogenically treating a striking face; and assembling the striking face in contact with a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion.