Golf club putter head

Abstract

A golf club putter head having putter body with a toe region, a central region, and a heel region, the central region having a front recess and a rear recess separated by a central wall joining the heel and toe regions. Front and rear inserts are disposed within the respective front and rear recesses. This construction affords structural integrity and greater manufacturing ease over the construction of putters having toe and heel regions that are entirely separated from each other. The inserts preferably are formed of materials having a lower density than that of the putter body, with the particular material being selected according to a golfer's preference in feel. A decorative element can be included with the rear insert, to achieve final head weighting and cosmetic appeal. The thickness of the central wall, and the density and thickness of the inserts, are selected to provide the putter head with a desired moment of inertia.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A golf club putter head, comprising: 
 an elongated body having a toe region, a central region, and a heel region, the central region having a front recess, a rear recess, and a central wall separating the front and rear recesses and joining the toe and heel regions;    a front insert having a striking surface and a rear surface and further having a maximum thickness, the front insert being located within the front recess of the central region of the elongated body, with its striking surface exposed; and    a rear insert having a rear surface and a front surface and further having a maximum thickness, the rear insert being located within the rear recess of the central region of the elongated body, with its rear surface exposed;    wherein the central wall has a minimum thickness that is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the front insert and that is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the rear insert, and wherein the combined thicknesses of the central wall and the front and rear inserts is selected to provide enhanced putting performance for a golfer.    
     
     
         2 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the elongated body has a predetermined density; and    the front insert comprises a metal material having a density less than the density of the elongated body.    
     
     
         3 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the toe and heel regions of the elongated body comprise at least 70% of a total mass of the putter head.  
     
     
         4 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front and rear inserts has a thickness that varies along a substantially vertical direction.  
     
     
         5 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the central wall of the elongated body ranges between about 0.1 mm and 3 mm.  
     
     
         6 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of both the front insert and the rear insert ranges between about 0.2 mm and 4 mm.  
     
     
         7 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the front insert has a substantially uniform thickness.  
     
     
         8 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the rear insert comprises a plate and an exposed decorative element.  
     
     
         9 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear inserts comprise different materials, at least one of the materials being different from the material of the elongated body.  
     
     
         10 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear inserts, together, have a mass that is at least 30 grams less than an equivalent volume of the material that forms the elongated body.  
     
     
         11 . A golf club putter head, comprising: 
 a body formed of a metallic material having a density, the body including a toe region, a central region, and a heel region, the central region having a front recess, a rear recess, and a central wall separating the front and rear recesses and joining the toe and heel regions;    a front insert having a striking surface and a rear surface, the front insert being disposed within the front recess of the central region of the body, the front insert having a maximum thickness and formed of material having a density less than the density of the body; and    a rear insert having a rear surface and a front surface, the rear insert being disposed within the rear recess of the central region of the body, the rear insert having a maximum thickness and formed of a material having a density less than the density of the body;    wherein the central wall has a minimum thickness that is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the front insert and less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the rear insert.    
     
     
         12 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the densities of the front and rear inserts are different.  
     
     
         13 . A golf club putter head as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the densities of the body, front insert, and rear insert are such that the combined masses of the front insert and rear insert are at least 10 grams less than they would be if they both had the same density as the body.  
     
     
         14 . A method of optimizing a golf club putter head for a particular golfer, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of elongated club head bodies, each club head body comprising a toe region, a central region, and a heel region,    wherein the combined mass of the toe and heel regions of each club head body is at least about 70% of the body's total mass,    wherein the central region of each club head body includes a central wall defining a front recess and a rear recess, the front recess having first uniform length and height dimensions, the rear recess having second uniform length and height dimensions,    wherein the central wall has a thickness of at least 0.1 mm;    providing a plurality of front inserts for attachment in the front recess of any one of the plurality of elongated bodies, such front inserts having different uniform thicknesses, ranging between about 0.2 mm and 4 mm;    providing a plurality of rear inserts for attachment in the rear recess of any one of the plurality of elongated bodies; and    selecting and assembling a combination of an elongated body, a front insert, and a rear insert according to a preferred feel and sound of a putter for the particular golfer.    
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , and further comprising forming the plurality of front inserts from a group of metallic and non-metallic materials.  
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , and further comprising providing a plurality of adhesive tape thicknesses for attaching the selected front insert in the front recess of the selected elongated body.  
     
     
         17 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , and further comprising forming at least one of the plurality of front inserts by coining.  
     
     
         18 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , and further comprising providing a decorative badge at a rear-facing surface of at least one of the plurality of rear inserts.  
     
     
         19 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , and further comprising forming at least one of the plurality of elongated bodies with a wall thickness that varies along a vertical axis.