Golf club velocity enhancement

Abstract

A golf club includes a club head that has one or more air passages extending from its front face to its rear face, so that when the club is swung in a ball-striking action air in the path of the club head is transferred from a pressurized zone on the head front face through the air passages into a low pressure wake area behind the club head. The air transfer action minimizes resistance to club movement, so as to contribute to a faster club head speed and a longer ball travel.

1 . In a golf club that comprises a three dimensional club head having a ball-striker front face, a curvilinear rear face, and side surfaces that taper in a direction from the front face to the rear face: the improvement comprising an air passage means extending from the ball-striker front face to the rear face, so that during a ball-striking event some of the air proximate to the front face flows through said air passage means into a wake area behind the rear face. 
   
   
       2 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said air passage means comprises at least one sleeve positioned in said club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure. 
   
   
       3 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein the club head front face has an upper edge and a lower edge; said air passage means comprising a first passage system receiving air from a front face area proximate to said upper edge, and a second passage system receiving air from a front face area proximate to said lower edge. 
   
   
       4 . The improvement of  claim 3 , wherein each said passage system comprises a slot-shaped air passage. 
   
   
       5 . The improvement of  claim 3 , wherein each said passage system comprises plural corner-free passages spaced along the club head front face. 
   
   
       6 . The improvement of  claim 5 , wherein each said corner-free passage is defined by a sleeve formed separately from the club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure. 
   
   
       7 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said ball-striker front face has an imaginary center that constitutes the optimal ball-strike point; said air passage means comprising plural air passages spaced substantial distances from said optimal ball-strike point, whereby the air passages do not come into contact with a golf ball during a normal ball-striking event. 
   
   
       8 . The improvement of  claim 7 , wherein each said air passage is spaced from said optimal ball-strike point by a distance that is approximately equal to the radius of a conventional golf ball. 
   
   
       9 . The improvement of  claim 8 , wherein each said air passage is defined by a sleeve formed separately from the club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure.