Golf club head

Abstract

A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light-weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club. The metallic portion of the club head may take on the appearance of a frame, into which several light-weight inserts are positioned. These light-weight inserts may be positioned in the crown, skirt, and sole of the club head. The club head may be formed by co-molding, eliminating the need for welding or adhesives, freeing mass to be used in more beneficial ways. The club head may be large to increase playability and forgiveness.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a body comprising a first material with a first density, the body having a striking face, a sole, a crown, a heel, and a toe,   wherein a portion of the sole consists of the first material and further wherein the sole comprises a plurality of sole inserts, each insert comprising a panel of a light-weight material covering an opening through the first material and non-threadably affixed to the first material at an attachment perimeter extending at least partly around the edge of the covered opening, such that each of sole inserts provides a portion of the sole and cooperates with the remainder of the sole and body to define an interior volume of the club head, wherein the light-weight material has a density less than the first density.   
     
     
         36 . The club head of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a heel weight located on a heel side of the club, a toe weight located on a toe side the club, each of the heel and toe weights having a second density greater than the first density.   
     
     
         37 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein the heel and toe weights each have a mass from 2 grams to 35 grams. 
     
     
         38 . The club head of  claim 35 , wherein the striking face has a surface area greater than 40 cm 2  and a width divided by a height defining an aspect ratio that is greater than 1.5, with the width measured in a heel-toe direction and the height measured in a sole-crown direction. 
     
     
         39 . The golf club head of  claim 38 , wherein the area is greater than 50 cm 2 . 
     
     
         40 . The golf club head of  claim 38 , wherein the aspect ratio is greater than 1.7. 
     
     
         41 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein the crown has a surface area greater than 100 cm 2 . 
     
     
         42 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein the crown further comprises an insert formed of a material selected from a group consisting of a composite, a polypropylenes, Kevlar, magnesium, a thermoplastic, a plastic, and a low-density metal alloys. 
     
     
         43 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein the light-weight material is selected from the group consisting of a composite, a plastic, and a metal alloy. 
     
     
         44 . The club head of  claim 35 , wherein at least a majority of the sole consists of the first material 
     
     
         45 . The club head of  claim 35 , further comprising a center of gravity located a distance of approximately 1 inch or less above the sole. 
     
     
         46 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein the club head has a volume greater than 400 cm 3 . 
     
     
         47 . The golf club head of  claim 35 , wherein a distance measured substantially at a center of the club head from a crown-face intersection to a rear edge of the crown is greater than 4 inches. 
     
     
         48 . The golf club head of  claim 47 , wherein the distance is greater than 4.25 inches. 
     
     
         49 . The club head of  claim 36 , further comprising an intermediate weight positioned between the heel and toe weights on the sole, the intermediate weight having a mass between 2 and 35 grams. 
     
     
         50 . The club head of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of sole inserts comprises two sole inserts, one located adjacent the heel weight, and the other located adjacent the toe weight. 
     
     
         51 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a body comprising a first material with a first density, the body having a striking face, a sole, a crown, a heel, and a toe; and   an insert comprising a panel of a light-weight material covering an opening through the first material and non-threadably affixed to the first material at an attachment perimeter extending at least partly around the edge of the covered opening, such that the insert provides a portion of the body and cooperates with the remainder of the body to define an interior volume of the club head, wherein the light-weight material has a density less than the first density.   
     
     
         52 . The club head of  claim 51 , wherein the striking face has a surface area greater than 40 cm 2  and—with a width measured in a heel-toe direction and a height measured in a sole-crown direction—the width divided by the height defines an aspect ratio that is greater than 1.5, and further wherein the crown has a surface area greater than 100 cm 2 . 
     
     
         53 . The golf club head of  claim 51 , wherein at least a portion of the insert is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a composite, polypropylene, Kevlar, magnesium, a thermoplastic, a plastic, a polymer, and a low-density metal alloys. 
     
     
         54 . The golf club head of  claim 51 , further comprising a first weight insert positioned on a toe side of the sole and a second weight insert positioned on a heel side of the sole, each of the first and second weight inserts having a mass from 2 grams to 35 grams.