Golf clubs and golf club heads in fairway wood family having variable camber and related methods

Abstract

A set of golf club heads including two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs heads each having a different loft angle. The two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads can each include a sole, which can include a center point and a camber region having a radius of curvature. The camber region can extend at least approximately 0.5 inch from the center point in each of a toe direction and a heel direction. The loft angles of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads can progressively increase across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads. The radii of curvature of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads can progressively decrease across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads. Other embodiments for related sets of golf club heads, golf clubs, and methods are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A set of golf club heads comprising:
 two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs heads, each comprising:
 a different loft angle; and 
 a sole comprising a center point and a camber region, the camber region comprising a radius of curvature and extending at least approximately 0.5 inch from the center point in each of a toe direction and a heel direction, 
   wherein:
 the loft angles of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively increase across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and 
 the radii of curvature of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively decrease across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads. 
   
     
     
         2 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1  comprising three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads each having a different loft angle, wherein:
 the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads comprise the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; 
 the loft angles of the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively increase across the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and 
 the radii of curvature of the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively decrease across the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads. 
 
     
     
         3 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads, the camber region of the sole is located at approximately 0.5 inch behind a leading edge of the sole. 
     
     
         4 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads, the center point of the sole is located on a vertical line extending through an engineered impact point of the fairway wood-type golf club head when the fairway wood-type golf club head is positioned at a nominal lie angle. 
     
     
         5 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a first fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads is less than a loft angle of a second fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and   the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club head is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the first fairway wood-type golf club head.   
     
     
         6 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a third fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads is greater than a loft angle of the second fairway wood-type golf club head; and   the radius of curvature of the third fairway wood-type golf club head is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club head.   
     
     
         7 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads, the radius of curvature is less than approximately 6.5 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The set of golf club heads of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads comprises a body having a volume of no more than approximately 350 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         9 . A set of golf clubs comprising:
 two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs each comprising:
 a golf club head comprising:
 a different loft angle; and 
 a sole comprising a center point and a camber region, the camber region comprising a radius of curvature and extending at least approximately 0.5 inch from the center point in each of a toe direction and a heel direction, 
 
   wherein:
 the loft angles of the golf club heads of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs progressively increase across the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs; and 
 the radii of curvature of the golf club heads of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs progressively decrease across the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs. 
   
     
     
         10 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein:
 each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs comprise a shaft having a shaft length; and   the shaft lengths of the shafts of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs progressively decrease across the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs.   
     
     
         11 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9  comprising three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs each having a different loft angle, wherein:
 the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads comprise the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; 
 the loft angles of the golf club heads of the three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs progressively increase across the three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs; and 
 the radii of curvature of the golf club heads of the three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs progressively decrease across the three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs. 
 
     
     
         12 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 11 , wherein the three of more fairway wood-type golf clubs comprise a 3-wood-type golf club, a 5-wood-type golf club, and a 7-wood-type golf club. 
     
     
         13 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs, the camber region of the sole is located at approximately 0.5 inch behind a leading edge of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs, the center point of the sole is located on a vertical line extending through an engineered impact point of the golf club head of the fairway wood-type golf club when the golf club head is positioned at a nominal lie angle. 
     
     
         15 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a first fairway wood-type golf club of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs is less than a loft angle of a second fairway wood-type golf club of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs; and   the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the first fairway wood-type golf club.   
     
     
         16 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a third fairway wood-type golf club of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs is greater than a loft angle of the second fairway wood-type golf club; and   the radius of curvature of the third fairway wood-type golf club is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club.   
     
     
         17 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs, the radius of curvature is less than approximately 6.5 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The set of golf clubs of  claim 9 , wherein the golf club head of each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs comprises a body having a volume of no more than approximately 350 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         19 . A method of providing a set of golf clubs comprising:
 providing a set of golf club heads, the set of golf club heads comprising two or more fairway wood-type golf clubs heads each comprising:
 a different loft angle; and 
 a sole comprising a center point and a camber region, the camber region comprising a radius of curvature and extending at least approximately 0.5 inch from the center point in each of a toe direction and a heel direction, 
   providing a set of shafts; and   assembling each shaft of the set of shafts with each club head of the set of club heads,   wherein:
 the loft angles of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively increase across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and 
 the radii of curvature of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively decrease across the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the set of golf club heads comprise three or more fairway wood-type golf clubs each having a different loft angle, wherein:
 the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads comprise the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads;   the loft angles of the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively increase across the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and   the radii of curvature of the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads progressively decrease across the three or more fairway wood-type golf club heads.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads, the camber region of the sole is located at approximately 0.5 inch behind a leading edge of the sole. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a first fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads is less than a loft angle of a second fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads; and   the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club head is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the first fairway wood-type golf club head.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the loft angle of a third fairway wood-type golf club head of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads is greater than a loft angle of the second fairway wood-type golf club head; and   the radius of curvature of the third fairway wood-type golf club head is at least approximately 0.125 inch less than the radius of curvature of the second fairway wood-type golf club head.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, for each of the two or more fairway wood-type golf club heads, the radius of curvature is less than approximately 6.5 inches.