Golf club head manufacturing method

Abstract

Methods of bifurcating the material properties of golf club heads, and wedges in particular, are disclosed herein. The methods of the present invention preserve the bendability and feel of certain parts of the club heads, such as hosel regions, while selectively hardening and increasing the durability of other features, such as scorelines and texturing on the face.

We claim as our invention: 
     
         1 . A method comprising the steps of:
 manufacturing from a first material a wedge-type golf club head comprising a top portion, a sole portion, a rear portion, a face, and a hosel;   masking a portion of the hosel with a second material different from the first material;   processing the face;   hardening the head;   removing the second material from the hosel; and   finishing the head,   wherein the step of removing the second material from the hosel occurs after the step of hardening the head.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material has a first thermal conductivity value, wherein the second material has a second thermal conductivity value, and wherein the second thermal conductivity value is lower than the first thermal conductivity value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first material is steel, and wherein the second material is clay. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is a chemical barrier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the chemical barrier is paint. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is a physical barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the physical barrier is tape. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of hardening the head comprises at least one process selected from the group consisting of carburization, nitriding, carbonitriding, nitrocarburization, quenching, flame hardening, and tempering. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of processing the face is selected from the group of steps consisting of polishing, texturing, and adding scorelines. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of processing the face comprises the step of adding scorelines, and wherein the step of adding scorelines comprises a process selected from the group of processes consisting of stamping, machining, and lasering. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 manufacturing a golf club head comprising a top portion, a sole portion, a rear portion, a face comprising a plurality of scorelines, and hosel;   laser hardening at least a portion of the face; and   finishing the head,   wherein the step of finishing the head occurs after the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face, and   wherein each of the scorelines comprises an ED region and a plurality of side walls.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the golf club head is a wedge-type head. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of manufacturing a golf club head is selected from the group consisting of casting, forging, and forming. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face comprises laser hardening at least a portion of each of the scorelines. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face consists of laser hardening the ED region and side walls of each of the scorelines. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face comprises applying laser beams at an angle with respect to at least one of the plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the face comprises a plurality of micro-features, and wherein the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face comprises laser hardening at least one of the plurality of micro-features. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of laser hardening at least a portion of the face consists of laser hardening each of the plurality of micro-features. 
     
     
         19 . A wedge-type golf club head comprising:
 a carbon steel body comprising a top portion, a sole portion, a rear portion, a face, and a hosel,   wherein the body is integrally formed from a single metal material,   wherein the hosel comprises a bending region,   wherein the face comprises a striking surface having a plurality of scorelines and a textured region proximate the scorelines, and   wherein the bending region is more ductile than the striking surface.   
     
     
         20 . The wedge-type golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the bending region is more ductile than the rest of the body.