Golf club head

Abstract

A golf club head has a main body including a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, a striking face, a rear portion opposite the striking face. The striking face has a striking face plane and a striking face outer periphery that is coplanar with the striking face plane. The striking face outer periphery has an outer periphery heel portion, an outer periphery toe portion opposite the outer periphery heel portion, an outer periphery top portion, and an outer periphery bottom portion opposite the outer periphery top portion. The striking face also has a recess extending rearward from the striking face plane, and the recess includes a recess periphery coplanar with the striking face plane. The striking face further has an insert disposed within the recess. The striking face additionally has a minimum periphery width separating the striking face outer periphery and the recess periphery. The periphery width is no greater than 1.25 mm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club comprising:
 a club head having a volume of greater than about 360 cc and a mass less than 200 g;   a shaft attachable to the club head, the shaft having a tip end, a butt end, a shaft mass less than 40 g, and a shaft balance point distance, BP s , as measured from the butt end, of no greater than 24 inches; and   a golf club mass less than 300 g.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft mass is less than 30 g. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the club head comprises a fiber-reinforced plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the club head comprises a main body and a striking face coupled to the main body, the main body including a top plate comprising a fiber-reinforced material. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft balance point distance, BP s , is no greater than 19 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft further comprises a shaft length, L s , no less than 44 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein, respective to an imaginary coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, a z-axis, and an origin located at a center of gravity of the club head, the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis (Izz) of at least about 4000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the golf club is less than 295 g. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the golf club is between 285 g and 295 g. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising an overall club length, Lc, no less than 45 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mass of the club head is between 190 g and 200 g. 
     
     
         12 . A golf club comprising:
 a club head comprising a volume of greater than about 360 cc and a mass less than 200 g, the club head including a fiber-reinforced plastic material;   a shaft attachable to the club head, the shaft having a tip end, a butt end, and a shaft balance point distance, BP s , as measured from the butt end, of no greater than 24 inches; and   a golf club mass less than 300 g.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the club head comprises a main body and a striking face coupled to the main body, the main body including a top plate comprising a fiber-reinforced material. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the shaft balance point distance, BP s , is no greater than 19 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club of  claim 12 , wherein the shaft further comprises a shaft length, L s , no less than 44 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club of  claim 12 , wherein, respective to an imaginary coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, a z-axis, and an origin located at a center of gravity of the club head, the club head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis (Izz) of at least about 4000 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The golf club of  claim 12 , wherein the mass of the golf club is less than 295 g. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club of  claim 17 , wherein the mass of the golf club is between 285 g and 295 g. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club of  claim 12 , further comprising an overall club length, L c , no less than 45 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club of  claim 12 , wherein the mass of the club head is between 190 g and 200 g.