Golf club

Abstract

A golf club head has a body defining a crown opening and a sole opening, a forward portion of the crown opening having a lip recessed below an outer surface of the crown and extending rearwardly. A composite crown insert is connected to the lip and covers the crown opening. A ratio of an outer surface area of the body and a combined outer surface area of the crown and sole inserts is less than 0.9. The club head has a crown height as measured relative to a ground plane at address, and there is a first crown height at a face-to-crown transition zone, a second crown height at a crown-to-skirt transition zone, and a maximum crown height that is greater than the first and second crown heights, the maximum crown height being located on the crown insert at or rearward of the lip.

1 . A golf club comprising:
 a shaft;   a grip connected to the shaft;   a FCT component connected to the shaft;   a golf club head connected to the FCT component, the golf club head including a crown and a sole, the golf club head having a body defining a crown opening and a sole opening, at least a forward portion of the crown opening comprising a lip recessed below an outer surface of the crown and extending rearwardly toward an aft portion of the golf club head;   a composite crown insert connected to the lip of the body of the golf club head and covering the crown opening;   a composite sole insert connected to the body of the golf club head and covering the sole opening;   a metal face plate frame permanently connected to the body of the golf club head, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the body and defining a front opening configured to receive a face plate;   wherein a ratio of an outer surface area of the body and a combined outer surface area of the composite crown and sole inserts is less than 0.9; and   wherein the golf club head has a crown height as measured relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in an address position, and there is a first crown height at a face-to-crown transition zone where the face plate connects to the crown near a front end of the golf club head, a second crown height at a crown-to-skirt transition zone where the crown connects to a skirt of the golf club head near a rear end of the golf club head, and a maximum crown height that is greater than both the first and second crown heights, the maximum crown height being located on the crown insert rearward of the first crown height, forward of the second crown height, and at or rearward of the location of the lip.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the face plate includes a composite material, or a metal material. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising an image printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising indicia printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 4 , wherein the indicia are alignment aids. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising color contrasts printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising an image or indicia printed on an exterior surface of the face plate, and wherein the image or indicia are formed by pad printing. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a polymer end cap secured to an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a forward weight coupled to the golf club head and a rear weight coupled to the golf club head further from the front opening of the metal face plate frame than the forward weight. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the crown insert extends aft over the rear weight. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the metal face plate frame comprises a weight port configured to receive the forward weight. 
     
     
         12 . A method, comprising printing an image or indicia on an exterior surface of the face plate of the golf club of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A golf club head comprising:
 a crown;   a sole;   a body defining a crown opening and a sole opening, at least a forward portion of the crown opening comprising a lip recessed below an outer surface of the crown and extending rearwardly toward an aft portion of the golf club head;   a composite crown insert connected to the lip of the body and covering the crown opening;   a composite sole insert connected to the body and covering the sole opening;   a metal face plate frame permanently connected to the body, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the body and configured to receive a face plate;   wherein a ratio of an outer surface area of the body and a combined outer surface area of the composite crown and sole inserts is less than 0.9; and   wherein the golf club head has a crown height as measured relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in an address position, and there is a first crown height at a face-to-crown transition zone where the face plate connects to the crown near a front end of the golf club head, a second crown height at a crown-to-skirt transition zone where the crown connects to a skirt of the golf club head near a rear end of the golf club head, and a maximum crown height that is greater than both the first and second crown heights, the maximum crown height being located on the crown insert rearward of the first crown height, forward of the second crown height, and at or rearward of the location of the lip.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , further comprising an image printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , further comprising indicia printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the indicia are alignment aids. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , further comprising color contrasts printed on an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , further comprising an image or indicia printed on an exterior surface of the face plate, and wherein the image or indicia are formed by pad printing. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , further comprising a polymer end cap secured to an exterior surface of the face plate. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 printing an image or indicia on an exterior surface of a face plate; and   connecting the face plate to a golf club head comprising:
 a crown; 
 a sole; 
 a body defining a crown opening and a sole opening, at least a forward portion of the crown opening comprising a lip recessed below an outer surface of the crown and extending rearwardly toward an aft portion of the golf club head; 
 a composite crown insert connected to the lip of the body and covering the crown opening; 
 a composite sole insert connected to the body and covering the sole opening; 
 a metal face plate frame permanently connected to the body, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the body and configured to receive the face plate; 
 wherein a ratio of an outer surface area of the body and a combined outer surface area of the composite crown and sole inserts is less than 0.9; and 
 wherein the golf club head has a crown height as measured relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is in an address position, and there is a first crown height at a face-to-crown transition zone where the face plate connects to the crown near a front end of the golf club head, a second crown height at a crown-to-skirt transition zone where the crown connects to a skirt of the golf club head near a rear end of the golf club head, and a maximum crown height that is greater than both the first and second crown heights, the maximum crown height being located on the crown insert rearward of the first crown height, forward of the second crown height, and at or rearward of the location of the lip.