Adjustable sole weight of a golf club head

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body having a heel portion, a toe portion, a sole portion, and an outer surface, a strikeface having a geometric center, a head center of gravity, and a weight member including a weight pad. The weight member is configured to be repositionable by the user to a first position or a second position. The club head having the weight member in the first position shifts the head center of gravity toward the strikeface, and the club head having the weight member in the second position shifts the head center of gravity away from the strikeface.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body having a heel portion, a toe portion, a rear portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion,   a strikeface having a geometric center;   a head center of gravity;   a z-axis extending through the head center of gravity from the strikeface to the rear portion parallel to a ground plane, when the club head is at an address position;   a receiving tube comprising a rear opening;   a weight member comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the first portion having a first density and the second portion having a second density such that the first density is greater than the second density; 
   wherein:
 the weight member is configured to be positioned within the receiving tube through the rear opening such that no portion of the weight member is visible from a sole view. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiving tube is oriented in an approximately front to rear direction.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the receiving tube is located on the sole of the body.   
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the weight member is held within the receiving tube by a fastener.   
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the weight member is held within the receiving tube by a plug.   
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the weight member can be removed from the receiving tube by the user and placed in a first position or a second position to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club head;   the first position is defined by when the first portion of the weight member is positioned closer to the strike face than the second portion;   the second position is defined by when the second portion of the weight member is positioned closer to the strike face than the first portion.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the weight member comprises a first weight member axis that symmetrically and longitudinally divides the weight member;   the weight member is positioned offset by a weight member angle measured between the first weight member axis and the z-axis, as measured from a sole view; and   the weight member angle ranges between approximately 0 to 20 degrees.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weight member includes an indicator to indicate the position of the weight member with respect to the body. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weight member can be rotated from the exterior of the club head. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head and the weight member together have a combined total mass, and wherein the weight member has a first mass ranging from 4.2% to 20.0% of the total mass of the club head. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body having a heel portion, a toe portion, a rear portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion,   a strikeface having a geometric center;   a head center of gravity;   a z-axis extending through the head center of gravity from the strikeface to the rear portion parallel to a ground plane, when the club head is at an address position;   a receiving tube comprising a rear opening;   a weight member comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the first portion having a first density and the second portion having a second density such that the first density is greater than the second density; 
   wherein:
 the weight member is configured to be positioned within the receiving tube through the rear opening such that no portion of the weight member is visible from a sole view; 
 the weight member comprises a first weight member axis that symmetrically and longitudinally divides the weight member; 
 the weight member is positioned offset by a weight member angle measured between the first weight member axis and the z-axis, as measured from a sole view; and 
 the weight member angle ranges between approximately 0 to 20 degrees. 
   
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the receiving tube is located on the sole of the body.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the weight member is held within the receiving tube by a fastener.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the weight member is held within the receiving tube by a plug.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the weight member can be moved from the receiving tube by the user and placed in a first position or a second position to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club head;   the first position is defined by when the first portion of the weight member is positioned closer to the strike face than the second portion;   the second position is defined by when the second portion of the weight member is positioned closer to the strike face than the first portion.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 A mass of the weight is approximately 4.5% to 20.0% of a mass of the club head.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 when the weight member is placed in a first position on impact with a golf ball at the geometric center of the strikeface, the club head applies a first vertical spin on the golf ball;   when the weight member is in a second position on impact with a golf ball at the geometric center of the strikeface, the club head applies a second vertical spin on the golf ball; and   the second vertical spin rate is different than the first vertical spin rate.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 17 , wherein the difference between the first vertical spin rate and the second vertical spin rate ranges from approximately 200 rpm to 600 rpm.