Golf club head with sole side features

Abstract

A golf club head can comprise a hollow body comprising a shell defining at least some of an exterior surface of the golf club head, and the hollow body can include a ball-striking face, a crown, a hosel, a sole, and a rear end opposite the ball-striking face. A recess can be located on the sole and can extend toward an interior of the hollow body. An opening can be located within the recess and can be defined by one or more sidewalls. A weighted insert can insert into the recess and the opening and can comprise a first end, a second end, and a middle portion disposed therebetween. The first end can extend outwardly from the middle portion in a toe-to-heel direction and the second end can extend outwardly from the middle portion in a heel-to-toe direction. A weight can be disposed within the weighted insert.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a hollow body comprising a shell defining at least some of an exterior surface of the golf club head, the hollow body including a ball-striking face, a crown, a hosel, a sole, and a rear end opposite the ball-striking face;   a recess located on the sole, the recess extending inwardly toward an interior of the hollow body from the sole to an inner end of the recess;   an opening located within the recess and extending inwardly from the inner end toward the interior of the hollow body, the opening being defined by one or more sidewalls; and   a weighted insert configured to insert into the recess and the opening, the weighted insert comprising an insert body having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion disposed between the first end and the second end, the first end extending outwardly from the middle portion in a toe-to-heel direction and the second end extending outwardly from the middle portion in a heel-to-toe direction,   wherein a distance between the ball-striking face and the first end is greater than a distance between the ball-striking face and the middle portion, and   wherein a distance between the ball-striking face and the second end is greater than a distance between the ball-striking face and the middle portion.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted insert further comprises a protrusion extending from an inner-facing surface of the insert body and extending at least partially into the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion of the weighted insert comprises a lip configured to abut one or more surfaces of a sidewall of the opening to thereby retain the weighted insert within the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusion of the weighted insert comprises a resiliently deformable material. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted insert comprises a polymer material and a metal material. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first end further extends outwardly from the middle portion at least partially in a front-to-rear direction, and
 wherein the second end further extends outwardly from the middle portion at least partially in a front-to-rear direction.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted insert is symmetrical along a plane extending in a sole-to-crown direction and a front-to-rear direction. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical distance between a lowermost edge of the ball-striking face and a lowermost point on the sole is greater than a vertical distance between an innermost end of the one or more sidewalls defining the opening and the lowermost point of the sole. 
     
     
         9 . A golf club head comprising:
 a hollow body comprising a shell defining at least some of an exterior surface of the golf club head, the hollow body including a ball-striking face, a crown, a hosel, a sole, and a rear end opposite the ball-striking face;   a recess located on the sole, the recess extending inwardly toward an interior of the hollow body;   an opening located within the recess and extending inwardly toward the interior of the hollow body, the opening being defined by one or more sidewalls; and   a weighted insert configured to insert into the recess and the opening,   wherein a vertical distance between a lowermost edge of the ball-striking face and a lowermost point on the sole is greater than a vertical distance between an innermost end of the one or more sidewalls defining the opening and the lowermost point of the sole.   
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the weighted insert further comprises a protrusion configured to extend at least partially into the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the protrusion of the weighted insert comprises a lip configured to abut one or more surfaces of a sidewall of the opening to thereby retain the weighted insert within the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the weighted insert further comprises a weight disposed at least partially within the protrusion. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the weighted insert comprises a polymer material and the weight comprises a metal material. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the weight comprises a material having a density that is greater than a density of the weighted insert. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the weighted insert is symmetrical along a plane extending in a sole-to-crown direction and a front-to-rear direction. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the weighted insert comprises an insert body having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion disposed between the first end and the second end, the first end extending outwardly from the middle portion in a toe-to-heel direction and the second end extending outwardly from the middle portion in a heel-to-toe direction,   a distance between the ball-striking face and the first end is greater than a distance between the ball-striking face and the middle portion, and   a distance between the ball-striking face and the second end is greater than a distance between the ball-striking face and the middle portion.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the first end further extends outwardly from the middle portion at least partially in a front-to-rear direction, and
 wherein the second end further extends outwardly from the middle portion at least partially in a front-to-rear direction.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the recess has a cross-sectional shape that is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the weighted insert such that one or more exterior surfaces of the weighted insert contact one or more walls of the recess. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the weighted insert is symmetrical along a plane extending in a sole-to-crown direction and a front-to-rear direction. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the shell comprises a protrusion extending outwardly from the shell, the protrusion including a weight opening, and   the golf club head further comprises a secondary weight configured to at least partially insert into the weight opening and extend into the interior of the hollow body, the secondary weight having a generally longitudinal shape.