Golf club head with vertical center of gravity adjustment

Abstract

Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A wood-type golf club head comprising:
 a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, the face comprising a face plate, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and having a crown surface area, and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and crown;   wherein the head has a face center positioned on the face at an approximate geometric center of the face, the face center including a head origin x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a head origin y-axis generally perpendicular to the head origin x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a head origin z-axis generally perpendicular to the head origin x-axis and to the head origin y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, the head having a center of gravity whose location is defined relative to the head origin x-axis via a CGx coordinate, the head origin y-axis via a CGy coordinate of no more than 50 mm, and the head origin z-axis via a CGz coordinate; and   a rear weight releasably attached to the body, and the rear weight has a rear mass of 5-50 grams, and a rear weight center of gravity establishing a rear weight head origin x-axis coordinate, a rear weight head origin y-axis coordinate, and a rear weight head origin z-axis coordinate, wherein the rear weight head origin y-axis coordinate is 80-130 mm;   wherein the head has an Ixx moment of inertia about a CG x-axis, and an Izz moment of inertia about a CG z-axis of 480-600 kg·mm 2 ; and   wherein the crown has a crown thickness greater than 0.4 mm over at least 50% of the crown surface area and the has a crown areal weight no more than 0.45 g/cm 2  over at least 50% of the crown surface area.   
     
     
         22 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 21 , wherein the CGz coordinate is −6 mm to 1 mm, the CGy coordinate is at least 20 mm, Ixx is at least 310 kg·mm 2 , and the rear weight head origin x-axis coordinate is between about −20 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 22 , wherein Ixx is no more than 430 kg·mm 2 . 
     
     
         24 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 23 , wherein the rear weight head origin y-axis coordinate is at least 98 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 24 , wherein the rear weight head origin z-axis coordinate is −10 mm to −30 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 24 , further including a first forward weight releasably attached to the body on a toe portion of the golf club head and a second forward weight releasably attached to the body on a heel portion of the golf club head. 
     
     
         27 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 24 , further including a forward weight releasably attached to the body, wherein the forward weight has a forward mass of 1-18 grams, a forward weight center of gravity closer to the face than the head center of gravity and establishing a forward weight head origin x-axis coordinate, a forward weight head origin y-axis coordinate, and a forward weight head origin z-axis coordinate. 
     
     
         28 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the golf club head is formed from a combination of one or more titanium alloys and one or more composite materials. 
     
     
         29 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the golf club head is formed from a combination of one or more titanium alloys, one or more aluminum alloys, and one or more composite materials. 
     
     
         30 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the golf club head is formed from a combination of one or more aluminum alloys, and one or more composite materials. 
     
     
         31 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the golf club head is formed from a combination of one or more steel alloys, one or more aluminum alloys, and one or more composite materials. 
     
     
         32 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein a difference between the rear mass and the forward mass multiplied by a distance between the rear weight and the forward weight is between about 950 g-mm and about 4,235 g-mm. 
     
     
         33 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein a sum of the rear mass and the forward mass multiplied by a distance between the rear weight and the forward weight is at least 2,000 g·mm and no greater than about 5,000 g·mm. 
     
     
         34 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the forward weight is positioned heel-ward of the rear weight. 
     
     
         35 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein a forward weight port for the forward weight includes at least one rib joined to the body. 
     
     
         36 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the forward weight head origin z-axis coordinate is −20 mm to −10 mm. 
     
     
         37 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 36 , wherein the forward mass is 5-10 grams. 
     
     
         38 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the face plate has a minimum face plate thickness and a maximum face plate thickness, and the maximum face plate thickness is greater than about 3.0 mm and the minimum face plate thickness is less than about 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         39 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 38 , wherein the minimum face plate thickness is greater than about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         40 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 27 , wherein the face plate has a minimum face plate thickness and a maximum face plate thickness, and the maximum face plate thickness is between about 4.0 mm and about 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         41 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 24 , wherein the face plate has a minimum face plate thickness and a maximum face plate thickness, and the maximum face plate thickness is greater than about 3.0 mm and the minimum face plate thickness is less than about 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         42 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 41 , wherein the minimum face plate thickness is greater than about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         43 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 24 , wherein the face plate has a minimum face plate thickness and a maximum face plate thickness, and the maximum face plate thickness is between about 4.0 mm and about 5.0 mm.