Golf club head including an insert

Abstract

A golf club head including an insert is disclosed herein. In accordance with the presently disclosed technology, the golf club head may include a striking face, a crown, a sole, and an insert. The striking face may include an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion. The sole may include a rear sole portion, a frontal sole portion, and an opening. The frontal sole portion may include a lower frontal sole portion extending upward and an upper frontal sole portion extending diagonally. The opening may separate the frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head further comprising:
 an upper striking face portion having a first thickness; and 
 a lower striking face portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, wherein the lower striking face portion forms a leading edge of the golf club head; 
   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the striking face; and   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, wherein the sole comprises:
 a rear sole portion forming an aft portion of the sole; 
 a frontal sole portion forming a frontal portion of the sole, wherein the frontal sole portion comprises:
 a lower frontal sole portion extending upward in a substantially vertical direction; and 
 an upper frontal sole portion extending diagonally upward and forward from a top of the lower frontal sole portion; and 
 
 an opening separating the frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion from each other; 
 wherein the frontal sole portion further comprises:
 a first frontal sole portion distance between the lower frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion; and 
 a second frontal sole portion distance between the upper frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion, wherein the first frontal sole portion distance is greater than the second frontal sole portion distance. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head further comprises an insert to fit into the opening, and wherein the insert is hollow. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a first insert portion forming a part of the sole in an installed position. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the insert further comprises a second insert portion, wherein the second insert portion is above the first insert portion. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein the first insert portion comprises a first insert width, and wherein the second insert portion comprises a second insert width. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the second insert width varies such that a front of the second insert portion is smaller than a back of the second insert portion. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the first insert portion is hollow. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the upper frontal sole portion is at a frontal sole portion angle as measured from a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the frontal sole portion angle is greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the lower frontal sole portion is thicker than the upper frontal sole portion. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the lower frontal sole portion comprises a first sole portion width, wherein the upper frontal sole portion comprises a second sole portion width, and wherein the second sole portion width is less than the first sole portion width. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the insert comprises:
 a first insert portion forming a part of the sole in an installed position, wherein the first insert portion comprises a first insert width; and   a second insert portion above the first insert portion, wherein the second insert portion comprises a second insert width;   
       wherein a front of the second insert portion is substantially a same width as the second sole portion width. 
     
     
         13 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head further comprising:
 an upper striking face portion having a first thickness; and 
 a lower striking face portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, wherein the lower striking face portion forms a leading edge of the golf club head; 
   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the striking face;   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, wherein the sole comprises:
 a rear sole portion forming an aft portion of the sole; 
 a frontal sole portion forming a frontal portion of the sole, wherein the frontal sole portion comprises:
 a lower frontal sole portion extending upward in a substantially vertical direction; and 
 an upper frontal sole portion extending diagonally upward and forward from a top of the lower frontal sole portion, wherein the upper frontal sole portion is at a frontal sole portion angle as measured from a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane; and 
 
 an opening separating the frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion from each other; 
 wherein the frontal sole portion further comprises:
 a first frontal sole portion distance between the lower frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion; and 
 a second frontal sole portion distance between the upper frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion, wherein the first frontal sole portion distance is greater than the second frontal sole portion distance; and 
 
   an insert to fit into the opening.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the insert is hollow. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the insert comprises a first insert portion forming a part of the sole in an installed position. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein the insert further comprises a second insert portion, wherein the second insert portion is above the first insert portion. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the first insert portion is hollow. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the frontal sole portion angle is greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the lower frontal sole portion is thicker than the upper frontal sole portion. 
     
     
         20 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head further comprising:
 an upper striking face portion having a first thickness; and 
 a lower striking face portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, wherein the lower striking face portion forms a leading edge of the golf club head; 
   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the striking face;   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, wherein the sole comprises:
 a rear sole portion forming an aft portion of the sole; 
 a frontal sole portion forming a frontal portion of the sole, wherein the frontal sole portion comprises:
 a lower frontal sole portion extending upward in a substantially vertical direction; and 
 an upper frontal sole portion extending diagonally upward and forward from a top of the lower frontal sole portion, wherein the upper frontal sole portion is at a frontal sole portion angle as measured from a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane; and 
 
 an opening separating the frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion from each other; 
 wherein the frontal sole portion further comprises:
 a first frontal sole portion distance between the lower frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion; and 
 a second frontal sole portion distance between the upper frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion, wherein the first frontal sole portion distance is greater than the second frontal sole portion distance; and 
 
   an insert to fit into the opening, wherein the insert comprises a polymer, and wherein the insert comprises:
 a first insert portion forming a part of the sole in an installed position, wherein the first insert portion is hollow; and 
 a second insert portion above the first insert portion.