Club head with sole mass element and related method

Abstract

Embodiments of a golf club head comprising a club head body and a sole mass element are described herein. The club head comprises a center of gravity height measured between a club head center of gravity and at least one keel point. The club head comprises a face surface, wherein the face surface defines a face height. The club head defines a ratio of club head center of gravity height to face height, wherein the ratio is less than or equal to approximately 0.36.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a club head body comprising a sole surface and a face surface;
 wherein the face surface comprises a face surface area less than or equal to approximately 30 square centimeters; 
   a center of gravity (CG);   a keel point;   a leading edge;
 wherein the leading edge comprises at least one leading edge point; and 
   a sole mass element configured to be coupled to the club head body;   wherein:
 the sole mass element is configured as a plate; 
 the sole surface comprises a sole mass element cavity configured to receive the sole mass element; 
 the sole mass element is configured to be coupled to the club head body at the sole mass element cavity; 
 when the sole mass element is coupled to the club head body, the sole mass element comprises an exposed surface; 
 the CG comprises a CG depth, the CG depth being a distance that is parallel to a face-rear axis of the golf club head between the CG and each of the at least one leading edge point; 
 the CG depth is greater than or equal to approximately 2.54 centimeters; and 
 the golf club head comprises a volume less than or equal to approximately 300 cubic centimeters. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the CG depth is less than or equal 4.064 centimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sole mass element comprises a sole mass element mass;   the golf club head comprises a golf club head mass, the golf club head mass comprising the sole mass element mass; and   the sole mass element accounts for greater than or equal to approximately 20% of the golf club head mass.   
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed surface of the sole mass element comprises an exposed surface area. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein the exposed surface area is greater than or equal to approximately 15 square centimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein the surface area of the exposed surface is greater than or equal to approximately 19 square centimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein the surface area of the exposed surface is greater than or equal to approximately 3 square centimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole mass element is configured to be mechanically coupled to the club head body. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole mass element is configured to be removably coupled to the club head body. 
     
     
         10 . A golf club head comprising:
 a club head body;
 the club head body further comprising a sole surface, a face surface, a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, a top end, and a bottom end opposite the top end; 
   a center of gravity (CG);   a keel point;   a leading edge;
 wherein the leading edge comprises at least one leading edge point; 
   a sole mass element configured to be coupled to the club head body;   wherein:
 the sole mass element is configured as a plate; 
 the sole surface comprises a sole mass element cavity configured to receive the sole mass element; 
 the sole mass element is configured to be coupled to the club head body at the sole mass element cavity; 
 when the sole mass element is coupled to the club head body, the sole mass element comprises an exposed surface; 
 the sole mass element is configured to be removably coupled to the club head body; 
 the sole mass element is configured to be mechanically coupled to the club head body; 
 the CG comprises a CG depth, the CG depth being a distance that is parallel to a face-rear axis of the golf club head between the CG and each of the at least one leading edge point; 
 the CG depth is greater than or equal to approximately 2.54 centimeters; 
 the golf club head defines a top-bottom axis extending between the top end and the bottom end; 
 the golf club head defines a CG height, the CG height is measured between the CG and the keel point in a direction extending parallel to the top-bottom axis; 
 the front end comprises a face surface; 
 the face surface defines a face height; and 
 a ratio of the CG height to the face height is less than or equal to approximately 0.36. 
   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the CG height is less than or equal to approximately 1.415 cm. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the face height is less than or equal to approximately 8.7 centimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the sole mass element comprises a sole mass element mass;   the golf club head comprises a golf club head mass, the golf club head mass comprising the sole mass element mass; and   the sole mass element accounts for greater than or equal to approximately 20% of the golf club head mass.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the exposed surface of the sole mass element comprises an exposed surface area. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the exposed surface area is greater than or equal to approximately 15 square centimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the surface area of the exposed surface is greater than or equal to approximately 19 square centimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the surface area of the exposed surface is greater than or equal to approximately 3 square centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the CG height to the face height is less than or equal to approximately 0.34. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the CG depth is less than or equal 4.064 centimeters. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the golf club head comprises a volume less than or equal to approximately 300 cubic centimeters.