Large golf club head

Large head golf clubs have been sold and used for many years and large diameter shafts, i.e., shafts over 9.40 mm (0.370 inches) have been proposed (U.S. Patent Nos. 5,093,162 and 4,132,579).

Broadly, the present invention is a combination of a supersize golf club head having a shaft with a large diameter tip shaft. More particularly, the invention is directed to the combination of a wood club head (preferably a metal wood) having a volume greater than 225 cm³ and a shaft attached thereto having a tip diameter greater than 9.40 mm (0.370 inches).

The invention is also directed to a club with a head having between 8 and 12 degrees of loft and a volume greater than 225 cm³ and a shaft having a tip diameter greater than 9.40 mm (0.370 inches); a club with a head having approximately 14 degrees of loft and a volume of approximately 220 cm³ and a shaft with a tip diameter greater than 9.40 mm (0.370 inches); a club with a head having approximately 18 degrees of loft and a volume of approximately 190 cm³ and a shaft having a tip diameter greater than 9.40 mm (0.370 inches); a club with a head having approximately 21 degrees of loft and a volume of approximately 160 cm³ and a shaft having a tip diameter greater than 9.40 mm (0.370 inches); and the combination thereof.

• Fig. 1 is a partial front elevational view of the club of the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment with a head extension including a hosel extending further above the club head; and
• Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the Figures, club 8 includes head 9 and shaft 10. Head 9 includes head extension 11 with a portion of shaft 10 inserted into extension 11 (which portion is not shown) and the head includes face 12. The attachment of the shaft 10 to the extension 11 forms a plane of joinder P where the shaft emerges from the extension. Shaft 10 has a tip diameter (TD) measured at the plane of joinder P where shaft 10 emerges from extension 11. Head face 12 defines a plane from which the club loft can be defined and includes horizontal dimension d₁ and vertical dimesion d₂. The area of face 11 is computable using these dimensions and other similar dimensions.

Turning to Figs. 2 and 3, alternative club 16 includes a head 17 and a head extension 18. Also shown are grip 21, shaft 23, shaft diameters D1, D2 and TD. Diameter TD is less than diameter D2 which is less than diameter D1. The shaft tip diameter (TD) is measured at plane of joinder, i.e., where the shaft 23 emerges from the uppermost point (UP) of extension 18. D2 and D1 are diameters of the shaft and, more particularly, are diameters in the tapered section of the shaft.

The size of wood heads including metal wood heads is measured by the volume such head (including the head extension) displaces when placed in water or other liquid. Heads are classified as standard, midsize, oversize and so forth. The present invention is directed to supersize heads which are heads with volumes of 225 cm³ and greater.

Preferably, the club head of the present invention has a volume between 225 cm³ and 275 cm³ and, most preferably, the club head has a volume of approximately 250 cm³.

Furthermore, the club head is made of a light weight metal and, most preferably, the club head is made from a titanium alloy such as TI64 alloy.

The preferred club head has a volume of greater than 225 cm³ and a loft between approximately 8 and 12 degrees. The loft is the angle of the club face plane 12 relative to the vertical plane (not shown). Another embodiment of the present invention is a club with a head having a volume of approximately 220 cm³, a loft of approximately 14 degrees and a shaft tip diameter of approximately 9.91 mm (0.390 inches). Still another embodiment of the present invention is a club with a head having a volume of approximately 190 cm³, a loft of approximately 18 degrees and a shaft tip diameter of approximately 9.91 mm (0.390 inches). Yet still another embodiment of the present invention is a club with a head having a volume of approximately 160 cm³, a loft of approximately 21 degrees and a shaft tip diameter of approximately 9.91 mm (0.390 inches).

Shaft tip diameter (TD) is measured at the plane where the shaft emerges from the head extension. A large shaft tip diameter is a diameter of 9.40 mm (0.370 inches) or larger. Preferably the shaft tip is in the range of 9.65 mm (0.380 inches) to 10.16 mm (0.400 inches) and, most preferably, the shaft tip is approximately 9.91 mm (0,390 inches).

The preferred shaft can be of a tapered tip shaft construction as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,132,579 or of a constant tip diameter construction as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,093,162 and 4,757,997, which are all disclosed herein by reference. Preferably, the shaft is constructed exclusively of multiple plies that incorporate standard modulus graphite fibers (tensile modulus of approximately 207 - 262 GPa (30-38 million psi)).

Wherein it is apparent that the invention herein disclosed from the various embodiments will provide many improvements, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art and it is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.