Golf club sole configuration

[0002] The present invention relates generally to golf clubs and, more particularly, to the sole of iron-type golf clubs.

[0003] Iron type golf clubs generally include a front face, a top line and a sole. The front face interfaces with and strikes the golf ball. A plurality of score lines or grooves are positioned on the face to assist in imparting spin. The top line is generally configured to have a particular look to the golfer and to provide weight. The sole of the golf club is particularly important to the golf shot because it contacts and interacts with the ground during the golf shot. The sole of the golf club is of particular importance for wedges, i.e., clubs used for shorter shots. Wedges generally have a loft of between 45° and 60°, but can be greater.

[0004] A Prior golf clubs have included a variety of flange or sole configurations. As stated above, the sole interfaces with the ground. Thus, there are many sole configurations to optimize the performance of the club. Typically, the sole of the club is slightly curved such that when the club is placed on the ground, the leading edge is located above the ground and the trailing edge is located above the ground. The curvature toward the front of the club generally provides bounce. Bounce assists in preventing the club from digging into the ground and substantially slow the club head speed. The curvature toward the trailing edge generally prevents the club head from getting caught on the ground during the back swing.

[0005] There is typically more bounce built into wedges because of various reasons. First, wedges are generally swung at a steeper incline toward the ground and, therefore, more likely to dig into the ground. Second, wedges generally see different types of ground conditions, including sand, rough and hard pan surfaces. Thus, the sole of the wedge-type golf club is critical to the clubs playability and performance.

[0006] The present invention is directed to an improved golf club sole for an iron-type golf club that increases the club's playability. The invention is particularly useful on wedges.

[0007] The present invention is directed to a golf club having a sole that includes a bottom surface that is substantially planar with the ground when addressed by a player. The bottom surface is preferably crescent-shaped with a back border being substantially straight and being adjacent to the trailing edge of the sole and a front border extending toward the leading edge of the club. Preferably, the furthest forward point of the front border is near the middle of the sole between the toe and the heel.

[0008] The present invention also comprises a golf club having a sole comprising four (4) surfaces: a positive bounce crescent surface; a bottom crescent surface and heel and toe sole surfaces. The positive bounce crescent surface is a crescent-shaped surface adjacent to the leading edge of the club face or striking surface. The positive bounce crescent surface is a substantially planar surface that is angled from the ground by a positive bounce angle. The positive bounce angle is the angle with the horizontal plane and is preferably between 16° and 30° and, more preferably, between about 10° and 20°. However, the positive bounce angle can be varied based on the player's desires. Generally, it is preferred that this angle increase for the amount of loft in the club, i.e., the greater the angle of the striking face from vertical, the larger the positive bounce angle. However, many players have a particular amount of bounce angle that they prefer. Thus, the bounce angle can be and often is varied to meet a particular players preference. The crescent has two borders; a front border approximate the leading edge of the club face and a rear border separating the crescent surface from the other surfaces. Preferably, the front border is substantially straight and parallel to the leading edge of the club face and the rear border is curved such that the widest point of the crescent surface is near the center of the club between the toe and heel.

[0009] The second surface is the bottom crescent surface which is also a substantially flat surface and is substantially planar with the ground when the club is addressed by the golfer. The bottom crescent surface will generally be a flat surface having an angle with the horizontal plane of between −4° and +4° and, more preferably, between −2° and +2° when the shaft is in the vertical plane. The angle with the horizontal plane is most preferably 0°, so that the surface lies flat on the ground to stabilize the club head, but can be varied slightly for particular players needs. The bottom crescent surface is also preferably crescent-shaped. The surface has two borders, a substantially straight back border nearer or at the trailing edge of the club and a curved front border extending toward the front of the club such that the widest point of the crescent is near the center of the club between the toe and heel.

[0010] The furthest forward point of the bottom crescent surface and the furthest back point of the positive bounce crescent surface abut or very nearly abut to form the primary point. This primary point is preferably located at a position such that the flat surface is pushed into the ground when the ball is struck. Preferably, this position is vertically below the intersection of the plane that passes through the leading edge and the perpendicular line though the face approximately 0.55 inches from the leading edge. While the leading point can be located to adjust for a particular player's needs, the line perpendicular to the face at 0.55 inches from the leading edge preferably extends through the bottom crescent surface.

[0011] The back border of the bottom crescent surface is generally located at the trailing edge of the sole. Preferably, the back border is located at a point on the club such that the line through the back border and perpendicular to the front face extends through the front face more that 0.55 inches from the leading edge. Also, the back border is preferably located more that 0.25 inches from the primary point on the sole and, more preferably, more than 0.3 inches from the primary point.

[0012] The present invention is also directed to a set of irons and preferably wedge irons having lofts greater than 45°. In a preferred set, each of the wedges has a primary point that is located very nearly below the intersection of the plane having the leading edge and line perpendicular to the front face that is 0.55 inches from the leading edge. In another preferred set of wedge irons, the back border of each wedge is located at a point that is approximately 0.7 inches perpendicularly from the leading edge. In another preferred set, the leading edge height is constant. In yet another preferred set, the bounce angle is constant.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art golf club having a substantially flat sole;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art golf club having a substantially rounded sole;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art golf club having a substantially flat, crescent-shaped surface;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a front plan view of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the golf club in FIG. 4;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional of the golf club in FIG. 4;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 8 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 9 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 10 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 11 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 12 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 13 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 14 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 15 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 16 is a blown up cross-sectional view of a portion of another embodiment of a sole according to the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 17 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 18 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 20 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 21 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 22 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 23 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 24 is a blown up cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a golf club having a sole according to the present invention; and

[0037] FIG. 25 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a golf club.

[0038] FIGS. 1-3 represent several prior art sole configurations used particularly on wedges. FIG. 1 discloses a club head 1 having a front face 2, a back face 3, a hosel 4 and a sole 5. In this embodiment, the sole 5 is a substantially flat surface. When the hosel is in the vertical plane as shown here, the sole is angled from the ground or horizontal plane by a bounce angle Θ. The sole 5 has a leading edge LE, a trailing edge TE and a contact point CP. As shown, in this embodiment, the contact point CP is at the trailing edge TE. When the club 1 is addressed, the leading edge LE is above the ground by a leading edge height LEH and the club hits the ground at the contact point PC, which is spaced from the leading edge by a distance d_c.

[0039] Referring now to FIG. 2, the club head 1 has a front face 2, a back face 3, a hosel 4 and a sole 5. In this embodiment, the sole 5 is a rounded surface. When the hosel is in the vertical plane as shown, the sole 5 is angled from the ground or horizontal plane by a bounce angle Θ. In this embodiment, the leading edge LE is above the ground by about the same leading edge height LEH as the club in FIG. 1, but the contact point CP is much closer to the leading edge LE. That is, the distance dc to the contact point CP is reduced.

[0040] FIG. 3 is from U.S. Pat.No. 5,549,296, which is incorporated by reference herein. The sole S has a positive bounce surface 110 near the leading edge LE of the club, a trailing sole surface 112 and a crescent surface 111 between the positive bounce surface 110 and the trailing sole surface 112 adjacent the trailing edge TE. The crescent surface 111 and the positive bounce surface 110 both have positive bounce angles Θ₁, and Θ₂, respectively, such that the leading edge LE is above the ground by a leading edge height LEH. The trailing sole surface 112 has a negative relief angle. Although not evident in this figure, the crescent surface has a generally straight front boundary and a curved rear boundary that forms the contact point CP of the club.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the present invention is directed to a golf club 10 having front face 11, a heel 12, a toe 13, a hosel 14, a sole 15 and a back face 16. The sole 15 includes a bottom surface 17 that is substantially planar with the ground when addressed by a player. That is, when the player addresses the club to the ball and the hosel is substantially in the vertical plane and at the proper lie angle as shown in FIGS. 6 and 4 respectively, the bottom surface 17 is substantially planar with the ground. For standard clubs, this bottom surface 17 should be substantially planar or flat and approximately or actually perpendicular to a vertical line through the surface. However, for custom clubs, the bottom surface 17 may be angled according to the way a player addresses the ball. Thus, when the hosel 14 is in the vertical plane, the bottom surface 17 is preferably angled between −4° and +4° and, more preferably, between −2° and +2°. Most preferably, the bottom surface 17 is substantially in the horizontal plane when addressed by the player to be flush with the ground.

[0042] The bottom surface 17 is preferably crescent-shaped with a back border 18 being substantially straight and being adjacent to the trailing edge TE of the sole and a front border 19 extending toward the leading edge LE of the club 10. Preferably, the furthest forward point, or primary point PP, of the front border 19 is near or substantially in the middle of the sole 15 between the toe 13 and the heel 12.

[0043] In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the golf club 10 is comprised of a sole comprising four (4) surfaces: a positive bounce crescent surface 20, the bottom crescent surface 17 and heel and toe surfaces 21 and 22 respectively.

[0044] The positive bounce crescent surface 20 is a crescent-shaped surface adjacent to the leading edge LE of the club face or striking surface 11. The positive bounce crescent surface 20 is a substantially planar surface or surface with a slight concave or convex curvature from front to back that is angled from the ground by a positive bounce angle Θ. The positive bounce angle is the angle with the horizontal plane or ground and is preferably between 10° and 20°. However, the positive bounce angle Θ can be varied based on the player's desires. Generally, it is preferred that this angle increase for the amount of loft in the club, i.e., the greater the angle of the striking face from vertical, the larger the positive bounce angle. However, many players have a particular amount of bounce angle that they prefer. Thus, the bounce angle Θ can be and often is varied to meet a particular players preference.

[0045] The positive bounce crescent surface 20 has a front border 23 that is approximate the leading edge LE of the club face and a rear border 24 separating the positive bounce crescent surface 20 from the other surfaces 17, 21 and 22. Preferably, the front border 23 is substantially straight and approximately parallel with the leading edge LE of the club face and the rear border 24 is curved such that the widest point of the crescent surface is near the center of the club sole 15 between the toe 13 and heel 12.

[0046] The furthest forward point, or primary point PP, of the bottom crescent surface 17 and the furthest back point of the positive bounce crescent surface 20 abut or very nearly abut at the primary point PP. This primary point PP is preferably located a distance X from the leading edge LE such that when the ball is impacted the bottom surface is forced into the ground. Preferably, this location is at a position that is vertically below the intersection of the leading edge plane LEP that passes through the leading edge LE and the perpendicular line PL though the face at approximately 0.55 inches from the leading edge LE or at the 4^thscore line. While the primary point PP can be located to adjust for a particular player's needs, the perpendicular line PL to the face at 0.55 from the leading edge inches or at the 4^thscore line preferably extends through the bottom crescent surface 17 for higher lofted clubs. Generally, the distance X is greater than about 0.5 inches and, more preferably, the distance X is between about 0.55 and 0.8 inches.

[0047] The back border 18 of the bottom crescent surface 17 is generally located at or very near the trailing edge TE of the sole. Preferably, the back border 18 is located at a point on the club sole 15 such that the line through the back border and perpendicular to the front face extends through the front face more than 0.55 inches from the leading edge or behind the 4^thscore line. Also, the back border 18 is preferably located a distance Y more than about 0.25 inches from the primary point PP on the sole 15 and, more preferably, more than about 0.3 inches from the primary point PP.

[0048] The bottom crescent surface 17 and the positive bounce surface 20 also separate the toe surface 22 from the heel surface 21. These surfaces preferably curve upwardly from the center to provide a vertical relief in the heel 12 and toe 13 such that there is little ground pressure away from the bottom crescent surface 17. Such relief means that the ends of the contact area along the front border 19 of the bottom crescent surface 17 are the lowest points of the heel and toe surfaces 21 and 22.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 7, the golf club 10 is similar to the flat sole club shown in FIG. 1, but includes a bottom crescent surface 11. Thus, the cross-sectional view of this club 10 is substantially the same as FIG. 6 and all of the discussion about the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-6, regarding the front border 19, the rear border 18 and the positioning of the primary point PP apply to this embodiment.

[0050] The present invention is also directed to a set of irons and preferably wedge-type irons having lofts greater than 45°. In a preferred set, as shown in FIGS. 8-11 and as set forth in Table I, each of the wedges has sole 15 configured such as that shown in FIGS. 4-7. Each of the club heads in this set has a primary point PP that is located at or substantially below the intersection of the plane through the leading edge LEP and line perpendicular to the front face that is 0.55 inches from the leading edge or at the 4^thscore line. Further, each of the wedge-type irons has a maximum width of the bottom crescent surface d₁that is substantially the same and that is greater than about 0.3 inches. Also, the maximum width of the bottom crescent surface d₁is greater than 0.2 times the total sole width d₂. In this embodiment, the leading edge height LEH is substantially constant through the set and is less than 0.25 inches. The bounce angle Θ for each of the clubs is between 12° and 15° and increases through the set with an increase in iron loft. Finally, the perpendicular distance between the trailing edge and the front face d₃is less than 1.0 inches for each of the irons in the set and preferably decreases with the iron loft through the set. In each of the irons in this set, the line perpendicular to the face at 0.55 inches from the leading edge or at the 4^thscore line extends through the bottom crescent surface 17.

[0051] Referring to Table II and FIGS. 12-15, disclose another preferred set of wedge irons includes a trailing edge TE, each wedge located at a distance d₃that is approximately 0.7 inches perpendicularly from the leading edge. In this set, the maximum width d₁of the bottom crescent surface 17 is substantially constant throughout the set and is greater than about 0.25 inches. Moreover, the maximum width of the bottom crescent surface d₁is greater than 0.3 times the maximum width of the sole d₂. In this set, the bounce angle Θ decrease with the loft of the club and preferably ranges between about 13° and about 20°. As with the previous set, the leading edge height LEH is substantially constant and is less than about 0.25 inches.

[0052] Referring now to Table III and FIGS. 16-19, another preferred set of wedge irons have a maximum width d₁of the bottom crescent surface 17 that increases with the loft of each club. The maximum width d₁of the bottom crescent surface 17 of each club is greater than 0.3 inches and is preferably between about 0.3 and 0.5 inches. Moreover, the maximum width d₁of the bottom crescent surface 17 is approximately ½ of the distance between the front face and the trailing edge d₃or greater. The distance between the front face and the trailing edge d₃is substantially constant. The bounce angle Θ is preferably between 12° and 15° and the leading edge height LEH is substantially constant at a height of less than about 0.25 inches. Preferably, the maximum width d₁of the bottom crescent surface 17 is greater than the leading edge height LEH.

[0053] Referring now to Table IV and FIGS. 20-23, another preferred set of wedge irons have a substantially constant bounce angle Θ. Preferably, the bounce angle Θ is between about 12° and 20°. More preferably, the bounce angle Θ is between about 12° and 15°. Also, it is preferred that the distance from the front face to the trailing edge d₃remain substantially constant and between about 0.5 inches and 1 inch. Most preferably, the bottom crescent surface maximum width d₁is changed and the leading edge height LEH is changed to maintain a constant bounce angle Θ and distance from the front face to the trailing edge d₃. However, it is preferred that the leading edge height LEH is less than about 0.25 inches for each club and that the bottom crescent surface maximum width d₁is greater than about 0.25 inches.

[0054] It will be understood that each of the clubs disclosed in Tables I-IV and FIGS. 8-28 above are representative of individual clubs according to the present invention and that the clubs could be combined with other clubs to form additional sets. Based on the teachings herein and a player's preference, one of ordinary skill can create many different clubs or sets that are within the scope of the invention. Thus, the above disclosure of sets is merely meant to provide examples of preferred embodiments and not limit the scope of the claims below. Furthermore, while each of the sets above include four irons, it is intended that the word set mean two or more clubs. Also, the sets discussed above are for wedge-type irons, however, it is clear that the teachings herein can be applied to a full set of irons such as those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,296.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 24, another preferred embodiment of the invention can include a camber positive bounce surface 20 that has a convex curvature radius R. Most preferably, the radius of the curvature R of the positive bounce surface 20 is greater than about 1 inch and, more preferably is between about 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches. The radius R of the curvature of the positive bounce surface of the club shown in FIG. 24 is about 2 inches. The radius of the curvature R is also preferably more than twice the distance between the front face and the trailing edge d₃(as shown in FIGS. 8-23) and more than four times the maximum width of the bottom crescent surface d₁. Each of the club heads set forth above can include this camber positive bounce surface 20 as well as a concave curvature of similar radius.