Abstract:
A metalwood type golf club head including a club head body having a toe, heel, top surface, bottom sole, side surfaces, rear surface and ball striking face having at least one raised, elongated, aerodynamically shaped reinforcing and stabilizing member extending outwardly from a side or bottom surface, and having a front face coincident with the ball striking face. The structure provides improved weight distribution for better balance, additional strength and stability to club head and provides more effective aerodynamic surfaces to increase club head speed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the golf club heads shown and described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,595, which is incorporated herein by reference, and in particular, to an improved metalwood type golf club head, having additional expanded ball contact area at the extreme toe and heel sections on the club face, including disproportionately downsized crown and sole sections. 
     Most wood-type club heads are currently made of metal, either totally of steel, titanium, or combined with other alloys. Other club heads include a shell made of a steel with a face insert that is made of titanium or similar lighter weight material. This permits club heads to be much larger, yet meet the accepted weight parameters for the respective drivers and fairway type metalwoods. 
     Although these club heads are substantially enlarged overall, with higher face heights and wider, bulkier crowns and sole bottoms, their club faces have not increased the effective ball contact hitting area, in a heel to toe direction, proportionately to the overall enlarged club heads for possible improved performance, for most golfers. To keep the overall club head size larger, and lighter, as currently demanded by most higher handicap golfers, the structural integrity of the side walls and the club faces, is often compromised. This causes stress cracks, unstable club head control at ball contact, and erratic ball flight control, resulting in loss of distance, accuracy, and inability to produce reassuring and repeating solid ball contacts, even when hit flush. 
     Many attempts have been made to reinforce metal wood type club heads as shown and described in the prior art. Raymont (U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,399) reinforces the back of the club face with a honeycomb structure. My own U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,230 reinforces the interior of a metalwood with a first mass located behind the ball striking face, and my U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,279 provides an interior peripheral mass basically along the inner periphery, of the club head shell behind the club face. U. S. Pat. No. 5,931,745 to Adams shows a low profile, wood type golf club head wherein the bottom sole surface is larger than the upper crown surface. 
     Various structural improvements have been used to strengthen and modify the integrity of prior art conventional metalwoods. Nevertheless, for most golfers, the subtle changes to the club head and the expected performance of the larger metalwood club heads, have been disappointing. The performance of most of these metalwoods has not materially improved club head feel at ball contact, or significantly increased club head stability and control for anticipated improved accuracy and additional significant distance. Consequently, they have not meaningfully advanced the golfers&#39; performance potential. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The important effect of the aerodynamic behavioral characteristics especially for the larger metalwood club heads, is always a most critical aspect, in its overall design. The quest to create a substantive improvement in a metalwood club head, that exceeds the performances of all competitive leading brands, will always present a challenge for anyone involved in the design and development of metalwood club heads. The new concept of this invention accomplishes this objective, in a novel, practical and worthy manner by producing different results in a different manner. The extraordinary high-tech performance accomplishments of the present invention represent improvements in golf club technology which began over twenty years ago by the present inventor. 
     The improved concept of the present invention for metalwood type golf club heads, provides considerable additional laterally expanded ball contact areas, particularly at the toe and heel sections of the club face without proportionately enlarging the top or crown sections and the bottom or sole sections, of the club heads. Consequently, this improvement utilizes a smaller crown area and sole area than most of the larger club heads in the range of 230-300 cc and larger, to effectively redistribute the weight to the expanded areas, at the toe and heel ends of the club face of the present invention. This improved structural design increases the ball contact hitting area dramatically, by as much as 33%. By laterally expanding the hitting areas and increasing the weight at the extreme toe and heel sections, a much larger and more forgiving “sweet spot” is provided on the club face. This creates a low-profile, high-performance golf club head, supremely adaptable for both the driver-type or fairway-type metalwood club heads. 
     The driver-type metalwood club heads, generally have larger club faces than their counterpart fairway woods. Since the faces of the driver metalwoods are “wider and higher” with lesser lofts, which can be in the range of 7° to 11°, golf balls are usually “teed up”, at address. This facilitates making “solid ball” contact, within or adjacent to the more rewarding centrally located “sweet spot” on the larger club face of drivers, which can have heights in the approximate ranges of 1.625″ to 2.000″. However, the “wider and higher” club faces that create the “low profile” concept of the present invention, permits also having “higher lofts”, in addition to “wider and higher” club faces, for all sizes of fairway metalwood club heads. The higher club face lofts for these fairway woods are in the range of 13° to 28°. The unusual club face heights for fairway club heads of this invention are in the approximate range of 1.500″ to 1.625″. 
     Having fairway metalwoods with larger, more formidable-sized club faces, golfers are not intimidated by the size of the standard golf ball. The available ball contact areas of the smaller more “shallow faces” of the conventional fairway woods can be, and often are, intimidating by the much larger size of the golf ball, when aligning it with the “smaller faced” fairway clubs, at address. Unlike the smaller more “shallow faces” of the conventional fairway metalwoods, the much larger hitting area on the fairway metalwood club faces of the present invention, increases a golfer&#39;s confidence and enhances his ability to make more solid and effective ball contact, consistently. 
     Further, the concept of the present invention, made on a specific embodiment, permits and expanded hitting surface, located at the extreme lower portion of the club face. This unique formation on the club face, includes a reinforcing and supporting member that is located on the bottom of the club head and extends rearwardly from its own hitting surface, which is coincident with the club face. The extraordinary overall construction of the present invention, not only minimizes or eliminates undesirable shocks and vibrations, but produces the most formidable club head stability, when the most severe off-center ball contacts occur, even when made at the extreme toe, heel or lowest portion of the club face. The outermost extending surfaces of the laterally expanded areas to the club face, are generally curved, forming parabolic, rounded, or elliptical type end shapes. 
     Significantly, the golf club heads of the present invention also provide aerodynamically shaped reinforcing and stabilizing members that extend rearwardly from the expanded ball contact areas and are located at the rear and side walls of the club head body, forming the outermost perimeter of the club head and extend in an outward direction beyond the crown and sole surfaces of the club head. This improvement provides improved precise weight distribution, surrounding the club head, without proportionately enlarging the crown and sole sections of the club head. The expanded areas are located laterally, adjacent the heel and toe portions coincident with the ball striking face, thereby providing a larger, lateral ball contact area on the club face. The expanded areas to the club face, extend beyond a vertical plane defined by the boundaries of the top crown surface and bottom sole of the main club head body, as shown in the application drawings. 
     The reinforcing and stabilizing (R/S) members are the lynch-pin of the present invention. They directly contribute and enhance the optimum performance possible from each of the dominant features of the club head. They provide the formidable bracing support extending rearwardly from the expansions at the toe and heel sections of the club face to the side walls, and rear of the club head. They form the surrounding outer perimeter and are aerodynamically sculptured to produce substantially greater high-velocity club head acceleration that also provide greater “lift” to the club head . . . when executing the faster full swings with the longer shafted metalwood club heads. The additional “lift” of the reinforcing and stabilizing members noticeably permit a golfer, when swinging a club head weighing 203 grams, to “feel” like it weights 193 grams. The reinforcing and stabilizing members functions are comparable to the wings attached to the fuselage of an airplane. Similarly, the advanced aerodynamically-designed versatility and structurally sound and practical concept of the reinforcing and stabilizing members, dramatically produce unparalleled performance with the most impressive overall improvements, that are far greater than any prior art, for metalwood club heads. 
     Further, the improved present invention offers a more formidable and unmatched structural, overall, club head design for metalwoods. With this invention, golfers increase their confidence in their golf swing, permitting them to steadily improve their ability to repeatedly execute solid ball contact with greater accuracy and surprisingly greater distance. 
     The reinforcing and stabilizing member may include thicker walls to provide more mass at the extreme peripheral sections of the club face. This unique structure produces much greater overall club head control, strength, and stability, at ball-impact. This structure will minimize or practically eliminate any torqueing and twisting, especially for off-center hits when metalwood club heads, of this invention, are swung at the higher-velocity club head swing-speeds. 
     The present invention for metalwoods does not enlarge the ball contact area on the club face, proportionately to the size of the top or crown sections, or sole or bottom sections, of the club head, which is done for the prior art medium to large size metalwoods, generally in the range of 230-300 cc or larger. In fact, the ends or boundaries of the crown and sole sections, as designed, for such larger conventional club heads, lie within the vertical plane alignment clearly defined for these larger prior art club heads. By contrast, the additional expanded sections of the present invention, only laterally enlarge the ball contact areas, particularly at the outermost ends of the toe and heel sections, substantially beyond that of conventional metalwood club faces, and are located horizontally beyond or outside the established vertical plane alignment of other prior art metalwoods. 
     The expanded additions of the present invention, that create the larger expanded ball contact areas to the club face, are located and extend in a horizontal relationship, beyond the traditional toe and heel sections of the ball contact areas of the larger conventional metalwood type club face. The additional formation of the reinforcing and stabilizing weight members, extend and continue rearwardly (face to rear) from the expanded sections, to the club face, that also produce the outermost perimeter of the club head. This concept not only permits an extraordinary overall improved club head structural improvement, but also provides formidable reinforcing and stabilizing capabilities, specifically to the additional expanded sections to the club face, and to the rear and side walls of the club head. 
     The reinforcing and stabilizing members are formed below the interface of the crown and club face, and extend horizontally beyond the ends of the upper crown or sole portions of the club head. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Comparison of Dimensions For Metalwood Club Heads 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Prior Art 
                   
               
               
                 Description of 
                 Prior Art Ping 
                 TaylorMade 
               
               
                 Dimensions 
                 330 cc Model 
                 Driver Model 
                 Present Invention 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Actual Dimensions: 
                 (As shown in 
                   
                 (As shown in 
               
               
                 (From Sample Club 
                 FIG. 23) 
                   
                 FIGS. 16, 17, 18 
               
               
                 Heads) 
                   
                   
                 and 20) 
               
               
                 Across Top/Crown: 
               
               
                 (At Center/Toe to 
               
               
                 Heel) 
               
             
          
           
               
                 a) 
                 Width of 
                 4.625″ 
                 4.500″ 
                 2.500″-3.500      
               
               
                   
                 Crown 
               
               
                 b) 
                 Width from 
                 4.625″ 
                 4.500″ 
                 3.500″ 
               
               
                   
                 outer peri- 
               
               
                   
                 meter of 
               
               
                   
                 opposing side 
               
               
                   
                 walls of club 
               
               
                   
                 head 
               
               
                 c) 
                 Width from 
                 Does not have 
                 Does not have 
                 4.500″ 
               
               
                   
                 outer surfaces 
                 this innovation 
                 this innovation 
               
               
                   
                 of opposing 
               
               
                   
                 reinforcing and 
               
               
                   
                 stabilizing 
               
               
                   
                 members form- 
               
               
                   
                 ing outermost 
               
               
                   
                 perimeter 
               
               
                   
                 beyond side 
               
               
                   
                 walls located at 
               
               
                   
                 rear, toe, and 
               
               
                   
                 head sections 
               
               
                   
                 of club head 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Face: Length/Front 
                 3.750″ 
                 3.250″ 
                 3.000″ 
               
               
                 to rear 
               
               
                 Face: Height/ 
                 2.000″ 
                 1.750″ 
                 1.625″-1.750″ 
               
               
                 Between sole and 
               
               
                 crown 
               
               
                 Face: At widest 
                 4.000″ 
                 3.500″ 
                 4.500″ 
               
               
                 point (Laterally 
               
               
                 from toe to heel) 
               
               
                 Club Head Weight 
                 200-205 
                 200-203 
                 198-202 
               
               
                 Range (in grams) 
               
               
                 Club Head CC 
                 330 cc 
                 300 cc 
                 270-280 cc 
               
               
                 All titanium Club 
                 Yes 
                 Yes 
                 Yes 
               
               
                 Head 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     In a preferred embodiment, reinforcing and stabilizing supporting segments to the expanded areas to the club face, are located along the lower portion of the club head, whereby the bottom or lower surfaces of the rearwardly extending reinforcing and stabilizing members, may be coincident with the bottom or sole surface of the club head. In other embodiments, the expanded areas to the club face and rearwardly extending reinforcing and stabilizing member may be located in between and/or adjacent the crown and sole surfaces of the club head. 
     Still other embodiments include a shelf or a set back area at the interface of the crown and ball striking face in combination with the expanded areas at the sides of the club head body. 
     Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of metalwood type golf club heads that enhance the potential for greater improved performance, for all caliber of golfers. 
     Another object of the present invention is the provision of metalwood type golf club heads, particularly for medium to large size metalwood club heads, in the range of 230-300 cc and larger, providing additional expanded sections to the club face that extend horizontally and considerably beyond the traditional ends of club faces for additional ball contact areas to the ends of the club face. 
     Another object is the provision of metalwood type golf club heads having reinforcing and stabilizing weight members extending from and beyond the sidewalls, rearwardly, face to rear, from the additional expanded sections to the club face, that further create an outermost perimeter to the club head. 
     Another object of the present invention is the provision that considerably expands the club face at the toe and heel section to greatly enlarge the ball contact area, by as much as 33% or more without proportionally enlarging the crown and bottom sections of the club head. 
     Another object of the present invention is the provision that immensely increases the “sweet spot” area on metalwood-type club heads, which substantially enhances ball feel at contact for improved club head control and stability, minimizing errant direction and distance loss. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will be understood from the drawings and the description that follows or may be learned from the practice of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 7 . 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along lines  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 12 is a bottom view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of an eight embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of a ninth embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the golf club head of FIG.  18 . 
     FIG. 20 is a front elevation view of a tenth embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 21 is a bottom view of a eleventh embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 22 is a bottom view of a twelth embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 23 is a front elevation view of a prior art golf club. 
     FIG. 24 is a phantom view of the FIG. 16 embodiment of the present invention superimposed on the prior art golf club of FIG.  23 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limited, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. 
     FIGS. 1-4 show a first embodiment of a golf club head  100  in accordance with the present invention including a club head body  112 , hosel  114 , heel  116 , toe  118 , ball striking face  120 , upper surface  122 , rear surface  124  and bottom sole  126 . A single reinforcing and stabilizing member  128  having an aerodynamic shape, is located coincident with or adjacent to the bottom surface  126  of the club head  100  and which wraps partially around the peripheral sides  130  of the club head  100 . The member  128  includes upwardly curving, convex parabolic surface  132  including a lower surface  134  extending upwardly and coincident with the bottom sole  126  of the club head  100 . In this embodiment, the member  128  has a front surface  136  which is laterally coincident with the ball striking face  120 , thereby enlarging the ball contact surface of  120  and providing a greater margin for error when golf balls are struck away from the center of the ball striking face  120  toward the toe  118  of the club head  100 . 
     FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the reinforcing and stabilizing member  128  and metal shell  140  of the club head  100 . The peripheral weight of the club head body  112  may be controlled by varying the thickness of this area. The thickness of the metal shell  140  is preferably in the range of 0.035-0.060 in. or greater, whereas the thickness of the expanded reinforcing and stabilizing member  128  may be in the range of 0.055-0.100 in. or greater. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a golf club head  200  of the present invention. In this embodiment a reinforcing and stabilizing member  228  with a non-coincident bottom surface  236  is centrally located on the side wall  230  of the club head  200  approximately midway between the crown surface  222  and the bottom  226  of the club head  200 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of a golf club head  300  of the present invention wherein a reinforcing and stabilizing member  328  with a non-coincident bottom surface  336 , is located toward the top surface of side wall  330  adjacent crown surface  322  of the club head  300 . 
     FIGS. 7-12 illustrate a fourth embodiment of a club head  400  of the present invention. In this embodiment, a reinforcing and stabilizing member  428  is generally elliptical in shape. The member  428  includes front surfaces  434  and  436  laterally coincident with the ball striking face  420  of the club head  400  and wraps around the club head body  412  between the toe  418  and heel  416 . As seen in plan in FIG. 9, the member  428  extends outwardly beyond the peripheral edge  423  of the crown  422  and in FIG. 12, the member  428  extends outwardly beyond the bottom  426  of the club head  400 . The club head  400  includes a sole skimmer  429  on the bottom  426 . 
     FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a fifth embodiment of a club head  500  of the present invention. A reinforcing and stabilizing member  528  includes front surfaces  534  and  536  laterally coincident with the ball striking face  520  of the club head  500 . A ledge  540  is set back from the ball striking face  520  and sloped front surface  521  of crown  522  favorably alters air flow by more effectively accelerating it across the surface of the crown  522  of the club head  500 . 
     FIG. 15 illustrates a sixth embodiment of a club head  600  of the present invention including a reinforcing and stabilizing member  628  and a pair of ledges  640  and  642  which are set back from the ball striking face  620  with sloped front surfaces  621  of crown  622 . 
     FIGS. 16 shows an embodiment of a golf club head  700  in accordance with the present invention including a club head body  712 , hosel  714 , heel  716 , toe  718 , ball striking face  720 , upper surface  722 , and bottom sole  726 . In this embodiment, reinforcing and stabilizing members  734  and  736 , having an aerodynamic shape, are located coincident with the ball striking face  720  of the club head  700  and wrap rearwardly as with the above-described embodiments. The reinforcing and stabilizing members  734  and  736  extend outwardly beyond the side wall surfaces  730  as defined by the lateral extension of the upper crown surface  722 . In this embodiment, the upper crown surface  722  is preferably 3.500 inches in length in a heel  716  to toe  718  direction. The overall heel to toe length of the ball striking face  720 , including the reinforcing and stabilizing members  734  and  736 , is a total of 4.500 inches, with a height of approximately 1.625 inches, thereby extending the lateral dimensions of the club face approximately one half inch, 0.500 inches, at both the heel  716  and toe  718  of the club head  700 . 
     FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of a golf club head  800  in accordance with the present invention including a club head body  812 , hosel  814 , heel  816 , toe  818 , ball striking face  820 , upper crown surface  822 , and bottom sole  826 . In this embodiment, reinforcing and stabilizing members  834  and  836 , having an aerodynamic shape, are located coincident with the ball striking face  820  of the club head  800  and wrap rearwardly as with the above-described embodiments. The reinforcing and stabilizing members  834  and  836  extend outwardly beyond the side wall surfaces  830  as defined by the lateral extension of the upper crown surface  822 . In this embodiment, the upper crown surface  822  is shorter than the previous embodiment, preferably 2.500 inches in length in a heel  816  to toe  818  direction. The overall heel to toe length of the ball striking face  820 , including the reinforcing and stabilizing members  834  and  836 , is a total of 4.500 inches, with a height of approximately 1.625 inches, thereby extending the lateral dimensions of the club face approximately one inch, 1.00 inch, at both the heel  816  and toe  818  of the club head  800 . 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 show an embodiment of a golf club head  900  in accordance with the present invention including a club head body  912 , hosel  914 , heel  916 , toe  918 , ball striking face  920 , and upper crown surface  922 . Reinforcing and stabilizing members  934  and  936 , have an aerodynamic shape which wraps rearwardly as with the above-described embodiments, and are located laterally and outwardly from the heel and toe sections  916  and  918 . Reinforcing and stabilizing members  934  and  936  include front faces  935  and  937  which are coincident with the ball striking face  920  of the club head  900  and bottom aerodynamic surfaces  926  and  928 . The reinforcing and stabilizing members  934  and  936  extend outwardly beyond the side wall surfaces  930  as defined by the lateral extension of the upper crown surface  922 . In this embodiment, ball striking face  920  features a main, centrally located, upper section including the expanded areas of the club face at  934  and  936 , and further includes a reinforcing and stabilizing member  921  having another bottom surface  927 , located below bottom surfaces  926  and  928 , and having a front face  925  which is coincident with the ball striking face  920  and extends rearwardly partway to the rear edge  940  of the club head  900 . This provides a distinctive second lower section expanding the club face hitting area at the exact bottom of the ball striking face  920 . The reinforcing and stabilizing member  921  extends rearwardly on the bottom surface  926  and supports the club head  900  in a slightly raised position above the ground whereby the club face  920  is in an optimum position to make the most solid ball contact with a golf ball, particularly when the ball is lying in heavy grass. The upper crown surface  922  is preferably 3.500 inches in length in a heel  916  to toe  918  direction. The overall heel to toe length of the ball striking face  920 , including the reinforcing and stabilizing members  934  and  936 , is approximately 4.500 inches, with a height of approximately 1.750 inches, thereby extending the lateral dimensions of the club face approximately one half inch, 0.500 inches, at both the heel  916  and toe  918  of the club head  900 . 
     FIG. 20 shows an embodiment of a golf club head  1000  in accordance with the present invention including a club head body  1012 , hosel  1014 , heel section  1016 , toe section  1018 , ball striking face  1020 , and an upper crown surface  1022 . In this embodiment, reinforcing and stabilizing members  1034  and  1036 , have an aerodynamic shape and which wrap rearwardly as with the above-described embodiments, and are located laterally and outwardly from the heel and toe sections  1016  and  1018 . Reinforcing and stabilizing members  1034  and  1036  include front faces  1035  and  1037  which are coincident with the ball striking face  1020  of the club head  1000  and bottom surfaces  1038  and  1040 . The reinforcing and stabilizing members  1034  and  1036  are further defined as extending outwardly beyond the side wall surfaces  1030  at the outer edges of the upper crown surface  1022 . In this embodiment, ball striking face  1020  includes a lower reinforcing and stabilizing member  1021  having another bottom surface  1027  which includes a front face  1025  coincident with the ball striking face  1020  thereby providing a greater club face hitting area at the lowest bottom portion of the ball striking face  1020 . The reinforcing and stabilizing member  1021  extends rearwardly between bottom surfaces  1038  and  1040  and supports the club head  1000  in a slightly raised position above the ground whereby the club face  1020  is in an optimum position to strike a golf ball, particularly when the ball is lying in heavy grass. The bottom  1027  of the reinforcing and stabilizing member  1021  is non-coincidental with and spaced from the bottom surfaces  1038  and  1040  of reinforcing and stabilizing members  1034  and  1036  respectively. The upper crown surface  1022  is preferably 2.500 inches in length in a heel section  1016  to toe section  1018  direction thereby extending the lateral dimensions of the club face approximately one inch, 1.00 inch, at both the heel section  1016  and toe section  1018  of the club head  1000 . 
     FIG. 21 shows another embodiment of a golf club head  1100  in accordance with the present invention having reinforcing and stabilizing members  1134  and  1136  with bottom surfaces  1138  and  1140  respectively, and a reinforcing and stabilizing member  1121  with a bottom surface  1127  which is coincident with the front face  1120  and which extends to the rear surface  1142  of the club head  1100 . 
     FIG. 22 shows another embodiment of a golf club head  1200  in accordance with the present invention having reinforcing and stabilizing members  1234  and  1236  with bottom surfaces  1238  and  1240  respectively, and a reinforcing and stabilizing member  1221  with a bottom surface  1227  which is coincident with the front face  1220  and extends to the rear surface  1242  of the club head  1200 , the rearward portion  1222  of member  1221  being narrower than the front portion  1223  at the front face  1220 . 
     FIG. 23 shows a typical prior art club head C having a ball striking face F with an inverted trapezoidal shape whereby the hitting area on the face is reduced toward the bottom of the face F as the edges of the face F extend downwardly and inwardly from the bottom of the striking face F. 
     FIG. 24 shows a view of an embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention compared to a prior art club head, shown in phantom, of the type shown in FIG.  21 . It can be seen the club head of the present invention provides considerable more hitting surface at the heel and toe portions of the club face. 
     While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.