Abstract:
A golf club head and a method of making a golf club head are disclosed. The method provides for winding a single continuous filament multiple times about a soluble core. The wound core is located in a mold and pressure coated with a pure or non-continuous fiber filled resin. The resin is allowed to cure to form a filament and resin shell about the core. The soluble core is removed leaving the continuous filament in the shell.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is claiming the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), of the provisional application filed May 17, 2005 under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), which was granted Ser. No. 60/681,783. This provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to golf club heads, more particularly of the composite metal “wood” type, and a method of making golf club heads. 
     2. Description of the Background and Relevant Information 
     Wood-type golf club heads traditionally were made from wood, e.g., persimmon. However, with advances in materials, wood-type golf club heads are currently predominantly made from high performance metals such as titanium, and other materials such as fiber-reinforced plastics. Many club heads made from fiber resin composite materials are compression molded around relatively rigid molding cores. In instances where a hollow interior cavity is desired, dispersible cores made from meltable materials such as wax or low melting point metals have been employed. 
     Wood-type club heads made predominantly of metal may be fabricated by welding or adhesively joining together edges of two or more thin sections of a club head shell made of metal such as stainless steel, beryllium copper, aluminum, titanium, etc., thereby producing a one-piece shell. 
     For some years now, heads made entirely of a composite material, with the exception of the sole, have been manufactured. Such types of constructions are rarely favored by professional players because they are most often made of a single element, by the compression molding method, without any particular regard to the distribution of mass. 
     A head made of a plastic material is disclosed in British Patent Publication No. 2,128,539. This head is made of a single thermoplastic element injected into a mold around a meltable core. The head thus manufactured does not allow a good control over the trajectory of the balls because the problem of balancing the club is not resolved. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,454 discloses a head made of a reinforced plastic material and comprising an element acting both as the reinforcement of the striking face and as the balancing weight. However, such a structure does not yet permit the club to be balanced satisfactorily. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,636 B2 is directed to a method for the manufacture of a hollow three-dimensional fiber golf club head wherein a fluid-removable core shaped in the general form of the golf club head is placed in a flexible pressurizable bladder surrounding the core. At least one ply fiber impregnated with a curable resin is wrapped over the core and bladder, and a cured part is formed by pressurizing the bladder while the core, bladder and impregnated fiber is in a female mold to force the plies against the inner surface of the mold. After heating to cure the resin, the bladder and the fluid removable core is removed from the interior of the cured part by disintegrating the core with a fluid sufficient to allow removal of the bladder. This method is complex and difficult of reproduction on a commercial scale. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages inherent to the above described and traditional methods and resulting structures of club heads, and to provide a new head design as well as a new method of manufacturing such head. 
     Thus, one of the more specific objects of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method enabling a more efficient new head structure to be obtained, especially as regards distribution of mass, durability, and finishing quality. The method according to the invention is particularly adapted to the large scale production of elements requiring a minimum number of operations to produce what might be considered a complex yet highly advantageous golf club head. 
     Thus, according to the invention, a method of manufacturing a golf club is disclosed. The method is comprised of the following steps. A single continuous filament is wound multiple times about a soluble core. The wound core is then located in a mold. The wound core is then pressure coated with a resin in the mold. The resin disperses among the filament windings. The resin is allowed to cure and form a filament and resin shell about the core. The soluble core is then removed from the shell while the continuous filament is retained within the shell. 
     The shell has an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a substantially hollow interior portion and the inside surface has a plurality of ribs that extend into the interior portion. The ribs and the shell are substantially comprised of the resin and the single continuous filament located within the resin. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic, perspective view of an embodiment of a component for use in the method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  depicts a cross-sectional view of a mold for forming the component depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of one embodiment of a filament winding machine and the component of  FIG. 1  of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a mold for use in the method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic, perspective view of another component of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic, cross section of a preferred embodiment of a structure for creating a shaft-receiving portion in the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic, perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic, perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic, cut-away view of one embodiment of a club head of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic, perspective view of one embodiment of the bottom of a club head of the invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic, perspective view of one embodiment of a club head produced in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of invention. Hence, specific dimensions, directions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of a golf club head core  20  is depicted. The golf club head core  20  is preferably made by the process and materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,551, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present specification. 
     By way of example only,  FIG. 1A  depicts a preferred embodiment of a mold  11  which may be used to form the core  20  depicted in  FIG. 1 . The mold  11  preferably has a first half  12  and a second half  13  which are separable from one another. The first half  12  and the second half  13  define an interior chamber  14  having a substantially similar shape to the shape of the core  20 . A core front face block  15  is preferably located with the interior chamber  14 . The core front face block  15  has a plurality of ribs  16  extending into the interior chamber  14 . The ribs  16  will be used to form grooves in the front face of the core  20 , which are described in detail below. 
     A plurality of ribs  19  extend into the interior chamber  14  from the first half  12  and the second half  13 . The ribs  19  will be used to form grooves in the upper surface of the core  20  and the lower surface of the core  20 , as described below. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the core front face block  15  may have any design, including any pattern of ribs or shapes to create a core  20  having any desired shape. 
     The mold  11  preferably has at least one sprue  19 A for introducing the core material (not shown) into the interior chamber  14  from outside of the mold  11 . The mold  11  may have means to heat or cool to solidify the core material so that the core material conforms to the core front face block  15 . Alternatively, if the core material does not require heat and/or cooling to set up, then such means are not required. The ribs  16 ,  19  extending into the interior chamber  14  from the core front face block  15  form grooves in the core material, discussed below. The heat and/or pressure, if required, exerted by the mold  11  on the core material create a core  20  which, in a preferred embodiment, looks like the core  20  depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the core  20  is preferably shaped to have a somewhat curvilinear front face  26 , a curvilinear upper surface  28  and the curvilinear lower surface  24 . In  FIG. 1 , the core  20  is located upside down so that at least two core prints  112  can be clearly seen. 
     Preferably, an insert  30  is at least partially formed into the core  20  about each core print  112 . The insert  30 , thus, is positioned within the core  20  when the core  20  is formed as described above. The insert  30  may have a first circumferential ring  31 A (seen in  FIG. 3 ) which helps secure the insert  30  in the core  20 . The insert  30  also preferably has a second circumferential ring  31 B (seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) which will be received within a resin, described in more detail below. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 9 , the inserts  30  are preferably cylindrical in shape with a hollow interior portion  30 A. The inserts  30  have a threaded inner surface  30 B. 
     The upper surface  28  and the lower surface  24  preferably taper away from the front face  26  until they meet at a rearward portion  32  of the core  20 . Side portions  34  of the upper and lower surfaces  24 ,  28  also preferably taper toward one another. Although a preferred embodiment of the upper and lower surfaces  24 ,  28  is depicted in the figures, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the core  20  can be constructed with any number of surfaces, edges, depressions or curves and have any shape or size. By way of example only, the upper and lower surfaces  24 ,  28  can taper to a rear surface (not shown), rather than to a rounded edge  36 . Additionally, the side portions  34  of the upper and lower surfaces  24 ,  28  can taper to side surfaces  34 , rather than to rounded side edges  38 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, a depression  40  in the core  20  is provided adjacent one side of the front face  26 . The depression  40  will be used to form a portion of the finished golf club head that will receive a shaft, as described in more detail below. 
     Preferably, the at least two core prints  112  extend away in a substantially perpendicular fashion from the lower surface  24  of the core  20 . Each core print  112  is preferably positioned in an area of the lower surface  24  of the core  20  adjacent one of the side portions  34 . The core prints  112  can be positioned in any area on the lower surface  24  between the front face  26  and the rearward portion  32  of the core  20 . However, in the preferred embodiment, the core prints  112  are closer to the rearward portion  32  than the front face  26  of the core  20  to lower the center of gravity of the finished golf club head. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of grooves  42  is preferably located across the front face  26 , the lower surface  24  and the upper surface  28  of the core  20 . The grooves  42  extend diagonally across the front face  26  of the core  20  to intersect one another; however, it is within the scope of the present invention to extend the grooves  42  across the front face  26  in any orientation, whether intersecting or not. Additionally, although  FIG. 1  depicts the grooves  42  continuously extending across the face  26 , it is within the scope of the present invention to interrupt one or more of the grooves  42 , either on the front face  26  of the core  20 , or in any other area of the core  20 . The preferred embodiment of the invention also locates the grooves  42  at a constant depth in the core  20 , although variable depths are within the scope of the invention. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the grooves  42  extend from the front face  26  rearward across the lower surface  24  of the core  20  and rearward from the front face  26  across the upper surface  28  of the core  20 . Although the grooves  42  are depicted as parallel to one another on the lower surface  24  of the core  20 , and they are preferably located parallel to one another on the upper surface  28 , it is within the scope of the present invention for the grooves  42  to extend in a non-parallel fashion across the lower surface  24  and the upper surface  28  of the core  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the above-described core  20  is located in a filament winding machine  44 , known to those skilled in the art, for winding a continuous filament  46  about a workpiece. Filament winding machines  44  within the scope of the present invention, but which in no way limit the present invention, are those made by McClean Anderson of Schofield, Wis. Such machines  44  typically have a supply of filament  48  on at least one spool  50 . The spool  50  is preferably moveable via control by a computer (not shown) through multiple axes of rotation with respect to the core  20  located in a bit mechanism  52 . 
     The bit mechanism  52  comprises a tapered point  54  on one end for engaging one side portion  34  of the core  20  and a clamp  56  on the other end for engaging the opposite side portion  34  of the core  20 . The clamp  56  may be, by way of example, a contoured fit split clamp. Preferably, the bit mechanism  52  is rotated about at least one axis by a motor (not shown) controlled by the same computer to coordinate the rotation of the bit mechanism  52  with the movement of the spool  50 . 
     Machines capable of having a plurality of supplies of filament  48  and which are capable of controlling more than one spool  50  to simultaneously wind a plurality of cores  20  are also within the scope of the present invention. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the filament  46  on the filament winding machine  44  is a continuous strand of carbon fiber filament. Other continuous strands of filament  46 , such as Kevlar® manufactured by the E.I. Du Pont Nemours Company of Wilmington, Del., may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. Regardless of the composition of the filament  46  selected, the filament  46  should have physical and performance characteristics comparable to carbon fiber filament or Kevlar® filaments. 
     The filament-winding machine  44  may also comprise one or more tensioners  58  for providing a pre-determined amount of tension to the filament  46 . The machine  44  may also comprise a resin dispenser (not shown) or a resin bath or drum (not shown) for applying resin to the filament  46 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the filament  46  is first wound into the grooves  42  of the core  20 . By way of example only, the filament  46  is started in one groove  42  on one side portion  34  of the core  20  and the filament  46  is wound across the core  20  in a first direction  60 . When the filament  46  is wound about the last groove  42  on the opposite side portion  34  of the core  20 , the filament  46  is moved inwardly to continue winding across the channels  42  in a second direction  62 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the first and second directions  60 ,  62  can be reversed from those depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
     Preferably, filament  46  is repeatedly wound within the grooves  42  as described above until the filament  46  within the grooves  42  is substantially planar with the front face  26 , the upper surface  28  and/or the lower surface  24 . In the preferred embodiment, the same strand of continuous filament  46  is then wound across the front face  26 , the upper surface  28  and the lower surface  24  to substantially cover each of those surfaces. The filament  46  is preferably wound across the core  20  from the first direction  60  to the second direction  62 . The present invention also includes winding the filament  46  across the core  20  in any pattern, design or orientation after the grooves  42  have been wound. The curvilinear shape of the core  20  may prevent winding the entire core  20  in substantially one direction as the filament  46  can slide off one of the side portions  34 , however, it is preferred to cover each of the surfaces  26 ,  28 ,  24  as much as possible with a uniform layer of filament  46 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the core  20  is wrapped in the continuous strand of filament  46  to provide a layer of filament  46  above at least one of the surfaces  24 ,  26 ,  28  of the core  20  from approximately one five thousandths (0.005″) of an inch to one ninety thousandths (0.090″) of an inch. 
     In another embodiment, the core  20  may be wrapped, e.g., vertically, with additional filament  46  after the initial layer of continuous filament  46  has been completed. The additional filament  46  may be continuous or non-continuous and it may be located across the entire core  20 , or only selected portions of the core  20 , for example, the ends. The additional filament  46  may be of the same material as the initial layer, or it may be of a different material. 
     The wound core  20  is then removed from the filament-winding machine  44  and located in a mold. A preferred embodiment of a cross-section of a mold is depicted in  FIG. 3 . The mold may be an injection mold, a transfer mold, or a compression mold, as known by those skilled in the art. 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , a transfer mold  64  is shown. The mold  64  has a material reservoir  66  in fluid communication with a chamber  68  via at least one channel  70 . One or more electric coils  72  are located throughout the mold  64  for heating the mold  64 , although channels (not shown) for heated oil and/or steam may also be used in conjunction with the electric coils  72  or alone. 
     A removable insert  74  is located within the chamber  68 . The insert  74  has a wall  76  having a complementary shape to at least the wound front face  26  of the core  20 . Inserts  74  having walls  76  at various angles, which determines loft in degrees of the club face, and sizes with respect to the wound front face  26  of the core  20  may be used to locate a face plate  78  at various desired angles. 
     The present invention also comprises the face plate  78  and a sole plate  80 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  may be two separate pieces, but preferably, the face place  78  and the sole plate  80  have either been welded together, integrally formed together, or otherwise joined. The face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  are preferably constructed of a highly wear resistant material, such as titanium, titanium alloys or steel alloys, for instance stainless steel. An outer surface  82  of the face plate  78  may have one or more vertical and/or horizontal grooves  86 . The grooves  86  help impart, or decrease, spin to a golf ball depending on groove design. 
     Face plates  78  and sole plates  80  of various sizes and shapes may be used to create club heads having different appearances. By way of example only, a face plate  78  that is slightly larger than the wound core  20  may be used, or a face plate  78  that is about the same size as the wound core  20  may be used. In the latter embodiment, the face plate  78  will be substantially flush with the finished club head. In the former embodiment, the face plate  78  will be slightly larger than the finished club head. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  are located within the mold  64  adjacent the removable insert  74 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The mold  64  and at least one wall  76  of the insert  74  may be designed to securely receive the face plate  78  and/or sole plate  80  to prevent movement of the core during the molding step described below. For example, the mold  64  and wall  76  may have a complementary shape to the face plate  78  and/or the sole plate  80 . Alternatively, it is well within the scope of the present invention to locate one or more mechanical fasteners (not shown), such as screws or pins, into the face plate  78  and/or sole plate  80  to removably secure the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  with the core  20  in the mold  64 . 
     Inside surfaces  84  of the face plate  78  and/or the sole plate  80  may be scored or scuffed, for instance by sand blasting or other known methods, to provide a gripping surface for the molding material described below. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the wound core  20  is located into the chamber  68  within the mold  64  where the chamber  68  has a substantially complementary shape to the wound core  20 . The core prints  112  on the core  20  preferably fit into complementary shaped recesses  85  in the mold  64  to assist in locating the core  20  in a precise position within the mold  64 . Preferably, a predetermined gap, or wall stock  88 , is left between the wound core  20  and the chamber walls  89 . 
     Weights to satisfy design criteria, i.e., center of gravity, may be positioned in the core mold and molded in place. The weights, if required, will be secured to the club head by the overmolding step described below. 
     Preferably, the wound core  20  is positioned in the chamber  68  so that it is approximately half above and approximately half below the channel  70 . The channel  70  functions as a gate, as known by those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the core  20  can be located in the chamber  68  in any position, angle or orientation with respect to the channel  70 . 
     One or more spacers  90  may also be located between the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  and the wound core  20 . The spacers  90  may be of any shape, size or dimension. In one embodiment, the spacers  90  are T-shaped (not shown) to provide a large surface area with which molding material, described below, comes in contact. The spacers  90  may have a knurled, or rough, outer surface to assist them becoming secured within a resin, described below. 
     The spacers  90  may be used to provide, i.e., control the thickness of, the wall stock  88  between the face plate  78 , the sole plate  80  and the wound core  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , at least one aperture  92  is located in the face plate  78  and at least one aperture  94  is located in the sole plate  80 . The apertures  92 ,  94  may be created when the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  are formed, or the apertures  92 ,  94  may be located in the plates  78 ,  80  after formation, such as by drilling. A tube  96  is preferably located through the apertures  92 ,  94  in the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  and secured by a press fit or friction fit, adhesive, brazing and/or welding. The apertures  92 ,  94  in the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  are preferably located and aligned so that the tube  96 , when inserted in the apertures  92 ,  94 , is positioned adjacent the depression  40  in the core  20  for the shaft. 
     Referring now back to  FIG. 3 , a pre-determined quantity of a thermosetting-engineered resin  98  that is compatible with carbon fibers, e.g., epoxy or polyester resins, preferably epoxies, is located in the reservoir  66  of the mold  64 . A thermoplastic-engineered resin that is compatible with carbon fibers may also be used. In the event a thermoplastic resin is employed, provision is made to cool the mold to effect cure of the resin. 
     Preferably, non-continuous filaments  100  of carbon and/or Kevlar®, or filaments  100  having specified physical and performance characteristics, are equally distributed and suspended within the resin  98 . The resin  98  may be comprised of approximately 20% to approximately 70% filaments  100 , but preferably the resin  98  is comprised of approximately 50% filaments  100 . 
     The thermosetting resin  98  may be liquefied before being located in the reservoir  66 , or it may be liquefied within the reservoir  66 . The various resins  98  which may be used with the present invention have a liquefying point between 200 degrees Fahrenheit and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically, the mold  64  is approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so if the resin  98  is not liquefied before entering the reservoir  66 , it will quickly become liquefied. In either case, the liquefied resin  98  is urged out of the reservoir  66  by any known means, including but not limited to, a pump, and/or a plunger  102 . The plunger  102  may be driven by a clamping device such as a hydraulic press holding the two halves of the mold  64  closed together. 
     Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that an injection type mold can also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. In an injection type mold (not shown), a rotating helical mixing device is located within the reservoir. The helical mixing device, when rotating, will decrease the length of any carbon and/or Kevlar® filaments within the resin. 
     In comparison, the transfer type mold  64  described and depicted herein does not have a mixing device so that the filaments  100  in the resin  98  retain their original length. Therefore, depending on the desired filament  100  length in the resin  98 , either the injection type mold or the transfer type mold may be interchangeably used with the present invention. 
     The liquefied resin  98  flows under pressure from the reservoir  66  and through the channel  70 , as through a gate as known by those skilled in the art. As described above, the wound core  20  is located within the mold  64  so that approximately half of the wound core  20  is located above the channel  70  and approximately half of the wound core is located below the channel  70 . The liquefied resin  98  flows in substantially equal quantities around the wound core  20  in the wall stock  88  about the wound core  20 . The resin  98  also flows around the inserts  30 . 
     The liquefied resin  98  flows through the wall stock  88  to overmold the wound core  20 . The pressurized resin  98  flows into any voids not filled by the continuous filament  46  on the core  20  and it permeates through the filament  46  located over the upper surface  28 , the lower surface  24 , the filament  46  over the front face  26  and the filament  46  in the grooves  42 . The resin  98  is also located in the wall stock  88  between the wound core  20  and the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  and between the tube  96  and the wound core  20 . 
     A fiber filled resin coating (or an unfilled pure resin in circumstances where the resin is used for an improved surface finish) over the wound core  20  having a thickness of between approximately one five thousandths (0.005″) of an inch to approximately one ninety thousandths (0.090″) of an inch is desirable. 
     The resin  98  is allowed to cure under heat and pressure in the mold  64  for a pre-determined amount of time. Once the resin  98  is sufficiently cured, the overmolded core  20 , now having the face plate  78 , the sole plate  80  and the inserts  30  secured thereto and the tube  96  secured therein, referred hereinafter as the club head  104 , is removed from the mold  64 . An outer surface  106  of the club head  104  that was located adjacent the mold chamber walls  89  now has a surface dependent on fiber content. For example, the surface can be smooth, as shown in  FIG. 6 , or variegated. 
     Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the walls  89  of the chamber  68  can be provided with any surface to provide a smooth outer surface  106  of the club head  104  or the walls  89  can be designed to create any design or pattern on the outer surface  106  of the club head  104 . By way of example only, the walls  89  of the chamber  68  can be designed to create a leather-like or wood-like appearance on the outer surface  106  of the club head  104 , or they can be designed to create a non-reflective surface on the outer surface  106  of the club head  104 . 
     In any event, with a soluble core of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,551, in the molded plastic club head  104 , the core material/binder can be quite readily removed from the club head with water. For example, with a core  20  in which both the hardened salt binder and skin are water soluble, the head  104  with the core  20  is placed in a bath of water in a container or tank and a stream of water employed, with the bath, to dissolve the binder and flush the core material from the head  104 . With this procedure, the shape of the core  20  is destroyed within the head  104  and the destruction product or core material dispersed therefrom. 
     The liquid/solvent can directly contact the core  20  through a hole  107 . The hole  107  was created during the above-described molding step as the resin  98  flowed around the insert  30  containing the core prints  112 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more holes  107  may be located in the club head  104 , such as, for example, by drilling. The dissolved binder and core material can be poured out from the club head  104 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 8  schematically depicts a cut away view of the club head  104  with the core  20  removed and an insert  30  located in the club head  104 . The overmolded continuous filament  46  in the walls  108  and ribs  110  formed by the grooves  42  of the club head  104  can be seen. Individual pieces of filament  100  can also be seen in the walls  108  of the club head  104 . 
       FIG. 9  depicts the club head  104  with two molded in inserts  30 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inserts  30  can also be threaded into place and/or an adhesive or cement can be used. 
     Plugs  114 , having a set of complementary threads to the threaded inserts  30 , are threaded into the inserts  30 . The plugs  114  cover the hollow inserts  30  and they can also be weighted to customize the weight of the club head  104 . The plugs  114  can be equally weighted or they can have different weights. Channels  118  within the heads of the plugs  114  have a complementary design to a Phillips head screwdriver, standard head screwdriver, or hex wrench so the plugs  114  can be readily inserted or removed. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that instead of, or in addition to, locating the weights as described above, the club head  104  can be drilled and inserts  30  and plugs  114  can be inserted in the holes, or weighted inserts can be molded into the core at selected areas. 
     A golf club head shaft  120  is frictionally and/or adhesively attached through a shaft locator aperture  122  in the face plate  78  and into the club head  104 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Within the club head  104 , the shaft  120  is located within the tube  96  and secured thereto with friction and/or an adhesive as known to those skilled in the art. 
     The golf club head  104  assembled according to the steps described above robustly supports the face plate  78  to reduce, or prevent, deflection of the face plate  78  upon contact with a golf ball. Reducing, or preventing, deflection of the face plate  78  decreases energy absorption into the golf club head  104  and concentrates energy to the golf ball. Additionally, it can be appreciated that golf club heads  104  made according to the steps described herein may have different appearances than the preferred embodiment depicted in  FIG. 10 . For instance, the walls  108 , the face plate  78  and the sole plate  80  of the club head  104  may have any shape or size in accordance with United States Golf Association standards. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.