Patent Publication Number: US-2007105645-A1

Title: Golf clubs

Description:
The present invention relates to golf clubs. In particular, the present invention relates to a head for a golf club.  
      Golf clubs are made in various configurations designed to be used in different circumstances. One form of golf club, known as a sand iron or a sand wedge, is designed to hit a golf ball out of a bunker. In a golf course, bunkers are formed by a depression in the ground filled with sand. The rules of golf prevent a golf club touching the surface of the sand in a bunker before a shot is being taken from the bunker but the sand can be touched during the shot by the golf club. The most usual way of playing such a shot is to direct the club into the sand behind the ball with the head of the club passing beneath the ball which is forced out of the bunker with sand between the head and the ball.  
      It is generally accepted that shots in bunkers are among the most difficult in the game of golf. Many players find such shots frustrating. The head will generally as indicated above make contact with the sand in a bunker when playing a shot, resulting in a reduction of the accuracy with which the face of the club head strikes the ball. The speed at which the club head strikes the ball is also reduced and the ball will thus not travel as far as it otherwise might. These problems may result in a player needing more shots to complete a hole and therefore not achieve as high a score as he otherwise might. In addition, the impact of the club head on the sand can cause injury or discomfort to the player, in particular to the wrists. The impact of the club head on the sand can also spray sand over a distance and to a height such that sand may enter a person&#39;s eye causing discomfort and possibly injury.  
      US  2002 / 0042305  discloses a golf club head shaped to reduce the resistance of the head through grass. This golf club head includes grass relief grooves formed at a leading end of the club head, which include grass cutters formed with an edge of each of the walls defining the grass relief grooves. 
    
    
      According to the invention, there is provided a head for a golf club comprising a face and a sole, the face and the sole meeting at a leading end of the head, the leading end being provided with formations for reducing the resistance of the head through sand.  
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation of a head of a golf club and showing part of the shaft of the golf club,  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side elevation of the head according to  FIG. 1  passing through sand,  
       FIG. 3  is an elevation of a leading edge of the head of the golf club shown in  FIG. 4  and  
       FIG. 4  is a section on the line IV-IV of  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
      Referring to the drawings, the golf club comprises a head indicated generally at  10  connected to a shaft, part of which is shown at  11 , by a hosel  12 . The head  10  has a face  13  and a sole  14  meeting at a leading end  15 .  
      The shape of the face  13  and the configuration of the sole  14  are such as conventionally provided on a sand iron. In addition, the face  13  has the usual grooves  16  provided on such a club and extending generally parallel to the leading end  15 .  
      As seen in  FIG. 2 , the head  10  of a sand iron passes through sand, when a ball (not shown) is hit out of a bunker. The leading end  15  of the head  10  is configured to reduce the resistance of the head through sand.  
      For this purpose, the leading end of the head  10  is provided with a plurality of projections  17 . Each projection  17  is defined by a V-shaped portion  13   a  of the face  13 , a V-shaped portion  14   a  of the sole  14  and a first, second, third and fourth sand deflecting surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22  and  23  extending between the associated face portion  13   a  and the sole portion  14   a.    
      Each first surface  20  extends from one edge  18   a  of the associated V-shaped face portion  13   a  at an obtuse angle to the associated face portion  13   a . Each second surface  21  extends correspondingly from the other edge  18   b  of the associated V-shaped face portion. Each third surface  22  extends at an acute angle to the plane of the sole  14  from one edge of the associated V-shaped sole portion  14   a  and each fourth surface  23  extends correspondingly from the other edge  19   b  of the associated V-shaped sole portion  14   a  (see  FIG. 4 ).  
      Each first surface  20  meets the associated third  22  surface along a line  24  lying in a plane intermediate the plane of the face  13  and the plane of the sole  14 . Each second surface  21  meets the associated fourth surface  24  along a line  25  also lying in that plane. The first and third surfaces  20 ,  22  of the projection  17  meet-the second and fourth surfaces  21 ,  23  of the next adjacent projection  17  along a line  26  lying in a plane normal to the plane of the face  13  (see  FIG. 4 ).  
      As will be seen, as a result of this configuration, the intersection lines  24 ,  25  form a series of V-shaped indentations along the leading end  15  of the head  10 . In addition, the V-shaped face portions  13   a  form a continuous zig-zag line  26  along the face which is inwardly of the indentations relative to the leading end  15 . Further, the V-shaped sole portions  14   a  form a second zig-zag line  27  extending along the sole  14  again inwardly of the leading end  15  relative to the indentations formed by the lines  24 ,  25 .  
      The first, second, third and fourth surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22  and  23  of each projection  17  meet at a pointed end of the associated projection  17 .  
      The first, second, third and fourth surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  are planar.  
      In use, as the head  10  passes through sand in the manner shown in  FIG. 2 , the projections  17  separate the sand which then passes to the surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22  and  23  which serve to divert the sand. At each projection  17 , the first and third surfaces  20 ,  22  will deflect sand to one side of the direction of travel of the head through the sand while the second and fourth surfaces  21 ,  23  will divert the sand at an angle to the other side of the path of travel of the head through the sand. In addition, the first and second surfaces of one projection  17  together with the first and second surfaces of the adjacent projection  17  form grooved channels that divert sand separated by the projection  17 . In this way, the resistance of the head to travel through sand is decreased. In effect, the surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22  and  23  serve as ramps, the impact on the sand of which accelerates the sand and the sand is thus moved out of the path of travel of the club head. It should be noted that a conventional club head would push the sand in a tangential direction to the path of movement of the club head, rather than divert the sand to a side. It is thus easier to hit a golf ball out of sand using the golf club described above with reference to the drawings. In addition, it reduces the shock experienced by a golfer when hitting a ball out of sand using a sand iron and so reduces the chance of injury. This creates much less disturbance of the sand directly resulting in a reduction of the amount of sand thrown up in the air. This, in turn, may reduce sand disturbance which will have a direct effect on bunker maintenance and with it, bunker maintenance costs.  
      It will be appreciated that there are a number of variations that can be made to the head  10  described above with reference to the drawings. Although the surfaces  20 ,  21 ,  22  and  23  are shown as being planar, they need not be planar; they could be curved. The number of projections  17  is not critical; there could be more or less projections  17 . Although the head described above with reference to the drawings has third and fourth surfaces  22 ,  23  leading from the sole  14 , these surfaces are not essential; they could be omitted. The angles subtended by the V-shaped portions  13   a ,  14   a  can be altered as required.  
      The ends of the projection  17  are shown as pointed; they need not be pointed; they could be rounded or flattened.  
      It is not essential to have projections  17 . The head  10  could be formed with one or more diverting surfaces angled relative to the face  11 . For example, there could be a single elongate indentation of the leading end  15  of the head  10  with two diverting surfaces leading from the indentation to the face.  
      Although, as shown above, the angles made by the first and second surfaces  20 ,  21  to the associated V-shaped face portion  18   a  the same as the angles made by the third and fourth surfaces  22 ,  23  to the associated V-shaped sole portion  19   a , this is not essential. There may be different angles. In addition, while the V-shaped face portions  18  have been shown as planar; they need not be planar they could be curved or any other suitable shape.  
      The features described above with reference to the drawings for reducing the resistance through sand could be applied to any known type of sand iron or sand wedge or any other club.