Patent Abstract:
A golf putter head adapted for attachment to a club shaft is provided with a face member having a strike face and a cylindrical back cavity, and a body member configured to fit and rotate within the back cavity is disclosed. Selective rotation of the body member within the back cavity sets a loft of the putter head. The weighting of the putter is adjusted by securing a weight member to the body member. A golf putter head having an increased moments of inertia is also disclosed. The putter head includes a face member, a body member, and a weight member. Placement of the weight member is such that the moments of inertia are increased and the putter head is stable.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/636,812 entitled “Putter,” filed on Aug. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,849, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/051,007 entitled “Adjustable Putter,” filed on Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,497, which claims priority from Provisional Patent Application No. 60/263,709, filed Jan. 25, 2001. All of these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of The Invention 
   The invention relates to an improved golf club construction. More particularly, the invention is related to a putter with adjustable loft and weighting or a putter with a high moment of inertia. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The design of putters is typically viewed as a pursuit of an aesthetically pleasing club that promotes a golfer&#39;s confidence in his or her stroke. As such, many putters have been designed irrespective of the mechanics inherent in the putting swing. Furthermore, many putters lack a design that accounts for an individual golfer&#39;s characteristics and characteristic playing style (i.e., stance, grip, etc.). 
   The lack of attention to technical details in many putter designs results in clubs that are not aimed or balanced properly. Such technical considerations, for example, include heel and toe weight distribution, location of the putter head&#39;s center of gravity or “sweet spot,” putter length, shaft flexibility, grip, head weight and total club weight, loft, and lie. Because the USGA Rules of Golf permit significant latitude in the design of putters, i.e., the shaft, neck or socket of a putter may be fixed at any point in the head, many putter designs are possible. And, because significant deviation in the intended path of a putt can be experienced for even slightly off-center hits, careful attention to these design factors can result in a putter that is more likely to perform well in use. 
   Various adjustable club constructions are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,305,270 to Nilson discloses a golf club with a hosel that has an extension on which the head is slidably and pivotally mounted. The extension is embedded in a shallow depression in the back of the head and runs substantially the entire length of the head. The head further includes lugs with inner serrated portions, and when a desired angle has been selected for the face, serrated portions on the extension are engaged with the lugs to lock the position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,180 to Guenther discloses a golf club having a reversible head for use either as a putter or chipper, and for use by either a left handed or right handed player. In operation, the head is rotatable by 180° on a pin to present either a chipper face or putter face. A lever with side cam surfaces permits releasable locking of the head in position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,739 to Thompson discloses an adjustable golf putter with a body and a separate putter face that is initially adjustable relative to the body prior to permanent securement. The putter includes an elongated tapered body having a plane of symmetry extending in the direction of the putting motion. The face is rotatably mounted on the head about a pin, and a pair of screws secure the face to prevent rotation. A bubble level is also recessed in the putter face. If the putter face is not level, the golfer loosens the screws, pivots the putter face about the pin to adjust the angle between the upper surface of the putter face and the shaft, and when the bubble level indicates level for the preferred putting stance of the golfer, the screws are tightened. The weight of the putter head is adjustable by disposing cylindrical weight inserts in a bore in the body located behind and perpendicular to the face. 
   In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,572 to Coleman discloses a golf club with a hollow main body, thereby providing a chamber into which liquid or granular weighting material may be placed. The main body is preferably spherical, and a movable, disc-shaped face portion is provided on its rear with a portion that is contoured to complement the spherical shape of the body. A clamping member and retaining bolt are provided; loosening the bolt permits the club face portion to be repositioned through an arc of 360°, while tightening the bolt fixes the face portion in the desired position. 
   Despite these developments, there exists a need for an improved putter construction. In particular, there is a need for an improved putter with adjustable loft and weighting and there is a need for an improved putter with a high moment of inertia. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is related to a golf putter head adapted for attachment to a club shaft. The head includes a face member having a strike face and a cylindrical back cavity, and a body member configured to fit and rotate in at least one plane or direction within the back cavity. Selective rotation of the body member within the back cavity sets a loft of the putter head. In one embodiment, a weight member is coupled to the body member, and is symmetrically disposed about a longitudinal center of the body member. The weight member may have a generally arcuate shape and may be disposed on the back portion of the body member. 
   The back cavity of the face member may include two recessed wing portions and a recessed generally cylindrical portion disposed therebetween, while the body member may include a front portion with a generally cylindrical projecting portion and a cylindrical passage extending parallel therethrough. The front portion of the body member further includes opposing sections separated by a slit that extends along the length of the cylindrical passage, the opposing sections being connected by a threaded hole. Threadable engagement of a fastener in the threaded hole changes the separation of the opposing sections. 
   A generally cylindrical insert is configured and dimensioned to be received within the cylindrical passage of the body member, with the insert further including a base portion configured to be received in fixed orientation within the wing portions. 
   The body member may be generally rectangular and have a side flange with a bore therein, the bore being configured and dimensioned to receive the shaft. The body member also may include a front portion, a back portion, and a pair of sides, the sides each having a lower edge with at least two edge portions that are crooked with respect to each other at an angle of between about 0° and about 30°. 
   The present invention is further related to a golf putter head adapted for attachment to a club shaft. The putter head includes a face member having a strike face and a back cavity, the back cavity including at least one keyway portion, and a body member configured to fit and rotate in at least one plane or direction within the back cavity, the body member including a passage therein. In addition, the putter head includes an insert configured to fit and rotate in at least one plane or direction within the passage, the insert including at least one keyed portion. When the keyed portion is disposed in the keyway portion, selective rotation of the body member about the insert sets a loft of the putter head. 
   The present invention is also related to a golf putter head, adapted for attachment to a club shaft, having a high moment of inertia. The putter head comprises a face member, a body member, and a weight member. The face member has a strike face and a rear surface opposite the strike face. The body member has a first end and a second end. The body member first end is coupled to the face member rear surface. The weight member is coupled to the body member second end. 
   The weight member has a first weight, and the club head has a second weight. The first weight is preferably at least 25% of the second weight. More preferably, the first weight is at least 50% or 75% of the second weight. The weight member may be curved toward said face member, and ends of the weight member are from 0 inch to approximately 1.5 inches from the strike face. Alternatively, the ends of the weight member may contact the face member. 
   The putter head contains a shaft mount for connecting a shaft to the club head. The shaft mount preferably is offset from the face member such that the shaft attaches close to the club head center of gravity. The body member preferably comprises the shaft mount, either coupled thereto or as an integral part thereof. The shaft may be bent to give it a straight, no offset appearance at address. The shaft mount is preferably positioned a distance of approximately 1.5 inches to approximately 2 inches from the strike face. Alternatively, the shaft mount is preferably positioned between the midpoint of the putter head length and the strike face, and more preferably is positioned a distance of approximately 25% of the putter head length to approximately 50% of the putter head length behind the strike face. The club head center of gravity is preferably located a distance of approximately 1 inch to 4 inches from the strike face. More preferably the center of gravity is approximately 1.5 inches to approximately 2 inches from the strike face, and most preferably approximately 1.7 inches from the strike face. Alternatively, the center of gravity is preferably located between the midpoint of the club head length and the weight member. Alternatively, the center of gravity is located a distance of approximately 50% of the club head length to approximately 75% of the club head length behind the strike face. 
   The body member preferably is coupled to the face member in a substantially perpendicular fashion such that the putter has a “T-frame” shape. The face member preferably is coupled to the body member such that the face member is lower than the body member. This will help reduce grounding of the club during the swing. The face member leading edge may be beveled for the same reason. The club head is balanced such that it is stable when placed on a substantially flat surface. 
   A measure of the putter head moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity preferably is greater than approximately 550 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 600 kg·mm 2  to approximately 800 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 700 kg·mm 2  to approximately 750 kg·mm 2 . 
   The moment of inertia of the club head as measured about a vertical axis passing through the shaft mount preferably is greater than approximately 550 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 600 kg·mm 2  to approximately 900 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 800 kg·mm 2  to approximately 850 kg·mm 2 . 
   The moment of inertia of the club head as measured about a longitudinal axis of the body member preferably is greater than approximately 350 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 400 kg·mm 2  to approximately 600 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 500 kg·mm 2  to approximately 550 kg·mm 2 . 
   The face member preferably comprises aluminum. The body member preferably comprises aluminum. The weight member preferably comprises steel. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred features of the present invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of a putter head according to the present invention with back weighting; 
       FIG. 2  shows a back view of a face member for a putter head according to the present invention with a cavity therein; 
       FIG. 3  shows a cross-section of the face member of  FIG. 2  taken along line III-III; 
       FIG. 4  shows a cross-section of the face member of  FIG. 2  taken along line IV-IV; 
       FIG. 5  shows a bottom, perspective view of an insert member for a putter head according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  shows a top, perspective view of the insert member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  shows a side view of the insert member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  shows a top view of a body member for a putter head according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  shows a side view of the body member of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10  shows a partial perspective view of the body member according to the present invention with an insert member housed therein; 
       FIG. 11  shows a top view of another putter head of the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  shows a rear view of the putter head of  FIG. 11 ; and 
       FIG. 13  shows a bottom view of the putter head of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-10 , the putter construction according to the present development is shown. Putter head  20  includes a face member  22 , a body member  24 , and a back weight member  26 , each of which are secured together as will be discussed. A shaft bore  28  is provided for attachment of putter head  20  to a club shaft. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , face member  22  has a generally flat ball-striking front portion  30  and a back portion  32 . A recessed region or back cavity  34  is formed in back portion  32 , and preferably has a generally cylindrical contour. A pair of recessed wing portions  36  are formed at opposite ends of back cavity  34 , creating a keyway that preferably has a depth less than the maximum depth of back cavity  34 . A hole  40  is formed in each wing portion  36  for receiving a threaded fastener. Preferably, back cavity  34  is substantially symmetric about line ALI, which is also generally parallel to the ground. 
   Turning to  FIGS. 5-6 , in one embodiment of the present invention, an insert  42  is provided for coupling body member  24  to face member  22 . Insert  42  includes a central, generally cylindrical projecting portion  44 , along with a base portion  46  which creates a keyed portion that is adapted to be received within wing portions  36  of back cavity  34  of face member  22 . A generally cylindrical, tapered portion  45  is also provided, and serves as a further keyed region for aiding in insertion of insert member  42  into body member  24 . More particularly, the overall longitudinal geometry of insert  42  is cylindrical, such that it can rotate in at least one plane or direction within body member  24  as will be described shortly. Base portion  46  includes a pair of holes  50 , which preferably include recessed portions  51  so that the head of a screw or other fastener may be recessed therein. 
   The loft of the putter is defined as the angle of the face and a line perpendicular to the sole line measured to a point that is half of the distance of the face height and located on the center of the face. In order to provide adjustment of the loft, the angle of body member  24  related to face member  22  is adjusted by rotation within cylindrical back cavity  34  of face member  22 . With an insert member  42  disposed in body member  24 , and with base portion  46  disposed within wing portions  36 , the loft may be changed to a suitable amount. 
   More particularly, with reference to  FIGS. 8-10 , body member  24  is generally rectangular and hollow, and includes cylindrical front portion  52 , back portion  54 , and side portions  56 ,  58 . Front portion  52  receives an insert member  42  in cylindrical passage  53 . Front portion  52  further includes a slit  55  extending along the length of cylindrical passage  53 , and thus providing a loose fit of insert member  42  when placed in cylindrical passage  53 , which runs parallel to line ALI when front portion  52  contacts back cavity  34 . During setting of the desired loft, body member  24 , with an insert member  42  housed in passage  53 , is loosely coupled to face member  22 . With the insert member  42  resting in wing portions  36 , the body member  24  may be rotated with respect to face member  22 ; the body member rotates about insert member  42 , which is fixed in location and angle with respect to face member  22 . When a desired loft has been set, the insert member  42  may be tightly coupled to face member  22  using screws or other fasteners, which extend through holes  50 ,  40  in insert member  42  and face member  22 , respectively. In addition, the rotation of body member  24  with respect to insert member  42  may be arrested through the use of a threaded fastener that extends through threaded hole  57  and connects opposing portions of front portion  52  separated by slit  55 . When the fastener is tightened, the separation between these portions may be decreased such that the gap provided by slit  55  is closed. In turn, the diameter of passage  53  is slightly decreased, locking insert member  42  in place. 
   A side flange  66  is provided on a side  56 ,  58 , depending on whether the golfer is right-handed or left-handed. A shaft bore  28  for receiving a club shaft extends at least partway through flange  66 , which is oriented at an angle α with respect to a flat edge  68  of body member  24 . Preferably, angle α is between about 5° and about 85°. The desired loft may be set by rotating body member  24  with respect to face member  22 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , edge  68  is disposed opposite an edge  78  of body member  24 . Edge  78  includes straight potions  80 ,  82  which are crooked with respect to each other. Preferably, straight potions  80 ,  82  are disposed at an angle β between about 0° and about 30°. 
   Body member  24  also includes bores  70  through side walls  56 ,  58 . Weight removed from side walls  56 ,  58  due to the presence of bores  70  may be redistributed in putter head  20 , such as with back weight member  26  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Further to this end, a hole  72  is provided in back portion  54  of body member  24  so that back weight member  26  with a similarly disposed hole  74  may be secured thereto, as with a fastener such as a screw. More than one hole  74  may be provided so that several fasteners may be used. Preferably, back weight member  26  is generally arcuate in shape, and is symmetrically disposed with respect to line CEN along the longitudinal center of body member  24 . Back weight member  26  may further include a central recessed region, so as to conform to the geometry of body member  24 . 
     FIG. 11  shows a top view of another putter head  100  of the present invention.  FIG. 12  shows a rear view of putter head  100 .  FIG. 13  shows a bottom view of the putter head  100 . Club head  100  is designed to have a high moment of inertia MOI. Putter head  100  includes a face member  110 , a body member  120 , and a weight member  130 . 
   Face member  110  is elongate, with the length being greater than the width. The width of face member  110  may be substantially uniform along its length (there may be an inset for seating body member  120 ). Face member  110  has a generally flat ball-striking front surface  112 , a rear surface  114 , and a bottom surface  115 . Rear surface  114  may contain holes  116  for inserting weights  117 . Preferably, there is a hole  116  and a weight  117  toward each end of rear surface  114 . Face member  110  is preferably made of aluminum. 
   Front surface  112  has a leading edge  113 . Leading edge  113  is preferably beveled to create a smooth transition between face surface  112  and bottom surface  115 . Beveling reduces the likelihood of snagging the club on the ground, or “grounding” the club, during a putting stroke. Bottom surface  115  may also be angled at ends thereof to further reduce the likelihood of grounding the club in the event of a toe-up or toe-down stroke. 
   Face member  110  has a loft angle within a range of approximately 0° to approximately 10°. As used herein, “within a range” includes the end values. Face member  110  preferably has a loft angle of approximately 4° or less with shaft  140  in the vertical position. A 4° loft angle has been determined the ideal loft angle for a putting stroke. See the inventor&#39;s U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/156,540, now pending and which is incorporated herein by reference, for further discussion regarding putter loft angle. The presence of weight member  130  and the location of the club head center of gravity CG behind face member  110  creates a dynamic loft angle effect, which causes the ideal loft angle to be less than 4°. The loft angle preferably is approximately 3.5° or less, and more preferably is approximately 3° or less. This angle may be varied according to the needs of the individual user. For example, if the user has a 2° forward press, face member  110  will be designed with a loft angle of 2° greater, resulting in the proper dynamic loft angle during use. Likewise, if the user has a rearward press, the loft angle of face member  110  can be reduced to produce the proper dynamic loft angle. 
   Body member  120  is coupled to rear surface  114  and extends away from rear surface  114  in a substantially perpendicular fashion. Body member  120  has a length and a width, the length being greater than the width. In a preferred embodiment, the length of club head  100  is substantially the same as the length of face member  110 . Body member  120  is coupled to face member  110  such that face member  110  is slightly lower than body member  120 . This encourages proper contact between strike surface  112  and the ball, and further minimizes the likelihood of grounding the club during the swing. Body member  120  is preferably made of aluminum. 
   The illustrated embodiment of body member  120  contains a plurality of holes  122  to reduce its weight. This gives body member  120  the appearance of having rails, and helps to increase the MOI, as discussed below. In an alternative embodiment, body member  120  contains no holes. 
   Body member  120  contains shaft mount  124  for connecting a shaft  140  to club head  100 . Shaft mount  124  may be positioned toward a side of body member  120  as shown in the figures, or it may be formed within the rectangular frame of body member  120 . For example, shaft  140  may be coupled to body member  110  within one of holes  122 . Shaft mount  124  is positioned behind face member  110  approximately at the midpoint along the length of body member  110 . This location, which is near the club head center of gravity CG, provides for a more flowing stroke. Shaft mount  124  may be positioned a distance L S  behind strike face  112 . Distance L S  is preferably approximately 1.5 inches to approximately 2 inches. Club head  100  has a length L having a midpoint MP. Shaft mount  124  may alternatively be positioned between midpoint MP and strike face  112 , and more preferably is positioned a distance of approximately 25% of putter head length L to approximately 50% of putter head length L behind strike face  112 . 
   Shaft  140  may preferably by bent to give a straight, no offset appearance at address. Shaft  140  is preferably coupled to produce a 71° lie angle. Shaft  140  may be of any standard length, including a length of approximately 35 inches or more. Alternate preferable lengths for shaft  140  include approximately 37 inches and approximately 53 inches. 
   Face member  110  and body member  120  are coupled to form a “T-frame” shape. In addition to increasing MOI, as discussed below, the T-frame allows for improved accuracy. During the putting stroke, body member  120  provides the user with a visual alignment of the putt. Any slight misalignment of club head  100  that may likely go unnoticed with a traditional putter may be readily apparent via the T-frame design of club head  100 . By aligning elongate body member  120  with the intended ball path, the user can ensure the putter is aligned as desired. By doing so, the user is more likely to hit the intended shot. 
   Weight member  130  is coupled to body member  120  at the opposite end from face member  110 . This placement of weight member  130  increases the MOI of club head  100 . Inertia is a property of matter by which a body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by some external force. MOI is a measure of the resistance of a body to angular acceleration about a given axis, and is equal to the sum of the products of each element of mass in the body and the square of the element&#39;s distance from the axis. Thus, as the distance from the axis increases, the MOI increases. By placing weight member  130  at the distal end of body member  120  relative to face member  110 , MOI can be significantly increased without substantially altering the overall weight of club head  100 . This MOI increase is greater than that possible with heel-to-toe weighting of conventional putters, due to operational weight limits. When a club, such as a putter, strikes a ball off-center, there is a tendency for the club to rotate about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity CG. This club rotation causes the shot or putt to deviate from the intended course by either a push/pull (straight ball path), slice/hook (curved ball path), or combination thereof. Increasing the MOI about this axis, such as through use of weight member  130 , increases the resistance to club head rotation and creates more accurate off-center shots. 
   During an ideal putting stroke, the putter head is not rotated. That is, face member  1   10  is kept substantially perpendicular to the intended putt path. During actual putting strokes, however, golfers frequently rotate the putter about a vertical axis, resulting in the ball being sent awry. Increasing the MOI about the vertical axis passing through club head center of gravity CG also helps prevent this unintended and undesired rotation of club head  100 . 
   Club head  100  has a center of gravity CG. Center of gravity CG is the point at which the entire weight of club head  100  may be considered as concentrated. This is also the point through which club head  100  will rotate if a force not passing through center of gravity CG is exerted thereon. Moving center of gravity CG away from strike face  112  increases the MOI and stability of club head  100 . Center of gravity CG is preferably located a distance L CG  behind strike face  112 . Distance L CG  preferably is approximately 1 inch to 4 inches. More preferably distance L CG  is approximately 1.5 inches to approximately 2 inches, and most preferably distance L CG  is approximately 1.7 inches. Center of gravity CG is preferably between midpoint MP and weight member  130 . Center of gravity CG is preferably located a distance of approximately 50% of length L to approximately 75% of length L behind strike face  112 . Shaft mount  124  is preferably positioned between midpoint MP and strike face  112 , and more preferably is positioned a distance of approximately 25% of length L to approximately 50% of length L behind strike face  112 . Club head  100  has a weight. Approximately 50% of the weight to approximately 75% of the weight is located on a weight member side of shaft mount  124 . This positioning of center of gravity CG and shaft mount  124 , along with the weights of face member  110 , body member  120 , and weight member  130 , give club head  100  a MOI as measured about a vertical axis passing through center of gravity CG that is preferably greater than approximately 550 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 600 kg·mm 2  to approximately 800 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 700 kg·mm 2  to approximately 750 kg·mm 2 . 
   An off-center hit may also tend to make club head  100  rotate about shaft mount  124 . That is, the club tends to rotate about shaft  140 . The placement of weight member  130 , however, also tends to increase the MOI about shaft mount  124  more than is possible with heel-to-toe weighting of conventional putters. The MOI of club head  100  as measured about a vertical axis passing through shaft mount  124  preferably is greater than approximately 550 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 600 kg·mm 2  to approximately 900 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 800 kg·mm 2  to approximately 850 kg·mm 2 . 
   Another common problem resulting in misaligned putts is rotation of the club head through a horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to face member  110 . That is, about an axis collinear with the intended path of the putt. This toe-up or toe-down misalignment frequently occurs during the putting stroke. The position of weight member  130  and its arcuate design increase the MOI about the horizontal axis. Club head  100  preferably has a MOI as measured about a longitudinal axis of body member  120  that is preferably greater than approximately 200 kg·mm 2 . More preferably, the moment of inertia is within a range of approximately 200 kg·mm 2  to approximately 400 kg·mm 2 , and most preferably is within a range of approximately 250 kg·mm 2  to approximately 300 kg·mm 2 . 
   Weight member  130  also helps produce more accurate results for on-center shots by helping the user “swing through” the ball rather than decelerating or “slapping” the ball. Since weight member  130  is separated from strike surface  112  by body member  120 , weight member  130  will be traveling downward (i.e., working with gravity) when club head  100  strikes the ball. This results in a smoother putting stroke, and a more accurate shot. 
   Placing weight member  130  further towards the rear of club head  100  increases the MOI, but also has the undesired effect of increasing instability. If weight member  130  is placed too far away from face member  110 , the club head can become “tipsy.” That is, placing weight member  130  too far back may cause club head  100 , when the club is placed on a level surface, to tilt backward. Thus, club head  100  must be designed to simultaneously maximize MOI and ensure adequate stability. 
   One way to achieve this balance is by using the proper ratio of the weight of weight member  130  to the overall weight of club head  100 . Weight member  130  preferably comprises at least 25% of the entire weight of club head  100 . More preferably, weight member  130  comprises at least 50% or at least 75% of the entire weight of club head  100 . Weight member  130  is preferably made of steel, which has a greater density than aluminum. In a preferred embodiment, weight member  130  has a weight within a range of approximately 10 g to approximately 200 g, and more preferably within a range of approximately 125 g to approximately 170 g. The overall weight of club head  100  preferably is within a range of approximately 200 g to approximately 600 g, and more preferably within a range of approximately 300 g to approximately 500 g. Alternatively, the overall weight of club head  100  may be similar to the weight of conventional club heads. 
   Stability of club head  100  is also increased by weights  117  in face member  110 . Stability may also be increased by bending weight member  130  such that its ends are curved toward face member  110 , as shown in the figures. The illustrated horseshoe shape moves the center of gravity WCG of weight member  130  forward, toward face member  110 , and provides a pleasing appearance for club head  100 . Weight member  130  is symmetrically disposed about body member  120 . The ends of weight member  130  may be curved forward to any desired amount, including such that it contacts face member  110 . The ends of weight member are preferably bent such that they are a distance L WM  from strike face  112 . Distance L WM  is preferably from 0 inch to approximately 1.5 inches, and more preferably from 0 inch to approximately 1 inch. Extending the ends of weight member  130  to face member  110  gives club head  100  a mallet-like appearance, which may be desirable to some golfers. In a preferred embodiment, weight member  130  has a circular cross section. Center of gravity WCG is located behind center of gravity CG, and is a distance L WCG  from strike face  112 . Distance L WCG  is preferably from 0 inch to approximately 3 inches. 
   While various descriptions of the present invention are described above, it should be understood that the various features can be used singly or in any combination thereof. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the specifically preferred embodiments depicted herein. 
   Further, it should be understood that variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. For example, in an alternate embodiment, the mating portions of face member  22  and body member  24  may include a series of facets along a generally cylindrical shape, instead of smooth cylindrical surfaces. Such facets may provided a more positive engagement of the components during fitting. In addition, in another embodiment, body member  24  may be secured to face member  22  without an insert member  42 . Front portion  52  of body member  24  may be provided with projections that mate with wing portions  36  in face member  22 . Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to be included as further embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is accordingly defined as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0