	US 11,998,814 B2
	Fairway wood golf club head with low CG
Travis D. Milleman, Portland, OR (US); and David A. Higdon, Cave Creek, AZ (US)
Assigned to Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/447,331.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/217,695, filed on Jul. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/076,766, filed on Sep. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072399 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A63B 53/04 (2015.01); A63B 53/08 (2015.01)

CPC A63B 53/08 (2013.01) [A63B 53/0433 (2020.08); A63B 53/0437 (2020.08); A63B 53/0466 (2013.01); A63B 2053/0491 (2013.01); A63B 2209/02 (2013.01)]

18 Claims

1. A fairway-type golf club head comprising:

a club head comprising:

a main body comprising:

a front portion comprising a front opening,

a rear portion,

a toe portion, and

a heel portion;

a sole defining an insert recess;

a crown return;

wherein the rear portion, the toe portion, the heel portion, the sole, and the crown return define a crown aperture;

a face cup received within the front opening;

wherein the face cup comprises a strike face having a geometric center;

a sole insert received within the insert recess;

wherein the insert recess is recessed into the sole towards the crown return via an insert recess floor;

wherein the sole insert is formed from a material having a sole insert density greater than 15 g/cm³;

wherein the sole insert comprises a mass between 70 grams to 90 grams;

wherein the sole insert defines a surface area visible from an exterior of the club head;

wherein the surface area is between 3.00 in²to 3.50 in²;

a crown insert received within the crown aperture;

wherein the crown insert, and the crown return define a crown;

a club head volume of less than 200 cm³;

a loft angle between 14 degrees and 35 degrees; and

a club head center of gravity (CG);

wherein the club head defines:

a ground plane tangent to the sole of the club head;

a loft plane tangent to the strike face at the geometric center;

a coordinate system originating at the geometric center of the strike face comprising an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis;

wherein the Z axis extends in a front-to-rear direction parallel to the ground plane;

wherein the Y axis extends in a crown-to-sole direction perpendicular to the Z axis; and

wherein the X axis extends in a heel-to-toe direction perpendicular to the Y axis and the Z axis;

a YZ plane through the geometric center and along the Y axis and Z axis;

a force line impact point (FLIP) located on the strike face at a vertical distance from the ground plane ranging from 0.55 inch to 0.75 inch, and on the YZ plane; and

a force line impact point (FLIP) axis extending rearward from the FLIP and perpendicular to the strike face at the FLIP;

wherein:

the club head CG is located at a CGX1, a CGY1, and a CGZ1, wherein:

the CGX1 is measured parallel to the X axis from the geometric center, and the CGX1 is in a range of 0.010 inch to 0.020 inch;

the CGY1 is measured perpendicularly from the Z axis, and the CGY1 is in a range of 0.20 inch to 0.30 inch;

the CGZ1 is measured parallel to the Z axis and rearward from the geometric center, and the CGZ1 is in a range of 1.00 inch to 1.25 inch;

the CGX1, the CGY1, and the CGZ1 define an imaginary rectangular box;

the club head CG is located within the imaginary rectangular box, and;

wherein:

the club head CG is further located at a CGF1 measured perpendicularly from the club head CG to the FLIP axis; and

the CGF1 is in a range of 0.000 inch to 0.040 inch.