Forged Multi-Component Putter

This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/754,444 filed Feb. 5, 2025 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/648,973, filed May 17, 2024, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.

This disclosure relates generally to golf clubs and relates more particularly to a multi-component putter type golf club head.

Multi-component putters exist having independently formed components that are then assembled. These components may be formed of different materials to achieve desired weight properties. Multi-material putters allow designers to easily and cost effectively vary the weight distribution of the club head, thereby varying the center of gravity and increasing the moment of inertia (MOI). For example, using a high density material to form the sole piece and a low density material to form the crown component creates a lower center of gravity and reduces skidding to impart a better roll on a golf ball.

The traditional process used to fabricate and assemble putter components can detract from putter performance and aesthetics. More specifically, the lightweight crown of a conventional multi-component putter is typically manufactured using die-cast aluminum. While die-casting allows intricate shapes to be formed cheaply, as compared to milling, the final product lacks quality, regarding transition areas between the metals. Flow agents used in die-casting bind with the aluminum to improve flow into the mold. The flow agents remain in the final cast product and are generally considered to be impurities. Consequently, die-cast aluminum is only approximately 55% pure aluminum, while the other 45% is undesirable impurities.

The impurities in die-cast aluminum loosen the grain structure, causing porosity. Porosity not only compromises the structural integrity of the piece, resulting in a low quality product, but it also limits the finishing processes that can be applied to the surface, reducing the aesthetic appeal of the final product. While additional machining may be used to obtain desired shape, alignment features, texture, or other finishing procedures, such procedures require excessive time and cost. Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide aluminum putters and putter components with reduced porosity to permit desired surface finishes while remaining economically feasible.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.

The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.

The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

The terms “couple,” “coupled,” “couples,” “coupling,” and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements or signals, electrically, mechanically and/or otherwise.

The term “strike face,” as used herein, refers to a club head front surface that is configured to strike a golf ball. The term strike face can be used interchangeably with the term “face.”

The term “strike face perimeter,” as used herein, can refer to an edge of the strike face. The strike face perimeter can be located along an outer edge of the strike face where the curvature deviates from a bulge and/or roll of the strike face.

The term “geometric centerpoint,” or “geometric center” of the strike face, as used herein, can refer to a geometric centerpoint of the strike face perimeter, and at a midpoint of the face height of the strike face. In the same or other examples, the geometric centerpoint also can be centered with respect to an engineered impact zone, which can be defined by a region of grooves on the strike face. As another approach, the geometric centerpoint of the strike face can be located in accordance with the definition of a golf governing body such as the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The term “ground plane,” as used herein, can refer to a reference plane associated with the surface on which a golf ball is placed. The ground plane can be a horizontal plane tangent to the sole at an address position.

The term “loft plane,” as used herein, can refer to a reference plane that is tangent to the geometric centerpoint of the strike face.

The term “loft angle,” as used herein, can refer to an angle measured between the loft plane and the XY plane (defined below).

The term “face height,” as used herein, can refer to a distance measured parallel to loft plane between a top end of the strike face perimeter and a bottom end of the strike face perimeter.

The term “lie angle,” as used herein, can refer to an angle between a hosel axis, extending through the hosel, and the ground plane. The lie angle is measured from a front view.

The “depth” of the putter-type golf club head, as described herein, can be defined as a front-to-rear dimension of the putter-type golf club head.

The “height” of the putter-type golf club head, as described herein, can be defined as a crown-to-sole dimension of the putter-type golf club head. In many embodiments, the height of the putter-type club head can be measured according to a golf governing body such as the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The “length” of the putter-type golf club head, as described herein, can be defined as a heel-to-toe dimension of the putter-type golf club head. In many embodiments, the length of the putter-type club head can be measured according to a golf governing body such as the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The “face height” of the putter-type golf club head, as described herein, can be defined as a height measured parallel to loft plane between a top end of the strike face perimeter near the top rail and a bottom end of the strike face perimeter near the sole.

The “leading edge” of the putter-type club head, as described herein, can be identified as the most sole-ward portion of the strike face perimeter.

A “thickness”, as described herein is the length of a line segment connecting two points on opposing surfaces oriented perpendicular to one of the points.

An “XYZ” coordinate system of the putter-type golf club head, as described herein, is based upon the geometric center of the strike face. The golf club head dimensions as described herein can be measured based on a coordinate system as defined below. The geometric center of the strike face defines a coordinate system having an origin located at the geometric center of the strike face. The coordinate system defines an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. The X axis extends through the geometric center of the strike face in a direction from the heel to the toe of the fairway-type club head. The Y axis extends through the geometric center of the strike face in a direction from the top rail to the sole of golf club head. The Y axis is perpendicular to the X axis. The Z axis extends through the geometric center of the strike face in a direction from the front end to the rear end of the putter-type golf club head. The Z axis is perpendicular to both the X axis and the Y axis.

The term or phrase “center of gravity position” or “CG location” can refer to the location of the putter-type club head center of gravity (CG) with respect to the XYZ coordinate system, wherein the CG position is characterized by locations along the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis. The term “CGx” can refer to the CG location along the X-axis, measured from the origin point. The term “CG height” can refer to the CG location along the Y-axis, measured from the origin point. The term “CGy” can be synonymous with the CG height. The term “CG depth” can refer to the CG location along the Z-axis, measured from the origin point. The term “CGz” can be synonymous with the CG depth.

The term or phrase “CG projection” or “CG projection point” can refer to the location where the CG is projected on the strike face, wherein the projection is taken normal to the loft plane.

The XYZ coordinate system of the golf club head, as described herein defines an XY plane extending through the X axis and the Y axis. The coordinate system defines XZ plane extending through the X axis and the Z axis. The coordinate system further defines a YZ plane extending through the Y axis and the Z axis. The XY plane, the XZ plane, and the YZ plane are all perpendicular to one another and intersect at the coordinate system origin located at the geometric center of the strike face. In these or other embodiments, the putter-type golf club head can be viewed from a front view when the strike face is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the XY plane. Further, in these or other embodiments, the golf club head can be viewed from a side view or side cross-sectional view when the heel is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the YZ plane.

The term or phrase “moment of inertia” (hereafter “MOI”) can refer to a value derived using the center of gravity (CG) location. The MOI can be calculated assuming the club head includes the body and the hosel structure. The term “MOI” or “I” can refer to the MOI measured about the X′-axis. The term “MOIyy” or “I” can refer to the MOI measured about the Y′-axis. The term “MOIzz” or “I” can refer to the MOI measured about the Z′-axis. The MOI values MOIxx, MOIyy, and MOIzz determine how forgiving the club head is for off-center impacts with a golf ball.

The term “putter,” can, in some embodiments, refer to a putter-type club head having a loft angle less than 10 degrees. In many embodiments, the loft angle of the putter can be between 0 and 5 degrees, between 0 and 6 degrees, between 0 and 7 degrees, or between 0 and 8 degrees. For example, the loft angle of the club head can be less than 10 degrees, less than 9 degrees, less than 8 degrees, less than 7 degrees, less than 6 degrees, or less than 5 degrees. For further example, the loft angle of the club head can be 0 degrees, 1 degree, 2 degrees, 3 degrees, 4 degrees, 5 degrees, 6 degrees, 7 degrees, 8 degrees, 9 degrees, or 10 degrees. The putter-type golf club head can be a blade type putter, a mid-mallet type putter, a mallet type putter.

The term “split plane” can refer to a plane parallel to the ground plane that follows the general contour of the putter exterior surface, along the toe, heel and rear portions and intersects each point on the point at which the draft angle of the toe side and heel side is zero.

Multi-component putter heads disclosed herein have crown components with improved aesthetics. In some embodiments, the crown components obscure a great majority of a sole or other components when viewed from above, thereby giving the putter a clean, non-distracting appearance that improves a user's focus. Additionally, in some embodiments, the crown component is formed of nearly pure, forged aluminum that has a premium appearance and permits surface features similar to those provide on milled putters, but at a fraction of a milled putter cost.

The crown component can be formed by forging a low density metal, such as aluminum. Other lightweight materials that may be used include, but are not limited to, titanium, titanium alloys, magnesium, magnesium alloys, beryllium, beryllium alloys, copper, or copper alloys. Forging the crown component, as opposed to the more traditional method of casting, yields a net or near-net shape with reduced porosity relative to that present in casted putter heads. With reduced porosity, the putter heads disclosed herein have improved structural integrity, and can be color treated for a higher quality appearance.

The improved aesthetics and surface features of the putter heads disclosed herein mimic those of a milled putter head at a fraction of the cost associated with milling. Machining pure aluminum is excessively costly and time consuming. Furthermore, machining parts can result in excess scrap material, which is both expensive and wasteful. Forging putter heads, as disclosed herein, obtains the desired shape with minimal machining. Further, the use of pure aluminum increases the final product quality by eliminating the large amount of impurities needed and resulting from die-casting. Additionally, pure aluminum allows for an anodized finish. Anodizing produces an oxide layer over the aluminum, which is easier to color treat, resists corrosion and does not chip, peel, or crack over time. Color is added by introducing a dye to the porous oxide layer that anodization process produces, which is then absorbed and results in a high-quality finish. Anodizing cannot be done on impure aluminum, such as die-cast aluminum, because the impurities hinder the process by reducing the electrical conductivity of the aluminum. Since die-cast aluminum cannot be anodized, paint is generally used, which easily chips, peels, and cracks. For this reason, using a pure aluminum to form the crown component provides the premium and durable finish of a fully forged club head at a fraction of the cost.

The forged crown component can be coupled to a sole component formed from a high-density material. A seam is created along the edge where the crown component and sole component join. Forged aluminum (or other low-density metals) crown components, according to the present disclosure, obscure most or all of the seam when viewed at address. This is attributed to the draft angle formed through the forging process. Specifically, the perimeter of the crown component comprises a draft angle that extends over the sole component, wherein the sole component is tapered inwards, towards the sole, and thereby hidden by the higher quality crown component. As described in more detail below, the sole component provides increased perimeter weighting, improving MOI and therefore forgiveness, to impart consistent ball speed and travel distance for repeated putts. The combination of the forged pure aluminum crown component with a hidden seam yields a high MOI putter head with improved aesthetics that can be produced without excessive cost or waste.

The putter components described herein require minimal machining, thereby reducing the cost. Due to the near-net shape nature of forming the crown and sole component, the two pieces may easily assembled using an adhesive or other coupling method. Additionally, a wide variety of putter head designs can be formed, such as spade shaped, blade shaped, crescent shaped, semi-circular shaped, circular shaped, T-shaped, dual-rail shaped, or winged shaped putters.

In some embodiments, the crown component is forged from aluminum to have a finer, more uniform finish. Forged aluminum also expands the available colors the crown component may have, thereby improving the aesthetics of the putter, and the reduced porosity of the forged aluminum allows finer surface features to be formed. The crown component can be formed separately using methods that produce net or near-net shapes, as well as finish patterns, alignment aids, and aesthetic effects. For instance, the crown component may be forged from a solid billet of pure aluminum, allowing for complex geometries to be created with minimal machining. The complex geometries can include standard putter features such as sightlines, recesses, rails, toplines, etc. In addition, the forging process can imprint a textured design, thereby providing a more finished appearance that would conventionally be achieved by additional and expensive machining. Texturing is adding any type of roughness, or deviation from a flat/smooth surface. The texturing, via the forging process, provides a finished, premium look in a more cost-effective manner.

A low density metal can be used to form the crown component. In some embodiments, the crown component can be forged from pure aluminum. Pure aluminum can refer to an aluminum material with less than 2% inclusions. In some embodiments, the pure aluminum can comprise less than 2%, less than 1.8%, less than 1.6%, less than 1.4%, less than 1.2%, less than 1.0%, less than 0.8%, less than 0.6%, less than 0.4%, less than 0.2%, or trace amounts of inclusions. The lack of inclusions allows the crown component to be anodized. Anodizing produces an oxide layer over the aluminum, which resists corrosion and does not chip, peel, or crack over time.

The formation of the oxide layer as well as the lack of inclusions provides a crown component with little to no porosity. Porosity within the crown component can create gaps that allow micro-cracks formed at the surface to extend deeper into the material, which can compromise the structural integrity of the crown component. Further, porosity limits the finishing processes that can be applied. Using aluminum, beryllium, magnesium, or titanium forged crown pieces reduces the level of porosity. Normal levels of porosity in casted aluminum can be higher than 5%. The forged method described herein reduces the percentage of porosity in the crown component to less than 2.9%. In some embodiments the porosity is between 0% and 1%. The percentage of porosity in the crown component can be between 0% and 0.2%, 0.2% and 0.4%, 0.4% and 0.6%, 0.6% and 0.8%, or 0.8% and 1.0%. The percentage of porosity in the crown component can be less than 1%, less than 0.8%, less than 0.6%, less than 0.4%, or less than 0.2%.

In some embodiments, as shown inthe crown component provides a crown façade, when viewed at address, that is coupled to a denser sole component, to provide an aesthetically pleasing view to the user at address. Since the crown component is the main visible component when executing a putting stroke, an aesthetically pleasing top view can be advantageous. Forging the crown component out of a pure aluminum billet has numerous benefits to the overall aesthetic compared to traditional casting. For example, forged aluminum maintains a tight, aligned grain structure, thereby increasing the strength of the crown component and providing a more premium look. Additionally, the single pure billet of aluminum can be anodized to form an oxide layer having a desired color. The use of complementary or contrasting colors can improve aesthetics, increase visibility of features such as sightlines, and otherwise provide a finished, aesthetically pleasing look to the user. The colors are the result of dying the porous oxide layer from the anodization process. Anodized aluminum is more resilient to chipping than traditional painted surfaces. Anodizing further improves durability of the putter as it increases corrosion and wear resistance of the crown component as well as resists denting from impacts of other golf clubs in a golf bag. Forging the crown component into a final or near-net shape with finish patterns, alignment aids, and aesthetic effects removes the need for additional machining.

In some embodiments, the crown component makes up a significant portion if not the entirety of the putter head body when viewed at address. The crown component can define the visible shape of the putter head. This includes a striking face portion, a top rail, a crown component sole portion, and the top of a rear body segment. In other embodiments, the crown component may not form the striking face and top rail, and instead forms the top of the rear body. The crown component further comprises a geometry that is complementary with the sole component, which allows for simple assembly of the two components. More specifically, the crown component can comprise a crown top surface and crown bottom surface, wherein the crown bottom surface receives a sole top surface, as discussed in depth below.

The crown component can comprise a crown component mass. The crown component mass can be between 25 g and 165 g. The crown component mass can be between 30 g and 35 g, 35 g and 40 g, 40 g and 45 g, 45 g and 50 g, 50 g and 65 g, 65 g and 70 g, 70 g and 75 g, 75 g and 80 g, 80 g and 85 g, 85 g and 90 g, 90 g and 95 g, 95 g and 100 g, 100 g and 105 g, 105 g and 110 g, 110 g and 115 g, 115 g and 120 g, 120 g and 125 g, 125 g and 130 g, 130 g and 135 g, 135 g and 140 g, 145 g and 150 g, 150 g and 155 g, 155 g and 160 g, or 160 g and 160 g. The crown component mass can make up between 5% and 45% of the putter head total mass. The crown component mass can make up between 5% and 10%, 10% and 15%, 15% and 20%, 20% and 25%, 25% and 30%, 30% and 35%, 35% and 40%, or 40% and 45% of the putter head total mass.

The size and shape of the crown component further can be described with reference to a crown projection extending from the crown component in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane. As shown in, the crown projection can be constrained by a crown projection border defined as a perimeter of the crown component from a top plane view. The crown projection border defines a crown projection area. In some embodiments, the crown projection border coincides with the split plane. The split plane is a plane that defines the outermost perimeter of the putter head. Specifically, the split plane defines an inflection point where the draft angle changes from angling toward the crown to angling towards the sole. The seam between the crown component and the sole component may generally be below the split plane, but in some components, the seam may be even with or above the split plane. The crown projection is mostly made up of the crown component, such that the crown component is predominantly visible at address. In some cases the crown component makes up over 99% of the crown projection. This can be attributed to the wrapping of the crown component around the split plane and the draft angles associated with perimeter of the putter head.

The multi-component putter further comprises a sole component located below the crown component that generally forms a bottom of the putter head. In some embodiments, the sole component may form the striking face and/or the top rail. In other embodiments, the striking face and/or the top rail may be formed by the crown component.

The sole component can contribute most of the putter head weight, as it is formed from a denser material than the crown component. For example, the sole component may be formed of a stainless steel or other dense material, having a greater density than the material used to form the crown component. The sole component may comprise thicker regions in the heel, toe, and/or rear side of the putter head to create more perimeter weighting and increase the MOI. A higher MOI results in a more forgiving putter that twists less and more evenly transfers energy to the ball on off-center strikes. The sole component may be formed using techniques such as coining, casting, or metal injection molding (MIM). Generally, the sole component is formed using a cheaper method, which helps reduce the cost of the overall putter, and is satisfactory since the sole component is not largely visible at address.

The sole component comprises a sole component top surface and a sole component lower surface. The sole component lower surface generally creates a majority of the sole, which is substantially flat. In certain embodiments the sole may comprise a heel-to-toe and/or front-to-rear camber that allows the putter to glide on top of the ground, rather than snag on the ground. The sole component top surface has a geometry that matches the crown lower surface, such that the two components are complementary.

As seen inthe sole component can further comprise a toe mass and a heel mass. The weights of the heel mass and toe mass can be selected to achieve a desired swing weight or overall putter head mass. The toe mass and heel mass are located proximate the toe end and the heel end, respectively, and may be integral with/formed from the same material as the sole component. In other embodiments, the toe mass and the heel mass can be formed of a different material than the sole component with a density greater than the density of the sole component material. The toe mass and heel mass extend vertically from the sole component in a direction away from the ground plane. The toe mass and heel mass provide a means to position and align the crown component with the sole component to form the putter head body.

Furthermore, the toe mass and heel mass add to the perimeter for increasing the MOI. The toe mass and heel mass can have masses that range from 10-40 grams. In some embodiments, the toe mass and heel mass can comprise a mass of approximately 25 grams each. In some embodiments, the toe mass and heel mass can have masses that range from 10-25 grams, 15-30 grams, 20-35 grams, or 25-40 grams. In some embodiments, the toe massand heel masscan have masses that range from 10-20 grams, from 15-25 grams, from 20-30 grams, from 25-35 grams, or from 30-40 grams. In some embodiments the toe massand heel masscan comprise a mass of approximately 15 grams, 16 grams, 17 grams, 18 grams, 19 grams, 20 grams, 21 grams, 22 grams, 23 grams, 24 grams, 25 grams, 26 grams, 27 grams, 28 grams, 29 grams, 30 grams, 31 grams, 32 grams, 33 grams, 34 grams, or 35 grams.

The toe mass and heel mass can each have the same mass or can comprise different masses within the ranges provided above. The toe mass and heel mass, respectively, can be any one or a combination of the following shapes: rectangular, triangular, pyramidal, spherical, crescent-shaped, square, cylindrical, ovular, elliptical, trapezoidal, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other desired geometric or non-geometric shape.

The toe mass and heel mass provide areas of concentrated mass, such that the toe mass and heel mass increase the moment of inertia of the putter head. The placement of the toe mass and the heel mass on or near the toe end and the heel end, respectively, increases the MOI by shifting mass away from a center of gravity of the putter head.

The sole component can comprise a sole component mass. The sole component mass can be between 175 g and 375 g. The sole component mass can be between 175 g and 185 g, 185 g and 195 g, 195 g and 205 g, 205 g and 215 g, 215 g and 225 g, 225 g and 235 g, 235 g and 245 g, 245 g and 255 g, 255 g and 265 g, 265 g and 275 g, 275 g and 285 g, 285 g and 295 g, 295 g and 305 g, 305 g and 315 g, 315 g and 325 g, 325 g and 335 g, 335 g and 345 g, 345 g and 355 g, 355 g and 365 g, or 365 g and 375 g. The sole component mass can make up between 50% and 95% of the putter head total mass. The sole component mass can make up between 50% and 55%, 55% and 60%, 60% and 65%, 65% and 70%, 70% and 75%, 75% and 80%, 80% and 85%, 85% and 90%, or 90% and 95% of the putter head total mass.