Weighted golf irons club head

For weight distribution in a golf irons club head, the use of construction material from a location thereon never used in play, namely centrally along a top edge of the ball-striking face, advantageously relocated to the toe, sole, heel or combinations thereof, to contribute to sweet spot-enhancement in at least two respects, viz.

First, that weight in the removal location is counterproductive to a good hit and removal is a benefit even if not relocated elsewhere, and second that said weight that is relocated being sourced from the club head itself, does not change the overall swing weight of the club head, which typically is selected according to the size and handicap of the golfer and should remain unchanged.

In golf irons club head manufacture, it is understood that the club head embodies what, in golf parlance, is known as a “sweet spot” acknowledged to be the medial location of the club head ball-striking inclined surface bounded in a vertical perspective between a top and a bottom edge and in a horizontal perspective between a toe and a heel. The thrust of the Long patent, and numerous other prior patents, is to contribute to sweet spot-enhancement, usually by an increase in the area thereof, so that the contact of the striking surface with the golf ball occurs in the sweet spot, either directly or in the increased occupied area thereof. It is postulated in this prior patented literature that “A golf club with a larger sweet spot on the striking face helps compensate for an off-center shot by a golfer a reduction of the twisting and other vibrational forms of energy loss experienced from a shot hit on the striking face at a point other than the center of mass”.

All known prior art efforts at sweet spot-enhancement contemplate adding weight to the club head in clearance locations to the sweet spot, such as to the left and right thereof in the toe and heel respectively, with the expectation that this will contribute to optimum height in the trajectory and length and direction in the flight of the struck golf ball. While some ball-striking efficacy might result, it is believed that significantly all that occurs is that the overall weight of the club head is increased and the golfer is provided with a heavier golf club to use which, for the size and stature of the golfer and for the golfer’s playing ability, might not be appropriate, unless the starting weight of the golf club is selected to factor in the added weight.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved weighted golf irons club head overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. More particularly, it is an object to achieve, using weight distribution, sweet spot-enhancement, i.e. significant improvement in the ball-striking efficacy of the club head, while maintaining the same starting overall weight of the club head and, even more important, without detracting from the club head configuration as it relates to its intended end use, namely hitting a golf ball.

More particularly, and as will be better understood from the succeeding detailed description in which a prior art and a within inventive No. 5 iron are compared to better demonstrate the patentable advance of the latter, the starting weight for the selected construction material is 256 grams and remains as such in the inventive No. 5 iron after weight distribution according to the present invention. In this regard, underlying the present invention is the recognition that in the typical use of a golf club iron the ball is never intentionally struck near or at the top edge of the club face, but always at the “sweet spot” or below, and thus removal of top edge central portion incident to its relocation is totally consistent with the continued use of the golf club iron as intended. By way of further explanation, for example, if the removed club head portion was from the toe, this would certainly adversely affect the use of the golf club iron because a “toe” hit is part of the game, even though possibly never intended, because it can and does occur. In contrast, a “top edge” hit with an iron, for all practical purposes, never occurs.

The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims.

While the golf irons club head for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail, is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention.