Golf Club Face Groove Layout for Higher Spin on Open-Face Shots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club heads struggle to impart significant spin on a golf ball, especially when the club face is not squarely addressed, due to limitations in scoreline geometry and surface textures, which are not tailored to the interaction between an elastomeric-coated golf ball and a metallic striking face, and are prone to rapid wear and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design featuring a striking face with a combination of scorelines and auxiliary grooves, where the auxiliary grooves vary in concentration and orientation across the face to enhance spin performance and playability, even when the club face is deviated from the reference position, using techniques like laser milling to create durable and cost-effective textures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional scorelines are used on the striking face, then the club head can impart some spin on the golf ball, but the spin production is limited due to USGA regulation governing scoreline geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The striking face is segmented into multiple regions with different groove concentrations. The first region (center portion) has a first concentration of grooves, while the second region (peripheral portion) has a second concentration of grooves that is different from the first concentration. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for specific shot types, thereby improving overall spin production and versatility without violating USGA regulations on scoreline geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the striking face are given different local qualities in terms of groove concentration. The center region has one groove concentration optimized for standard shots, while the peripheral region has a different groove concentration optimized for specialty shots like flop shots. This local differentiation enables the club to adapt to various shot requirements while maintaining compliance with regulatory constraints.
2Reliability
If conventional surface textures are added to improve spin, then spin production may increase, but the surface textures are subject to rapid wear and costly to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The groove concentrations are designed to be dynamic in their effectiveness, allowing the club to adapt to different shot types and impact conditions. By varying groove concentration across the face, the design provides spin optimization for both standard and specialty shots without requiring additional surface textures that would wear rapidly or increase manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of groove concentration across different regions of the striking face. By adjusting the density and distribution of grooves in different areas, the design achieves varied spin characteristics without introducing additional surface textures. This parameter change approach maintains manufacturing simplicity and durability while improving spin performance across multiple shot types.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the club face is opened for a flop shot, then the golfer can attempt a specialty shot, but the ball spin is reduced compared to a squarely addressed shot with conventional clubs
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral region of the striking face, which is engaged during flop shots with an opened club face, is equipped with a different groove concentration optimized for maintaining spin on specialty shots. This local optimization ensures that even when the club face is opened, the interaction between the grooves and the golf ball generates sufficient spin, thereby maintaining reliability across different shot types.
Solution Approach 2:
The striking face is divided into regions that handle different shot types. The peripheral region specifically addresses flop shot requirements with optimized groove concentration, while the center region handles standard shots. This segmentation ensures that spin production is maintained for both squarely addressed shots and opened-face flop shots.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.