Golf Club Head Center of Gravity Forward Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club heads face challenges in achieving a balance between high moments of inertia for forgiveness and low center of gravity, leading to performance issues such as reduced ball speed and increased backspin when striking from the turf.
Innovation Solution
The design of a golf club head with a large striking face area, a center of gravity projection proximate to the center face, and high moments of inertia about the x-axis and z-axis, incorporating a sliding weight track and specific material distributions to optimize the center of gravity's position relative to the half head height, while maintaining a low aerodynamic penalty.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the center of gravity is positioned low relative to the crown height, then forgiveness is improved through higher moments of inertia, but ball speed and distance are reduced due to high CG projection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the center of gravity from a low vertical position (traditional fairway wood approach) to a forward position near the striking face (driver-type approach). This dimensional shift in CG location allows the club to achieve high moments of inertia through forward weight distribution rather than downward distribution, thereby maintaining forgiveness while improving ball speed and distance by reducing CG projection above the striking face.
2Reliability
If the striking face area is increased, then forgiveness is improved, but aerodynamic penalty increases reducing club head speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the aerodynamic parameters of the club head by optimizing the crown height, shaft insertion depth, and overall head geometry. These parameter changes reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulence caused by a large striking face area, allowing the club to maintain high ball speeds while preserving the forgiveness benefits of a larger face.
3Reliability
If mass is distributed away from the striking face to increase moment of inertia, then forgiveness is improved, but center of gravity projection increases reducing ball speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating mass in specific forward regions near the striking face rather than distributing it uniformly or positioning it low in the crown. This localized mass concentration achieves high moments of inertia through strategic placement while keeping the center of gravity projection minimal, thereby maintaining both forgiveness and ball speed.
4Ease of operation
If the club head height is reduced for ground contact confidence, then fairway wood playability is improved, but moment of inertia is reduced lowering forgiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from the traditional fairway wood geometry (low height, low CG) to a driver-type geometry (taller height, forward CG). This dimensional change allows the club to achieve high moments of inertia through forward weight distribution rather than downward distribution, providing both ground contact confidence and enhanced forgiveness simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances ball speed, reduces backspin, and improves forgiveness by aligning the center of gravity with the impact location, resulting in increased distance and accuracy in golf shots.
Implementation Method 1
a center of gravity (CG) projection proximate center face that may be at most 3 mm above or below center face, and preferably may be at most 1 mm above or below center face as measured along a vertical axis (z-axis)
Implementation Method 2
A mass moment of inertia is a measure of a club head's resistance to twisting about the golf club head's center-of-gravity, for example on impact with a golf ball
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a golf club head that includes a body that includes a sole portion, a crown portion, a skirt portion, a forward region, and a rearward region. The golf club head also includes a face portion including a striking face with a maximum height from the ground plane of at least about 50 mm. The golf club head has a peak crown height, from the ground plane, of at least about 60 mm. A volume of the golf club head is at least about 370 cm3. A location of a center-of-gravity of the golf club head is at a minimum distance (Zup) away from the ground plane. The difference between Zup and half of the peak crown height is less than about −5.75 mm. A z-axis moment of inertia of the golf club head about a CG z-axis is greater than about 300 kg-mm2.