Golf Club Head Toe-Ward Center of Gravity Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Higher-handicapped golfers experience increased shot dispersion due to their tendency to hit the golf ball off-center, which conventional golf club heads with asymmetric shaping and heel-biased center of gravity fail to adequately address, leading to unbalanced club heads or excessive structural modifications.
Innovation Solution
A wedge-type golf club head design with a loft of at least 40 degrees, featuring a recessed hosel with reduced thickness and an indentation to shift the center of gravity toe-ward, ensuring it is no more than 5.0 mm from the virtual center plane, combined with perimeter weighting and a recess insert of low density, to improve forgiveness and balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the center of gravity is positioned on the heel side to match conventional asymmetric shaping, then the club head maintains traditional aesthetic appearance, but the center of gravity becomes misaligned with the actual impact location of higher-handicapped golfers, increasing shot dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally positioning the center of gravity toe-ward rather than following conventional heel-side bias. This creates an asymmetric mass distribution that aligns the center of gravity with the actual impact location of higher-handicapped golfers, improving shot consistency despite traditional aesthetic conventions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses local quality by adding discrete toe-weighting elements (such as tungsten weights or modified toe structure) to shift the center of gravity specifically to the toe-ward location. This localized modification allows the rest of the club head to maintain conventional appearance while achieving the desired center of gravity position
2Ease of operation
If discretionary mass is moved from the heel side to the toe side to center the center of gravity, then the club head becomes more balanced for higher-handicapped golfers, but the club head appears unbalanced and may miscommunicate effectiveness to the golfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses high-density material (such as tungsten) in the toe region to create a mass concentration that shifts the center of gravity without visibly altering the club head's external shape. The toe-weighting element is positioned to be minimally visible or aesthetically integrated, copying the function of traditional heel-side mass concentration while achieving toe-ward center of gravity positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the density parameter by introducing high-density material (tungsten with density approximately 19.3 g/cm³) in the toe region. This allows significant mass concentration in a small volume, achieving center of gravity adjustment without substantial visual changes to the club head's overall shape or balance appearance
3Measurement precision
If high density weighting is added on the toe side to center the center of gravity, then the club head achieves better alignment with impact location, but the structural complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the club head into distinct functional regions, with the toe region containing the high-density weighting element. This segmentation allows independent optimization of the weighting portion without redesigning the entire club head structure, simplifying manufacturing processes such as separate casting or insertion of the toe-weighting element
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by combining high-density material (such as tungsten or tungsten alloy) with the base club head material (typically stainless steel or other golf club metals). This composite approach achieves precise center of gravity positioning while maintaining the structural integrity and aesthetic properties of the conventional club head material
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head includes a loft no less than 40 degrees; a striking face; a virtual center plane that is vertical and perpendicular to a virtual striking face plane and includes a face center; a rear face; and a recess. The recess extends in a heel-to-toe direction along an upper sole surface and has a depth that varies in the heel-to-toe direction such that a first depth corresponds with a first location heel-ward of the face center and a second depth corresponds with a second location toe-ward of the face center, the first depth being no less than 10 mm and greater than the second depth by at least 5 mm. An insert is received in the recess. And a center of gravity of the golf club head is spaced no greater than 5.0 mm from the virtual center plane measured in the heel-to-toe direction.