Grooved Putter Face Structure for Softer Impact Feel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing putters lack improved 'touch' and 'feel' at the moment of impact with the golf ball, and there is a need for a putter face that enhances these attributes beyond current capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A putter face with a unique groove pattern featuring deeper and wider arcuate grooves, varying in depth across different regions, is created using a milling tool that travels along a path offset from the centerline, resulting in a more complex groove and ridge structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a smooth striking face is used, then manufacturing is simple, but touch and feel at impact are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The striking face is divided into multiple zones with different groove patterns and depths. The grooves are concentrated in specific regions rather than uniformly distributed, creating local variations in surface texture that enhance touch and feel while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through targeted texturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The striking face surface is segmented into numerous grooves and ridges that break up the continuous surface. This segmentation creates multiple contact points and vibration dampening zones that improve touch and feel characteristics without requiring complete surface reconstruction.
2Ease of operation
If deeper and wider grooves are milled into the striking face, then touch and feel are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are arranged in periodic patterns with regular spacing and consistent dimensional relationships. This periodicity allows complex-looking groove structures to be generated through repeated machining passes using standard milling tools, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the detailed surface texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove dimensions (depth, width, spacing) are optimized within specific parameter ranges to achieve the desired touch and feel characteristics. By controlling groove depth between 0.002-0.010 inches and width between 0.001-0.005 inches, the design balances performance improvement with manufacturing capability using conventional milling equipment.
3Ease of operation
If vibration dampening materials are added behind or on the club face, then touch and feel are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration dampening function is extracted from separate material layers and integrated directly into the striking face surface through mill-formed grooves. This eliminates the need for additional dampening materials or multi-layer constructions, achieving vibration control through the groove geometry itself while maintaining a unified club head structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves act as intermediary structures between the ball impact point and the club head body. These mill-formed features serve as vibration dampening elements that mediate the impact forces, providing touch and feel enhancement without requiring separate dampening materials or complex internal structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club is disclosed that has a golf club head with a face having peaks or ridges and deep grooves or valleys. The deep grooves or valleys promote improved “feel” and/or reduced “smash factor” which may be particularly desirable when the golf club head comprises a putter face. The deep grooves or valleys may eliminate the need for costly soft metal alloy faces and/or polymeric or other resilient inserts between the face and the body of the golf club head.