High Loft Wedge Golf Club Head for Bunker Shot Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Golfers, especially those with lower skills, struggle to execute reliable shots from bunkers and rough near the green due to the need for adjusting swing speed, loft, and bounce, often resulting in mishits or failure to clear the hazard.

Innovation Solution

A wedge-type golf club head with a high loft angle (60-70 degrees), large strike face, and broad sole, allowing for a standard address position and swing trajectory, mimicking the effect of opening the club face without manual adjustment, providing a higher trajectory and increased forgiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a standard wedge is used for bunker shots, then the club can be adjusted to desired loft and bounce by experienced golfers, but lower skilled players struggle to get the ball out or hit it over the green

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuccess rate of bunker shotsVSAvoiddifficulty of adjusting loft and bounce

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The club head is pre-configured with a high loft angle (60-70 degrees) and specific bounce characteristics before the shot, eliminating the need for the player to manually adjust the club face or make complex swing modifications during the shot execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the club head design by incorporating a high loft angle range (60-70 degrees) and specific sole geometry with optimized bounce, which automatically produces the desired high trajectory and forgiveness without requiring player skill adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If golfers adjust swing speed and power for close shots from hazards, then higher trajectory can be achieved, but the complexity of the swing adjustment increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrajectory heightVSAvoidcomplexity of swing adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The high lofted club head design serves itself by automatically generating the high trajectory through its geometric properties, eliminating the need for the golfer to perform complex swing adjustments or manually control trajectory through technique alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If a high loft angle (60-70 degrees) is used, then higher trajectory is achieved for clearing hazards, but the club design becomes more specialized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball trajectoryVSAvoidclub design flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The high lofted club head design serves multiple functions: it provides high trajectory for clearing hazards, offers increased forgiveness through its geometric properties, and works effectively from various difficult lies including bunkers and rough, making it a versatile club for multiple challenging shot scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250090910A1Bunker golf club head

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 KARSTEN MFG CORP

AI summary

The invention provides a wedge-type golf club head optimized for close-to-the-green shots. The golf club head comprises a highly lofted, large strike face and a sole with a broad bounce surface. The golf club head facilitates the golfer using a normal stance and swing path to produce an accurate, high trajectory shot to the green.