GOLF CLUB

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/743,796 filed on Jan. 10, 2025, and also claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/889,345 filed on Sep. 27, 2025, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD

[0002]Aspects of this disclosure relate to a golf club, in particular a putter.

BACKGROUND

[0003]The game of golf may be challenging to many golfers. Many golf clubs are arranged to assist golfers to make the game easier. A putter design that has improved overall forgiveness by optimizing the mass properties of the club head and its relationship with the shaft can help make the game more enjoyable for golfers.

[0004]Particular objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure and detailed description of certain embodiments.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0005]Aspects of this disclosure relate to a putter comprising a putter head that includes: a ball-striking face with a lower edge defining a leading edge of the putter head, and an upper edge of the ball-striking face opposite the lower edge, where the ball-striking face includes a toe face insert and a heel face insert. The toe face insert may include a first exposed surface on the ball-striking face and may be located on a toe portion of the putter head. The heel face insert may include a second exposed surface on the ball-striking face and be located on a heel portion of the putter head. The putter head may further include a sole surface extending rearward from the leading edge with a trailing edge opposite the leading edge. A first combined mass of the toe face insert and the heel face insert may be within a range of 20 percent and 45 percent of an overall mass of the putter head. The putter may also include a shaft connected to the putter head, where the shaft defines a shaft axis, and the shaft axis is located within a range of 0.4 cm and 1.30 cm rearward of the leading edge of the putter head. A center of gravity of the putter head may be within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction of a shaft axis plane. The toe face insert and the heel face insert may be formed as a single unitary insert, where the single unitary insert has an exposed surface area that is greater than 90 percent of an overall surface area of the ball-striking face. The toe face insert may have a first mass, and the heel face insert may have a second mass, where the first mass is greater than the second mass. In some examples, the toe face insert and the heel face insert may be formed as a single unitary insert, where the toe face insert and the heel face insert are connected by a central region that extends along the ball-striking face, and where the central region has a height that is less than a height of the toe face insert. The putter head may further comprise: (a) a first receiver on the sole surface located on the toe portion of the putter head; (b) a second receiver on the sole surface located on the heel portion of the putter head; (c) a toe sole insert having a third mass removably received in the first receiver; and (d) a heel sole insert having a fourth mass removably received in the second receiver. The first mass and the second mass are greater than the third mass and the fourth mass; and a second combined mass of the toe face insert, the heel face insert, the toe sole insert, and the heel sole insert is within a range of 25 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the putter head. When the fourth mass is greater than the third mass, the center of gravity of the putter head is biased to the heel portion, and when the fourth mass is less than the third mass, the center of gravity of the putter head is biased to the toe portion. The center of the toe sole insert is substantially aligned with the shaft axis plane. A center of the heel sole insert is located closer to a center plane of the putter head than a toe-most portion of the heel face insert. A center of the toe sole insert and a center of the heel sole insert are located within a range of +/−5 mm in the front-to rear direction of the shaft axis plane. The toe face insert and the heel face insert are located forward of the shaft axis plane. The putter head further comprises a hosel portion connected to the shaft, where the hosel portion has a plurality of pockets on a rear surface such that a first pocket of the plurality of pockets has a depth within a range of 40 percent and 60 percent of a width of a central region of the hosel portion. The toe face insert and the heel face insert have a density within a range of 11.0 grams/cubic centimeters and 17.5 grams/cubic centimeters. The center of gravity of the putter head is within a range of +/−5 mm in a heel-to-toe direction of a center plane of the putter head. When the putter is balanced on an overall putter balance point, the shaft axis plane is located substantially parallel to a vertical plane.

[0006]Other aspects of this disclosure relate to a putter comprising: a putter head including: a ball-striking face with a lower edge defining a leading edge of the putter head, where the ball-striking face includes a toe face insert and a heel face insert. The toe face insert comprises a tungsten alloy and has a first mass, where the toe face insert is located on a toe portion of the putter head. The heel face insert comprises a tungsten alloy and has a second mass, where the heel face insert is located on a heel portion of the putter head. The putter head further includes (a) a sole surface extending rearward from the leading edge with a trailing edge opposite the leading edge; (b) a toe sole insert located on the sole surface and removably connected to the putter head, where the toe sole insert has a third mass; and (c) a heel sole insert located on the sole surface and removably connected to the putter head, where the heel sole insert has a fourth mass. The first mass and the second mass are greater than the third mass and the fourth mass. The putter further includes a shaft connected to the putter head, where the shaft defines a shaft axis, where the shaft axis is substantially vertically oriented when viewed from a toe side of the putter head. The shaft axis is located within a range of 0.4 cm and 1.3 cm rearward of a center of the leading edge of the putter head. A first combined mass of the toe face insert, the heel face insert, the toe sole insert, and the heel sole insert may be within a range of 25 percent and 50 percent of an overall mass of the putter head. A center of the toe sole insert and a center of the heel sole insert may be located within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction of a shaft axis plane. A center of gravity of the putter head is within a range of +/−5 mm in the front-to rear direction of the shaft axis plane. When the putter is balanced on an overall putter balance point, the shaft axis plane may be located substantially parallel to a vertical plane. A second combined mass of the toe face insert and the toe sole insert may be within a range of 0.75 times and 1.3 times of a third combined mass of the heel face insert and the heel sole insert. The toe face insert and the heel face insert may be located forward of the shaft axis plane. A center of the toe sole insert is located closer to a center plane of the putter head than a heel-most portion of the toe face insert, and a center of the heel sole insert is located closer to the center plane of the putter head than a toe-most portion of the heel face insert.

[0007]Still other aspects of this disclosure relate to a putter comprising a putter head including a ball-striking face with a lower edge defining a leading edge of the putter head, where the ball-striking face includes a toe face insert and a heel face insert. The toe face insert may comprise a tungsten alloy and have a first mass, where the toe face insert is located on a toe portion of the putter head. The heel face insert may comprise a tungsten alloy and have a second mass, where the heel face insert is located on a heel portion of the putter head. The putter head may also comprise (a) a sole surface extending rearward from the leading edge with a trailing edge opposite the leading edge, (b) a toe sole insert located on the sole surface, where the toe sole insert has a third mass; and (c) a heel sole insert located on the sole surface, where the heel sole insert has a fourth mass. The first mass and the second mass may be greater than the third mass and the fourth mass. The putter may also include a shaft connected to the putter head, where the shaft defines a shaft axis, wherein the shaft axis is substantially vertically oriented when viewed from a toe side. The shaft axis may be located within a range of 0.4 cm and 1.3 cm rearward of a center of the leading edge of the putter head. A combined mass of the toe face insert, the heel face insert, the toe sole insert, and the heel sole insert may be within a range of 25 percent and 50 percent of an overall mass of the putter head. A center of the toe sole insert and a center of the heel sole insert may be located within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction of a shaft axis plane. A center of gravity of the putter head may be within a range of +/−5 mm in the front-to rear direction of the shaft axis plane. When the fourth mass is greater than the third mass, the center of gravity of the putter head is biased to the heel portion, and when the fourth mass is less than the third mass, the center of gravity of the putter head is biased to the toe portion. A center of the toe sole insert may be located closer to a center plane of the putter head than a heel-most portion of the toe face insert, and a center of the heel sole insert may be located closer to the center plane of the putter head than a toe-most portion of the heel face insert.

[0008]Still additional aspects of this disclosure may relate to a putter comprising a putter head that includes: (a) a ball-striking face with a lower edge defining a leading edge of the putter head; (b) a forward toe insert, (c) a forward heel insert, and (d) a sole surface extending rearward from the leading edge with a trailing edge opposite the leading edge. The forward toe insert includes a first exposed surface and is located on a toe portion of the putter head. The forward heel insert includes a second exposed surface and is located on a heel portion of the putter head. A first combined mass of the forward toe insert and the forward heel insert may be within a range of 20 percent and 45 percent of an overall mass of the putter head. The putter may include a shaft connected to the putter head, where the shaft defines a shaft axis. The shaft axis may be located within a range of 0.4 cm and 1.30 cm rearward of the leading edge of the putter head. A center of gravity of the putter head may be within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction of a shaft axis plane. The putter head further comprising: (a) a first receiver on the sole surface located on the toe portion of the putter head; (b) a second receiver on the sole surface located on the heel portion of the putter head; (c) a toe sole insert having a third mass removably received in the first receiver; and (d) a heel sole insert having a fourth mass removably received in the second receiver. The forward toe insert may have a first mass, and the forward heel insert may have a second mass. The first mass and the second mass may be greater than the third mass and the fourth mass. A second combined mass of the forward toe insert, the forward heel insert, the toe sole insert, and the heel sole insert may be within a range of 25 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the putter head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present embodiments will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0011]FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter of FIG. 1 according to aspects described herein;

[0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 1 according to aspects described herein;

[0013]FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 1 according to aspects described herein;

[0014]FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 1 along line 5-5 of FIG. 3 according to aspects described herein;

[0015]FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 1 along line 6-6 of FIG. 4 according to aspects described herein;

[0016]FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0017]FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter of FIG. 7 according to aspects described herein;

[0018]FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 7 according to aspects described herein;

[0019]FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 7 according to aspects described herein;

[0020]FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 7 along line 11-11 of FIG. 9 according to aspects described herein;

[0021]FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 7 along line 12-12 of FIG. 10 according to aspects described herein;

[0022]FIG. 13 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0023]FIG. 14 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter of FIG. 13 according to aspects described herein;

[0024]FIG. 15 illustrates a top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 13 according to aspects described herein;

[0025]FIG. 16 illustrates a side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 13 according to aspects described herein;

[0026]FIG. 17 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 13 along line 17-17 of FIG. 15 according to aspects described herein;

[0027]FIG. 18 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 13 along line 18-18 of FIG. 16 according to aspects described herein;

[0028]FIG. 19 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0029]FIG. 20 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter of FIG. 19 according to aspects described herein;

[0030]FIG. 21 illustrates a top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 19 according to aspects described herein;

[0031]FIG. 22 illustrates a side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 19 according to aspects described herein;

[0032]FIG. 23 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 19 along line 23-23 of FIG. 21 according to aspects described herein;

[0033]FIG. 24 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 19 along line 24-24 of FIG. 22 according to aspects described herein;

[0034]FIG. 25 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0035]FIG. 26 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0036]FIG. 27 illustrates a front view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0037]FIG. 28 illustrates a perspective view of a putter head of the putter of FIG. 27 according to aspects described herein;

[0038]FIG. 29 illustrates a perspective view of a putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0039]FIG. 30 illustrates a top view of a putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0040]FIG. 31 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0041]FIG. 32 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0042]FIG. 33 illustrates a bottom view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 27 according to aspects described herein;

[0043]FIG. 34 illustrates a bottom view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 27 according to aspects described herein;

[0044]FIG. 35 illustrates a bottom view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 27 according to aspects described herein;

[0045]FIG. 36A illustrates a side view of the putter of FIG. 27 when balanced on the overall center of gravity of the putter according to aspects described herein;

[0046]FIG. 36B illustrates an end view of the putter of FIG. 27 when balanced on the overall center of gravity of the putter according to aspects described herein;

[0047]FIG. 37 illustrates a rear view of the putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0048]FIG. 38 illustrates a front view of the putter head of FIG. 28 according to aspects described herein;

[0049]FIG. 39 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of FIG. 28; and

[0050]FIG. 40 illustrates a top view of an alternate exemplary putter head according to aspects described herein;

[0051]FIG. 41 illustrates a partial top view of an alternate exemplary putter according to aspects described herein;

[0052]FIG. 42 illustrates a partial side view of the putter of FIG. 41 according to aspects described herein;

[0053]FIG. 43 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 41 along line 43-43 of FIG. 41 according to aspects described herein; and

[0054]FIG. 44 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the putter head of the putter of FIG. 41 along line 44-44 of FIG. 42 according to aspects described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055]The figures referred to above are not drawn necessarily to scale, should be understood to provide a representation of particular examples, and are merely conceptual in nature and illustrative of the principles involved. Some features of the putter or club head depicted in the drawings have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate explanation and understanding. The same reference numbers are used in the drawings for similar or identical components and features shown in various alternative embodiments.

[0056]The term “substantially” as used herein is meant to mean mostly, or almost completely, within the constraints of sensible commercial engineering objectives, costs, manufacturing tolerances, and capabilities in the field of golf clubs. Similarly, the term “approximately” as used herein is meant to mean close to, or about a particular value, within the constraints of sensible commercial engineering objectives, costs, manufacturing tolerances, and capabilities in the field of golf clubs.

[0057]In general, this disclosure relates to a golf club, in particular a putter with a putter head that includes a plurality of face inserts on the ball-striking face or forward inserts located near the ball-striking face and in some cases, may also include a plurality of sole inserts. The inserts may form a substantial portion of the overall mass of the head to enable the center of gravity of the putter head to substantially align with a shaft axis plane while also being located near the ball-striking face. In some examples, the center of gravity of the putter head is located with a predetermined range of an intersection of the shaft axis and the center of the ball-striking face. By having the center of gravity of the putter head located near or substantially aligned with the shaft axis, the putter helps to eliminate or minimize the twisting force (i.e., torque) that is transferred to the golfers'hands by traditional face balance or toe hang putters, which tend to naturally try to open the ball-striking face at the address position, allowing the putter to remain substantially square at the address position. Putters that help to eliminate or minimize the twisting force are referred to a “zero torque putter.” To achieve a “zero torque putter,” some designs rely on a forward leaning shaft (e.g., the shaft axis is tilted toward the ball-striking face) to align the center of gravity with the shaft axis. However, the forward leaning shaft typically is connected at a substantial distance away from the ball-striking face requiring a player to change their natural stroke into a more forward press stroke which can lead to inconsistencies in distance control.

[0058]The disclosure further relates to a “zero-torque putter” that has a center of gravity that is substantially aligned with the shaft axis, where the shaft axis is substantially vertical (i.e., the shaft axis does not tilt toward the ball-striking face and the shaft axis is located within predetermined distance of the leading edge of the putter head. The putter head may include a plurality of face inserts or forward inserts along with interchangeable sole inserts aligned with the vertical plane of the shaft axis. The sole inserts may work in conjunction with the face inserts (or forward inserts) and the putter head body to help align the center of gravity with the shaft axis plane such that the putter is balanced at an address position. The positioning and mass of the sole inserts may help to substantially align the center of gravity of the putter head with the shaft axis plane. The sole inserts may be customized to fit a player's individual stroke and feel when the putter is in motion.

[0059]FIGS. 1-6 illustrate an exemplary golf club or putter 100. The putter 100 may have a club head 110, (i.e., a putter head 110) a shaft 170 that connects to the club head 110. In some examples, the shaft 170 may connect to a hosel portion 125. The hosel portion 125 may comprise a stem 127 that is inserted into an end of the shaft 170. The stem 127 may be secured to the shaft 170 using an adhesive or other means known to one skilled in the art. The putter 100 may also include a grip (not shown) at end of the shaft 170 opposite the club head 110. The shaft 170 may define a shaft axis 176 that extends along a portion of the shaft 170 that defines a majority of the length of the shaft 170. The shaft axis 176 may define a lie angle 179 of the putter 100 as defined as the angle from a ground plane 181 to the shaft axis 176 as known to one skilled in the art. The shaft axis 176 may be located at a lie angle within a range of 65 degrees and 75 degrees, or in some examples, the shaft axis 176 may be within a range of 60 degrees and 80 degrees. Additionally, the shaft 170 and its corresponding shaft axis 176 may be substantially vertically oriented such that the shaft axis 176 is within a range of +/−2 degrees of a shaft axis plane 177 that is perpendicular to the ground plane 181 when the putter 100 is viewed from the toe side.

[0060]The club head body or putter head body 112 may include a ball-striking face 126 on the front side 114 that is configured to strike a golf ball, where the ball-striking face 126 may have a lower edge 128 that defines a leading edge of the club head 110 and an upper edge 130 of the ball-striking face 126. A sole member 132 of the club head body 112 may extend rearward from the leading edge 128 along the sole side 124 to a trailing edge 134 of the club head body 112, where the trailing edge 134 may be located opposite the leading edge 128. The ball-striking face 126 may include a plurality of face inserts 150 that have at least one surface exposed. The plurality of face inserts 150 may include a toe face insert 152 located on a toe portion 144 (i.e., toeward of the center plane 140) of the ball-striking face 126 and a heel face insert 154 on a heel portion 142 (i.e., heelward of the center plane 140) of the ball-striking face 126. The face inserts 152, 154 may be received in a corresponding pocket (i.e., a toe pocket and a heel pocket) of the ball-striking face 126.

[0061]As shown in FIG. 2, the club head 110 may include a club head body 112 with a front side 114, a rear side 116 opposite the front side 114, a toe side 118, a heel side 120 opposite the toe side 118, a top side 122 that is visual to user at an address position, and a sole side 124 opposite the top side 122. The hosel portion 125 may be located on a top surface 129 of the club head 110, where the hosel portion 125 may be closer to the heel side 120 than the toe side 118. A center plane 140 may be defined as a plane that is perpendicular to the ground plane 181 and also perpendicular to a plane that defines a face angle of zero degrees (0°), and at a point of the ball-striking face 126 that is defined by a mark on a surface of the putter head 110 as the intended optimal location for striking the ball, or if no identifying mark is located on the putter head 110, the center in a heel toe direction may be defined as a midpoint of the length, L, of the putter head 110. In addition, the club head 110 may have a heel portion 142 that is defined as the portion of the club head body 112 heelward of the center plane 140 and the toe portion 144 that is defined as the portion of the club head body 112 toeward of the center plane 140.

[0062]Each face insert 152, 154 may be formed from or comprise a tungsten alloy, where each face insert 152, 154 has a density within a range of 11 grams/cubic centimeter (g/cc) and 17 g/cc. In addition, the toe face insert 152 may have a mass that is greater than a mass of the heel face insert 154. In some embodiments, the tungsten alloy material of the face inserts 152, 154 may have a density within a range of 11.0 g/cc and 17.5 g/cc. In some instances, the mass of the toe face insert 152 may be at least 1.5 times greater than the mass of the heel face insert 154. In other examples, the mass of the toe face insert 152 may be within a range of 2.1 times and 1.05 times the mass of the heel face insert 154. For instance, as shown in the examples of FIGS. 1 and 7, the mass of the toe face insert 152 may be within a range 1.05 times and 1.35 times greater than the mass of the heel face insert 154. In the examples of FIGS. 13 and 19, the mass of the toe face insert 152 may be within a range 1.25 times and 2.1 times greater than the mass of the heel face insert 154. In other examples, the mass of the toe face insert 152 may be equal to the mass of the heel face insert 154.

[0063]The face inserts 152, 154 may help position the center of gravity of the club head 110 to a desired location. The combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 120 grams and 180 grams, where the overall mass of the putter head 110 is within a range of 340 grams and 400 grams. In some examples, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 30 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the club head 110. In other examples, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 30 percent and 40 percent of the overall mass of the club head 110. In other examples, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 40 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the club head 110. The mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may make up a large percentage of the overall mass that allows the mass of the face inserts 152, 154 to move the center of gravity toward the ball-striking face 126 of the club head 110.

[0064]Additionally, given the putter head 110 has 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 in front of the center of gravity and 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 behind the center of gravity, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may comprise at least 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 110. In particular, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 50 percent and 90 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 110 or in some examples, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 65 percent and 88 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 110. With the center of gravity being substantially aligned with the shaft axis 176, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may comprise at least 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 located forward of the shaft axis 176 (or shaft axis plane 177). In particular, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 50 percent and 92 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 that is forward of the shaft axis 176 or in other examples, the combined mass of the face inserts 152, 154 may be within a range of 65 percent and 90 percent of the mass of the putter head 110 that is forward of shaft axis 176. The toe face insert 152 and the heel face insert 154 may be located forward of the shaft axis plane 177. For example, the entire volume of the toe face insert 152 and/or the heel face insert 154 may be located forward of the shaft axis plane 177.

[0065]The putter head 110 may have mass properties to enable the putter to significantly reduce the torque felt by a user during a putting stroke. The center of gravity of the putter head 110 may provide the putter 100 with the proper performance to reduce the spin induced on the golf ball during impact while also providing a solid feel. For instance, the club head 110 may have a center of gravity that is within a range of +/−2 mm, or within a range of +/−3 mm, or within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction, a heel-to-toe direction, and a top-to-bottom direction of an intersection of the shaft axis 176 and a center plane 140 of the club head. In some cases, the center of gravity may be located within 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) rearward of a center point of the ball-striking face. The center point of the ball-striking face 126 may be defined as the midpoint between the leading edge 128 and the upper edge 130 along the center plane 140.

[0066]Each insert 152, 154 may have a height that is substantially the same as a height of the ball-striking face 126, or greater than 60 percent of a height of the ball-striking face 126. The face inserts 152, 154 may have an asymmetrical shape and may have a variable thickness. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, at least one of face inserts may have a stepped portion or thicker region such that one portion the insert 152, 154 is thicker than an adjacent portion. This variable thickness may help position the center of gravity of the club head 110 to the desired location. In addition, the club head 110 may have a hollow cavity 160 or multiple hollow cavities to also adjust the center of gravity of the club head 110. The club head 110 and the hollow cavity/cavities 160 may be similar to club heads and the hollow cavities described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/525,448 filed on Nov. 12, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,826,621, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Also, the face inserts 152, 154 may have a combined surface area that is greater than 50 percent of the overall surface area of the ball-striking face 126 of the putter head 110.

[0067]As shown in FIG. 5, the hollow cavity 160 may include a cover 162. The cover 162 may be formed from a material different than the material of the club head body 112. For example, the club head body 112 may be formed from a steel alloy, or in some cases the club head body 112 may be formed from an aluminum or titanium alloy. The cover 162 may be formed from a polymeric material, or a metallic material, where the material of the cover 162 may have a density that is less than the material of the club head body 112.

[0068]In addition, the putter head 110 may have dimensional ranges that help to provide a center of gravity in the desired location. For instance, the overall length, L, may be defined as a distance from a furthermost point on the toe side 118 to a furthermost point on the heel side 120. The length, L, may be approximately 10.8 cm (4.25 inches), or within a range of 9 cm (3.54 inches) and 12.7 cm (5.0 inches). The overall height, H, may be defined as a distance from a bottommost point of the sole member 132 to an uppermost point of the putter head 110 at the ball-striking face 126 (i.e. excluding the hosel portion 125). The overall height, H may be within a range of 2.54 cm (1.0 inches), or within a range of 1.9 cm (0.75 inches) and 3.2 cm (1.25 inches). The overall breadth, B, may be defined as a distance from the leading edge 128 to the trailing edge 134 of the putter head 110 may be approximately 6.0 cm (2.4 inches), or within a range of 3.2 cm (1.3 inches) and 10.0 cm (3.9 inches). In some examples, the breadth, B, may be within a range of 4.4 cm (1.7 inches) and 9.0 cm (3.5 inches). In other embodiments, the breadth, B, may be substantially equal to the length, L. The breadth being greater than 3.2 cm may assist the putter head 110 by increasing the moments of inertia (compared to putters with a smaller breadth) about both a vertical (top-to-bottom) axis and a horizontal (heel-to-toe) axis, where the axes extend through the center of gravity. This increased moment of inertia can improve the overall forgiveness of the putter head 110 on off-center impacts. The breadth, B, may also provide a platform for an alignment aid that could be located on a surface visible to a user when using the putter 100.

[0069]The ball-striking face 126 may be planar and may have a loft angle within a range of 0 degrees and 4 degrees, or within a range of 0 degrees 6 degrees. As known to one skilled in the art, the loft angle may be defined as the angle between the ball-striking face 126 and a vertical plane. A rear surface 138 opposite the ball-striking face 126 may have a concave shape, an inverted U-shape, or an inverted V-shape such that a thickness of the ball-striking face 126 near the center plane 140 is less than a thickness of the ball-striking face 126 nearer one of the face inserts 152, 154. For example, a thickness of the ball-striking face 126 may be smallest at the center plane 140 as shown in FIG. 6. The thickness of the ball-striking face 126 may gradually increase from a smallest region at the center plane. The reduced thickness region may be formed by a milling of the rear surface 138 or a forming operation such as by casting, forging, or additive manufacturing (i.e. a three-dimensional printing technology) the club head body 112 with a reduced thickness region.

[0070]FIGS. 7-12 illustrate an alternative putter 100 with a putter head 110 that has a similar center of gravity location to the putter 100 of FIGS. 1-6. The club head 110 of FIGS. 7-12 has a different shaped hosel portion 125 than the club head 110 of FIGS. 1-6. In addition, the face inserts 152, 154 may have a different shape and mass properties to allow the club head 110 of FIGS. 7-12 to have a similar center of gravity location of the club head 110 of the putter 100 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0071]FIGS. 13-18 illustrate an alternative putter 100 with a club head 110 that has a similar center of gravity location to the putter 100 of FIGS. 1-6. The club head 110 of FIGS. 13-18 has a different shape than the club head 110 of FIGS. 1-6. The face inserts 152, 154 may have a different shape and mass properties to allow the club head 110 of FIGS. 13-18 to have a similar center of gravity location to the club head 110 of the putter 100 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0072]FIGS. 19-24 illustrate an alternative putter 100 with a club head 110 that has a similar center of gravity location to the putter 100 of FIGS. 1-6. The club head 110 of FIGS. 19-24 has a different shape than the club head 110 of FIGS. 1-6. The face inserts 152, 154 may have a different shape and mass properties to allow the club head 110 of FIGS. 19-24 to have a similar center of gravity location as the club head 110 of the putter 100 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0073]For examples shown in FIGS. 25-26, the features are referred to using similar reference numerals under the “2xx” series of reference numerals, rather than “1xx” as used in the examples of FIGS. 1-24. Accordingly, certain features of the putter 200 that were already described above with respect to the putters 100 of FIGS. 1-24 may be described in lesser detail or may not be described at all. FIGS. 25 and 26 illustrate an alternative putter 200 with a putter head 210 that has a similar center of gravity location to the putter 100 of FIGS. 1-6. The putter 200 has a single unitary insert 251 that has mass properties to allow the club head 210 of FIGS. 25-26 to have a similar center of gravity location to the club head 110 of the putter 100 shown in FIGS. 1-6. The insert 251 may have a variable thickness giving the insert 251 an asymmetrical shape such that the mass of the toe portion of the insert 251 may be greater than the mass of the heel portion of the insert 251. The heel portion of the insert may be defined as the portion of the insert 251 that is heelward of the center plane 240 and the toe portion of the insert 251 may be defined as the portion of the insert 251 that is toeward of the center plane 240.

[0074]Also, the insert 251 may have an exposed surface area that is greater than 90 percent of the overall surface area of the ball-striking face 226 as shown in the club head 210 of FIG. 25. In the club head 210 of the example shown in FIG. 26, the insert 251 may have a central region 253 that has a reduced height compared to the heights of the insert 251 at the heel and toe portions. While the insert 251 shown in FIG. 26 illustrates the central region 253 in a lower portion of the ball-striking face, the central region 253 may be located in a central portion of the ball-striking face 226 or may be located in an upper portion of the ball-striking face 226. The insert 251 may have a surface area that is greater than 75 percent of the overall surface area of the ball-striking face 226 as shown in the club head 210 of FIG. 26.

[0075]The insert 251 may be formed from or comprise a tungsten alloy, where the insert 251 has a density within a range of 11 grams/cubic centimeter (g/cc) and 17 g/cc. In some embodiments, the tungsten alloy material of the face insert 251 may have a density within a range of 11.0 g/cc and 17.5 g/cc. The insert 251 may help position the center of gravity of the putter head 210 to a desired location. The mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 120 grams and 180 grams, where the overall mass of the putter head 210 is within a range of 340 grams and 375 grams. In other examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 170 grams and 225 grams, where the overall mass of the putter head 210 is within a range of 340 grams and 450 grams. In some examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 30 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the club head 110. In other examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 30 percent and 40 percent of the overall mass of the putter head 210. In other examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 40 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the club head 210. The mass of the insert 251 may comprise a large percentage of the overall mass of the club head 210 such that the mass of the insert 251 to help move the center of gravity toward the ball-striking face 226 of the club head 210. Additionally, given the putter head 210 has 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 in front of the center of gravity and 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 behind the center of gravity, the mass of the insert 251 may comprise at least 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 210. In particular, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 50 percent and 90 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 210 or in some examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 65 percent and 88 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 that is forward of the center of gravity of the putter head 210. With the center of gravity being substantially aligned with the shaft axis 276, the insert 251 may comprise at least 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 located forward of the shaft axis 276. In particular, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 50 percent and 92 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 that is forward of the shaft axis 276 or in other examples, the mass of the insert 251 may be within a range of 65 percent and 90 percent of the mass of the putter head 210 that is forward of shaft axis 276.

[0076]FIGS. 27-35 illustrate golf club or putter 300. For examples shown in FIGS. 27-35, the features are referred to using similar reference numerals under the “3xx” series of reference numerals, rather than “1xx” as used in the examples of FIGS. 1-24. Accordingly, certain features of the putter 300 that were already described above with respect to the putter 100 of FIGS. 1-24 may be described in lesser detail or may not be described at all. The putter 300 includes adjustable sole inserts that work in conjunction with the toe and heel face inserts 352, 354 to provide improved center of gravity control and performance characteristics.

[0077]Similar to putter 100, the putter 300 includes a putter head 310 having a front side 314, a rear side 316 opposite the front side 314, a toe side 318, a heel side 320 opposite the toe side 318, a top side 322, and a sole side 324 opposite the top side 322. The putter head 310 may include a putter head body 312 that comprises a ball-striking face 326 on the front side 314 with a lower edge 328 that defines a leading edge and an upper edge 330 of the ball-striking face 326 opposite the lower edge 328. The ball-striking face 326 may include face inserts 352, 354 that have at least one surface exposed. The exposed surface of the face inserts 352, 354 may be substantially coplanar with the remainder of the ball-striking face 326. The face inserts 352, 354 may include a toe face insert 352 located on a toe portion of the ball-striking face 326 and a heel face insert 354 on a heel portion (i.e., heelward of the center plane 340) of the ball-striking face 326. The face inserts 352, 354 may be received in a corresponding pocket of the ball-striking face 326.

[0078]A sole surface 332 may extend rearward from the leading edge 328 to a trailing edge 334. The putter head 310 may be connected to a shaft 370 and also include a grip 390.

[0079]In some examples, the shaft 370 may be connected to the putter head 310 via a hosel portion 325 or in other examples, the shaft 370 may be connected directly to the putter head 310 without a hosel portion 325 where a portion of the shaft 370 is inserted directly into a hole in the putter head 310. It is contemplated that the hosel portion 325 may be a stem that is inserted into an opening of the shaft 370 or have an opening that receives a portion of the shaft 370. For instance, as shown in FIG. 27, the hosel portion 325 includes an extension 327 that connects an upper surface 331 to a receiver 329 that includes an opening for receiving a portion of the shaft 370. The extension 327 may have a first end at an upper surface 331 and extend upward and toeward from the first end to a receiver 329 at a second end, where the receiver 329 includes an opening for receiving a portion of the shaft 370. Additionally, the shaft 370 and its corresponding shaft axis 376 are substantially vertically oriented such that the shaft axis 376 is within a range of +/−2 degrees of a shaft axis plane 377 is located perpendicular to the ground plane 381 when the putter 300 is viewed from the toe side.

[0080]The putter head 310 may include a toe portion 344 that comprises the portion of the putter head 310 located toeward of a center plane 340, and a heel portion 342 defined as the portion of the putter head 310 heelward of the center plane 340. The ball-striking face 326 may include face inserts 352, 354 comprising a tungsten alloy material with a density within a range of 11 g/cc and 17 g/cc that are positioned to move the center of gravity 364 forward toward the ball-striking face 326. In some examples, the tungsten alloy material of the face inserts 352, 354 may have a density within a range of 11.0 g/cc and 17.5 g/cc. For example, the putter head 310 may have a center of gravity 364 that is within a range of +/−2 mm, or within a range of +/−3 mm, or within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to-rear direction, a heel-to-toe direction, and a top-to-bottom direction of an intersection of the shaft axis 376 and the center plane 340 of the putter head 310. The alignment of the shaft axis 376 with the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 may significantly reduce the torque (i.e., rotational force on the shaft 370) felt by a user during a putting stroke. The center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 may also be located within 1.3 cm (0.5 inches) rearward of a center of the leading edge 328 of the ball-striking face 326. The center of gravity 364 being located within 1.3 cm rearward of the center of the leading edge 328 helps to improve performance and rotation of the putter head 310 caused by off-center impacts and also helps to improve the overall feel of the putter 300 for a user. The shaft axis 376 may lie on a shaft axis plane 377. The shaft axis plane 377 may be defined as a plane extending through the shaft axis 376 and parallel to a plane that defines a face angle of zero degrees, where the plane that defines a face angle of zero degrees is perpendicular to the ground plane 381. In some examples, the shaft axis 376 (and the shaft axis plane 377) may be located approximately 0.7 cm rearward of a center of the leading edge 328, or within a range of 0.6 cm and 1.0 cm rearward of a center of the leading edge 328, or within a range of 0.4 cm and 1.3 cm rearward of a center of the leading edge 328. This positioning enables the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 to be positioned within a range of +/−2 mm, or within a range of +/−3 mm, or within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to-rear direction of the shaft axis plane 377.

[0081]The center of gravity positioning of putter 300 incorporates similar principles as putter 100, with added adjustability while providing for substantial alignment between the center of gravity 364 and the shaft axis 376. As best shown in FIGS. 28, 31, and 32, putter 300 may include an adjustable weight system located on the sole of the putter head 310. The sole surface 332 may include a toe receiver 356 located on the toe portion 344 of the putter head 310, and a heel receiver 358 located on the heel portion 342 of the putter head 310. The receivers 356, 358 may comprise recesses or cavities formed in the putter head body 312 that are configured to receive corresponding sole inserts 360, 362 for weight (mass) and center of gravity adjustment. The toe receiver 356 may be configured to receive a toe sole insert 360, and the heel receiver 358 is configured to receive a heel sole insert 362. The sole inserts 360, 362 are removably connected to their respective receivers 356, 358, allowing for interchangeability and customization of the putter's mass properties. Each sole insert 360, 362 may have a mass of up to 20 grams, or in some configurations, the mass of each sole insert 360, 362 may be between 2 grams and 20 grams, or in some examples may be between 2 and 16 grams. The sole inserts 360, 362 may be formed from different materials, such as aluminum, aluminum alloys, steel alloys, tungsten alloys, or other metallic or nonmetallic materials (such as tungsten loaded polymeric materials) known to one skilled in the art to achieve the different masses.

[0082]The sole inserts 360, 362 work in conjunction with the face inserts 352, 354, and the putter head body 312 to help align the center of gravity 364 with the shaft axis plane 377 such that the putter is vertically balanced (i.e., the toe of the putter head points straight up) as discussed in more detail below. In addition, the positioning of the sole inserts 360, 362 help to substantially align the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 with the shaft axis plane 377. The sole inserts 360, 362 may be customized to fit a player's individual stroke and feel when the putter 300 is in motion. For instance, the sole inserts 360, 362 may be spaced away from the center plane 340 but positioned inboard of their corresponding face inserts 352, 354. In particular, a center (i.e., center point or center axis) of the toe sole insert 360 may be located closer to the center plane 340 of the putter head 310 than a heel-most portion of the toe face insert 352. Similarly, a center (i.e., center point or center axis) of the heel sole insert 362 may be located closer to the center plane 340 of the putter head 310 than a toe-most portion of the heel face insert 354. In addition, the center of the toe sole insert 360 and the center of the heel sole insert 362 may be substantially equidistant from the center plane 340 of the putter head 310. The positioning of the centers of the toe sole insert 360 and the heel sole insert 362 being substantially equidistant from the center plane 340 allows for the ability to bias the center of gravity slightly towards either the toe portion 344 or the heel portion 342 of the putter head 310, while still maintaining the center of gravity of the putter head 310 to be substantially aligned with the shaft axis 376 (e.g., within a range of +/−5 mm). The inboard positioning of the sole inserts 360, 362 relative to the face inserts 352, 354 enables the adjustable weight system to provide center of gravity adjustment toward the heel portion 342 and/or the toe portion 344 without significantly affecting the center of gravity position in a front-to-rear direction or significantly affecting the overall moment of inertia of the putter head 310 (i.e., less than a 400 g*cm² change when sole weights 360, 362 are interchanged). The center of the toe sole insert 360 and the center of the heel sole insert 362 may be substantially aligned with the shaft axis plane 377. For example, the center of the toe sole insert 360 and the center of the heel sole insert 362 may be located within a range of +/−3 mm of the shaft axis plane 377, or in some examples, the center of the toe sole insert 360 and the center of the heel sole insert 362 may be located within a range of +/−5 mm in a front-to rear direction of the shaft axis plane 377.

[0083]While the illustrated embodiments show the sole inserts 360, 362 located generally inboard of the face inserts 352, 354, the sole inserts 360, 362 may be located anywhere along the shaft axis plane 377. For instance, the center of the toe sole insert 360 may be located along the shaft axis plane 377 on the toe portion 344 of the putter head 310. Similarly, the center of the heel sole insert 362 may be located along the shaft axis plane 377 on the heel portion 342 of the putter head 310. In some examples, the center of each of the sole inserts 360, 362 may be located outboard of the center of the face inserts 352, 354. It is also contemplated that a center of the sole inserts 360, 362 may be substantially aligned with a center of the corresponding face inserts 352, 354.

[0084]In an alternate embodiment, the center of the toe sole insert 360 and the center of the heel sole insert 362 may not be located equidistant to the center plane 340. For instance, in an example, the toe sole insert 360 may be closer to the center plane 340 than the heel sole insert 362 such that the distance from the center plane 340 to the center of the toe sole insert 360 is less than the distance from the center plane 340 to the heel sole insert 362. Alternatively, in another example, the heel sole insert 362 may be closer to the center plane 340 than the toe sole insert 360 such that the distance from the center plane 340 to the center of the heel sole insert 362 is less than the distance from the center plane 340 to the toe sole insert 362. As another alternative, the putter head 310 may only have a toe sole insert 360 or only have a heel sole insert 362.

[0085]The adjustment using the sole inserts 360, 362 may help fit a golfer's putting stroke. Because the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 is substantially aligned with the shaft axis 376, the torque felt by a user during the forward portion a putting stroke is significantly reduced as shown in FIG. 33 when the sole inserts 360, 362 have equal masses. By adjusting the mass of the sole inserts 360, 362, the center of gravity 364 may be biased slightly towards a toe portion 344 or the heel portion 342 of the putter head 310 to bias the torque felt by a user to either open or close the ball-striking face 326 during the putting stroke. For example, when the mass of the toe sole insert 360 is greater than the mass of the heel sole insert 362, the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 may be biased toward the toe portion 344, which causes the ball-striking face 326 to open during the forward portion a putting stroke as shown in FIG. 34. Conversely, when the mass of the heel sole insert 362 is greater than the mass of the toe sole insert 360, the center of gravity 364 of the putter head 310 may be biased toward the heel portion 342, which biases the ball-striking face 326 to close during the stroke as shown in FIG. 35.

[0086]As shown in FIGS. 36A-36B, the putter 300 has a stable configuration and is vertically balanced such that when the putter 300 is balanced on the shaft 370 on the overall putter balance point of the putter 300, the ball-striking face 326 is located substantially parallel to a vertical plane (i.e., the toe of the putter head 310 points straight up). For example, the shaft axis plane 377 is oriented vertically. This vertically balanced configuration provides minimal to zero twisting at address and helps locate the striking face perpendicular to the target line during a user's putting stroke. Additionally, this vertically balanced configuration is different than a typical “face balanced” putter where the ball-striking face is substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane (i.e., a toe hang of 0 degrees).

[0087]The putter head 310 may include dimensional characteristics similar to putters 100 and 200 and vice versa. The overall length, L, may be a distance in a heel-to-toe direction from the furthermost point on the toe side 318 to the furthermost point on the heel side 320 may be within a range of 8.9 cm (3.5 inches) and 12.7 cm (5.0 inches). The overall height, H, may be a distance in a top-to-bottom direction within a range of 1.9 cm (0.7 inches) and 3.2 cm (1.3 inches). The overall breadth, B, may be a distance in a front-to-rear direction from the leading edge 328 to the trailing edge 334. The overall breadth, B, may be within a range of 2.3 cm (0.9 inches) and 4.3 cm (1.7 inches), or may be within a broader range of 2.0 cm (0.8 inches) and 10.0 cm (3.9 inches) for alternative embodiments.

[0088]The combined mass of the face inserts 352, 354 may be within a range of 25 percent and 40 percent of the overall mass of the putter head 310, or within a range of 20 percent and 45 percent of the overall mass of the putter head 310, similar to the specifications for putter 100. The combined mass of the face inserts 352, 354 may be within a range of 90 grams and 170 grams, where the overall mass of the putter head 310 is within a range of 340 grams and 450 grams. The sole inserts 360, 362 may provide additional mass of up to 20 grams each that can be varied to fine-tune the center of gravity location. With the center of gravity 364 being substantially aligned with the shaft axis plane 377, the face inserts 352, 354 may comprise at least 50 percent of the mass of the putter head 310 located forward of the shaft axis plane 377. In particular, the mass of the face inserts 352, 354 may be within a range of 50 percent and 92 percent of the mass of the putter head 310 that is forward of the shaft axis plane 377 or in some examples, the mass of the face inserts 352, 354 may be within a range of 65 percent and 90 percent of the mass of the putter head 310 that is forward of shaft axis plane 377.

[0089]As discussed above, the sole inserts 360, 362 may allow for weight adjustment without moving the center of gravity 364 in a front-to-rear direction. The sole inserts 360, 362 may have a generally cylindrical shape to facilitate installation and removal from their respective receivers 356, 358. The first sole insert 360 may have a diameter within a range of 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) and 1.4 cm (0.6 inches), and a height within a range of 0.3 cm (0.1 inches) and 1.2 cm (0.5 inches). In other configurations, the sole inserts 360, 362 may have a cuboid shape or other shape known to one skilled in the art. Additionally, the sole inserts 360, 362 may have a removable or releasable connection with their respective receivers 356, 358, such as a threaded connection. The removable connection allows for a golfer or user to easily interchange sole inserts of different masses to achieve the desired performance. The receivers 356, 358 may be recesses within the putter head body 312 on a sole side 324 that receive the respective sole inserts 360, 362. Alternative embodiments of the sole weights 360, 362 may include magnetic connections, bayonet connections, quarter-turn fasteners, or other removable fastening approaches known in the art.

[0090]Further, the combined mass of the face inserts 352, 354 and the sole inserts 360, 362 may be within a range of 30 and 45 percent of the overall mass of the putter head 310, or within a range of 25 percent and 50 percent of the overall mass of the putter head 310. The combined mass of the face inserts 352, 354 and the sole inserts 360, 362 may be within a range of 110 grams and 190 grams, where the overall mass of the putter head 310 is within a range of 340 grams and 400 grams. In one example, the mass of the toe face insert 352 may be substantially the same as the heel face insert 354 such that the combined mass of the toe face insert 352 and the toe sole insert 360 may be within a range of 0.75 times and 1.3 times the combined mass of the heel face insert 354 and the heel sole insert 362. The mass of the toe face insert 352 and the mass of the heel face insert 354 are greater than either of the toe sole insert 362 or the heel sole insert 364.

[0091]Alternatively, in other examples, the combined mass of the toe face insert 352 and the toe sole insert 360 may be greater than the combined mass of the heel face insert 354 and the heel sole insert 362. For instance, the combined mass of the toe face insert 352 and the toe sole insert 360 may be approximately 1.2 times greater than the combined mass of the heel face insert 354 and the heel sole insert 362, or the combined mass of the toe face insert 352 and the toe sole insert 360 may be within a range of 1.1 times and 1.4 times greater than the combined mass of the heel face insert 354 and the heel sole insert 362.

[0092]In addition, the putter head 310 may also include a hollow portion 380 similar to that described for putter 100. The hollow cavity 380 works in combination with the face inserts 352, 354 and the sole inserts 360, 362 to achieve the desired location for the center of gravity 364. The putter head body 312 may comprise an upper portion 313 with a cavity 315 located rearward of the face inserts 352, 354 and a sole plate 382 that is fixedly connected to the upper portion 313 to cover the cavity 315 forming the hollow portion 380. The putter head body 312 may be formed from a metallic material such as a steel alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a titanium alloy. The sole plate 382 may be formed from a non-metallic material such as a composite or polymeric material, or the sole plate 382 may be formed from a metallic material such as a steel alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a titanium alloy. In some examples, the density of the material forming the upper portion 313 of the putter head body 312 may have a density that is greater than a density of the material forming the sole plate 382.

[0093]The putter 300 integrates multiple weight adjustment systems to promote optimal performance. The combination of the toe face insert 352 and heel face insert 354 on the ball-striking face 326, along with a toe sole insert 360 and a heel sole insert 362 on the sole surface 332, creates a putter head 310 that has a center of gravity 364 that substantially aligns with the shaft axis plane 377. The center of gravity 364 position helps to reduce twisting on off-center impacts with the golf ball, while also helping to align the center of putter head 310 with the center of gravity of the golf ball during impact to during impact with the golf ball. If the center of gravity of a putter head 310 is positioned further rearward from the ball-striking face 326, the more twisting the putter head 310 will experience on off-center impact.

[0094]As previously discussed, the hosel portion 325 may include an extension 327 that connects an upper surface 331 to a receiver 329 that includes an opening for receiving a portion of the shaft 370. The extension 327 may have a front surface 335 and a rear surface 337 opposite the front surface 335. The rear surface 337 may include a plurality of pockets 333 as best shown in FIG. 37. Each pocket 333 may have a triangular cross-sectional shape that is spaced apart from each other. At least one side of adjacent pockets 333 may be parallel to each other forming a contiguous rib between the adjacent pockets 333. Each pocket 333 may have substantially the same depth, where the depth of the pockets may be approximately 50 percent of a width of a central region of the hosel portion 325 in a front-to-rear direction (i.e., the distance between the front surface 335 and the rear surface 337) or within a range of 40 percent and 60 percent of the width of a central region of the hosel portion 325 in a front-to-rear direction. The pockets 333 may help to remove mass from the portion of the extension 327 that is rearward of the shaft axis plane 377 to help move the center of gravity 364 forward. The plurality of pockets 333 may also reduce the overall stiffness of the extension 327 to ease any adjustment or bending of the hosel portion 325 to adjust the lie angle 379 of the putter head 310.

[0095]Another aspect of the putter 300 and the putter head 310 is the ability to custom fit the putter 300 to a user. The hosel portion 325 may be adjusted to modify the lie angle of the putter head 310. When the lie angle 379 is adjusted, the hosel portion 325 may be moved or bent to different lie angled as shown in FIG. 38. For instance, as the lie angle 379A is made flatter (i.e., reduced), the shaft axis 376A will project toeward of the center plane 340, and as the lie angle 379B is made more upright (i.e., increased), the shaft axis 376B will project heelward of the center plane 340. The adjustable sole inserts 360, 362 may help to keep the center of gravity 364 substantially aligned with the shaft axis 376 to minimize any torque felt by a user during the putting stroke. For instance, if the toe sole weight 360 has a greater mass than the heel sole weight 362, the center of gravity 364A will move toeward to substantially align with the shaft axis 376A, and if the heel sole weight 362 has a greater mass than the toe sole weight 360, the center of gravity 364B will move heelward to substantially align with the shaft axis 376B.

[0096]FIG. 40 illustrates an exemplary putter head 410 that may have similar face inserts and sole inserts as putter head 310 and have a center of gravity that is substantially aligned with the shaft axis as described above for putter 300. As shown in FIG. 40, putter head 410 may have a larger breadth, B, than putter head 310. The breadth, B, of putter head 410 may be within a range of 8 cm (3.2 inches) and 12.7 cm (5.0 inches). The larger breadth, B, of the putter head 410 may allow for a larger area for an alignment mark 402 that may extend across a majority or all of the upper surface 431 of the putter head 410. The alignment mark 402 may improve a golfer's aim and alignment. While the alignment mark 402 is shown as a “line,” it is contemplated that this shape may be different and but may extend across a majority or all of the upper surface 431. Additionally, putter head 410 may have a rear portion 406 that may be formed from a polymeric material (i.e., nylon, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or other material known to one skilled in the art), or a lighter density metal (such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, magnesium or magnesium alloy) than a forward portion 404 of the putter head 410 such that the putter head 410 has similar mass properties as the putter head 310 illustrated in FIGS. 27-39.

[0097]FIGS. 41-44 illustrate putter head 510. For the putter head 510 shown in FIGS. 41-44, the features are referred to using similar reference numerals under the “5xx” series of reference numerals, rather than “1xx” as used in putter head 110 of FIGS. 1-24, and “3xx” as used in putter head 310 of FIGS. 27-38. Accordingly, certain features of the putter head 510 that were already described above with respect to the putter head 110 of FIGS. 1-24 and putter head 310 of FIGS. 27-38 may be described in lesser detail or may not be described at all. FIGS. 40-44 illustrate an alternative putter 500 with a putter head 510 that has a similar center of gravity location to the putters 100 and 300 of FIGS. 1-24 and 27-39. Putter head 510 may have forward inserts 552, 554 and sole inserts 560, 562 and have a center of gravity 564 that is substantially aligned with the shaft axis plane 577 as described above for putter 300. The forward toe inserts 552 may have similar mass properties as toe face inserts 152, 352 as described above. Similarly, the forward heel insert 554 may have similar mass properties as heel face inserts 154, 354. The forward toe insert 552 and the forward heel insert 554 may have an exposed surface on the sole as shown in FIGS. 40-44 and inserted from the sole instead of the ball-striking face like putter heads 110, 310. The forward toe insert 552 and the forward heel insert 554 may be located rearward of the ball-striking face 526. It is contemplated that the forward toe insert 552 and forward heel insert 554 may be inserted from the top and have an exposed surface on the top portion of the putter head 510. As another option, the forward toe insert 552 may be inserted from the toe side of the putter head 510 and have an exposed surface on the toe side, and the forward heel insert 554 may be inserted from the heel side of the putter head 510 and have an exposed surface on the heel side. The sole inserts 560, 562 may be similar to and have similar properties of the sole inserts 360, 362 as described above. In some examples, the ball-striking face 526 may be contiguous as a single unity material.

[0098]Those having skill in the art, with the knowledge gained from the present disclosure, will recognize that various changes can be made to the disclosed apparatuses and methods in attaining these and other advantages, without departing from the scope of the present invention. As such, it should be understood that the features described herein are susceptible to modification, alteration, changes, or substitution. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps, which perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve the same results, are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. The specific embodiments illustrated and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and not limiting of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Other embodiments will be evident to those of skill in the art. It should be understood that the foregoing description is provided for clarity only and is merely exemplary. The spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited to the above examples, but are encompassed by the following claims.