A ball striking device includes a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking plate has a desired-contact region and a perimeter. One or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface and may radiate away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter. At least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located in an upper-toe quadrant or in an upper-heel quadrant of the rear surface. One or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface. The one or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be at least partially encircling the desired-contact region. A thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.

A golf club head including a striking face, a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from the striking face, a damping element including a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface of the damping element opposite the front surface of the damping element, wherein the striking face comprises a first portion having a substantially constant thickness, wherein the front surface of the damping element comprises a geometric center, wherein the golf club head includes additional damping structures and materials to achieve desired acoustic characteristics.

Methods of manufacturing a golf club head comprising one or more stiffening members proximate the face, and particularly solid rods or a plate with one or more cutouts, is disclosed herein. One method comprises the steps of preparing a wax mold of a golf club head including a plate stiffening member with excess material, casting the golf club head, and machining away the excess material. Another method comprises the steps of casting a golf club body, providing a plate stiffening member, providing a face component such as a face cup, tack welding the plate stiffening member and the face component to the golf club body, and welding these parts together.

A golf club head including a striking face; a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from the striking face; wherein the striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface; a support arm spaced from the rear surface of the striking face; wherein the support arm abuts the periphery portion at two distinct locations; a damping element residing between the support arm and the rear surface of the striking face; wherein the damping element comprises a front surface in contact with the rear surface of the striking face and a rear surface in contact with the support arm.

A cast cup can include a forward portion of a golf club head, including a hosel, a face portion, and forward portions of a crown, sole, heel and toe. A rear ring can be formed separately from the cast cup and coupled to heel and toe portions of the cast cup to form a metallic club head body, such that the club head body defines a hollow interior region, a crown opening, and a sole opening. The cast cup and rear ring can be cast of titanium alloys. Composite crown and sole inserts can then be coupled to the crown opening and sole opening. The face portion of the cast cup can have a desirably complex geometry. The rear surface of the face portion of the cast cup can be modified before the rear ring is attached.

A golf club head having a supported striking face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face, an internal support layer, and an intermediary sandwiched layer juxtaposed between the striking face and the internal support layer.

A golf club head having a supported striking face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face, an internal support layer, and an intermediary sandwiched layer juxtaposed between the striking face and the internal support layer.

Iron-type golf club heads are disclosed having a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. The iron-type golf club heads include a localized stiffened region that is located on the striking face of the club head such that the localized stiffened region alters the launch conditions of golf balls struck by the club head in a way that wholly or partially compensates for, overcomes, or prevents the occurrence of a rightward deviation. In particular, the localized stiffened region is located on the striking face such that a golf ball struck under typical conditions will not impart a right-tending sidespin to the golf ball.

A method of manufacturing a golf club head with a plurality of stiffening members proximate the face, and particularly solid rods or a plate with one or more cutouts, is disclosed herein. The method includes the steps of preparing a wax of a golf club head body having at least one through-hole, a hollow interior, and at least one receiving pocket, preparing waxes of one or more stiffening members, inserting the wax of the stiffening members into the through-hole and seating its opposite end in the receiving pocket, bonding each of the stiffening members to the body with an adhesive material to form a combined wax mold, and casting a golf club head from the combined wax mold.

Embodiments of an iron type golf club head with a flex structure, a face reinforcing structure, and a variable face thickness to increase face element bending while improving club head durability are described herein. The club head comprises a face element for striking a golf ball. The face element is formed integrally with the flex structure. The flex structure comprises a curved profile (e.g. S-shape or sinusoidal) that functions like a spring to support the face element during golf ball impacts. The face reinforcing structure comprises a looped rib that provides support around a center of the face element. The variable face thickness includes thickened and thinned regions to provide further face element bending or support. The combination of the flex structure, the face reinforcing structure, and the variable face thickness provides increased face element bending while improving club head durability.