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.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head being lightweight and having a high strength. A head 2 includes a face 4, a sole 8, and a crown 6. The face 4 includes a face surface fs and a face back surface fr. A plurality of projections (A) are provided on the face back surface fr. The projections (A) are point-like in a planar view. An optional first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction are defined in the planar view. Preferably, arrangement regularity of the projections (A) in the second direction is higher than arrangement regularity of the projections (A) in the first direction. Preferably, the first direction is a longitudinal direction; and the second direction is a lateral direction.

A golf club head including a face element having a face surface, a rear surface, and a reinforcement device with a reinforcement element that extends out from the rear surface of the face element toward a rear end and away from a front end of a golf club head. The reinforcement element includes a looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface. The face surface is nearer to the rear surface proximal to the face center than proximal to the face perimeter. The outer perimeter surface of the reinforcement element is filleted with the rear surface.

A head for a ball striking device includes a bracing member connected to an upper sole surface located on the sole of the body opposite the bottom sole surface. The bracing member includes a first end connected to a first point on the upper sole surface, a second end connected to a second point on the upper sole surface spaced from the first point, and a bridge portion extending between the first and second ends. The bridge portion extends upward from the upper sole surface and is spaced from the upper sole surface. The bridge portion may be formed by one or more trusses, and may define a generally triangular shape in one embodiment. The first and second ends may be connected to the upper sole surface using a variety of techniques, e.g., welding or other integral joining technique, integral forming, adhesive or other bonding material, or other technique.

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.

An iron-type golf club head is 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. A back wall is also disclosed in the rear portion enclosing a portion of the rear portion to create an enclosed cavity. The cavity is defined by at least a rear surface of the striking face, an inner back wall surface, and the sole portion. A plug and a filler material is located within the enclosed cavity. The filler material surrounds the plug and is configured to hold the plug in place. The plug is lighter than the filler material.

Some embodiments include club heads having reinforced club head faces. In one example, the club face comprises a reinforcement element such as a looped rib positioned on a rear surface of the club face to provide reinforcement. The club head further comprises an undercut that extends along the entire perimeter of the club face to provide increased club face bending. The combination of the reinforcement element and the undercut reinforces the club head while permitting the club face to bend. Other embodiments of related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

A cast cup can include a forward portion of a golf club head, including a hosel, forward portions of a crown, sole, heel, and toe, and a face portion or an opening to receive a face insert. 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 rigid club head body, such that the club head body defines a hollow interior region, a crown opening, a sole opening, and/or face opening. The cast cup and rear ring can be made of different materials, including various metals, composites, and polymers. Composite crown, sole, and/or face inserts can be coupled to the crown, sole, and/or face openings. Weights can be coupled to the cast cup and to the rear ring. The face can have a complex variable thickness geometry.

A golf club head is described having a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a heel portion, a toe portion, and a sole portion positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, and a crown positioned at a top portion. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. A non-metallic striking surface is positioned at the forward portion of the body.

An iron-type golf club head includes a ball striking face and a rear weight member that are engaged through one or more resilient members with a connection structure that creates a mass-damping effect at impact with a golf ball.