Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

An iron-type golf club head comprising:

• a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;
• an rear surface opposite the striking surface, and
• a face thickness defined between the striking surface and the rear surface;
• the face further having a geometric center and peripheral edges;
• an iron-type golf club head body connected to the peripheral edges of the face and one or more walls extending rearwardly from the face;
• the iron-type golf club head body having a top rail, a sole, a heel, and a toe;
• and a thickened portion of the face that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the rear surface of the face;
• wherein the iron-type golf club head body further comprises a rear cavity defined by the rear surface, the one or more walls extending rearwardly from the face, and a rear wall extending upwardly from the sole at the rear of the iron-type golf club head;
• wherein the cavity is partially open towards the rear of the iron-type golf club head;
• wherein the face comprises a thickened portion that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the rear surface of the face;
• the thickened portion comprising an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary;
• wherein at least one of the upper and lower boundaries defines a shape comprising a first lobe on a heel side of the thickened portion having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile;
• a second lobe on a toe side of the thickened portion having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile;
• and
• a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe;
• wherein the shape is elongated to have a maximum dimension along a first axis;
• and
• wherein the first lobe has a first dimension along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
• the second lobe has a second dimension along the second axis;
• and
• the connecting portion has a third dimension along the second axis that is smaller than the first and second dimensions;
• and
• wherein the first dimension is larger than the second dimension;
• such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges on top rail and sole sides of the thickened portion, respectively;
• the third and fourth outer edges extending in a heel-to-toe direction between the first and second outer edges;
• wherein at least the third outer edge has a concave profile;
• wherein the elevated area is multi-tiered and comprises a first plateau area having a first generally constant face thickness;
• a second plateau area having a second generally constant face thickness;
• and
• a tapered area extending between the first and second plateau areas and further consisting of a single elongated channel extending across the sole of the body spaced rearwardly from a bottom peripheral edge of the face.