Golf club head

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a steel body material, comprising a heel portion, a first part of a sole portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a hosel, a plate opening, and a back portion having a rear wall extending from the sole portion to the top portion;
• and
• a strike plate, made of a steel strike plate material different than the steel body material, welded to the body and closing the plate opening, thereby creating an internal cavity, and creating a strike face;
• wherein:
• the strike plate comprises a second part of a sole portion, angled relative to the strike face, and a majority of a face-to-sole transition region between the strike face and the sole portion;
• the internal cavity is defined by portions of the back portion, the rear wall, the top portion, the strike face, the first part of the sole portion, and the second part of the sole portion, and the internal cavity extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion;
• the body comprises a lower shelf that extends from the back portion towards a back surface of the strike plate without contacting the back surface of the strike plate, with the lower shelf having a shelf upper surface;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material that contacts (a) the back surface of the strike plate, (b) an interior surface of the second part of the sole portion, and (c) the back portion, and the elastomer material extends below an elevation of the shelf upper surface and has an elastomer material depth measured from the back surface of the strike plate in a direction perpendicular to an exterior surface of the strike plate, and the elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises a tungsten internal weight that is configured such that no portion of the tungsten internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the tungsten internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the tungsten internal weight is located above the lower shelf;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• a portion of a weld seam along a top perimeter of the strike plate is on the strike face and is below the top portion;
• the body has a body opening, and the elastomer material is inserted through the body opening;
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc;
• and
• in an address position:
• the shelf upper surface has an upper surface forward edge located a forward edge elevation above a ground plane;
• the strike plate has a first face groove with a deepest portion located at a first face groove elevation above the ground plane and a second face groove adjacent to, and above, the first face groove with a deepest portion located at a second face groove elevation above the ground plane;
• the forward edge elevation is less than the second face groove elevation;
• and
• a maximum cavity depth is located above the shelf upper surface.

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a steel body material, comprising a heel portion, a first part of a sole portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a hosel, a plate opening, and a back portion having a rear wall extending from the sole portion to the top portion;
• and
• a strike plate, made of a steel strike plate material different than the steel body material, welded to the body and closing the plate opening, thereby creating an internal cavity, and creating a strike face;
• wherein:
• the strike plate comprises a second part of a sole portion, angled relative to the strike face, and a majority of a face-to-sole transition region between the strike face and the sole portion;
• the internal cavity is defined by portions of the back portion, the rear wall, the top portion, the strike face, the first part of the sole portion, and the second part of the sole portion, and the internal cavity extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion;
• the body comprises a lower shelf that extends from the back portion towards a back surface of the strike plate without contacting the back surface of the strike plate, with the lower shelf having a shelf upper surface;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material that contacts (a) the back surface of the strike plate, (b) an interior surface of the second part of the sole portion, and (c) the back portion, and the elastomer material extends below an elevation of the shelf upper surface and has an elastomer material depth measured from the back surface of the strike plate in a direction perpendicular to an exterior surface of the strike plate, and the elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises a tungsten internal weight that is configured such that no portion of the tungsten internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the tungsten internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the tungsten internal weight is located above the lower shelf;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• the rear wall has a minimum rear wall thickness less than the maximum thickness of the strike plate, and the minimum rear wall thickness is located above a maximum elevation of the internal weight;
• the body has a body opening, and the elastomer material is inserted through the body opening;
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc;
• and
• in an address position:
• a maximum cavity depth is located above the shelf upper surface;
• and
• the second part of the sole portion has a strike plate rearwardmost edge, and the shelf upper surface has an upper surface rearward edge that extends rearward of the strike plate rearwardmost edge.

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a steel body material, comprising a heel portion, a first part of a sole portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a hosel, a plate opening, and a back portion having a rear wall extending from the sole portion to the top portion;
• and
• a strike plate, made of a steel strike plate material different than the steel body material, welded to the body and closing the plate opening, thereby creating an internal cavity, and creating a strike face;
• wherein:
• the strike plate comprises a second part of a sole portion, angled relative to the strike face, and a majority of a face-to-sole transition region between the strike face and the sole portion;
• a portion of the strike plate extends further toeward than the second part of the sole portion;
• the internal cavity is defined by portions of the back portion, the rear wall, the top portion, the strike face, the first part of the sole portion, and the second part of the sole portion, and the internal cavity extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion;
• the body comprises a lower shelf that extends from the back portion towards a back surface of the strike plate without contacting the back surface of the strike plate, with the lower shelf having a shelf upper surface;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material that contacts (a) the back surface of the strike plate, (b) an interior surface of the second part of the sole portion, and (c) the back portion, and the elastomer material extends below an elevation of the shelf upper surface and has an elastomer material depth measured from the back surface of the strike plate in a direction perpendicular to an exterior surface of the strike plate, and the elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises a tungsten internal weight that is configured such that no portion of the tungsten internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the tungsten internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the tungsten internal weight is located above the lower shelf;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• the body has a body opening, and the elastomer material is inserted through the body opening;
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc;
• and
• in an address position:
• the shelf upper surface has an upper surface forward edge located a forward edge elevation above a ground plane;
• the strike plate has a first face groove with a deepest portion located at a first face groove elevation above the ground plane and a second face groove adjacent to, and above, the first face groove with a deepest portion located at a second face groove elevation above the ground plane;
• the forward edge elevation is less than the second face groove elevation;
• and
• a maximum cavity depth is located above the shelf upper surface.