Golf club head

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a 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 strike plate 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 extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion and 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;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises a recess in the back portion and the recess is open toward the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material contacting the back portion and a back surface of the strike plate, and the elastomer material 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, the elastomer material depth varies from a maximum elastomer material depth to a minimum elastomer material depth, and the maximum elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an internal weight comprising tungsten and located at least partially in the recess and configured such that no portion of the internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the internal weight is located above the second part of the sole portion;
• the elastomer material extends to an elastomer elevation that is greater than a maximum elevation of the internal weight;
• in an address position, a highest point on the top portion defines a maximum top portion elevation above a ground plane, a second plane is parallel to the ground plane and is located at a second plane elevation that is one-half of the maximum top portion elevation, and the internal weight does not extend above the second plane;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc;
• and
• in the address position, the elastomer material has a first elastomer material depth at a first location above the second plane, the elastomer material has a second elastomer material depth at a second location below the second plane, the elastomer material has a third elastomer material depth at a third location located below the first location and above the second location, the third elastomer material depth is greater than the first elastomer material depth, and the third elastomer material depth is greater than the second elastomer material depth.

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a 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 strike plate 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;
• an upper portion thickness of the strike plate located at an elevation above the internal weight is less than the maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the internal cavity extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion and 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;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises a recess in the back portion and the recess is open toward the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material contacting the back portion and a back surface of the strike plate, and the elastomer material 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, the elastomer material depth varies from a maximum elastomer material depth to a minimum elastomer material depth, and the maximum elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an internal weight comprising tungsten and located at least partially in the recess and configured such that no portion of the internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the internal weight is located above the second part of the sole portion;
• the elastomer material is a cure-in-place and extends to an elastomer elevation that is greater than a maximum elevation of the internal weight;
• the rear wall has a minimum rear wall thickness less than the maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• and
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc.

An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

• a body made of a 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 strike plate 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 iron-type golf club head further comprises a recess in the back portion;
• the internal cavity extends from the second part of the sole portion to the top portion and 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;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an elastomer material contacting the back portion and a back surface of the strike plate and, and the elastomer material 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, the elastomer material depth varies from a maximum elastomer material depth to a minimum elastomer material depth, and the maximum elastomer material depth is greater than a maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• the iron-type golf club head further comprises an internal weight comprising tungsten and located at least partially in the recess, wherein no portion of the internal weight defines an exterior surface of the golf club head, the internal weight does not contact the back surface of the strike plate, and at least a portion of the internal weight is located above the second part of the sole portion;
• the elastomer material extends to an elastomer elevation that is greater than a maximum elevation of the internal weight;
• at least a portion of the second part of the sole portion is welded along the first part of the sole portion;
• the iron-type golf club head has a club head volume of 40-80 cc;
• 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 and the internal cavity extends above the top perimeter of the strike plate;
• the elastomer material extends above the top perimeter of the strike plate;
• the rear wall has a minimum rear wall thickness less than the maximum thickness of the strike plate;
• a portion of the strike plate extends further toeward than the second part of the sole portion;
• and
• the body has an injection port extending through the toc portion, the elastomer material is inserted through the injection port, and the injection port is closed with an external plug.