Golf club head having a high friction striking surface

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to the golf clubs and more specifically to a golf club face or ball striking surface having dimples or depressions of selected cross-section for increasing the friction or spin characteristics between the face of the club and the ball.

#2. Prior Art

#The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be more fully understood hereinafter as a result of a detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is an orthographic projectional view of the punch mark of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the punch mark of FIG. 1;

#Referring first to FIGS. 1-4, it will be seen that the golf club head 10 of the present invention comprises a hosel 16 and ball hitting surface or face 12 having a plurality of dimples or punch marks 14 the detailed structure of which may be seen best in FIGS. 1-3. Each such punch mark 14 is of a truncated conical configuration having a tapered side wall 18 terminating in a planar base or floor 20 and having a top or rim 22 which is of a curved configuration for merging tangentially with the golf club face 12. In a preferred embodiment the distance between the face 12 and the base 20 of each punch mark 14 is 0.028 of an inch while the diameter along the surface 12 is 0.063 inches and the diameter along the base 20 is 0.047 inches. The radius of rim 22 is 0.014 inches.

#This configuration of the punch mark of the present invention differs significantly from the typical decorative punch marks normally provided in conventional golf club heads such as that illustrated in FIG. 5. By way of example, a conventional punch mark has a maximum depth of no greater than 0.010 of an inch. The greater depth and unique shape of the punch mark of the present invention permits a substantial displacement of the ball surface into the punch mark upon impact with the ball, thereby providing a significantly greater degree of contact friction between the face 12 and the ball.

#The punch marks 14 are preferably arranged in a large array such as that illustrated by way of example in FIG. 4. However it will be understood that the specific number of punch marks and the array configuration thereof, are not deemed to be limiting of the present invention. It is generally preferable however that the number and position of the punch marks are appropriate for assuring contact between at least several of such punch marks and the ball during the impact portion of the stroke.