Golf club head or other ball striking device having multi-piece construction

A ball striking device comprising:

• a head comprising:
• a metal front piece comprising a cup face member that includes a face configured for striking a ball and at least one wall extending rearward from a periphery of the face;
• a metal back piece extending from the front piece, the back piece and the at least one wall of the front piece defining a first opening on a top side thereof, and the back piece defining a second opening on a bottom side thereof;
• a substantially non-metallic top piece connected to the back piece and the front piece and positioned to cover the first opening and forming part of an outer surface of the head, wherein the top piece is larger than the first opening and overlaps a periphery of the first opening, such that a portion of the top piece engages an inner surface of the back piece and an inner surface of the at least one wall around the periphery of the first opening to secure the top piece in place;
• and
• a substantially non-metallic bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to cover the second opening and forming part of the outer surface of the head, wherein the bottom piece is larger than the second opening and overlaps a periphery of the second opening, such that a portion of the bottom piece engages the inner surface of the band around the periphery of the second opening to secure the bottom piece in place, and wherein the back piece separates the bottom piece from top piece.

A method of forming a ball striking device comprising:

• forming a metal front piece comprising a cup face member including a face configured for striking a ball and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the face;
• forming a metal back piece having a front end and a rear end, the back piece comprising a band having a first end and a second end located at opposite edges of the front end and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and forming the rear end of the back piece, and an arm extending from the front end of the back piece to the band at the rear end of the back piece, wherein the back piece is formed of a single, integral piece;
• connecting the front piece to the back piece using an integral joining technique, such that the back piece and the return portion combine to define a first opening on a top side thereof, and wherein the back piece defines a second opening and a third opening on the bottom side thereof, wherein the second and third openings are defined between the band and the arm on opposite sides of the arm;
• forming a substantially non-metallic top piece and two substantially non-metallic bottom pieces;
• connecting the top piece to the back piece and the front piece, wherein the top piece engages inner surfaces of the return portion and the band and protrudes into the first opening to be positioned to cover the first opening and to form part of an outer surface of the ball striking device;
• and
• connecting the bottom pieces to the back piece, wherein the bottom pieces engage inner surfaces of the arm and the band and protrude into the second and third openings to be positioned to cover the second and third openings, wherein the back piece separates the bottom pieces from the top piece, and the arm separates the bottom pieces from each other.

A golf club head comprising:

• a metal face configured for striking a ball, wherein the face is formed by a cup face member that includes a ball striking face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face;
• a metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the return portion, a second end extending from a second, opposed side of the return portion, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends;
• a metal arm extending across a bottom side of the head from the face to a rear, central location of the band, wherein the face, the band, and the arm are integrally joined together to form a single piece;
• a non-metallic top piece connected to a top side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a top side of the head, wherein the top piece engages an inner surface of the metal band and an inner surface of the return portion;
• and
• a pair of non-metallic bottom pieces connected to opposite sides of the arm and to a bottom side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the head, wherein each of the bottom pieces engages an inner surface of the metal band and an inner surface of the arm,
• wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.

A golf club head comprising:

• a metal front piece comprising a cup face structure including a face configured for striking a ball and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the face;
• a metal back piece extending from the front piece, the back piece and the return portion defining a first opening on a top side thereof, and the back piece defining a second opening on a bottom side thereof, wherein the back piece includes ridges extending around the first and second openings and located on an inner surface of the back piece;
• a non-metallic top piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the first opening, wherein the top piece engages the inner surface of the back piece and an inner surface of the return portion and further engages the ridge extending around the first opening to secure the top piece in place;
• and
• a non-metallic bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the second opening, wherein the bottom piece does not contact the top piece, and wherein the bottom piece engages the inner surface of the back piece and further engages the ridge extending around the second opening to secure the bottom piece in place.

A ball striking device comprising:

• a structural frame formed of a first material, the frame comprising:
• a face configured for striking a ball, the face being formed by a cup face structure including the face and at least one wall extending rearward from a periphery of the face;
• and
• a band connected to the at least one wall of the cup face structure and extending around a rear periphery of the frame, wherein the band and the at least one wall cooperate to define a first opening on a top side of the band and the band defines a second opening on the bottom side of the band, the first opening being separate from the second opening, and wherein the band includes ridges extending around the first and second openings and located on an inner surface of the band;
• a first non-structural piece formed of a second material and positioned to cover the first opening, wherein the first non-structural piece is larger than the first opening, such that a portion of the first non-structural piece engages the inner surface of the band and an inner surface of the at least one wall around the first opening and further engages the ridge extending around the first opening to secure the first non-structural piece in place;
• and
• a second non-structural piece formed of the second material and positioned to cover the second opening, wherein the second non-structural piece is larger than the second opening, such that a portion of the second non-structural piece engages the inner surface of the band around the second opening and further engages the ridge extending around the second opening to secure the second non-structural piece in place.