Golf club head or other ball striking device with slotted face mask

A head for a ball striking device, comprising:

• a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;
• and
• a face mask connected to the outer surface of the face, the face mask having a first surface configured for forming at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, a second surface opposite the first surface and confronting the outer surface of the face, and a plurality of elongated slots extending through at least a portion of a thickness of the face mask,
• wherein the face mask is formed of a metallic material and the face mask further comprises a coating of a hard non-metallic material having a hardness greater than the metallic material, wherein the coating covers the first surface of the face mask, and the coating does not cover the second surface of the face mask, and
• wherein the second surface of the face mask is positioned in surface-to-surface engagement with the outer surface of the face and is connected to the outer surface of the face.

A member configured for connection to a face of a head for a ball striking device, comprising:

• a plate member comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a peripheral edge extending between the first and second surfaces;
• a plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the plate member, from the first surface to the second surface,
• wherein the plate member is configured for connection to the face, such that the second surface of the plate member is configured to confront an outer surface of the face and the first surface of the plate member is configured to form at least a portion of a ball striking surface on the head configured for striking a ball;
• and
• a projecting portion projecting from the second surface of the plate member, the projecting portion configured to be received in a recess in the outer surface of the face when the plate member is connected to the face,
• wherein the projecting portion is located proximate a center of the plate member, and the member further comprises two thinned portions extending from opposed sides of the projecting portion, the thinned portions having a smaller thickness than the projecting portion.

A head for a ball striking device, comprising:

• a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;
• a first plate member connected to the outer surface of the face, the first plate member having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and confronting the outer surface of the face, and a first plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the first plate member, from the first surface to the second surface thereof, wherein a first slot of the first plurality of slots has a first width;
• and
• a second plate member connected to the first plate member, the second plate member having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second plate member being stacked upon the first plate member such that the second surface of the second plate member confronts the first surface of the first plate member and the first surface of the second plate member forms at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured to strike a ball, and the second plate member further having a second plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the second plate member, from the first surface to the second surface thereof, wherein a second slot of the second plurality of slots has a second width that is greater than the first width,
• wherein the first slot is aligned with the second slot when the second plate member is stacked upon the first plate member, such that the first slot and the second slot combine to form a face groove on the ball striking surface.

A kit comprising:

• a head for a ball striking device, the head comprising a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;
• a plurality of face plates each configured for connection to the outer surface of the face, each face plate having a first surface configured for forming at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, a second surface opposite the first
• wherein when each of the face plates is connected to the head, the slots of the respective face plate combine with the outer surface of the face to form a plurality of face grooves on the ball striking surface, and
• wherein each of the plurality of face plates has an arrangement of the slots that is different from the arrangement of the slots of each other face plate of the plurality of face plates.

A method comprising:

• providing a head for a ball striking device, the head comprising a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;
• and
• connecting a face plate to the outer surface of the face, the face plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the face plate, from the first surface to the second surface,
• wherein when the face plate is connected to the face, the first surface forms at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, the second surface confronts the outer surface of the face, and the slots combine with the outer surface of the face to form a plurality of face grooves on the ball striking surface,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• removing the face plate from the face;
• and
• connecting a second face plate to the outer surface of the face, the second face plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the second face plate, from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the slots of the second face plate are arranged differently from the slots of the face plate,
• wherein when the second face plate is connected to the face, the first surface forms at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, the second surface confronts the outer surface of the face, and the slots combine with the outer surface of the face to form a plurality of face grooves on the ball striking surface.