Golf club or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

A golf club head comprising:

• a face member comprising a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof and a wall extending rearwardly from a bottom edge of the face, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the face having an elevated area protruding from the inner surface and having increased thickness relative to surrounding portions of the face;
• and
• a body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, the body comprising at least one body member connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, wherein the at least one body member is connected to the wall and around peripheral edges of the face, such that the wall forms a portion of the sole, and wherein the face member and the at least one body member combine to define an internal cavity,
• wherein the elevated area is completely enclosed by an annular tapered area that decreases in thickness from the elevated area outward, the elevated area having a peripheral edge defined by an inner edge of the annular tapered area, and the peripheral edge defining a shape comprising a first lobe on a heel side of the elevated area having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe on a toe side of the elevated area having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges on crown and sole sides of the elevated area, respectively, the third and fourth outer edges extending in a heel-to-toe direction between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face;
• and
• a thickened portion of the face that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the inner surface of the face, the thickened portion comprising an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary, wherein at least one of the upper and lower boundaries defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein the elevated area is multi-tiered and comprises a first plateau area having a first generally constant face thickness, a second plateau area having a second generally constant face thickness, and a tapered area extending between the first and second plateau areas.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face;
• and
• a thickened portion of the face that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the inner surface of the face, the thickened portion comprising an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary, wherein at least one of the upper and lower boundaries defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein the third outer edge is more proximate a top of the face relative to the fourth outer edge, and wherein the third outer edge has the concave outer profile and the fourth outer edge has a convex outer profile.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, wherein the body further comprises a recessed channel extending across at least a portion of a sole of the body and being spaced rearwardly from a bottom edge of the face;
• and
• a thickened portion of the face that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the inner surface of the face, the thickened portion comprising an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary, wherein at least one of the upper and lower boundaries defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face;
• and
• a thickened portion of the face that forms a protrusion extending rearwardly from the inner surface of the face, the thickened portion comprising an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary, wherein at least one of the upper and lower boundaries defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein the thickened portion further comprises a second annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between a second upper boundary and a second lower boundary and encloses the annular tapered area and the elevated area completely.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the face having an elevated area protruding from the inner surface and having increased thickness relative to surrounding portions of the face, the elevated area being completely enclosed by an annular tapered area that decreases in thickness from the elevated area outward, wherein the elevated area has a peripheral edge defined by an inner edge of the tapered area, and the peripheral edge defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein the elevated area is multi-tiered and comprises a first plateau area having a first generally constant face thickness, a second plateau area having a second generally constant face thickness, and a tapered area extending between the first and second plateau areas;
• and
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the face having an elevated area protruding from the inner surface and having increased thickness relative to surrounding portions of the face, the elevated area being completely enclosed by an annular tapered area that decreases in thickness from the elevated area outward, wherein the elevated area has a peripheral edge defined by an inner edge of the tapered area, and the peripheral edge defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein the third outer edge is more proximate a top of the face relative to the fourth outer edge, and wherein the third outer edge has the concave outer profile and the fourth outer edge has a convex outer profile;
• and
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the face having an elevated area protruding from the inner surface and having increased thickness relative to surrounding portions of the face, the elevated area being completely enclosed by an annular tapered area that decreases in thickness from the elevated area outward, wherein the elevated area has a peripheral edge defined by an inner edge of the tapered area, and the peripheral edge defines a shape comprising a first lobe having a first outer edge with a convex outer profile, a second lobe having a second outer edge with a convex outer profile, and a connecting portion extending between the first lobe and the second lobe, such that the connecting portion is defined by third and fourth outer edges extending between the first and second outer edges, wherein at least one of the third and fourth outer edges has a concave outer profile,
• wherein both the third outer edge and the fourth outer edge have the concave outer profile;
• and
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof, the face having an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the face having an elevated area protruding from the inner surface and having increased thickness relative to surrounding portions of the face, the elevated area being completely enclosed by an annular tapered area that decreases in thickness from the elevated area outward, wherein the elevated area has a peripheral edge defined by an inner edge of the tapered area, and the peripheral edge defines a shape that is elongated to have a maximum dimension along a first axis, and wherein the shape comprises a first enlarged area having a first dimension along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a second enlarged area having a second dimension along the second axis, and a narrowed connecting portion connecting the first area and the second area, the connecting portion having a third dimension along the second axis that is smaller than the first and second dimensions,
• wherein the elevated area is multi-tiered and comprises a first plateau area having a first generally constant face thickness, a second plateau area having a second generally constant face thickness, and a tapered area extending between the first and second plateau areas;
• and
• a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face.