Golf driver having titanium alloy head and flexible shaft

Abstract

A golf driver has a head which includes an alpha-beta titanium alloy body and a crown formed of a beta titanium plate which is thinner than the body and brazed to the body. The face of the club head comprises a variable-thickness beta titanium faceplate that is plasma welded to the body. Heat generated during the plasma welding causes the thin border region of the faceplate to become even more flexible to enhance the spacing action of the faceplate. Two weights are attached at the toe and heel, respectively, of the body to minimize twisting of the body during an off-center hit. Two additional weights are disposed in the sole of the body in locations causing the center of gravity to be displaced toward the heel and the back side of the club head. A graphite shaft of the driver has at least four sections of different stiffness, defining three bending points, to increase the flex action of the shaft and enable an oversized driver to return to an address position at the moment of impact.

Description

[0001] The present application claims priority 35 U.S.C. §119 and / or §365 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 633,323 filed on Dec. 6, 2004.BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to golf clubs and, in particular, to a titanium driver construction and to a shaft especially adapted for use on a titanium driver. [0003] Titanium drivers, i.e., drivers having titanium alloy heads, have achieved popularity among golfers due to the relative light-weight properties of the metal. A light-weight head enables a golfer to increase the club head speed, which translates into increased distance. Also, a titanium head can be made larger and thus is more forgiving of off-center hits, thereby increasing directional accuracy. However, during a swing, it is more difficult to bring an oversized driver head back to the original address position at the instant of inpact, which can adversely affect the directional accuracy. [0004] Notwithstanding the above-described advantages, there exist...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a golf driver comprising a head and a carbon shaft connected to the head. The shaft includes four sections. The first section is attached to the head. The second section is disposed adjacent to the first section. The third section is disposed adjacent to the second section. The fourth section is disposed adjacent to the third section and defines a butt end of the shaft. The first section is more flexible than the fourth section. The third section is less flexible than the fourth section and more flexible than the second section.

Problems solved by technology

However, during a swing, it is more difficult to bring an oversized driver head back to the original address position at the instant of inpact, which can adversely affect the directional accuracy.

However, it has been found that the carbide crown tends to absorb and dampen the club-ball impact energy (reducing the distance of ball travel) as well as to undesirably deaden the sound of the impact.

As regards directional accuracy, it is known that optimum accuracy is attained when the ball is struck at the sweet-spot of the club face, but that an off-center hit, i.e., impact at a location offset toward the toe or heel of the club, can cause the club to twist, thereby causing the ball to hook or slide.

Furthermore, as a club head makes impact with the ball, the centrifugal force acting on the club head can cause the toe of the club head to move downwardly relative to the heel, i.e., a so-called toe-down effect, which can adversely affect the directional accuracy.

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