Callaway’s Next Step in Adjustability? I Hope Not

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a golf club head having a hosel configuration that permits changes to be made to the orientation of the hosel with respect to the golf club head without the use of bending fixtures or bending tools.

[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0006] Technical innovation in the configuration, material, construction and performance of golf clubs has resulted in a variety of new products. The advent of metals as a structural material has largely replaced natural wood for wood-type golf club heads, and is but one example of this technical innovation resulting in a major change in the golf industry. Another important example is the use of composite or plastic materials to form components of golf club heads, including the face, crown, and/or sole.

[0007] A further example of innovation in the construction and design of golf clubs is the use of configurable hosels that permit golfers to change the orientation of golf club heads with respect to their shafts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,528 to Toulon teaches a unitary hosel having a continuous curved bottom groove extending completely about the hosel to form a reduced bending moment region enabling the making of minor adjustments in both lie and face angle of the club. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,903 to Beebe et al., which teaches a hosel having a notch formed in the lower surface of the hosel neck. This patent teaches that the desired orientation of the hosel bore can be adjusted by bending the hosel neck at the notch. The drawback of the hosel configurations taught by these two patents is the fact that they require significant bending pressure to change the orientation of the club head with respect to the shaft.

[0008] Although the prior art has disclosed many variations of golf club heads, the prior art has failed to provide a club head with a hosel that permits easy modification of the golf club head orientation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Golfers have personalized preferences for the orientation of the hosel on their golf clubs. Many golfers prefer to change the orientation of a golf club hosel on the clubs. The present invention provides an improvement over prior art configurations and constructions because it makes it easy for golfers to change the hosel orientation even after construction of the golf club is complete.

[0010] An aspect of the invention is a golf club head comprising a body, a hosel, and a bolt, wherein the bolt connects the hosel to the body and wherein the hosel can rotate around the bolt. In further embodiments, the hosel is angled with respect to the bolt, and rotating the hosel around the bolt changes the angular orientation of the hosel with respect to the body. In some embodiments, the hosel may be composed of metal or composite material. In other embodiments, the body may be composed of metal or composite material.

[0011] In one embodiment, the golf club head further comprises gear teeth at the interface between the hosel and the body and a worm gear engaging the gear teeth, wherein turning the worm gear moves the gear teeth and rotates the hosel around the bolt. In further embodiments, the worm gear is composed of a metal or composite material. In other embodiments, the golf club head further comprises a washer affixed to the bolt.

[0012] In another embodiment, the golf club head further comprises a circular wedge disposed between the hosel and the body and secured therebetween by the bolt, wherein the circular wedge tilts the hosel such that it forms an angle with the body and wherein the circular wedge can rotate around the bolt. In further embodiments, rotating the circular wedge around the bolt changes the orientation of the hosel with respect to the body. In some embodiments, the circular wedge is composed of a metal or a composite material. In a further embodiment, the golf club head further comprises a washer affixed to the bolt.