Design patents are often viewed as the ugly cousin of utility patents. Many people only consider applying for a design patent if a utility patent is unlikely. Such old school beliefs are a mistake.

Design patents can be extremely valuable in protecting unique club heads.

Interestingly, some equipment manufacturers embrace this belief, while others seem to be in denial. Further, others seem to only file for design patent protection on wood club heads, not irons.

The following are some of the best recent examples of wood club head design patents: D535,713 - Golf Club Head – Taylor Made, D535,343 - Golf Driver Head – Ping, D535,342 - Golf Club Head – Callaway, D534,976 - Golf Club Head – Tour Edge Golf.

However, it is the equipment manufacturers that have found effective ways to protect their iron designs that I most admire.

Congratulations Acushnet on a great strategy – protect the iron cavity. Check out Acushnet’s Patent D534,609 - Golf Club Cavity. SRI Sports has taken a similar strategy in D534,608 - Head for Golf Club. 

Innovative use of design patents can be a very powerful tool... don't overlook it.