I recently stumbled across USPN 4471961 titled “Golf Club with Bulge Radius and Increased Moment of Inertia about an Inclined Axis.” The ‘961 invention is described as:

A golf clubhead has weight distributed on opposite sides of a non-vertical axis which extends through the center of gravity of the clubhead in a plane which intersects the axis of the shaft above the clubhead to provide more accurate off-center hits. Wooden clubs are provided with bulge and roll which curve, respectively, about said axis and an axis perpendicular thereto. The radius of the roll is increased to make the loft of the club substantially uniform from top to bottom.

Check out the following figure from the patent.

If you love golf club technology then you will find the ‘961 patent a fascinating read (as I did). The patent left me thinking “so which golf club giant invented this?” A quick check of who the assignee is left me perplexed. The patent was assigned to Pepsico, Inc! I thought… surely this can’t be the soda company. Well, it appears that it is. Does anyone know the story behind Pepsico owning a golf club patent?

David Dawsey – The Golfing Attorney