Patent landscapes › Sports & games
Is a golf club patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a golf club have been patented many times, but "a golf club" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 6,234 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “golf club” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 1493 best keyword matches we examined, 187 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: CALLAWAY GOLF CO (141), ACUSHNET CO (115), KARSTEN MFG CORP (96), BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO LTD (93).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): A63B (1490), Y10T (91), B29L (20), B29C (19).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a golf club
- Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion US-11185745-B2 2021 · KARSTEN MFG CORP
A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face…
View on Google Patents - Golf clubs and golf club heads including structure to selectively adjust the face and lie angle of the club head US-9522308-B2 2016 · NIKE INC
Aspects of this invention relate to structures and methods for connecting golf club heads to shafts in a releasable and adjustable manner allowing independent adjustability of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle of a club head. …
View on Google Patents - Golf club head or other ball striking device having adjustable stiffened face portion US-8602912-B2 2013 · STITES JOHN THOMAS
A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft thereto. The head may include one …
View on Google Patents - Golf club head with progressive face stiffness US-8353787-B2 2013 · ACUSHNET CO
A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft, with a body comprising of a first body portion and a second body portion, each portion constructed of a different density material. Combining a high density material i…
View on Google Patents - Golf club, shaft replacing method and head replacing method US-2011256952-A1 2011 · BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO LTD
A method for replacing a shaft of a golf club, the golf club including: a head having a hosel; the shaft; a shaft case fixed to one end of the shaft, and configured to be inserted into the hosel; and a ring-shaped screw member con…
View on Google Patents - Golf club head and golf club shaft US-2010190570-A1 2010 · ADAMS EDWIN H
A golf club head includes a club head body having a striking face, a soleplate, a crown, a toe, a heel and a hosel shaped and dimensioned for receiving a shaft. The club head body includes a body shell composed of the striking fac…
View on Google Patents - Golf club with interchangeable head-shaft connection, components therefor, and a method of manufacturing US-2010255927-A1 2010 · CALLAWAY GOLF CO
A golf club, components therefore, and a method for manufacturing the components is disclosed herein. The golf club having removable components includes a club head, a shaft, and a connection assembly. The club head includes a hos…
View on Google Patents - Golf club and kit having interchangeable heads and shafts US-7566279-B2 2009 · NAKASHIMA GOLF INC
A golf club kit having selectively interchangeable heads and shafts. The upper face of a club head is provided with hosel having a recessed sleeve with an open ends. A receiver, having a bore provided with spline grooves, is secur…
View on Google Patents - Method of making ball-striking faceplate of golf club head US-2008314210-A1 2008 · CHENG WEN-JEN
A method of making a ball-striking faceplate of a golf club head is disclosed, wherein a blank of ball-striking faceplate is coupled to a lathe. The lathe comprises a main shaft and a cutter. The main shaft has a clamping head on …
View on Google Patents - Golf club head with multi-radius face US-6582322-B2 2003 · ACUSHNET CO
A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft is disclosed, including a shell defining an inner cavity and further including a face. The face of the club head has at least two roll radii disposed adjacent each othe…
View on Google Patents - Golf club head with adjustable face angle US-6475100-B1 2002 · CALLAWAY GOLF CO
The golf club ( 20 ) of the present invention allows for the face angle of the golf club to be set after manufacturing of the golf club head ( 22 ). The golf club ( 20 ) of the present invention is able to accomplish this by provi…
View on Google Patents - Golf club head with multiple dimpled face US-2002065143-A1 2002
The present invention relates to a golf club head with a multiple dimpled face. The present invention provides golf club head having a neck 12 to which a club shaft is connected, a bottom sole 14 , a top edge 16 , and a face …
View on Google Patents - Metal wood golf club head having a shaft attachment at the sole US-6077172-A 2000
A metal wood golf club head providing a shaft attachment to the interior of the head at the interior surface of the sole, permits an unencumbered face surface even adjacent the heel. The resulting head provides improved off-center…
View on Google Patents - Golf club head with damping slot and opening to a central cavity behind a floating club face US-6042486-A 2000
An innovative golf club head is disclosed that beneficially dampens the transmission of shock and vibration from the front hitting face to the hosel and associated shaft, and is more tolerant of inadvertent mis-hits of the golf ba…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a golf club been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Sports equipment patents tend to cover the grip, impact absorption, training feedback, and how gear is adjusted.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.