A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface, an inner surface opposite the ball striking surface, and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. The head has a deformation limiting member located behind the face and having an end spaced a distance from the inner surface of the face. The face and the deformation limiting member are adapted such that an impact of the ball on the ball striking surface causes deformation of the face toward the deformation limiting member. When the deformation of the face is sufficient to cause the inner surface of the face to engage the deformation limiting member, the deformation limiting member exerts a force on the face to resist further deformation of the face.