Golf club with interchangeable head-shaft connection

1. A golf club comprising:

a club head;

a tube mounted in the club head, the tube having an upper end with an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter at a lower end of the tube, the tube including a tapered portion and a rotation prevention portion, the rotation prevention portion defining a keyway having a non-circular configuration;

a shaft having a tip end removably coupled to the club head;

an insert including an upper section and a lower section, the upper section being mounted in the tip end of the shaft, the lower section including a frustoconical portion, a keyed portion and a lower end of the insert, the frustoconical portion extending along at least one eighth of the length of the lower section, the frustoconical portion being received in the tapered portion of the tube, the keyed portion being received in the rotation prevention portion of the tube, the keyed portion having an external configuration complementary to that of the keyway to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the club head; and

a mechanical fastener removably securing the insert to the tube.

2. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the tip end of the shaft extends into the club head.

3. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the insert is hollow.

4. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the insert has a length in the range of 0.8 inch to 1.5 inches.

5. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the insert has an outer diameter in the range of 0.12 inch and 0.25 inch.

6. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the tube is open and aligned with an opening in a sole portion of the club head, and wherein the mechanical fastener is a socket screw having external threads, and the lower end of the insert has an opening formed therein with internal threads for engaging the external threads of the socket screw, the socket screw being inserted into the opening in the sole portion of the club head.

7. The golf club according to claim 6 , wherein the lower end of the insert is spaced apart from the lower end of the tube.

8. The golf club according to claim 6 , wherein a lower portion of the tube includes a flange, a head of the socket screw abutting the flange when the socket screw is secured to the insert.

9. The golf club according to claim 1 , further comprising a ferrule disposed about the tip end of the shaft between the shaft and the tube.

10. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein each of the tube and the insert is composed of a metallic material.

11. The golf club according to claim 10 , wherein the tube and the insert are composed of dissimilar metallic materials, and one of the tube and the insert is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.

12. A golf club comprising:

a club head;

a tube mounted in the club head, the tube having an upper end with an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter at a lower end of the tube, the tube including a tapered portion and a rotation prevention portion, the rotation prevention portion being located below the tapered portion and defining a keyway having a non-circular configuration;

a shaft having a tip end removably coupled to the club head;

an insert composed of a metallic material, the insert including an upper section and a lower section, the upper section being mounted in the tip end of the shaft, the lower section including a frustoconical portion, a keyed portion and a lower end of the insert, the frustoconical portion extending along at least one eighth of the length of the lower section, the frustoconical portion being received in the tapered portion of the tube, the keyed portion being received in the rotation prevention portion of the tube, the keyed portion having an external configuration complementary to that of the keyway to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the club head;

a mechanical fastener removably securing the insert to the tube; and

a ferrule disposed about the tip end of the shaft between the shaft and the tube.

13. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the upper section of the insert is hollow.

14. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the upper section of the insert has a length in the range of 0.8 inch to 1.5 inches.

15. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the upper section of the insert has an outer diameter in the range of 0.12 inch to 0.25 inch.

16. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the lower end of the tube is open and aligned with an opening in a sole portion of the club head, and wherein the mechanical fastener is a socket screw having external threads, and the lower end of the insert has an opening formed therein with internal threads for engaging the external threads of the socket screw, the socket screw being installed into the opening in the sole portion of the club head.

17. The golf club according to claim 16 , wherein the lower end of the insert is spaced apart from the lower end of the tube.

18. The golf club according to claim 16 , wherein a lower portion of the tube includes a flange, a head of the socket screw abutting the flange when the socket screw is secured to the insert.

19. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the tube is composed of a metallic material.

20. The golf club according to claim 19 , wherein the tube and the insert are composed of dissimilar metallic materials, and one of the tube and the insert is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.