Golf club with interchangeable head-shaft connection

1. A golf club comprising:

a club head;

a tube mounted in the club head, the tube including a rotation prevention portion and a tapered portion, the rotation prevention portion defining a keyway having a non-circular configuration;

a shaft removably coupled to the club head;

a sleeve mounted on a tip end of the shaft and disposed between the shaft and the tube, a lower section of the sleeve including a keyed portion and a frustoconical portion, the frustoconical portion including a lower end of the sleeve, 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 sleeve 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 tapered portion of the tube projects radially into the tube.

4. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the tube includes an upper end having a projection extending radially outward therefrom, a remainder of the tube excluding the projection having a generally uniform outer diameter.

5. The golf club according to claim 4 , further comprising a washer disposed between the sleeve and an upper surface of the projection of the tube, the washer being composed of a compliant material.

6. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the lower section of the sleeve has a length in the range of 0.4 inch to 0.95 inch.

7. The golf club according to claim 6 , wherein the frustoconical portion of the sleeve has a length in the range of 0.1 inch to 0.25 inch.

8. The golf club according to claim 6 , wherein an upper section of the sleeve has a length in the range of 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches.

9. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has an opening formed in an upper end thereof for receiving the tip end of the shaft, the sleeve including a plurality of features extending into the opening to help center the shaft in the sleeve.

10. The golf club according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes at least one feature provided about the circumference of the shaft proximate the tip end, the at least one feature facilitating centering of the shaft in an opening formed in an upper end of the sleeve.

11. 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 sleeve 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.

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

13. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the tube and the sleeve are composed of dissimilar metallic materials, and one of the tube and the sleeve is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.

14. A golf club comprising:

a club head;

a tube mounted in the club head, the tube being composed of a metallic material and including a rotation prevention portion and a tapered portion, the rotation prevention portion defining a keyway having a non-circular configuration, the tapered portion projecting radially into the tube;

a shaft removably coupled to the club head;

a sleeve mounted on a tip end of the shaft and disposed between the shaft and the tube, the sleeve being composed of a metallic material, a lower section of the sleeve including a keyed portion and a frustoconical portion, the frustoconical portion including a lower end of the sleeve, 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 sleeve to the tube.

15. The golf club according to claim 14 , wherein the tube and the sleeve are composed of dissimilar metallic materials, and one of the tube and the sleeve is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.

16. The golf club according to claim 14 , wherein the tube includes an upper end having a projection extending radially outward therefrom, a remainder of the tube excluding the projection having a generally uniform outer diameter.

17. The golf club according to claim 16 , further comprising a washer disposed between the sleeve and an upper surface of the projection of the tube, the washer being composed of a compliant material.

18. The golf club according to claim 14 , 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 sleeve 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.

19. The golf club according to claim 14 , wherein the lower section of the sleeve has a length in the range of 0.4 inch to 0.95 inch, and the frustoconical portion of the lower section has a length in the range of 0.1 inch to 0.25 inch.

20. The golf club according to claim 14 , wherein an upper section of the sleeve has a length in the range of 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches.