Releasable and Interchangeable Connections for Golf Club Heads and Shafts

1 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly, comprising:

a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end includes a first opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein the cylindrical structure includes a rotation-inhibiting structure located on an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end, wherein the second end includes a securing structure, and wherein the cylindrical interior chamber extends toward the second end axially beyond the rotation-inhibiting structure; and

a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure, wherein the securing structure includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the cylindrical structure and the securing system includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole,

wherein the cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, and wherein the threaded hole does not axially align with the second axial direction.

2 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation-inhibiting structure includes plural flat sides that extend in the first axial direction of the cylindrical structure.

3 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure has a non-round cross section to thereby provide the rotation-inhibiting structure.

4 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure has a polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the rotation-inhibiting structure.

5 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation-inhibiting structure extends less than 35% of an overall axial length of the cylindrical structure.

6 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure at the first end includes a tapered portion that tapers from a narrower width at the first end to a wider width proximate to a location where the rotation-inhibiting structure begins on the exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure abruptly changes width in an axial direction thereof such that the exterior surface abruptly changes width with from the wider width to a narrower width corresponding to the rotation-inhibiting structure.

7 . A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure at the first end includes a rotational position indicator located between the first end and a location where the rotation-inhibiting structure begins.

8 . A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head having a hosel area that provides access to a shaft-receiving chamber defined in the golf club head, wherein a first end of the shaft-receiving chamber near the hosel area includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure and a second end of the shaft-receiving chamber opposite the first end includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

a shaft connection member extending into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head, the shaft connection member including a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein the cylindrical structure includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure located on an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end, wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure at the hosel area of the golf club head, wherein the second end includes a securing structure, and wherein the cylindrical interior chamber extends toward the second end of the shaft connection member axially beyond the second rotation-inhibiting structure;

a shaft engaged in the cylindrical interior chamber of the shaft connection member, wherein an end of the shaft extends axially toward the second end of the shaft connection member beyond the second rotation-inhibiting structure; and

a securing member extending into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head and releasably engaging the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the golf club head,

wherein the cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction.

9 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the securing structure of the shaft connection member includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the cylindrical structure and the securing member includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole, and wherein the threaded bolt element releasably engages the golf club head to hold the shaft connection member in place with respect to the golf club head.

10 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes an opening having an non-round cross section to thereby provide the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure of the shaft connection member has a mating and correspondingly shaped non-round cross section to thereby provide the second rotation-inhibiting structure.

11 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes an opening having a polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure of the shaft connection member has a mating and correspondingly shaped polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the second rotation-inhibiting structure.

12 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein a portion of the first end of the shaft connection member remains outside of the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head, and wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure extends into the shaft receiving chamber and engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure.

13 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure proximate the first end of the shaft connection member includes a first rotational position indicator, wherein the first rotational position indicator is located on the exterior surface between the first end of the shaft connection member and a location where the second rotation-inhibiting structure begins, and wherein the golf club head includes a second rotational position indicator located proximate to the shaft-receiving chamber.

14 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the first opening of the shaft receiving chamber is located at a sole surface of the golf club head.

15 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the shaft-receiving chamber includes an interior surface through which the first opening of the shaft-receiving chamber is defined.

16 . A golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the difference in direction between the first axial direction and the second axial direction allows selective changing of an angle of the shaft with respect to a ball striking face of the club head.

17 . A golf club according to claim 16 , wherein the difference in direction is between 0.25 degrees and 10 degrees.

18 . A golf club according to claim 16 , wherein the difference in direction is between 0.5 degrees and 8 degrees.

19 . A golf club according to claim 16 , wherein the difference in direction is between 0.75 degrees and 6 degrees.

20 . A golf club according to claim 16 , wherein the difference in direction is between 1 degree and 4 degrees.

21 . A method of producing a golf club head/shaft connection assembly, comprising:

producing a shaft connection member as a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

producing an open cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft at the first end of the shaft connection member;

forming a rotation-inhibiting structure as part of the shaft connection member, wherein the rotation-inhibiting structure is located on an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end, wherein the cylindrical interior chamber extends toward the second end axially beyond the rotation-inhibiting structure;

forming a securing structure at the second end of the shaft connection member; and

providing a securing member for engaging the securing structure,

wherein the cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, and wherein the securing structure includes a threaded hole that does not axially align with the second axial direction.

22 . A method of assembling a golf club, comprising:

providing a golf club head having a hosel area that provides access to a shaft-receiving chamber defined in the golf club head, wherein a first end of the shaft-receiving chamber near the hosel area includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure and a second end of the shaft-receiving chamber opposite the first end includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

engaging a shaft with a shaft connection member, wherein the shaft connection member includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein the cylindrical structure includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure located on an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end, wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure at the hosel area of the golf club head, wherein the second end of the shaft connection member includes a securing structure, wherein the cylindrical interior chamber extends toward the second end of the shaft connection member axially beyond the second rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein an end of the shaft extends within the cylindrical interior chamber and toward the second end of the shaft connection member to a location axially beyond the second rotation-inhibiting structure;

placing at least a portion of the shaft connection member into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head such that the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the second rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

placing a securing member into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the golf club head,

wherein the cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction.

23 . A method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

engaging a second shaft with a second shaft connection member, wherein the second shaft connection member includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the second shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure of the second shaft connection member nearer to its first end than its second end includes a third rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end of the second shaft connection member includes a second securing structure;

placing at least a portion of the second shaft connection member into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head such that the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the third rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the second shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

placing the securing member into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the second securing structure of the second shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the second shaft connection member with the golf club head.

24 . A method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head; and

releasably engaging an assembly including a second shaft with the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head.

25 . A method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

disengaging the shaft connection member from the golf club head;

changing a position of the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head to thereby alter a position of a free end of the shaft with respect to a ball striking face of the club head; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head at the changed position.