Golf club with interchangeable head-shaft connection
A golf club ( 20 ) having a club head ( 22 ) with an interchangeable shaft ( 40 ) is disclosed herein. The golf club ( 20 ) includes a tube ( 44, 144 ) mounted in the club head ( 22 ), and a sleeve ( 46, 146 ) mounted on a tip end ( 50 ) of the shaft ( 40 ). The tube ( 44, 144 ) includes a tapered portion ( 60, 160 ) and a rotation prevention portion ( 62, 162 ). The sleeve ( 46, 146 ) has a frustoconical portion ( 72, 172 ) and a keyed portion ( 74, 174 ) that are respectively received in the tapered portion ( 60, 160 ) and the rotation prevention portion ( 62, 162 ) of the tube ( 44, 144 ). The golf club ( 20 ) further includes a mechanical fastener ( 48, 148 ) for removably securing the shaft ( 40 ) to the club head ( 22 ).
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 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 having a multi-piece construction including a first part composed of a metallic material and a second part composed of a non-metallic material, a lower section of the sleeve including a frustoconical portion, a keyed portion and 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 first part of the sleeve includes a tubular section and the lower section, and wherein the second part of the sleeve is a cap, the cap being secured to the tubular section by an adhesive.
3. The golf club according to claim 2 , wherein each of the tube and the first part of the sleeve is composed of an aluminum alloy material, and wherein the second part of the sleeve is composed of an injection molded plastic.
4. The golf club according to claim 2 , wherein each of the tube and the first part of the sleeve is composed of a titanium alloy material, and wherein the second part of the sleeve is composed of an injection molded plastic.
5. The golf club according to claim 2 , wherein the tube and the first part of the sleeve are composed of dissimilar materials, and one of the tube and the first part of the sleeve is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. The golf club according to claim 8 , wherein the 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 sleeve.
10. The golf club according to claim 1 , further comprising an adapter sleeve disposed between the tube and the sleeve to increase the length of the golf club.
11. 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 opening having an axis that is off-angle from an axis of the lower section of the sleeve by an angle in the range of 1° and 5°.
12. A golf club comprising:
a club head;
a tube mounted in the club head, the tube being composed of a metallic material and 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 removably coupled to the club head;
a sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft and disposed between the shaft and the tube, the sleeve having a multi-piece construction including a first part composed of a metallic material and a second part composed of a non-metallic material, a lower section of the sleeve including a frustoconical portion, a keyed portion and a lower end of the sleeve, the frustoconical portion extending along at least one sixth 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.
13. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the first part of the sleeve includes a tubular section and the lower section, and wherein the second part of the sleeve is a cap, the cap being secured to the tubular section by an adhesive.
14. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein each of the tube and the first part of the sleeve is composed of an aluminum alloy material, and wherein the second part of the sleeve is composed of an injection molded plastic.
15. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the tube and the first part of the sleeve are composed of dissimilar metallic materials, and one of the tube and the first part of the sleeve is coated to prevent galvanic corrosion.
16. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the tip end of the shaft extends into the club head.
17. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the sleeve has an opening formed in an upper end thereof for receiving the tip end of the shaft, and wherein one of the sleeve and the shaft includes at least one feature to help center the shaft in the opening in the upper end of the sleeve.
18. 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 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 12 , further comprising an adapter sleeve disposed between the tube and the sleeve to increase the length of the golf club.
20. The golf club according to claim 12 , wherein the sleeve has an opening formed in an upper end thereof for receiving the tip end of the shaft, the opening having an axis that is off-angle from an axis of the lower section of the sleeve by an angle in the range of 1° and 5°.