Golf club with adjustable-length shaft

Abstract

A secure golf club, of the “wood” or “iron” variety intended for high-speed impact of a golf ball, whose shaft may be lengthened or shortened in a relatively quick and easy manner. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft includes one or more shaft extension sections rigidly attached to the shaft or to each other by reverse-thread connections, to reduce the tendency of the shaft sections to loosen during play. Shaft locking mechanisms are also preferably employed for preventing relative axial movement along the shaft and between the shaft sections. Preferably, the shaft has a substantially continuous and substantially smooth outer periphery, substantially void of gaps or steps creating stress points within the shaft that might lead to fracture or breakage of the golf club during play.

Description

CONTINUATION INFORMATION [0001] This application is a utility patent application which claims priority from, and is a continuation of, a U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60 / 532,815, filed Dec. 29, 2003, and titled “TRD Fit Junior Golf Club Shaft.”BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to golf clubs and, more specifically, to golf clubs whose shaft lengths may be adjusted. [0003] There is a need for a competitively playable golf club with a shaft whose length maybe easily adjusted. For example, children have an obvious need for such clubs as they grow. [0004] Collapsible and / or telescoping golf clubs are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,006 to Hesser; U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,860 to Ehrich; U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,619 to Napolitano; U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,372 to Beebe; U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,608 to Wilkinson; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,000 to Dombrowski. While such clubs may function suitably as putters, non-putter, swingable golf clubs exert a relatively large amo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] Each shaft section may terminate in a threaded end, with adjacent threaded ends being, alternatively, internally and externally threaded ends configured for mating connection. These threaded ends are preferably quickly and easily threadably connected and disconnected, preferably using a reverse thread connection.

Problems solved by technology

While such clubs may function suitably as putters, non-putter, swingable golf clubs exert a relatively large amount of centrifugal and torsional force on the shaft of a club, which may result in the fracture or other failure of collapsible and / or telescoping golf club shafts during play.

Relatively small changes in the location of weight along the club shaft can affect these factors, and may be detected by golfers and possibly negatively influence play.

Obstructions on the outer periphery of the golf club shaft, while not aesthetically appealing, may also disturb laminar flow and swingability of the club, as well as the golfer's concentration.

However, it was discovered that when used with the present invention, graphite shaft extensions more than a few inches in length form hairline fractures at the length-adjustment points in the shaft which, over time, can result in catastrophic failures.

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