Golf club shaft with adjustable stiffness

Abstract

A golf club shaft having adjustable stiffness. An elongated tensioning member extends through the shaft and is mounted to both ends of the shaft. A tensioner assembly is mounted to the shaft and is connected to the tensioning member for allowing manual adjustment of the axial tension in the tensioning member, thereby allowing a technician or a user to increase or decrease the stiffness of the shaft as desired.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates generally to the field of golf equipment and relates more particularly to an improved golf club shaft with manually adjustable stiffness.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Golfers of all skill levels are continually striving to increase the distance and accuracy of their golf shots. With the constant introduction of new materials and manufacturing methods to the sport of golf, equipment is playing an ever more important role in overall game improvement. Golf clubs, in particular, have benefited greatly from recent advances in technology. Larger club heads, titanium faces, and graphite shafts are just a few of the innovations that are enabling players to hit the ball further and straighter than ever before.[0005]Widely regarded as the “engine” that drives the head of a golf club, a club's shaft has a substantial effect on a golfer's ability to achieve optimal contact between the club face...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]In order to increase the stiffness of the shaft, the end-cap is removed from the grip and the tensioner assembly is manipulated to increase the axial tension in the tensioning material, thereby increasing the amount force that urges the shaft to a straight configuration. In order to decrease the stiffness of the shaft, the tensioner assembly is manipulated to decrease the axial tension in the tensioning material, thereby decreasing the amount of force that urges the shaft to a straight configuration.

Problems solved by technology

A shaft that is not properly matched to a particular golfer's swing can result in weaker ball contact as well as a variety of mishits.

If a player uses a shaft that is too flexible for his / her particular swing, the shaft will kick prematurely and will flex past a straight position before contact, causing the shaft to be bent toward the ball at the time of impact.

The result is a club face that is decelerating, overly shut, and excessively lofted when it meets the ball.

Given an otherwise good swing by the player, the ball will tend to fly too high, to the left of the intended target (for a right-handed player), and short.

Conversely, if a player uses a shaft that is too stiff for his / her swing, the shaft will kick too late and will be bent away from the ball at the time of impact.

Again, given an otherwise good swing by the player, the ball will tend to fly too low, to the right of the intended target (for a right-handed player), and short.

If a particular golfer is best matched with a shaft having a flex rating that falls somewhere between those that are commercially available, that golfer is forced to sacrifice some measure of performance and feel and must choose a shaft that is either too stiff or too flexible for his or her swing.

Images