Vented golf club shaft

Abstract

A golf club including an elongated hollow club shaft connected at one end to a golf club head, and having a grip mounted at an opposite end thereof. The club shaft is vented to permit and facilitate transmission of shock energy generated upon normal striking impact with a golf ball from the golf club in the form of acoustic energy, while substantially reducing or eliminating transmission of the shock energy in the form of vibration to the golfer's hands. In a first embodiment, a plurality of vents are formed in the club shaft at a location near the grip. In a second embodiment, a plurality of vents are formed in a cap mounted onto the club shaft at the grip end thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golf club, comprising: 
 a club head;    a club shaft having a hollow tubular construction and a lower end connected to said club head; and    a grip mounted on said club shaft generally at an upper end thereof;    said club shaft being vented to permit discharge from said club shaft of a portion of shock energy generated upon impact of said club head with a golf ball, thereby reducing the magnitude of shock energy transmitted to a golfer's hands grasping said grip.    
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said club head comprises a metal wood club head.  
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said club head comprises an iron type club head.  
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said club shaft comprises a metal shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said club shaft comprises a composite material.  
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said grip comprises a resilient material.  
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said vented club shaft includes at least one vent port formed therein at a position disposed generally in closely spaced relation to said grip.  
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein said vented club shaft includes a circumferentially spaced array of vent ports formed therein at a position generally in closely spaced relation to said grip.  
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 8  further including a reinforcement sleeve mounted on said club shaft generally in surrounding relation to said vent ports, said reinforcement sleeve having a circumferentially spaced array of openings formed therein generally in respective alignment with said vent ports formed in said club shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 8  wherein said array of vent ports are formed in said club shaft on the order of about ¼ to about ½ inch from a lowermost end of said grip.  
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 10  wherein each of said vent ports has a width of about ⅛ inch, and a length of about ½ inch.  
     
     
         12 . The golf club of  claim 8  wherein each of said vent ports has a width of about ⅛ inch, and a length of about ½ inch.  
     
     
         13 . The golf club of  claim 1  further including a vented cap mounted on an upper end of said vented club shaft, said vented cap having at least one vent port formed therein.  
     
     
         14 . The golf club of  claim 13  wherein said grip includes a radially in-turned lip at an upper end thereof for engaging and retaining said vented cap on said shaft upper end.  
     
     
         15 . The golf club of  claim 1  further including a vented cap mounted on an upper end of said vented club shaft, said vented cap having a plurality of vent ports formed therein.  
     
     
         16 . A golf club, comprising: 
 a club head;    a club shaft having a hollow tubular construction and a lower end connected to said club head; and    a grip mounted on said club shaft generally at an upper end thereof;    said club shaft having a circumferentially spaced array of vent ports formed therein at a position generally in closely spaced relation to said grip, said vent ports permitting discharge from said club shaft of a portion of shock energy generated upon impact of said club head with a golf ball, thereby reducing the magnitude of shock energy transmitted to a golfer's hands grasping said grip.    
     
     
         17 . The golf club of  claim 16  further including a reinforcement sleeve mounted on said club shaft generally in surrounding relation to said vent ports, said reinforcement sleeve having a circumferentially spaced array of openings formed therein generally in respective alignment with said vent ports formed in said club shaft.  
     
     
         18 . A golf club, comprising: 
 a club head;    a club shaft having a hollow tubular construction and a lower end connected to said club head;    a grip mounted on said club shaft generally at an upper end thereof; and    a vented cap mounted on an upper end of said vented club shaft, said vented cap having at least one vent port formed therein for permitting discharge from said club shaft of a portion of shock energy generated upon impact of said club head with a golf ball, thereby reducing the magnitude of shock energy transmitted to a golfer's hands grasping said grip.    
     
     
         19 . The golf club of  claim 18  wherein said grip includes a radially in-turned lip at an upper end thereof for engaging and retaining said vented cap on said shaft upper end.