Extensible golf club

Abstract

A golf club which includes interconnected segments which can be added to extend the length thus providing an inexpensive alternative to buying new golf clubs. The segments are securely connected to achieve a rigid and sturdy golf club which can grow longer as a child grows taller. The segments preferably have a threaded male/female connection with epoxy applied to the threads followed by the added security of a roll pin inserted into the connection.

1 . An extensible golf club comprising: 
 a club head;    a handle; and    a shaft coupled to the club head and the handle,    the shaft including at least one spacer segment operable to selectively adjust the length of the shaft, and configured for maintaining the integrity of the shaft as an integral member.    
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer segment is removably attachable to the shaft.    
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 2 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer segment includes a female portion and a male portion for coupling to a first portion and a second portion of the shaft.    
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 3 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer segment is configured for coupling with a first portion and a second portion of the shaft.    
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 4 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer segment includes one spacer segment.    
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 3 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer segment includes a plurality of spacer segments.    
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 6 , 
 wherein each of said spacer segments is configured for coupling with one of: 
 a) a spacer segment and a portion of the shaft; or  
 b) two spacer segments.  
   
     
     
         8 . An extensible golf club comprising: 
 a shaft formed of a first portion and a second portion; and    at least one spacer member configured for coupling the first shaft portion to the second shaft portion and configured for maintaining the integrity of the shaft as an integral member when the first and second shaft portions are coupled thereto.    
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 8 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer member includes a first end including a female-type receiving port and a second end including a male-type connector.    
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 9 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer member includes one spacer member.    
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 10 , 
 wherein the female-type receiving port on the spacer member is configured for engaging a correspondingly configured male portion on the first shaft portion and the male-type connector is configured for engaging a correspondingly configured female receiving portion of the second shaft portion.    
     
     
         12 . The golf club of  claim 9 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer member includes a plurality of spacer members.    
     
     
         13 . The golf club of  claim 12 , 
 wherein the female-type receiving port on the spacer member is configured for engaging a correspondingly configured male portion on either of the first shaft portion or a spacer member, and the male-type connector is configured for engaging a correspondingly configured female receiving portion on either of the second shaft portion or a spacer member.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for extending a golf club comprising: 
 at least one spacer member configured for coupling a first portion of a golf club to a second portion of the golf club, and configured for maintaining the integrity of the golf club as an integral member when the first and second golf club portions are coupled together.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , 
 wherein the at least one spacer member includes a first end including a female-type receiving port and a second end including a male-type connector.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , 
 additionally comprising: a first portion of a golf club and a second portion of a golf club.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , 
 wherein the first portion of a golf club includes a shaft portion in communication with a handle and the second portion of the golf club includes a shaft portion in communication with a head.    
     
     
         18 . A spacer member for extending the length of a golf club comprising: 
 a body configured for coupling a first portion of a golf club to a second portion of the golf club, and configured for maintaining the integrity of the golf club as an integral member when the first and second golf club portions are coupled together.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , 
 wherein the body includes a first end including a female-type receiving port and a second end including a male-type connector.    
     
     
         20 . An extensible golf club comprising: 
 a club head presenting a substantially flat ball-striking surface;    a handle; and    a shaft coupled to the club head and the handle,    said shaft including at least one spacer segment operable to selectively adjust the length of the shaft,    said shaft being configured to prevent telescopic adjustment of the length thereof.    
     
     
         21 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said shaft including a normally lower portion coupled to the club head and a normally upper portion coupled to the handle,    said spacer segment being adapted to be coupled between the lower portion and the upper portion.    
     
     
         22 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 21 , 
 said shaft being non-retractable.    
     
     
         23 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said shaft including a plurality of spacer segments operable to selectively adjust the length of the shaft,    each of said spacer segments including a first end and a second end,    said first end of one of said spacer segments being configured to at least partly abut a second end of an adjacent one of said spacer segments.    
     
     
         24 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 23 , 
 said spacer segments being interchangeable.    
     
     
         25 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 23;  and 
 a locking mechanism for fixing the spacer segments relative to one another.  
 
     
     
         26 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 25 , 
 said locking mechanism selected from the group consisting of thread, epoxy, a pin, and combinations of two or more thereof.    
     
     
         27 . An extensible golf club as claimed in  claim 23 , 
 said spacer segments being selectively interconnectable so that multiple spacer segments can be simultaneously used to adjust the length of the shaft.