Systems and methods for fitting golf clubs to golfers

Abstract

A system for fitting golf clubs to golfers that enables an overall club length to be varied without varying the length of the golf club shaft. The system enables a greater number of combinations of club characteristics, such as shaft flex, brand, and length, to be contained within a club fitting cart and/or for a same number of combinations of club characteristics to be contained within a smaller cart.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club fitting system, comprising:
 a golf club head including a body portion having a first tubular passage and a plurality of first castellations arranged about an upper end of the first tubular passage, the first castellations extending upward; and   a collar portion including a second tubular passage configured to receive a golf club shaft having a shaft length, and further including a plurality of second castellations arranged about a lower end thereof, the second castellations extending downward;   wherein the first and second castellations seat with one another in a first configuration to define, in combination with the golf club shaft having the shaft length, a first overall golf club length;   wherein the first and second castellations seat with one another in a second configuration to define, in combination with the golf club shaft having the shaft length, a second overall golf club length, wherein the first and second overall golf club lengths are different.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 1 , wherein when the first and second castellations seat with one another in the first configuration, the collar portion defines a first rotational orientation with respect to the body portion, and when the first and second castellations seat with one another in the second configuration, the collar portion defines a second rotational orientation with respect to the body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first castellations comprise a pair of first upwardly-extending diametrically-opposed tabs, and a pair of second upwardly-extending diametrically-opposed tabs. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 3 , wherein the first tabs are measurably longer axially than the second tabs. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 3 , wherein the first tabs are offset from the second tabs by about 90° around the perimeter of the first tubular passage. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 3 , wherein the second castellations comprise a pair of first diametrically-opposed slots configured to receive the first tabs and a pair of second diametrically-opposed slots configured to receive the second tabs. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plug portion extending from the collar portion, wherein the first tubular passage of the body portion receives the plug portion. 
     
     
         8 . A golf club fitting system, comprising:
 a golf club head including a hosel having a first tubular passage, the hosel having a slot in a sidewall thereof defining a plurality of detents; and   a tubular adapter having a radial protrusion, the adapter including a second tubular passage configured to receive a golf club shaft having a shaft length;   wherein the radial protrusion is configured to be seated in any of the detents in the slot to vary an extent to which the adapter and the golf club shaft having the shaft length extend into the first tubular passage to thereby vary an overall golf club length using the golf club shaft having the shaft length.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 8 , wherein the slot defines two detents. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 8 , further comprising a securement mechanism configured to removably secure the adapter to the golf club shaft and to the golf club head. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 10 , wherein the securement mechanism comprises one or more set screws. 
     
     
         12 . A method for fitting a set of golf clubs to a golfer, the method comprising:
 securing a first golf club head to a golf club shaft such that the golf club shaft extends a first distance into the first golf club head;   removing the first golf club head from the golf club shaft; and   securing a second golf club head to the golf club shaft such that the golf club shaft extends a second distance into the second golf club head;   wherein the first and second distances are different; and   wherein the first and second distances respectively correspond to first and second rotational orientations of the golf club heads to the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first rotational orientation of the golf club heads to the golf club shaft is offset by about 90° from the second rotational orientation of the golf club heads to the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         14 . A golf club fitting system, comprising:
 at least two golf club heads; and   a golf club shaft;   wherein the system is configurable to provide a plurality of golf club lengths using only the golf club heads and the golf club shaft; and   wherein providing the plurality of golf club lengths comprises varying an extent to which the golf club shaft extends into the golf club heads.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 14 , wherein providing the plurality of golf club lengths comprises varying a hosel length of a golf club formed from the golf club heads and the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of hosel-like sleeves having variable bore lengths, wherein the sleeves are alternately receivable within a bore in each of the golf club heads. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club fitting system of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of adapters, wherein the adapters are receivable within a bore in each of the golf club heads to selectively limit an extent to which the golf club shaft may extend into each of the golf club heads.