Shaft fitting system

Abstract

A method of selecting a preferred golf shaft for a player who uses an existing golf shaft, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may comprise gathering a plurality of empirical data sets, each data set corresponding to an individual golf shaft selected from a plurality of golf shafts; providing a plurality of specification codes, each associated with an individual empirical data set of the plurality of empirical data sets; from the plurality of specification codes, identifying a first specification code associated with the existing golf shaft; gathering feedback associated with the existing golf shaft from the player; and using the feedback to select, from the plurality of specification codes, a second specification code corresponding to the preferred golf shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club comprising:
 a club head;   a shaft attached to the club head;   a grip; and   specification code indicia displayed at one of the club head, the shaft and the grip, the specification code indicia representing a stiffness distribution of the shaft in an axial direction.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein, the specification code indicia includes at least two stiffness values, each of the at least two stiffness values representing a measurement of shaft stiffness at different locations along the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two stiffness values are unitless. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the specification code indicia is located on the shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein each of the at least two stiffness values is an integer within a range of zero to nine. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the range of integers corresponds to a range of stiffness such that a higher integer represents a higher stiffness. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein an integer of one represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an A-flex shaft, and integer of three represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an R-flex shaft, an integer of five represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an S-flex shaft, an integer of seven represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an X-flex shaft, and an integer of nine represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an XX-flex shaft. 
     
     
         8 . A golf club shaft comprising:
 a tip end;   a butt end opposite the tip end;   a middle portion between the tip end and the butt end; and   a specification code indicia, the specification code indicia representing a stiffness distribution of the shaft in an axial direction.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the specification code indicia includes at least two stiffness values, each of the at least two stiffness values representing a measurement of shaft stiffness at different locations along the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the specification codeindicia includes at least three stiffness values, further wherein at least one stiffness value represents a measurement of shaft stiffness proximal the tip end, at least one stiffness value represents a measurement of shaft stiffness proximal the middle portion, and at least one stiffness value represents a measurement of shaft stiffness proximal the butt end. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein each of the at least three stiffness values are unitless. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein each of the at least three stiffness values is an integer within a range of zero to nine. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the range of integers corresponds to a range of stiffness such that a higher integer represents a higher stiffness. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein an integer of one represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an A-flex shaft, and integer of three represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an R-flex shaft, an integer of five represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an S-flex shaft, an integer of seven represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an X-flex shaft, and an integer of nine represents a stiffness generally corresponding to that of an XX-flex shaft.