Custom configured golf shaft

Abstract

A golf shaft assembly is a stand-alone component for subsequent use with a golf club-head. The assembly includes a shaft with an adapter that is affixed to the bottom end of the shaft for engaging with the club-head. An adapter-spline is formed near the top end of the adapter that meshes with a club-head spline on the hosel of a club-head to hold the club-head in a base position relative to the golf shaft. In this base position the club-head has a predetermined loft angle α and a predetermined face angle β that are presented preparatory to a golf swing by a golfer. Optionally, the assembly can include at least one annular shaped collar that can be positioned between the adapter-spline and the club-head spline for introducing loft and/or club-face adjustments to optimize the user's golf swing.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 21  wherein the golf club-head is formed with a tubular shaped channel passing through the club-head spline, wherein the sleeve has a threaded recess formed into the second end of the sleeve along the axis of the sleeve, and further wherein a screw extends through the channel in the club-head for engagement with the threaded recess of the sleeve to hold the club-head on the shaft with the club-head spline engaged with the adapter-spline. 
     
     
         6 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 21  wherein the club-head has a club-face defining a club-face plane, and wherein the loft angle α is measured between a vertical plane and the club-face plane. 
     
     
         7 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 6  wherein the club-face defines a club-face line and the face angle β is measured between the club-face line and a line perpendicular to a target line. 
     
     
         8 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 7  wherein an engagement of the club-head spline with the adapter-spline provides for fixed repositioning of the club-head relative to the base position with a loft angle change Δα in a range where Δα is less than ±5° and with a line angle change Δβ in a range where Δβ is less than ±10°. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A golf shaft assembly adapted for engagement with a golf club-head to provide the golf club-head with predetermined adjustments for a club-face loft angle α and a club-face line angle β, wherein the golf club-head has a hosel formed with an annular shaped club-head spline, and wherein the golf shaft assembly comprises:
 a shaft having a predetermined length, wherein the shaft has a first end and a second end and defines an axis; 
 a handle fastened to the first end of the shaft; and 
 an adapter having a sleeve defining an axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the sleeve is adapted to be affixed to the second end of the shaft. 
 
     
     
         12 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 11  wherein the adapter comprises:
 an annular shaped adapter-spline formed on the sleeve adjacent the first end thereof, wherein the adapter-spline is centered on the axis of the sleeve; 
 an annular shaped club-head spline formed on the hosel of the golf club-head, wherein the club-head spline is formed to engage with the adapter-spline to present a predetermined loft angle α and a predetermined face angle β for the club-head preparatory to a golf swing by a golfer; 
 a first annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve and positioned thereon, wherein the first collar has an upper spline formed for engagement with the adapter-spline and the first collar has a lower spline; and 
 a second annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve and positioned thereon, wherein the second collar has an upper spline formed for engagement with the lower spline of the first collar and the second collar has a lower spline formed for engagement with the club-head spline, and wherein the upper spline of the first collar is formed with a spline pitch to impart a loft angle change Δα for the club-head relative to a base position, and wherein the lower spline of the second collar is formed with an angular offset to impart a line angle change Δβ relative to the base position. 
 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 12  wherein the shaft is formed with an axially oriented spine to define a base line for the shaft relative to a plane of predetermined bending resistance for the shaft and wherein the shaft includes a shaft reference mark positioned on the shaft at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the base line of the shaft and the adapter is aligned with the axis of the shaft, and wherein the club-head is selectively oriented by the first collar of the adapter with a loft angle change Δα in a range less than ±5° relative to the base position and the club-head is selectively oriented by the second collar of the adapter with a line angle change Δβ in a range less than ±10° relative to the base position. 
     
     
         15 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 12  wherein the golf club-head is formed with a tubular shaped channel passing through the club-head spline, and the sleeve further comprises a threaded recess formed into the second end of the sleeve along the axis of the sleeve adapted to receive a screw extending through the channel in the club-head for engagement with the threaded recess of the sleeve to hold the club-head on the shaft with the club-head spline engaged with the adapter-spline. 
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing a golf shaft assembly which comprises the steps of:
 forming a shaft having a predetermined length with a first end and a second end to define an axis therebetween, wherein the shaft is formed with an axially oriented spine to define a base line for the shaft relative to a plane of predetermined bending resistance for the shaft;   fastening a handle to the first end of the shaft; and   affixing an adapter to the second end of the shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the steps of:
 creating a sleeve defining an axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the sleeve is adapted to be affixed to the second end of the shaft; 
 forming an annular shaped adapter-spline on the sleeve adjacent the first end thereof, wherein the adapter-spline is centered on the axis of the sleeve; 
 placing a washer around the axis on the sleeve adjacent the second end thereof; 
 positioning a first annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve between the adapter-spline and the washer, wherein the first collar has an upper spline formed for engagement with the adapter-spline and the first collar has a lower spline; and 
 positioning a second annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve between the first collar and the washer, wherein the second collar has an upper spline formed for engagement with the lower spline of the first collar and the second collar has a lower spline. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a golf club-head having a hosel with a club-head spline formed for engagement with the lower spline of the second collar, and having a tubular shaped channel passing through the club-head and the club-head spline; 
 creating a threaded recess into the second end of the sleeve along the axis of the sleeve; and 
 extending a screw through the channel in the club-head for engagement with the threaded recess of the sleeve to hold the club-head on the shaft with the club-head spline engaged with the lower spline of the second collar to present a predetermined loft angle α and a predetermined face angle β for the club-head preparatory to a golf swing by a golfer. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the steps of:
 forming the upper spline of the first collar with a spline pitch to impart a loft angle change Δα for the club-head relative to a base position; and 
 forming the lower spline of the second collar with an angular offset to impart a face angle change Δβ relative to the base position. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the spline pitch of the first collar imparts a loft angle change Δα for the club-head in a range less than ±5° relative to the base position, and wherein the angular offset of the second collar of the adapter imparts a face angle change Δβ in a range less than ±10° relative to the base position. 
     
     
         21 . A golf shaft assembly adapted for engagement with a golf club-head to provide the golf club-head with predetermined adjustments for a club-face loft angle α and a club-face line angle β, wherein the golf club-head has a hosel formed with an annular shaped club-head spline, and wherein the golf shaft assembly comprises:
 a shaft having a predetermined length, wherein the shaft has a first end and a second end and defines an axis; 
 a handle fastened to the first end of the shaft; 
 an elongated adapter including a sleeve having a first end and a second end with the first end of the sleeve affixed to the second end of the shaft with the sleeve aligned along the axis of the shaft; 
 an annular shaped adapter-spline formed on the sleeve adjacent the first end thereof, wherein the adapter-spline is centered on the axis of the sleeve; 
 a first annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve and selectively positioned thereon adjacent the adapter-spline, wherein the first collar has an upper spline formed for selective engagement with the adapter-spline, and the first collar has a lower spline; and 
 a second annular shaped collar centered on the axis of the sleeve and positioned thereon adjacent the first collar and opposite the adapter spline, wherein the second collar has an upper spline formed for selective engagement with the lower spline of the first collar and the second collar has a lower spline formed for engagement with the club-head spline, wherein the engagement of the first collar with the adapter spline adjusts the club-face loft angle α, and the engagement of the second collar with the first collar adjusts the club-face line angle β when the shaft assembly is engaged with the golf club-head. 
 
     
     
         22 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 21  wherein the upper spline of the first collar is formed with a spline pitch to impart a loft angle change Δα for the club-head relative to a base position, and wherein the lower spline of the second collar is formed with an angular offset to impart a line angle change Δβ relative to the base position. 
     
     
         23 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 22  wherein the club-head is selectively oriented by the first collar of the adapter with a loft angle change Δα in a range less than ±5° relative to the base position and the club-head is selectively oriented by the second collar of the adapter with a line angle change Δβ in a range less than ±10° relative to the base position. 
     
     
         24 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 22  wherein the shaft is formed with an axially oriented spine to define a base line for the shaft relative to a plane of predetermined bending resistance for the shaft and the shaft has a reference mark positioned thereon at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the base line of the shaft 
     
     
         25 . The golf shaft assembly of  claim 24  wherein the adapter spline has a reference mark positioned thereon for alignment with the reference mark on the shaft to establish a reference alignment between the adapter and the shaft.