Abstract: A golf club shaft having a spar, a tube, and a skin is formed which reduces shaft aerodynamic drag. The skin transforms in cross-sectional shape from a circular one at the grip, to a streamlined shape at the shaft tip. The spar introduces stiffness in the plane generally perpendicular to the direction of swing, thereby offsetting the effect of unequal sectional moments of inertia of the streamlined skin. Manufacturing methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A lightweight shaft 22 of generally tubular configuration, for with a golf club 20, is formed with a first layer 34 of a non-metallic composite material of a given density including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86. A second layer 38 of the shaft 22 is composed of a two foam half-forms 124, or a foam full-form 142, having a density which is lower than the given density and which are located around at least a portion of the length of the first layer 34. A third layer 40 of the shaft 22 is also composed of a non-metallic composite material including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86 which is located around the second layer 38 of the shaft 22. A portion of the third layer 38 is also located about the first layer 34 at a tip end 30 of the shaft 22.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a shaft for a golf club, the shaft including: tip and butt ends defined at opposite distal ends of the shaft's length; and the shaft having a balance point axially spaced from the tip end a distance in the range of from about 56 percent to about 58.5 percent of the shaft's length.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a golf club shaft and to a process for manufacturing same. The golf club shaft is made of a fiber- and resin-base composite material, the shaft including, along a part of its length, a neck portion in which a ring is inserted, such ring being made of a material having a density higher than the density of the composite material and the ring having a first end portion and a second end portion each having an inner surface in contact with the surface of the neck portion which flares out gradually up to the ends of the ring.

Abstract: A main body of a hollow cylindrical member is formed of a wound preimpregnation sheet made of reinforcing fibers impregnated with synthetic resins. A synthetic resins layer with a metallic member is provided onto an outer periphery of the main body for reinforcing and/or decorative property. The metallic member is in the form of a thin film bonded to an outer periphery of the synthetic resins layer or a net-like metallic member embedded in the layer.

Abstract: A golf club 10 includes a shaft 12 with a grip 14 assembled on a butt end 16 of the shaft. A club head 18 is mounted on a tip end 20 of the shaft 12. The shaft 12 is composed of steel and is formed with an intermediate section 22 having a plurality of sections 22a through 22n of decreasing diameter from the butt end 16 toward the tip end 20. A bulge 24 is formed in the shaft 12 near an inboard extremity of the tip end 20. The bulge 24 is formed with a central cylindrical section 26 with three cylindrical step surfaces 30, 32 and 34 at one axial end of the section 26 and three step surfaces 36, 38 and 40 at the opposite axial end of the section 26. The diameter of the central section 26 is greater than the diameter of the immediately adjacent portions of the shaft 12.

Abstract: A hollow golf club shaft has the first section and the second section. The first section has an inner layer which is made of viscoelastic-foam material and an outer layer which is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic composite. The inner layer is enclosed by the outer layer. The first section has a non-circular cross-section such as a generally elliptic cross-section, a generally half elliptic cross-section, a generally pyriform cross-section, and a generally semicircular cross-section.