Abstract: A temporary shaft-component connection for assembling a selected golf club shaft with a club head and/or hand grip segment, to facilitate custom club design and fitting to suit the needs and preferences of an individual golfer. The temporary shaft-component connection is particularly designed for use with nonmetallic club shafts formed from a graphite-based composite material or the like having a range of different lengths and stiffness (whip) characteristics. The temporary connection includes an adapter insert for slide-fit reception into an adapter socket, wherein the adapter insert and socket include interengaging flat surfaces such as splines to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The adapter insert is mechanically seated and secured relative to the adapter socket at a pair of axially spaced locations, with a resilient compressible anchor member disposed at one of these securement points for substantially eliminating undesired intercomponent movement.

Abstract: A slotted hosel and related attachment system and method are provided for securely affixing a golf club head to the end of a golf club shaft. The hosel is formed to extend generally upwardly from a heel end of the club head and has a generally cylindrical shape defining an upwardly open hosel bore. At least one and preferably multiple laterally open slots are formed in the hosel to reduce the weight thereof. A relatively thin-walled liner sleeve is slide-fitted into the hosel bore and thereafter expanded to form dimples therein protruding outwardly into secure mechanical interlocking relation with the hosel. The end of the club shaft is thereafter slide-fitted into the liner sleeve and securely affixed therein by epoxy or the like.