Phoenixx Tpc, Inc.

Unifiber USA

Jerald A Rolla

Laurent C Bissonnette

David B Park

Richard G Tennent

Richard L Tennent

A golf club shaft is made from sheets of carbon fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. A method and apparatus are also set forth for making a golf club shaft in a substantially voidless manner. An improvement in vibration dampening is obtained.

Method for making a thermoplastic composite tubular member such as a golf shaft

A golf club shaft is described having a 'modified hourglass' shape which provides many predetermined combinations of flex, stiffness and torque (which together are perceived as shaft and club 'feel') and which is virtually immune to breakage in normal play. The shaft is formed of a base rod with expanded axial sections: a grip section, an upper flare section, a flex control section, a lower flare section, and a hosel section. The lower flare section increases in diameter from its junction with the flex control section to a maximum diameter at its junction with the hosel section, which when the club is assembled is preferably recessed into the club head hosel. Variation of the relative lengths and/or thicknesses of the flex control section and the lower flare section determine the location of the junction between them, and thus the relative amounts of flex, torque and stiffness which produce the feel desired in the shaft. The shafts are formed of composite of polymers (resin) reinforced internally by fibers, preferably carbon fibers.

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Santee, CA, United States of America

Jerald A Rolla