Patent Publication Number: US-2013230654-A1

Title: Methods for marking golf club ferrule

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/184,192, filed Jul. 15, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The application relates generally to ferrules for a golf club, markings thereon, and related methods for creating such markings. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Ferrules and sleeves can be used to join a golf club shaft to a golf club head. The sleeve and ferrule can be fixed together and fixed to the shaft tip to form a shaft assembly. The sleeve is inserted into the hosel of the club head and secured with a locking mechanism. In golf clubs where the connection between the shaft assembly and the club head is adjustable, the shaft assembly can be configured to be rotationally adjustable relative to the club head to provide a plurality of different orientations of the club head face relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. To help a user make such an adjustment, some golf clubs include informational markings on the club head and on the sleeve to help align the shaft assembly at a desired rotational alignment relative to the club head. 
     SUMMARY 
     Described herein are embodiments of ferrules and sleeves for a golf club, markings thereon, and related methods for creating such markings. 
     Some exemplary methods of creating markings on a golf club ferrule comprise providing a polymeric ferrule body having a first color; painting at least a portion of the ferrule body with a paint material, the paint material having a second color that is different than the first color; and removing one or more portions of the paint material from the ferrule body to reveal respective portions of the first color, thereby forming one or more markings on the ferrule. In some of these methods, removing one or more portions of the paint material from the ferrule body comprises laser engraving. 
     In some of these methods, the first color and the second color have a high contrast relative to one another. In some of these methods, CIELab L* value of the first color is greater than 75 and the CIELab L* value of the second color is less than 25. In some of these methods, the absolute value of the difference between the CIELab L* value of the first color and the CIELab L* value of the second color is at least 50. 
     In some of these methods, the ferrule body comprises a cellulosic material, such as white cellulose acetate material, and in some of these methods the paint material comprises a black gloss paint. 
     In some of these methods, painting at least a portion of the ferrule body with a paint material comprises painting a substantial portion of the outer surface of the ferrule body with the paint material. 
     In some of these methods, the ferrule is fixed to a shaft and a sleeve to form a shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being rotatably adjustable relative to a golf club head, wherein the markings on the ferrule visually indicate a rotational position of shaft assembly relative to the golf club head. 
     In some of these methods, the ferrule comprises a plurality of longitudinally oriented recesses and the markings are formed within the recesses. 
     In some of these methods, the markings comprise lines having small average line widths, such as less than 1.0 mm. In some of these methods, the markings comprise one or more outlined characters. 
     In some of these methods, the ferrule body is injection molded. 
     In some of these methods, removing one or more portions of the paint material from the ferrule body comprises masking the ferrule body prior to painting and removing the masking to reveal portions of the first color. 
     Some exemplary embodiments of a golf club ferrule comprise a polymeric ferrule body having a first color and defining an outer surface, and a cover layer comprising a paint material having a second color, the cover layer covering a substantial portion of the outer surface of the ferrule body, wherein one or more portions of the ferrule body are exposed through the cover layer, the exposed portions of the ferrule body forming informational markings on the ferrule. 
     In some of these methods, the difference between the CIELab L* value of the first color and the CIELab L* value of the second color is at least 50. 
     In some of these methods, the informational markings have an average line width of less than 1.0 mm. 
     In some of these methods, the ferrule is fixed to a shaft and a sleeve to form a shaft assembly of the golf club, the shaft assembly being rotatably adjustable relative to a golf club head, wherein the informational markings on the ferrule visually indicate a rotational position of the shaft assembly relative to the golf club head. 
     Some exemplary embodiments of a golf club comprise a golf club head and a shaft assembly adjustably attached to the golf club head, the shaft assembly comprising a shaft, a sleeve and a ferrule fixed together, the sleeve having an upper portion that includes at least one informational marking, the ferrule being positioned over the upper portion of the sleeve and comprising at least one feature such that the at least one informational marking can be seen through the at least one feature. 
     In some of these methods, the at least one feature comprises at least one opening in the ferrule or at least one transparent portion of the ferrule. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an exemplary golf club described herein. 
         FIG. 1B  is an assembled view of the golf club of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the golf club of  FIG. 1B , showing a connection between an exemplary ferrule, an exemplary sleeve, and an exemplary club head body. 
         FIGS. 3A-3C  are views of exemplary sleeves for use in the golf club of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an exemplary ferrule having markings, for use in the golf club of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the ferrule of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional view of the ferrule of  FIG. 4B , taken along section line  4 C. 
         FIG. 4D  is a cross-sectional view of the ferrule of  FIG. 4B , taken along section line  4 D. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side views of an exemplary combination of a sleeve and a ferrule, including exemplary markings, the combination for use with the golf club of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are side views of another exemplary combination of a sleeve and a ferrule, including exemplary markings, the combination for use with the golf club of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side views of yet another exemplary combination of a sleeve and a ferrule, including exemplary markings, the combination for use with the golf club of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of an exemplary ferrule having openings. 
         FIG. 8B  is an exploded view of a portion of an exemplary golf club, showing a sleeve having markings on an upper portion and the ferrule of  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 8C  is an assembled view of the portion of the golf club shown in  FIG. 8B , showing the markings on the sleeve being visible through the openings in the ferrule. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein are embodiments of ferrules and sleeves for a golf club, markings thereon, and related methods for creating such markings. The following description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Various changes to the described embodiments and methods may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     As used in this application, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The phrase “and/or” means “and”, “or” and both “and” and “or”. The term “includes” means “comprises.” Further, the term “coupled” generally means mechanically, electrically and/or chemically coupled or linked and does not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled or associated items absent specific contrary language. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , an exemplary golf club  2  can comprise a club head  4 , a shaft  6 , a sleeve  8 , a ferrule  10 , and various other components. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ferrule  10  can be positioned over a first end portion of the sleeve  8  and an opposite end portion of the sleeve can be secured within a hosel  12  of the club head  4 , such as by means of a screw fastener  14 . A lower end portion, or tip, of the shaft  6  can extend through the ferrule  10  and into the sleeve  8 . The shaft  6 , sleeve  8  and ferrule  10  can be fixed together in a semi-permanent manner, such as by means of friction fits, adhesives, such as epoxy, and/or other conventional attachment means. This fixed assembly of the shaft  6 , sleeve  8  and ferrule  10  is referred to herein as the shaft assembly  16 . 
     The shaft assembly  16  can be rotationally adjustable with respect to the hosel  12 . Adjusting the rotational position of the shaft assembly  16  relative to the hosel  12  can change the alignment of the club head  4  with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft  6 . To aid in adjusting the rotational position of shaft assembly  16  relative to the hosel  12 , one or more surfaces of the shaft assembly, such as exposed surfaces of the sleeve  8  and/or the ferrule  10 , can include markings that can be aligned with an indicator on the hosel. As used herein, the term “markings” can include decorative markings that are for aesthetic purposes, as well as informational markings that are used to convey information to the user, such as information about the rotational positioning of the shaft assembly. The term “informational markings” includes markings that convey useful information to the user, such as information related to the functionality or adjustability of the golf club, and excludes markings that are only decorative. For example, informational markings can include an indication of loft, lie, face angle, or intended ball trajectory such as a “right” or “left” or “neutral” flight path. The structure of the shaft assembly  16  and its interaction with the club head  4  is described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0197424 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     As shown in FIGS.  2  and  3 A- 3 C, the sleeve  8  can include a top sleeve portion  20 , a middle sleeve portion  22 , and a bottom sleeve portion  24 . The top portion  20  can include a tapered and recessed surface  26 , a wide top rim  28 , a narrow mid-section  30 , and a wide lower portion  32 . The top sleeve portion  20  can be covered by the ferrule  10  such that the top sleeve portion is not visible in the assembled golf club  2  (see  FIGS. 1A and 2 ). The wide lower portion  32  of the top sleeve portion  20  is adjacent to an even wider shoulder region  34 . The shoulder region  34  can include a bottom engaging surface  36  that abuts a top surface of the hosel  12 , and a top engaging surface  38  that abuts a lower surface of the ferrule  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the shoulder region  34  can be visible in the assembled golf club between the ferrule  10  and the hosel  12 . In some embodiments, the shoulder region  34  is the only portion of the sleeve  8  that is visible in the assembled golf club  2 . The shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8  can include informational markings that indicate the rotational orientation of the sleeve  8  with respect to the hosel  12  of the club head  4 . For example, markings  40  on the shoulder region  34 , as shown in  FIG. 3A , can be aligned with an indicator  13  located on the visible exterior surface of the hosel  12 . 
     Additional sleeve markings  42  can also be located on the middle sleeve portion  22 . These markings  42  can be hidden within the hosel  12  when the golf club is assembled. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8B , the top sleeve portion  20  can also include markings that are visible through openings in the ferrule  10 . 
     The middle sleeve portion  22  can include a first section  44  and a second section  46 . The first section  44  and second section  46  can be separated by a ridge portion  48 . The first section  44  can include an upper engaging surface  50  that is adjacent and generally perpendicular to the lower surface  36  of the shoulder region  34 . 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the sleeve  8 , showing an interior opening  52  configured to receive the lower tip of the shaft  6 .  FIG. 3C  illustrates an alternative sleeve embodiment  8 A having the same or similar exterior features as the sleeve  8 , but wherein the opening  52 A is shallower and/or has a different diameter(s) than the opening  52  in the sleeve  8 . 
     The sleeve  8  can be made of a strong, lightweight base material, such as an aluminum alloy (A1 7075-T6 for example), or other strong materials, such as a steel material. This base material can have a bright, metallic color. At least some surfaces of the sleeve  8  can further be anodized and/or painted one or more colors, such as darker colors that contrast with the color of the base material. Anodizing a metallic base material prior to painting it can provide greater adhesion and durability of the paint. In some embodiments, the shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8  is painted black and the surfaces below the shoulder region that are inserted into the hosel  12 , including the middle and lower sleeve portions  22 ,  24 , are painted red. The top sleeve portion  20  is covered by the ferrule  10  and can be painted any color or not painted. 
     Markings on the sleeve  8 , such as the markings  40 ,  42 , can be created in various ways. In some embodiments, sleeve markings can be created by painting over the darker colored paint with a lighter, contrasting colored paint, such as a white paint. In some embodiments, sleeve markings can comprise areas of the base material that are not painted or where the paint has been removed. For example, in some embodiments markings can be created by masking portions of the base material prior to painting, then removing the masking to reveal the contrasting color of the base material beneath the paint. In some embodiments, markings can be created by removing portions of the paint to reveal the contrasting color of the base material underneath the paint. For example, portions of the dark paint can be removed with a laser engraving process to reveal the contrasting color of the base material. As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D , some embodiments of the ferrule  10  can comprise an outer wall  60  and an inner wall  62 . The outer wall  60  can include a tapered upper portion  64  that connects to the top of the inner wall  60 . The inner wall  60  can have an annular inner surface  66  that defines an opening  68  for receiving the shaft  6 . The diameter of the opening  68  can be slightly larger than the corresponding shaft tip diameter. The ferrule can include a plurality of protrusions  70  that extend into the opening  68  from the side wall  66  and that can contact the shaft  6  to center the shaft with respect to the ferrule  10 . 
     The outer wall  60  of the ferrule  10  can have a generally cylindrical inner surface  72  that is hidden when the golf club is assembled and an outer surface  74  that is exposed when the golf club is assembled. The outer surface  74  includes all of the exposed surfaces, including the tapered upper portion  64 , a lower portion  80 , a plurality of longitudinal recesses  76  and a plurality of longitudinal ridges  78 . The recesses  76  and the ridges  78  can be formed in an alternating pattern around the outer wall  60  as shown in  FIG. 4A . The recesses  76  and ridges  78  can extend between the tapered upper portion  64  of the ferrule  10  and the lower portion  80  of the ferrule. Eight recesses  76  and eight ridges  78  are shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D , but other embodiments of the ferrule  10  can include more or fewer recesses. The outer wall  60  of the ferrule  10  can be generally tapered from a greater outer diameter at the lower portion  80  to a narrower outer diameter adjacent the tapered portion  64 . As shown in  FIG. 4D , the ridges  78  can also taper in thickness from the lower portion  80  toward the upper tapered portion  64 , such that the recesses  76  are deeper adjacent the lower portion  80  and shallower adjacent the tapered portion  64 . The ridges  78  and recesses  76  can provide a better grip for the user, compared to a smooth outer surface  74 , for twisting the shaft assembly  16 . Ferrule markings, such as the illustrated markings  82 , can be located in the recesses  76  and/or on other portions of the outer surface  74 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4D , an annular cavity  84  can be formed between the inner wall  62  and the outer wall  60 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the golf club  2  is assembled, the annular cavity  84  can fittingly receive the top rim  28  of the sleeve  8 , such as with an interference fit, while the lower portion  80  of the ferrule  10  can abut the top edge  38  of the shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8  and fit tightly around the wide lower portion  32  of the top sleeve portion  20 , such as with an interference fit. In addition to these contact regions between the ferrule  10  and the sleeve  8 , a space  86  defined between the outer wall  60  of the ferrule  10  and the mid-section  30  of the top sleeve portion  20  can be filled with an adhesive, such as epoxy, to help fix the ferrule  10  to the sleeve  8 . 
     The ferrule  10  can comprise a ferrule body and a paint material applied to outer surfaces of the ferrule body. The ferrule body can be made of a lightweight material, such as a polymeric material. The material of the ferrule body can be less strong and lighter weight than the base material of the sleeve  8  because, unlike the sleeve, the ferrule does not need to transfer large forces between the shaft  6  and the club head  4 . By constructing the ferrule  10  of a lighter weight material, the center of gravity of the golf club  2  can be lowered, or moved closer to the sole of the club head  4 . The color of the ferrule body can be a light color, such as a white color. 
     In some embodiments, the ferrule body can comprise a cellulosic material, such as a cellulose acetate material having a hardness of 55 shore D. In other embodiments, the ferrule body can comprise one or more other polymeric materials, such as, but not limited to, cellulosics such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, ethyl cellulose and cellulose propionate, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, fluoropolymer, ionomer, nylon, aromatic polyamide, polyarylates, polyarylether, polyarylsulfone, polybutylene, polycarbonate, polyester, polyestercarbonate, polyetheretherketone, polyethylene, polyimide, polypropylene, polystyrene and styrene copolymers, polysufone, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene dichloride, polyurethane, and combinations of these and/or other polymers. 
     The colors described herein can be defined and measured with respect to the CIELab color space using L*, a*, b* color values. As used herein, L* is referred to as lightness and ranges between 0 and 100, wherein an L* value of 0 represents black and an L* of 100 represents a perfect white diffuser. In some embodiments, the CIELab L* value of the ferrule body can be greater than 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, and/or 93. 
     The polymeric material of the ferrule  10  can be more difficult to paint and mark, however, compared to the metallic material of the sleeve  8 , partly because the polymeric material of the ferrule body cannot be anodized prior to painting. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the outer surface  74  of the ferrule  10  can be painted with a paint material having different color and/or L* value than the color of the ferrule body, for example a darker color, such as a gloss black, that contrasts with the lighter color of the ferrule body. As used herein, the terms “paint”, “painted”, “painting” and the like are used in a general sense to refer to any type of process for covering the ferrule body with a thin layer of another material, such as to change the color, protect the ferrule body, etc. In some embodiments, the CIELab L* value of the paint material on the ferrule  10  can be less than 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and/or 5. 
     In some embodiments, all and/or a substantial portion of the outer surface  74  of the ferrule  10  can be painted with a paint material having a different color than the ferrule body. As used herein, the term “a substantial portion of the outer surface” can mean at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 85%, at least 90% and/or at least 95% of the outer surface  74 . 
     To create markings on the ferrule  10 , one or more portions of the paint material can be removed, such as by using a laser, in for example a laser engraving process, to reveal the contrasting color of the ferrule body. Using a laser engraving process to create markings can result in more accurate, more detailed and more durable markings. Laser engraving can also allow for faster and more efficient manufacturing processes. 
     In other embodiments, portions of the ferrule body to be marked can first be masked, then the ferrule body can be painted, and then the masking can be removed to reveal the color of the ferrule body and thereby form the markings. 
     By creating the markings on the ferrule using laser engraving, the markings can be made highly visible and can have greater definition. For example, smaller characters and thinner line widths can be achieved by using laser engraving than with conventional marking methods. In some embodiments, ferrule markings can comprise average line widths of less of than 1.0 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.02 m, 0.01 mm and/or 0.001 mm. In some embodiments, the ferrule markings can comprise character font sizes of less than 12 point, 10 point, 8 point, 6 point, 5 point, 4 point, 3 point and/or 2 point. In some embodiments, the ferrule markings can comprise characters having average heights of less than 5 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm and/or 0.1 mm. While being small, such markings can be highly visible to the user due to the precision of the marking process and the high contrast of the colors. 
     In some embodiments, outlined markings (such as markings  82  in  FIG. 4A ) can be created by forming a thin line, or outline, around the perimeter of a portion of paint material in a desired shape, such as a letter or logo, such that the marking comprises the engraved outline as well as the portion of paint material within the outline. In this way, a larger marking can be formed without having to remove as much paint. The outline can have an average line width as described in the preceding paragraph, and the marking (a letter, logo, etc.) can have a character font size and/or average height as described in the previous paragraph. In some embodiments, such markings can be created in the recesses  76  and/or on other portions of the ferrule  10 . 
     A high contrast can be achieved between the color of the ferrule body and the color of the paint material. For example, a white color of the ferrule body can provide high contrast relative to a black color of the paint material. The term “contrast” is defined herein as the absolute value of the difference between the L* values of two adjacent colors, and can be represented by “ΔL*”. For example, if the L* value of the ferrule body color is 75 and the L* value of the paint material color is 25, then the contrast, or ΔL*, between the paint material color and the ferrule body color is 50. In some embodiments, ΔL* between the paint material color and the ferrule body color can be greater than 25, greater than 40, greater than 50, greater than 60, greater than 70, greater than 75, greater than 80, greater than 85 and/or greater than 90. In some embodiments, the ferrule body color and the paint material color can have a “high contrast,” which can be defined as a ΔL* value that is greater than 40, greater than 50, greater than 60, greater than 65, greater than 70 and/or greater than 75 (if not otherwise defined, the term “high contrast” in a claim means a ΔL* value greater than 40). In one particular embodiment, the L* value of the ferrule body is 25 and the L* value of the paint material is 75, making ΔL* equal to 50, which is a high contrast because it is greater than 40. 
     Because the ferrule markings can be negative images engraved out of the paint material, the markings can be more resistant to chipping off or wearing away than if the markings were formed by painting the markings positively onto the ferrule body. The painted areas surrounding the engraved markings can have much larger area than the engraved markings themselves, such that the engraved markings, or “relief” markings, are more durable than if the markings were made by positively painting the markings onto the ferrule body. In the latter case, the markings would be formed of small areas of paint (thin lines, small characters) that can more easily be chipped off or worn away compared to engraved markings. 
     Also, because the ferrule markings can be made with greater precision and smaller sizes, more markings can be placed in smaller areas on the ferrule  10 . For example, with laser engraving, words with more letters can be included in a given surface area. For example, for a given area on the ferrule  10 , instead of just using an abbreviation, such as “STD”, as a marking, the whole word “STANDARD” or a longer phrase like “STD LOFT” can be used as the marking. This can provide the user with more information and reduce confusion as to what the markings mean. Laser engraved markings on the ferrule  10  can be located on various areas of the outer surface of the ferrule. As shown in  FIG. 4A , markings  82  can be located in the recesses  76 . In some embodiments, markings can be located on the ridges  78 , as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Markings in the recesses  76  can be more durable than markings on the ridges, as the users hands make more contact with the ridges  78  and can wear the ridge surfaces more significantly over time. Markings can also be located on the lower portion  80  of the ferrule. 
     The ferrule markings  82  can corresponds with sleeve markings  40  on the shoulder region  34  and sleeve markings  42  on the middle sleeve portion  22  to indicate plural orientation positions of the shaft assembly  16 . The sleeve markings  42  can be formed to extend over the ridge  48  between the top and bottom sections  46 ,  44  of the middle sleeve portion  22 . At least one additional marking, such as the indicator  13  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , can be included on the hosel  12 . The markings on the sleeve and ferrule that align with the indicator  13  on the hosel can indicate to the user the rotational relationship between the shaft assembly  16  and the club head  4 . 
     The available surface area of the ferrule  10  can be much greater than the available surface area of the shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8 . Thus, it can be desirable to include markings on the ferrule  10  in addition to, or in place of, the markings  40  on the shoulder region  34 . Larger markings and markings with more characters can be included on the ferrule  10  as opposed to the smaller shoulder region  34 . As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , markings  82  on the ridges of the ferrule  10  can include characters written in different orientations, such that they can be easily read when the shaft assembly is positioned horizontally or vertically. Because the markings  82  on the ferrule  10  can be descriptive enough to be self-explanatory, the markings  40  on the shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8  can be less descriptive or not included. This can allow for a smaller shoulder region  34  and thus a smaller and lighter sleeve  8 . As the sleeve  8  is generally comprised of a heavier material than the ferrule  10 , a smaller sleeve and larger ferrule can result is less overall weight in the shaft assembly  16 , which can lower the center of gravity of the golf club and/or allow the difference in weight to be redistributed to another part of the club, such as in the club head  4 . In addition, as the ferrule  10  is fixed to the sleeve  8 , the sleeve markings  40  and the ferrule markings  82  can combine together to from larger markings that cross over both the ferrule  10  and the shoulder region  34 . 
     Having more information present in the markings  40  and  82  can allow a user to more readily understand the markings when the golf club is assembled and the markings  42  are hidden within the hosel  12 . For example, when a golfer looks at an assembled club and only sees a single letter, such an “L”, on the shoulder region  34  that is aligned with an indicator on the hosel, the user may not know what “L” stands for (does it mean “LOFT”, “LEFT” or some other concept?), and may need to refer to a manual or disassemble the shaft assembly from the hosel  12  to read additional markings on the hidden parts of the sleeve to understand what “L” stands for. This can be time consuming, annoying, and/or impossible, such as if the golfer is in the middle of a round of golf. However, if the golfer looks at the assembled club and sees the marking “LEFT” on the ferrule  10 , instead of just “L”, the user can intuitively understand that aligning that marking with the indicator  13  on the hosel will result in ball traveling more to the left on a shot. And if the user sees the marking “LEFT 2°”, the user can get even more information from the marking. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in some embodiments the shoulder region  34  of the sleeve  8  can nevertheless be made thicker and the ferrule  10  can be smaller. This can allow for additional and/or more detailed markings to be located on the shoulder region  34 . With sufficient markings on the shoulder region  34 , the ferrule  10  can be free of markings or have less detailed markings while still providing enough information to a user when the golf club is assembled. 
     The outer surface of the ferrule  10  can include a protectant layer, or cover layer, that can be applied after the markings  82  are created. The protectant can help protect the painted surfaces and the portions of the ferrule body that are exposed at the markings  82  from dirt, scratches, wearing, corrosion, and/or other damage. In addition, a glossy finish can be applied to all exposed surfaces to further protect the surfaces and provide a desirable appearance. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8A-8C , alternative embodiments of a ferrule  100  can comprise one or more features that allow a user to see through the ferrule  100  and view the sleeve  8  beneath the ferrule. For example, such features can comprise one or more windows  102  in the outer wall  104  of the ferrule. In other embodiments, such features can comprise one or more transparent portions of the ferrule. 
     The ferrule  100  can be fixed to an alternative embodiment of a sleeve  110  that includes markings  112  on the top sleeve portion  114  above a shoulder region  116 . The markings  112  can be formed by laser engraving a paint layer applied to the top sleeve portion  114 . In some embodiments, the top sleeve portion  114  is anodized and painted a red color and the markings  112  are laser engraved through the red paint to reveal the bright metallic color of the underlying aluminum base material of the sleeve  8 . In some of these embodiments, the ferrule  100  can have a black painted outer surface and can have at least one window  102  that exposes a red painted top sleeve portion  102  with a metallic colored marking in the center. The colors of the paint used on the sleeve and the ferrule can vary to provide a desired contrast, such as a high contrast, and/or other visual characteristics. In some embodiments, the markings  112  can be formed in other ways, such as by a masking process or by painting the markings onto an otherwise unpainted top sleeve portion  114 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8A-8C , the ferrule  100  includes four windows  102  that align with four markings  112  on the sleeve  8 . In other embodiments, more or fewer windows  102  and markings  112 , such as  3  or fewer to  8  or more, can be included, though the number of windows and the number of markings are generally the same. In some of these embodiments, the ferrule  100  can be free of markings. In others of these embodiments, the ferrule  100  can include markings, like the markings  82  shown in  FIG. 4A , in addition to the widows  102 . 
     In other embodiments (not shown), the ferrule body can be made from a material that is clear or at least partially transparent, such that a user can see through the ferrule body and see the top sleeve portion beneath the ferrule. In some of these embodiments, the ferrule body can be painted with a dark colored paint material, and then laser engraved to expose the transparent ferrule body. The underlying top sleeve portion can be bare metal or painted to have a high contrast compared to the color that the ferrule is painted. In other embodiments, a portion of the clear ferrule body is left unpainted, and the underlying top sleeve portion includes markings that can be seen through the unpainted portions of the clear ferrule body. 
     In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope of these claims.