Patent ID: 8323129

Claim:
A process for making an athletic shaft comprising: providing a shock-absorbing component having a polygonal outer surface, the shock-absorbing component comprising a core foam; dividing the shock-absorbing component into a first and second portion; forming a first channel in the first portion, the first channel having a first semicircular inner surface; forming a second channel in the second portion, the second channel having a second semicircular inner surface; applying an adhesive to the first and second channels of the shock-absorbing component; using the adhesive, laminating an elongated stiffening component to the first and second channels, wherein the elongated stiffening component has a circular outer surface and comprises extruded unidirectional carbon fiber, and the shock-absorbing component encases the elongated stiffening component, and the first and second channel inner surfaces of the shock-absorbing component encases an outer surface of the elongated stiffening component without leaving any empty spaces between the first and second channel inner surfaces of the shock-absorbing component and the outer surface of the elongated stiffening component; placing an outer skin component, comprising a carbon fiber fabric, over the shock-absorbing component and elongated stiffening component, wherein the outer skin component covers the outer surface of the shock-absorbing component without leaving any empty spaces between the outer skin component and the outer surface; and using a mold, imbedding an epoxy resin into the outer skin component.