Patent ID: 8277333

Claim:
A golf club, comprising: a golf club head having an interior chamber configured to receive an insertable shaft adapter, the interior chamber comprising: a receiving mechanism proximate to an exterior portion of the golf club head configured to releasably receive and secure a shaft retainer; and a rotation inhibiting structure; a shaft adapter comprising an axial direction change region, the shaft adapter further having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is configured to engage a golf club shaft, wherein the lower end comprises a rotation inhibiting structure configured to engage or mate with at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the rotation inhibiting structure of the golf club head to prevent rotation of the shaft adapter in relation to the club head, wherein the shaft adapter is able to be fit within the interior chamber of the golf club head at a plurality of different configurations, wherein at least one configuration of the shaft adapter with respect to the golf club head provides different club characteristics than another configuration of the shaft adapter with respect to the golf club head, and wherein the shaft adapter includes one or more radially extending securing surfaces located between the upper end and the lower end of the shaft adapter; a shaft retainer having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, wherein the inner perimeter is configured to slide axially over the upper end of the shaft adapter, wherein the outer perimeter is configured to secure the receiving mechanism of the club head in a releasable manner, and wherein the shaft retainer includes one or more radially extending securing surfaces that engage, directly or indirectly, the one or more radially extending securing surfaces provided on the shaft adapter; and; a spacer element surrounding a portion of the shaft retainer and extending in an axial direction between the shaft retainer and the exterior portion of the golf club head.