Patent ID: 7481716

Claim:
A golf club grip of resilient material directed to accommodating addition of a counter-weight assembly in a golf club having a known shaft of hard material in a manner that prevents any direct contact between the shaft and any hard material in the counter-weight assembly by interposing resilient material therebetween, comprising: a grip body, of resilient material, configured internally with a cylindrical main bore that extends coaxially and uniformly over a major portion of the grip body down to the lower end, and a cylindrical cavity that extends upwardly, coaxial with the shaft, to a top opening at the upper end of the grip body, extending uniformly to the top opening with a diameter no less than that of the main bore; an annular flange formed integrally from the resilient material, disposed between the main bore and the cavity, extending inwardly to a circular flange opening, coaxial with the shaft, thus defining a limit of shaft insertion and dimensioning the cavity with a perimeter greater than that of the flange opening; and an interchangeable weight plug, for installation in the cavity of said golf grip, comprising: a primary cylindrical weight element of predetermined weight having an outer diameter dimensioned to pass through the annular flange opening and having a central screw clearance opening; a cylindrical expansion element of compliant material having an outer diameter dimensioned to pass through the annular flange opening and having a central screw clearance opening; a threaded member located at a lower region of the expansion element; and a machine screw having a main threaded shaft traversing, in order, the weight element, and the expansion element, and threadedly engaging the threaded member, the bolt head being configured with a top-accessible drive tool recess by which, with a mating drive tool, the machine screw can be rotated relative to the other elements, such that said weight plug, inserted into the shaft, may be secured in place for playing golf by rotating the machine screw to apply pressure that expands the expansion element radially to become tightly compressed against inner surfaces of the shaft, and said weight plug can be removed for replacement by another weight plug of different mass by rotating the machine screw to release the expansion element from the shaft.