2. Shafts
a. Straightness
Appendix II, 2a states that:
| | The
shaft of the club must be straight from the top of the grip to a point
not more than 5 inches (127mm) above the sole, measured from the point
where the shaft ceases to be straight along the axis of the bent part
of the shaft and/or socket. |
This
Rule implies that the shaft must extend to the end of the grip, or at
least that the grip should not extend beyond the top end of the shaft
more than is necessary to accommodate the butt cap (see Figure 10).
The
‘5-inch’ measurement should be made using a pair of calipers (to
measure the depth of the head at the point where the shaft is attached)
and a flexible measuring tape, or a piece of string, to measure along
the axis of the shaft (see Figure 11). It is not possible to measure a
bend in a shaft accurately using a normal, stiff ruler. This rule is
particularly relevant for putters where the shaft is inserted directly
into the head. (For putter heads with ‘necks’ — see Design of Clubs,
Section 2c).
b. Bending and Twisting Properties
Appendix II, 2b requires that:
| | At any point along its length, the shaft must:
- bend in such a way that the deflection is the same regardless of how the shaft is rotated about its longitudinal axis; and
- twist the same amount in both directions.
|
This
Rule effectively restricts shafts from being designed to have
asymmetric properties, so that however the club is assembled, or
whichever way the shaft is orientated, it will make no difference to
the performance of the club.
However,
most graphite shafts have a small “spine” running along the length of
the shaft which does make them bend a little differently depending on
how they are fitted to the head. This is generally regarded as being
“within manufacturing tolerances” (see preamble to Appendix II) and
therefore not a breach of Appendix II, 2b. Manufacturers of clubs may
orientate or align shafts which have spines for uniformity in
assembling sets or in an effort to make the shafts perform as if they
were perfectly symmetrical. However, a shaft which has been orientated
for the purpose of influencing the performance of a club, e.g., to correct wayward shots, would be contrary to the intent of this Rule.
c. Attachment to Clubhead
Appendix II, 2c requires that:
| | The
shaft must be attached to the clubhead at the heel either directly or
through a single plain neck and/or socket. The length from the top of
the neck and/or socket to the sole of the club must not exceed 5 inches
(127 mm), measured along the axis of, and following any bend in, the
neck and/or socket. |
Exception for Putters: The shaft or neck or socket of a putter may be fixed at any point in the head.
The
intent of this Rule is to ensure that the neck is simply a means of
connecting the shaft to the clubhead, and that it is not shaped for any
other purpose. The most important points to remember are that a club
must only have one neck and that it must be “plain.” Also, in order to
restrict elaborate shapes and curves, the length of the neck is limited
to 5 inches. This measurement should be made in the same way as a bend
in the bottom of a shaft (see Design of Clubs, Section 2a and Figure
11).
The
majority of necks are designed to have the shaft inserted into them,
and this normally avoids any confusion as to where the neck begins.
However, if the neck is inserted into the shaft, the measurement should
be taken from the end of the shaft.
Figure
12 contains diagrams of various neck features which would not be
considered “plain,” a putter which has multiple necks and a putter with
a neck which is too long.
It
should be noted that in most cases, lines which have been painted or
lightly engraved onto an otherwise plain neck are permitted. However, a neck designed specifically to accommodate such lines or marks would be considered non-conforming.