What Is A Custom Golf Ferrule? | Swing Right Golf

Did you know that there is a name for the little piece of black plastic that connects the shaft of your golf club to the hosel? Yup, there is. Not only does it have a name, but it actually serves a purpose. I know, right? My mind was blown too! I mean, I've been golfing for well over 40-years and never even thought twice about it, but now I know. That little piece of plastic, which on most standards clubs is black, is called a Ferrule.

Although most golf club ferrules nowadays are primarily cosmetic, they actually didn't start that way. Let's take it way back into the early days of golf when "irons" actually had shafts made of hickory. In those days, bands were placed around the area where the shaft entered the clubhead; this helped to prevent the wood from the shaft from shattering.

Fast forward a few years, and if you have played golf long enough, you might remember when a 3-wood or a driver was actually made of wood. At the point in which the hosel and the clubhead joined, you might find a strong thread wrapped around the area that, after a while, would come loose. 

This piece of thread was called a "whipping," but as the woods evolved into steel and graphite shafts, the whippings disappeared, and ferrules emerged.  So, where did the word ferrule come from? It must have a rich history from the early days of golf in Scotland? Nope, in fact, according to Merriam-Webster.com, the meanings of ferrule include "a ring or cap usually of metal put around a slender shaft (as a cane or a tool handle) to strengthen it or prevent splitting" and "a usually metal sleeve used especially for joining or binding one part to another (as pipe sections or the bristles and handle of a brush)." So, it's easy to see how it was incorporated into the world of golf.

Today, golf ferrules are designed to provide a smooth transition from the shaft to the hosel. Think of a golf ferrule similar to a molding piece, which helps hide any imperfections and make a smooth finished product. If you were to remove a ferrule from your club, you might expose some unsightly sharp edges, so the fact that you didn't even realize that was a possibility means that the ferrule has been doing its job. Above and beyond the aesthetic nature of a golf ferrule, they actually do serve to help hold the head of the club to the shaft.

 Most clubs that are manufactured today require a ferrule, as they are built with a neck that ends abruptly, but sometimes, those little plastic ferrules can come loose. For example, one might separate a little from the top of the hosel, creating a small gap that leads to wobbling or even spinning around. I've even had a few slide up and down a bit on the shaft, which was extremely annoying, and this can also lead to the shafts splitting or losing the clubhead altogether. So, after I had a few of these come loose, I decided to get them replaced. 

It seemed like a much cheaper option than buying a whole new set of clubs, so I began researching what my options were. What I found during my research was a world of custom golf ferrules. I had no idea that there were actually designer golf ferrules and that I could get any color I wanted to dress all of my clubs up. So, I found a unique design and decided to have all of my clubs converted over to these stylish custom ferrules.  

The results were fantastic. They take the look of my clubs to a whole other level. My once dull clubs are not only stylish, but they are unique, and I can't tell you the number of compliments that I have received from other golfers. I have so many people ask me if my TaylorMade irons are actually a limited edition set, just by changing one simple piece of plastic on the end.  

If you like your current clubs, but you are looking to repair a few of your ferrules that have come loose, or if you are just looking to upgrade the style of your clubs, then replacing all of your ferrules is a highly cost-effective way to do both. 

To get started in your search for the perfect custom design golf ferrules for your clubs, look no further than https://swingrightgolf.com/collections/ferrules. Make the change, and turn heads the next time you pull out your five iron.