Equipment

How to remove an OEM adjustable sleeve for later use

Published

13 years ago

Sep 4, 2013

Most golf equipment companies offer metal woods with adjustable features that allow golfers to change the loft, lie and face angle of the clubs. These clubs are made to be easy to adjust, but there are hurdles for golfers who wish to change the shaft of an adjustable club.

All of the current metal woods on the market that offer loft and face angle adjustability do so through an adapter or sleeve that is called an “adjustable tip.” So if golfers want to change the shaft of their adjustable clubs, they need to do one of two things:

Buy another adjustable tip and install it on the new shaft.
Remove the adjustable tip from the old shaft and install it on the new one.

Buying another adjustable tip is the best plan of action for golfers who want to try a new shaft, because it will allow them to compare the results of the shafts quickly and easily. But they’re not as cheap as many golfers might think — most OEM adjustable tips sell for between $25 and $40 each.

That’s why a lot of golfers, especially those who know the current shaft in their adjustable club isn’t right for them, might prefer to save the money and have their old adjustable tip put on their new shaft.

But removing an adjustable tip can be difficult due largely to the fact that the ferrule (on which most OEM’s print the loft adjustments) on can be ruined ruined in the process. That’s why I am going to share with you one method that I have found to work very well.

Supplies Needed

Club Shield Paste (Jelly like substance that prevents burn marks)
Small washers and a small screw
Shaft extractor
Bore Brush
Torch or Heat Gun
Small Strip of Cotton

Prep

Apply the Club Shield Paste all around the ferrule. Place the washers on the small screw, and thread them into the tip of the sleeve. Secure your shaft in the shaft extractor. Take the small strip of cotton and soak it in some water and then wrap it around the ferrule. The club shield paste and wet cotton strip will protect the ferrule from heating up and getting damaged.

Step 1

Position the shaft extractor firmly against the washers to start just as you would to the head of a club for typical removal.

Step 2

Apply heat to soften the epoxy and slowly apply pressure to the washers as you would when removing a club head (patience is the key for success). Slowly continue repeating this process. After a few applications, the adjustable tip will start to slide off the shaft. When there is enough room between the tip and the ferrule, reposition the shaft extractor to the top of the tip and continue to remove.

Step 3

Once the tip is off, clean the inside of it with your hosel brush. It is best to do so while the epoxy is still heated and soft.

Step 4

Remove the cotton strip and slide off the ferrule. Note: You may want to clean up your tip and ferrule before installing it onto the new shaft.

There are many ways to skin a cat. This process has yielded the best results for me. Take your time and you will be able to save most tips through this process.

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Kadin Mahmet

Kadin Mahmet has a passion for golf. He has coached at the collegiate level and has worked as an instructor specializing in youth athletics. You can follow Kadin on Twitter @BigKadin. "Like" Growing Up Golf on Facebook @ facebook.com/Growing.Up.Golf for more content.

27 Comments

chester event hire

May 15, 2014 at 3:24 am

I actually do consider all of the strategies you’ve got offered on your own submit. They are extremely convincing all of which will surely perform. Even so, your posts are far too speedy to begin with. May well you please prolong these a little bit out of next occasion? Was looking for article.

Reply Report comment
Golfer X

Sep 6, 2013 at 8:14 pm

You young guys have it way too easy. In my day, we played golf with the VC shooting at us. No time to waggle…

Reply Report comment
Regis Staley

Sep 5, 2013 at 9:00 pm

I’ve probably removed and re-used 20-30 tip adaptors. Mostly TM .Best result I’ve achieved is to use a torch and focus the flame on the very tip- The more pinpoint the better. The heat migrates up the adaptor at a reduced intensity. I can get sufficient epoxy breakup in less than a minute. Then if necessary Golfsmith or Billy Bobs sells just the plastic collar for about $4. You can either melt or cut off the damaged collar.

Reply Report comment
- Freddy V.
  
  Sep 5, 2013 at 9:58 pm
  
  Seriously…spend the 20-30 bucks for a new TM tip or another 5 for a new ferrule. Trying to save the plastic tips are a waste of time and NEVER come off without damage in some form to the plastic. Stores don’t do it for 2 reasons. 1 the chance of pulling it cleanly is slim to none and if they gaurantee they can do it, they are on the hook for damage. 2. It takes more time to do and costs almost the same as a new tip. Kind of like paying 3-5 bucks to save a grip when it cost that much for a new grip. Don’t let this article fool you into thinking it is a flawless process. The plastic always gets damage on a TM tip because the plastic melts at a lower temp than the epoxy used by TM. Goodluck regardless.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Cody_gateway
    
    Aug 14, 2014 at 1:43 pm
    
    Freddy V sounds like the type of person with no patience. this tip worked out great don’t let this hot head tell you otherwise
    
    Reply Report comment
Linkerpan

Sep 5, 2013 at 12:34 am

Both Golf Galaxy and Golfsmith have ruined the adaptor on my Callaway. The lesson I learned is that if you buy a new shaft, you buy a new adapter. I hope all store managers print this article and quiz the employees later.

Reply Report comment
- cha4218
  
  Sep 5, 2013 at 9:18 am
  
  I guess it all depends on who is working on it. I recently had the adaptor for my Nike Covert Tour taken out and installed in another shaft. A guy named Tom (Paramous, NJ) did a killer job on it. I couldn’t thank him enough. Kudos to him at Golf Galaxy.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ross Bailey

Sep 4, 2013 at 5:49 pm

I would recommend using a heat gun and not an open flame to get the
adaptor hot enough to remove. The rest of the sequence is great.

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Ga

Sep 4, 2013 at 5:27 pm

9 out of 10, that plastic degree sleeve gets melted. They should just make it out of aluminum. I don’t understand why they didn’t.

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Chester

Sep 4, 2013 at 1:46 pm

I work at a golf store, and run the club tech department. I’ve found that heat gun is much more tip friendly when it comes to saving the plastic ferrule on the TM adaptors, although I do cover the plastic with heat shield as well. I recommend pointing the heat gun away from the ferrule, and towards the tip to avoid melting the ferrule at all. The tips that are first time pulls from the manufacturers are much easier pull, than 2nd time installs that potentially use stronger bonding glue. Great article though.

Reply Report comment
- Kadin Mahmet
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 2:00 pm
  
  Thank You! I agree first time pulls are much easier.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Mo
    
    Sep 5, 2013 at 3:28 am
    
    That’s not necessarily true. It also depends on the kind of epoxy used and how much of it got to seal up the very top of the adaptor. For example, if, in this case of the TM adaptor, if the adaptor is fairly stuck on with a lot of hardened, strong epoxy near the top, no amount of heat shield or wrapping is going to break the bond of the epoxy enough to be able to pull that thing off safely without melting the numbers on the plastic, let alone the plastic itself.
    It all depends on the amount of epoxy, what kind of epoxy and how much of the hard epoxy was used to make the shaft really hold firm inside the adaptor.
    At some point the adaptors will become cheap enough like ferrules, as this is where everything is headed, and, they will also have figured out a way to do away with the plastic so we don’t keep ruining these things.
    
    Reply Report comment
Mateo

Sep 4, 2013 at 12:11 pm

Not bad. You should never use a blowtorch though. Use a heat gun to avoid damaging the tip. The tip that was pulled is not the same as the tip in the final picture. You can see the damage to the paint in the second to last picture. Looks like he pulled the old switcharoo.
🙂

Reply Report comment
- leif
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 1:09 pm
  
  Actually, that is the Hear Shield residue still on the tip after it dried…just need to wet it down and wipe it off.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - leif
    
    Sep 4, 2013 at 1:10 pm
    
    Heat Shield…sorry.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Joe Golfer
      
      Sep 5, 2013 at 12:08 am
      
      Yes, I think Golfworks.com sells that stuff to protect hosels and such that are painted, so I can see why it would be used here.
      If using a torch, use Butane and not Propane, as butane burns at a lower temperature.
      A heat gun will work, but it sometimes seems like it takes forever to get the job done. And some epoxies simply won’t break down with a heat gun, so then you wind up resorting to the torch anyway.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Mateo
    
    Sep 4, 2013 at 3:21 pm
    
    Oh. Didn’t think of that. I don’t use heat shield because I’ve never really needed to. 😉
    
    Reply Report comment
- Kadin Mahmet
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 1:11 pm
  
  Thanks for taking the time to read and post…
  
  This is the tip that was removed…
  
  “Note: You may want to clean up your tip and ferrule before installing it onto the new shaft.”
  
  I see now that it’s a little vague. I clean the tip and use a “sharpie” style marker to touch up any scratches or paint blems.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Deck
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 2:22 pm
  
  Heat shield is a wonderful thing. You might want to try it. Agree with the above poster. Residue. Have you ever used it before you comment on it?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Mateo
    
    Sep 4, 2013 at 3:22 pm
    
    Don’t use it because I don’t need to. Only amateurs do. Lol
    
    Reply Report comment
kirk

Sep 4, 2013 at 11:49 am

any golf store can remove to tip and put onto another shaft

Reply Report comment
- Brian
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 12:02 pm
  
  Actually, ‘many’ stores will not remove the tip and put it onto another shaft. Either because they don’t know how, have had an issue with customer being satisfied with the result, or just prefer not to. Good to have this bit of ‘how-to’ available when the stores won’t do it.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Kadin Mahmet
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 1:14 pm
  
  The shops in my area will not provide this service though a lot of shops will.
  
  The idea behind this topic was geared towards the DIY’er
  
  Thanks for taking the time to post! 🙂
  
  Reply Report comment
  - kirk
    
    Sep 4, 2013 at 2:48 pm
    
    well every store around me will do this, rather pay some 10-15 bucks,than n screw around doing in my self
    
    Reply Report comment
    - AJ Jensen
      
      Sep 4, 2013 at 4:10 pm
      
      And I’d rather do it myself. This was a great step-by-step article for a guy like me.
      
      Reply Report comment
AJ Jensen

Sep 4, 2013 at 11:46 am

OK, for what it’s worth, I’m giving this one the award for “How-To Article of the Year.” Very well done, sir.

Reply Report comment
- Kadin Mahmet
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 1:06 pm
  
  Thanks AJ ! I appreciate that!
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.

Joel Thelen

Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.

First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.

Mitchell Meissner

Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.

@Lamosteve began:

Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine

Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”