What’s A Ferrule On A Golf Club – How To fix, Repair & Replace Them

The ferrule is a part of the club you may never have heard of. Don’t worry, if you’re in this camp then you certainly aren’t there alone. Do you know what it is? Have you ever thought about changing them?

The ferrule is a piece of plastic between the hosel and the shaft that keeps the securely fitted and can look great on your clubs as well.

Today on the blog we are going to talk a little more about what they are and how you can replace them. I’ll stop being coy now and tell you more about what I’m talking about.

What Are Ferrules?

The ferrule is that little bit of plastic that sits between the neck of the club and the shaft. Usually they are just plain black non-descript plastic pieces but occasionally manufacturers take it up a notch and make them more eye-catching.

I used to play the Wilson FG Tour 100 blades, they had classic looking decorative ferrules on them, a small but noticeable touch. They made the clubs look even more special and they are still the most beautiful irons I have ever played.

What Exactly Does A Ferrule Do?

Ferrules are seen on many objects from paint brushes to tow cables and even golf flags. They are additions to a structure that help fasten or secure two things together. So, in terms of the golf club, which is why we are here, it helps secure the head of the club to the shaft.

Many golfers may just think these little plastic things are decorative or traditional additions to a club but they do have a function. They help to keep your club together.

Are They Optional? Does Every Club Need Them?

Almost all modern clubs are designed to require a ferrule. Any club that has a clubhead with a neck that ends abruptly, almost all clubs have this, require a ferrule. Some older clubs have a tapered neck which means they fit the shaft in a really flush way.

You will struggle to find modern clubs that don’t have a ferrule except putters. They have far less stress, if you’re using them properly, so they don’t require such a secure attachment.

What Are The Advantages Of Having Them?

Ferrules are all about creating a secure connection between the clubhead and the shaft. The main advantage of having a ferrule is that your club will be able to take more stress throughout your swing.

You can trust that the club will not start to twist over time or anything if you have a ferrule in place. Obviously this is not fully guaranteed but it certainly helps add more sturdiness to the connection.

If I Don’t Have Them, Should I Get Them? How Do I Add Them?

If your clubs don’t have them then they probably don’t need them. You could certainly add one for decorative reasons but it won’t have an effect on performance. However, if your club did have one and it has come off then it would be worth adding one.

There are many places you can buy a ferrule online. I would suggest that you don’t try to replace or add new ferrules to your clubs yourself unless you know what you’re doing. Speak to your club pro about helping you with this and make sure the job is done well.

Are Ferrules On Every Club?

Almost every club, yes. The most common club you’ll find without one is the putter, as I’ve already explained, although occasionally you’ll find a club without. The old Callaway Big Bertha woods used to have little ring ferrules that looked great but they were still there.

Have you ever held an old persimmon wood? They had really cool wound ferrules (technically these were “whippings” and not ferrules) with pieces of a twine-like thread which wrapped the shaft to connect the head firmly. They looked absolutely fantastic but obviously that method is a lot more painstaking and time-consuming than modern clubmaking techniques require.

What’s The Difference In Ferrules Between Different Clubs?

Some clubs have long ferrules, some have short almost invisible ones, like the Big Bertha. One thing that has changed is where the ferrule sits on modern adjustable woods, on these it sits far higher up the shaft and actually away from the clubhead.

The adjustability of these clubs comes from an adaptor between the top of the neck of the club and the shaft, this means the ferrule has to be on top that. It means that, in this case, the very bottom of the shaft actually becomes part of the clubhead, in effect.

What Are The Different Types Of Ferrule?

As the ferrule has more of a cosmetic role than a functional one, the different types of ferrule tend to be more about appearance. One type that is available is the collared ferrule, this fits between the clubhead and the shaft with a collar which creates space for a cushion of epoxy.

Uncollared ferrules sit flush on the neck of the club and will have epoxy in the inner surface of the ferrule, as will the collared version, just not the added layer at the connection point. Collared ferrules are a more recent development in the golf world.

More On Collared Ferrules

Collared ferrules have been developed since the rise of the use of graphite shafts. One thing about graphite is that it can be fragile at times depending on what strain is put on it. Collared ferrules allow for a cushioning layer of epoxy between the shaft and the ferrule which helps protect the graphite shaft from stress and potential failure.

Whilst this isn’t something that is particularly required for steel shafts, many manufacturers are now using this type of ferrule more often. It is worth noting that using a collared ferrule on a steel shaft will cause no harm.

Specialty Ferrules

Adjustable driver technology has resulted in the need for ferrules that are more specialised than ever. Not only do they have to carry out their usual function, they have to help you with the set-up of the club and tell you what loft and/or lie you are setting up with.

These ferrules are a lot larger and have far more contact with the shaft than ever before as the club no longer fully bores into the clubhead. It means that the ferrule actually takes a lot more stress than it used to and so has to be specially designed to help the shaft withstand these pressures.

Custom Ferrules

The world of golf is increasingly falling for customisation options and golfers love to be able to add details to their clubs that make them unique. Ferrules have not escaped this trend and many are looking to turn those non-descript plastic rings into something more noticeable.

One company that specialise in this are BB&F who are taking this up a level and creating really artful products to pimp your clubs. Whilst these products won’t enhance the performance of your clubs directly, if you like them more then you may feel more confident in them. Every little helps.

Aluminium Ferrules

Some are even ditching plastic ferrules for aluminium versions. It is important that the material used is strong and light, you don’t want to affect swing weighting of the club. Aluminium is a great alternative to plastic for this reason.

What To Do If A Ferrule Comes Loose? Does It Matter?

It probably doesn’t matter, no. The first thing to do is to check that the club head is secure and not moving around. As long as the club is secure, all you need to do is get the ferrule re-secured using an appropriate adhesive, get your club pro to help you with this.

If the club is moving then you have a bigger issue and the club needs to be fixed. Again, have your pro do this, they can re-bind everything and inspect the club to ensure there’s been no damage.

What If A Ferrule Splits?

If one of your ferrules splits you should first try to figure out what may have caused it. If it was brittle then you may want to replace your whole set. It really isn’t a huge deal though, just remove the broken ferrule and have it replaced.

This will be a quick job and, as long as the club wasn’t damaged when the ferrule split, everything will be fine. Have your pro check the club over before you he/she repairs it.

How To Remove A Ferrule

This maybe seem like an easy job, however, there is definitely a right and wrong way to do it. Here is an in-depth guide, but the simple steps are to heat the hosel to loosen the epoxy that binds the head to the shaft.

You should also add some heat to the ferrule itself, this will make it easier to cut and help reduce the chance of damage to the shaft or clubhead.

Always cut away from yourself and in the direction of the fibres of the shaft to help protect it as much as possible. Follow the guidance in the link above or have your pro do it. They are trained in these things and have done it before so your club may be safer in their hands.

How Can You Replace Ferrules?

If you follow the steps above and remove the old ferrule, you can replace them with new ones. This is your chance to take the clubs up a notch with some ferrule bling.

The most important thing in all of this is to make sure you get the correct size, measure the diameter of the shaft at the point the ferrule will sit.

There are tools to help you measure this, the diameter of the ferrule is the key measurement and it should feel a little tight when you first put it in place. Here is a video to show you how it is done.

Can You Reuse Old Ferrules?

If you manage to get used ferrules off without damaging or cutting them, then yes, you can reuse them. Depending on what was used to install them, it can be really easy or almost impossible to get them off undamaged. A bit of heat or steam can be all it takes to break down the epoxy and free them.

The thing is, they aren’t terribly expensive things so unless there is something truly special about the ones you are trying to reuse, why not just get new ones?

Can You Use Gorilla Glue On Golf Club Ferrules?

If you ever have a random golf club making question then the forum at GolfWRX is somewhere that it has almost certainly been asked before. I searched this question on it and got this thread. This place is home to some of the most obsessive and geekiest golf fans in the world.

It seems that epoxy is the best adhesive for this task and that Gorilla Glue won’t work. Epoxy is no more expensive than the superglue so you may as well get the right stuff to do this job properly.

What Is A Golf Ferrule Kit? What Is It Used For?

This is like a big pill/tool box to help you arrange and organise all of your ferrules in one place. If you are a home club builder and like to keep a stock of stuff to repair clubs then a ferrule kit is a great asset. You can organise them by size, collared/uncollared etc.

What Is A Ferrule Cap?

For those of you who like to keep your equipment fresh and enjoy making changes, the ferrule cap fits over the ferrule and can change the colour instantly. Match your ferrules to your outfit for the day if you want, these are gimmicky as hell.

Top 3 Ferrules On Amazon 2021

SN SunniMix Ultralight Ferrules

These are plain and traditional yet high quality and ultralight. For those of you who are happy with the look of a black ferrule and want good value for money, SN SunniMix ferrules are perfect.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

SUNBRO Gold Ferrules

So you’re not into the boring black, you’ve always loved John Daly and Vegas is your ideal holiday destination. Let me introduce you to the perfect ferrules for you, the SUNBRO Gold. Add some dazzle and lustre to your clubs.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

MUXSAM Silver Line Ferrules

For those who want something fairly standard but a little bit of detail to make it custom, these MUXSAM ferrules are lovely. They are plain black as per tradition with an understated silver line making them stand out a little from the crowd. These are my personal favourites of the three.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Conclusion

To many golfers, these may be insignificant little black bits on their club. To you though, you know more now, you can delight/bore your friends with your new knowledge of that little plastic addition on your clubs.

Seriously though, these little things can really finish off your clubs so nicely and they become a detail that only those who know will appreciate. Have a look around and see what is out there. Maybe you can add a flash of your lucky colour to your clubs like “go faster” stripes on a race car.