In the field of golf equipment, a new shaft design incorporates passive damping to suppress the vibrations excited in the shaft before and after impact. The design comprises a viscoelastic material sandwiched between multiple layers of composite plies which induce large shear strains in the viscoelastic when the shaft is subjected to bending, extension, or twist, thus increasing damping losses over conventional golf shafts. In one embodiment, the sandwiching layers are of opposing orientation. In another embodiment, the layers are oriented in an opposing V-shape laminate.

In the field of golf equipment, a new shaft design incorporates passive damping to suppress the vibrations excited in the shaft before and after impact. The design comprises a viscoelastic material sandwiched between multiple layers of composite plies which induce large shear strains in the viscoelastic when the shaft is subjected to bending, extension, or twist, thus increasing damping losses over conventional golf shafts. In one embodiment, the sandwiching layers are of opposing orientation. In another embodiment, the layers are oriented in an opposing V-shape laminate.