In 1997 Dick Weiss acquired Patent No . 4,958,834 from Michigan welder Bob Colbert pertaining to the assembly of golf clubs:

United States Patent

Patent Number: 4,958,834
Date of Patent: Sept. 25, 1990

GOLF CLUB ASSEMBLY

Abstract
The invention pertains to the assembly of golf clubs, and in particular, pertains to the assembly of golf clubs utilizing a longitudinally extending seam. To minimize adverse effects of bending and torsion forces on a seamed shaft when striking the ball, the shaft seam is oriented to the club face in a predetermined orientation, and all of the shaft seams in a set of golf clubs may be oriented to provide consistent performance of the clubs of a common set.