A golf club and golf club shaft includes a tubular member having at least one neck portion with a reduced outer diameter and at least one relatively rigid two-piece sleeve secured to the tubular member in overlying relationship to each neck portion. The two-piece sleeve defines a small central gap filled by a compressible ring to allow the two otherwise longitudinally aligned sleeve pieces to pivot relative to one another under dynamic loading of the tubular member during a golf swing, and then upon reaching a limit point restrict additional deflection or bending of the tubular member.