A cylindrical, protective housing and accompanying insertion tool for shielding an in-ground sprinkler head. The cylindrical housing is inserted into the ground surrounding an in-ground sprinkler head, protecting the sprinkler head and subterranean feed lines from damage resulting from yard work or other traffic. The cylindrical housing prevents inadvertently sprinkler head collisions with lawn mowers, wheelbarrows, golf carts, or similarly wheeled vehicles. The insertion tool is a male-fitting press tool that provides vertical loads on the cylindrical housing upper extent to force it into soil surrounding a sprinkler head.