USGA Announces Rules Changes on golf club grooves

[Clubchucker]

From the USGA Website:



USGA Announces Rules Changes
On Golf Club Grooves
August 5, 2008

Far Hills, NJ (Aug. 5) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced revisions to the Rules of Golf, placing new restrictions on the cross sectional area and edge sharpness of golf club grooves.

Rest of article can be found http://www.usga.org/news/2008/August/grooves.html

[MunkeyGolfer]

Well my new cleveland wedge that I just bought doesn't conform, guess I will just have to put off playing on the tour . Interesting enough, I never really paid attention to the grooves.

[GaijinGolfer]

Interesting. They are banning u-grooves because they say it makes shots from the greenside rough too easy.

[Arathel-bwcc]

well we have til 2010

[Franco!]

Well, my wedges are illegal now.
Great.
Hopefully Vokey puts out V groove wedges soon.

[scottevans77]

From the article.
"Clubs manufactured prior to January 1, 2010 that conform to current regulations will continue to be considered conforming to the USGA Rules of Golf until at least 2024. This includes clubs purchased after that date from manufacturers’ existing model ranges. (According to the Darrell Survey of consumer golf equipment only two percent of irons in use are older than 15 years.) So long as these clubs continue to be conforming they may be used for establishment and maintenance of a USGA Handicap Index."

I don't think any of us have anything to worry about.

[JYB]

those of us playing in college will though. i'm going to have to get new wedges!

[Dent]

those of us playing in college will though. i'm going to have to get new wedges!

You were planning to get them anyways according to your other post.

[scottevans77]

those of us playing in college will though. i'm going to have to get new wedges!

Not unless you got your current wedges by going into the future. This ruling will only affect clubs manufactured after 2010.

[RaLos18]

From the article.

Does this mean, let say for example, you are a pro, and you buy 200-300 wedges that will last you until the end of your career, will USGA still "grandfather" you in?

[iacas]

Finally! Thank heavens the USGA has moved forward with this rule. And I'm glad the R&A; has as well:

http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?cfid=...ewsid=1055&id;=

To those wondering whether their wedges will be legal in 2010, no, they likely won't if they play in a competition of any seriousness.

Source: USGA Article

The rules apply to clubs manufactured after Jan. 1, 2010, the same year that the USGA will enforce the new regulations through a condition of competition for the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open and each of their qualifying events. All USGA amateur championships will apply the new regulations through the condition of competition, after Jan. 1, 2014.

The PGA Tour, the European PGA Tour, the LPGA, the PGA of America and the International Federation of PGA Tours have all indicated their support for the new regulations on grooves. Each of these organizations, as well as the Augusta National Golf Club, have told the USGA and The R&A;, the game’s governing bodies, that they intend to adopt the condition of competition, applying the rules for their competitions, beginning on January 1, 2010.

That "condition of competition" will effectively put the rule into effect in 2010 for pros. I'm surprised that amateurs have until 2014! It remains to be seen whether local golf associations (who have their own regional tournaments and so on) will put the rules into effect in 2010 or 2014 (or in between).

[kafka01]

Finally!

Just out of curiosity - why are you so interested in this rule?

[bigphil]

Not unless you got your current wedges by going into the future.

HAHAHA! Thats hilarious

You never know...his flux capacitor could be running at 1.21 gigawatts, and therefore could easily go into the future!

[iacas]

Just out of curiosity - why are you so interested in this rule?

Because I think it's a great way to reign in a bit of the whole "distance" thing without really affecting most people.

If you (as a Tour pro) can no longer fire at a tucked flag from the rough, you will likely:

• Swing with a little more control to keep the ball in the fairway
• Aim away from a tucked flag when you do find yourself in the rough (at the center of the green)
• Play a slightly spinnier ball to get back some of the spin you've lost

While everyone else is wringing their hands about distance, I think this is a perfect and creative way to fairly (no ball rollback would affect everyone the same way, and it could hurt amateurs because the ODS is the same as it was 20+ years ago and would need changed) place a little more emphasis on finding fairways over "bomb and gouge." If you take away the ability to "gouge," guys might have to think twice about the "bomb" part of that equation. My hunch is that most guys will do a little of at least two of the things I mentioned above. Look at Tiger Woods at the British and PGA in 2006 and the PGA in 2007 - he put hitting fairways above hitting the ball far, and he won them all. Most golfers don't:

• play a urethane covered ball
• swing fast enough
• make clean enough contact consistently

As such, most golfers won't be affected by this rule. It's a great way to make a change at the top levels without really affecting the average golfer. No real added expense (2024 is a long time away), etc.

[FlopShotArtist]

This rule sucks. The tour is fine.

Well, let's just say my Vokey's aren't leaving the back any time soon. Or ever for that matter.

[bprater13]

When I was buying wedges last year the guy at Golf Galaxy told me this was going to be happening and told me to steer clear of things like "zip grooves" and stuff unless I wanted to buy new wedges in 2010, because he said they would be illegal in college golf (he didn't mention anything about grandfathering tho).

[winders]

Does this mean, let say for example, you are a pro, and you buy 200-300 wedges that will last you until the end of your career, will USGA still "grandfather" you in?

No. Players on Pro Tours will have to use wedges that conform to the new rules starting in 2010.

S-

[Clubchucker]

If you take away the ability to "gouge," guys might have to think twice about the "bomb" part of that equation.

Exactly. I truly believe this has more to do with the driver part of the game rather than the sand wedge/short game. As it is right now (for PGA players) normal rough isn't a punishment so to speak, unless it's US Open type rough. As far as the wedges part of the game goes, I don't see it affecting 99.9% of the people on this forum.

Rough is supposed to be a punishment for not hitting the fairway. Right now, in most tournaments, it's not. Next thing I'd love to see the PGA enact is Jack's rake that he uses at The Memorial. Bunkers are no longer hazards to these guys. How many times have you heard watching a tournament the phrase "he'd much rather be in the bunker than the rough"? I've heard it countless times, because these guys don't fear the bunker. Flat out, I'm a 10 handicap. Chances are, I'll also be buying new clubs before 2024 Can't see this ruling affecting me or any other normal golfer one iota. This, in my opinion, will bring back a little "game" and shot making to the PGA Tour. And believe it or not, accurate driving is also considered shot making, even though you can't tell it at the PGA Tour level.