2010 New Groove rule : is it a big deal??

[ronaldkuntoro]

Seriously, is it a big deal to have a conforming irons according to the 2010 new groove rule?

You are just a regular golfer who likes to play once a week and only play in Club Tournaments.

Do you think the officials of your Golf club will check your irons before the tournament in 2014?? Isn't that a time consuming procedure?

[Mrd19abhs]

as an amutur you actually dont have to have the new grooves til 2024.

http://www.usga.org/news/2009/Septem...rding-Grooves/

[kpaulhus]

My new Titleist 710 CB's are the New 2010 groves. I notice no difference in spin from the fairway. In the rough, I dont get any back up from the ball, but it rarely releases more than 3 yards.

[Shindig]

They'll know which clubs conform.

But by the time this matters to you, you will likely have a new set of irons that do conform.

As much as I love my irons, I can't imagine I'll still be using them in 2024.

And if I get good enough to try playing top-level amateur events, such as the U.S. Amateur, I'm sure I'll have a new set before 2014.

[CassinoNorth]

They'll know which clubs conform.

Yeah, what this guy said.

[Ignorant]

as an amutur you actually dont have to have the new grooves til 2024.

But isn't it so that the manufacturers aren't allowed to put old grooves out on the marketplace any longer, i.e. from 1.1.2010 onwards?

[luckyluke699]

Seriously, is it a big deal to have a conforming irons according to the 2010 new groove rule?

short answer --> As a 14 handicap, no... not in the slightest (coming from an 18 handcapper).

As mentioned you have till 2024 really and no local club will care at that time as you and I won't be good enough for the "grooves rule" to be holding our game up even if you were playing with 15 year old clubs at that point. Conforming with this rules change will be seemless and easy for 99% of everyday amateurs (which is the point). My inability to FIR/GIR/SS/Scramble/Putt well enough will be far more of a hinderance to my game so no one will check or care come 2024...

[Quinn07]

I think only the elite amateur (low or plus handicap) will notice any significant difference. Plus the manufacturers are going to find a way to get the ball spinning again, it's only a matter of time before someone thinks of something.

[uttexas]

To the vast majority of amateurs, it's not a big deal.

For professionals, my first impression was that they weren't that effected by the change--lots of low rounds this year, and lots of year scoring averages below 70. But, on second thought I think the rule effected some individuals more than others. Two big bomb and gougers, Vijay and Phil might just be getting old, but these two really dropped off the radar (Augusta has pine needles, not much rough).

Scoring Average 2010 #rounds avg
1 1 Matt Kuchar 97 69.43
2 2 Dean Wilson 54 69.69
3 3 Steve Stricker 73 69.78
4 4 Paul Stankowski 62 69.79
5 5 Joe Durant 67 69.81
6 6 Justin Rose 78 69.92
T7 T7 Paul Casey 64 69.93
T7 T7 Charley Hoffman 85 69.93
T9 T9 Retief Goosen 75 69.96
T9 T9 Charles Howell III 103 69.96
11 11 Steve Elkington 74 70.03
T12 T12 Kevin Na 94 70.04
T12 T12 Pat Perez 90 70.04
T12 T12 Chris Riley 73 70.04
15 15 Charlie Wi 95 70.05

PGA AVG 2008

1 - Bob Tway 69.94
2 - Brian Gay 70.11
3 - Kenny Perry 70.21
T4 - Anthony Kim 70.22
T4 - Kevin Sutherland 70.22
6 - Vijay Singh 70.27
7 - Phil Mickelson 70.28
8 - Stephen Marino 70.29
9 - Chad Campbell 70.37
10 - Ben Crane 70.38
T11 - Justin Leonard 70.41
T11 - Charlie Wi 70.41
T13 - Briny Baird 70.44
T13 - Mark Wilson 70.44
T15 - John Huston 70.48
T15 - Ryan Palmer

[iacas]

To the vast majority of amateurs, it's not a big deal.

Additionally, the pros spent a lot of time practicing with their wedges and things over the off-season specifically since the rule change was coming. Who knows how much that affected things?

But I like your idea. Let's blame Tiger's year on the grooves. He's older now!

[zeg]

But isn't it so that the manufacturers aren't allowed to put old grooves out on the marketplace any longer, i.e. from 1.1.2010 onwards?

Yep, and thanks to this no one (outside of pros and elite amateurs) has to even think about the rule at all. As long as you're buying equipment that conforms at the time you buy it, and you aren't one of the few people who keep a club for more than 14 years, you'll conform without taking any special precautions. Say what you will about the rule change itself, but it's a very clean way to implement it.

And no, it's not a big deal at all.

[jamo]

But isn't it so that the manufacturers aren't allowed to put old grooves out on the marketplace any longer, i.e. from 1.1.2010 onwards?

I believe Feel Golf is going to continue to manufacture the old grooves. Not sure what the USGA will do about it.

[Bryan SD2]

I accepted a $1,500 prize at a closest to the pin challenge years ago, so technically, no 2024 for me. :) No problem, as the irons I game i have used since 1995... STILL regularly pulling the string on wedges and short irons, one hop and grab shots with the mid irons, etc.

It's more about the ball and its cover than grooves imo.

[JayMc]

My new irons are conforming and I do notice a difference. From the fairway they don't spin the ball quite as hard as my titleist irons. From the rough I can really tell a difference. I'm loving the new irons.

[Ignorant]

I believe Feel Golf is going to continue to manufacture the old grooves. Not sure what the USGA will do about it.

That would be interesting. After all, USGA has already stated that:

'Jan. 1, 2010 All new clubs submitted to USGA for approval must conform to new specifications. PGA Tour, major championships and international federation tours will adopt the rule as an “expert” condition of competition. Manufacturers are allowed to produce existing clubs and exhaust inventory until the end of 2010.'

[Shindig]

I believe Feel Golf is going to continue to manufacture the old grooves. Not sure what the USGA will do about it.

Well, there are already companies that make non-conforming clubs. It's very simple: you can buy them, but you can't use them in competition or for a handicapping round. The USGA doesn't have a monopoly on what is and isn't allowed to be sold for golf; they simply have authority on what conforms to the USGA rules.

Of course, most stores - especially chains - aren't going to carry non-conforming clubs without making a big deal of it. Can you imagine the backlash if someone were DQ'd after winning a club game because of a non-conforming club he bought at a major chain store?

[ronaldkuntoro]

I still wondering if the Tournament offficials really check every bag for non conforming irons.

[Radford Wooly]

To the trained eye, they would be easy to spot. I'm sure they don't make a big scene about it though unless someone is caught.