Wedge groove - ban?

[hawkeye]

Are they banned?!?

Awwww, why didn't I see this before :)...Too bad that wedge is illegal on tour this year and for everyone else starting next year :(... Damn Spin Milled Grooves :) Thanks Bob Vokey.

Anyone know if/when they'll be banned?

And what wedges come under this "milled grooves" bracket?

[BigAl5150]

Info from the USGA can be found here .

[hawkeye]

So they're not banned at the moment?

The USGA proposes that these new groove rules become effective for all new clubs covered by this rule change that are manufactured after Jan. 1, 2010. A related Condition of Competition would be added to the USGA Rules of Golf to become effective Jan. 1, 2009. This Condition would allow a Committee to require the use of clubs that conform to the new groove rules for competitive events conducted after Jan. 1, 2009. Similar to other equipment-related Conditions of Competition, the USGA would recommend that the Condition apply only to competitions involving highly skilled players.

and what other clubs have U/square grooves?

[neudi]

Actually, the spin milled vokey wedges are banned this year on tour and next year for college golf, now as far as amateur tournaments I am not sure, but I would imagine it would be next year, just the same as college golf.

[Bignose]

Actually, the spin milled vokey wedges are banned this year on tour and next year for college golf, now as far as amateur tournaments I am not sure, but I would imagine it would be next year, just the same as college golf.

Would you be so kind as to provide a source for that? I don't think that any rules have been in place yet. See this recent blog on this exact issue for example:

http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/...ht-talk-o.html The ruling may come soon or may come a lot later, but I don't think anything definitive has been made yet. I admittedly don't follow everything on the Tour, but I really think that had this been made an official rule I'd have seen it by now. I also can't find anything in Google, though I fully admit I may be looking for the wrong things. So, if you could provide a link showing the rule on the PGA Tour banning them, I'd very much appreciate it.

[hawkeye]

i'm interested to know too. where do you get your info?

and what other wedges are spin milled (apart from Titleist)

[mikelz]

So they're not banned at the moment?

Unless I go out of my way to look, I only see U/Square/box grooves.

[mikelz]

i'm interested to know too. where do you get your info?

I Googled spin mill wedges. I get 30 results displayed per page. Every first page item is Titlesit/Vokey.

Oh, clicking 'news' returns nothing.

[Bluenoser67]

Info from the USGA can be found

Based on this article the U grooves are to be banned in 2009 for Pros and 2010 for ametuers. This only relates to new club construction. Apparently the USGA is looking at a grandfather clause for all existing clubs made up to that date of at least 10 years. Should make for interesting banter at the 2010 Local Club Championship.

[iacas]

Actually, the spin milled vokey wedges are banned this year on tour and next year for college golf, now as far as amateur tournaments I am not sure, but I would imagine it would be next year, just the same as college golf.

No, they're not. You seem to be confusing "proposal" with "actual rule."

Based on this article the U grooves are to be banned in 2009 for Pros and 2010 for ametuers. This only relates to new club construction. Apparently the USGA is looking at a grandfather clause for all existing clubs made up to that date of at least 10 years. Should make for interesting banter at the 2010 Local Club Championship.

They're not banned. It was a proposal. It's not yet a rule.

The general feeling is that it will become a rule at some point, but it hasn't yet, and the fact that most people thought it would be made a rule at the end of last year is "proof" that perhaps the USGA is rethinking it slightly or something. FWIW, I know for a fact that some irons being introduced this year conform to the proposed groove rules. But they're not rules yet. They're just proposed changes to rules.

[TourSpoon]

I think the last time we talked about the USGA and grooves it was with PING back in the day of the Eye 2s.

It would be kind of cool to see a retro tournament where the players would have to use the equipment of the 1970s complete with persimmon drivers, steel shafts, v-grooves, and balatas. We could spare the agony and not let them where any Johnny Miller inspired clothing.

[hawkeye]

or you could go all the way and use hickory!

http://www.worldhickoryopen.com/page...roduction.html

thanks for clearing that up Erik - makes sense.

What other wedges may be coming under scutiny?

[TourSpoon]

or you could go all the way and use hickory!

Good find..... The wedges are probably anything with the new "super" grooves like spin milled, mack daddy, zip, etc.

[LBlack14]

MacGregor V-Foil Tour- Spin Milled
MacGregor V-Foil EZ-Out- Spin Milled
Wishon CX Micro- Spin Milled

[hawkeye]

what about callaway/cleveland/ping? anyone know if their grooves are under scutiny?

[TourSpoon]

Callaway - Mack Daddy grooves
Cleveland - Zip Grooves
Ping - not sure but they made the square groove debate the last time around.

Many companies have a product in the mix that could be affected.