I just read in Golf Digest the USGA is seriously thinking about a groove requirement which would change the game as we presently know it. They are also studying urethane covers on balls. May issue; p 280. Proposed to go into effect in 2009, manufacturers would be required to conform by 1/1/10. Nonconforming clubs would be legal for 10 years. No more bomb and gouge, I guess.
Stock up on those mack daddy square grooves now, folks, while you still can.
If I still have my mind, didn't we go thru this with Karsten (Ping) and the USGA in the late 80's? There was a settlement out of court, but what i remember, was the USGA was saying Ping square grooves did not meet their standards, but they never revealed their standards!
Calcaveccia [SIC] said that if a player plays good with square grooves, he probably will play good with V grooves too!
IMHO, the USGA has too much free time on their hands and keeps stirring up the pot.
Calcaveccia [SIC] said that if a player plays good with square grooves, he probably will play good with V grooves too!
IMHO, the USGA has too much free time on their hands and keeps stirring up the pot.
I don't know where I read it but I think it's pretty common knowledge. That with all of the advances in technology such as forgiving drivers, hybrid clubs, better golf balls and perhaps even square grooves, that golfers are still shooting the same scores.
I never even knew there was a difference in grooves. I wonder what my irons have? They're pretty old.
I don't know where I read it but I think it's pretty common knowledge. That with all of the advances in technology such as forgiving drivers, hybrid clubs, better golf balls and perhaps even square grooves, that golfers are still shooting the same scores.
I never even knew there was a difference in grooves. I wonder what my irons have? They're pretty old.
If you read that article, you'll see that the groove issue only really affects pros, and pro quality players. Most amateurs, even good amateurs don't hit the ball hard enough to take advantage of them. There is really nothing for any of us to get hot and bothered over.
the issue with the U grooves is funny. like fourputt said it effects such a small amount of consumers that for the Saturday golfer this potential ruling means nothing. ON TOP OF THAT the U grooves only help, according to test's, out of the rough, and even that was very very marginal. The fact that the USGA is getting into the regulatory business more and more these days is sad. Look at the masters...... how many PROFESSIONAL golfers with technology that WE don't even have as amateurs yet beat that course??? The game of golf is so difficult by itself that im not sure special balls, or high tech clubs are going to change the game all that much. sure it might help, and i hope it does, but really..... do we need a RULING on these things? i believe it to be a $$ play and will be interested to see how this pans out. final thought, golf is fun to watch when there are amazing shots being made. thats the attraction that tiger woods has created, never before has a man been able to wrestle the golf gods and bend the laws of golf so often like he does. This might just be in small part to technology but who cares??? golfers are making money, golf companies are making more money, sponsors are getting more exposure and people are just having more fun with the game. why an organization such as the USGA would change any of this by creating yet again, more rules, governing the use of equipment is beyond me.
The article is further interesting because of the time table mentioned, and details on the study. The difference is significant. With v-grooves there is thirty (30) feet more roll with an 8 iron from the rough, forty (40) feet more roll with a five iron. The study also shows that urethane covers are significantly more effective in spin, especially used with the u/square grooves. Bare in mind the roll from both fairway and rough with the u/square grooves is the same, vs. the v-grooves.
Purpose? To place a priority on accurate driving and positioning from the fairway.
one of the things they want to eliminate is pros hitting 6 fairways and still shoot a 69. they land in the rough and still hit an approach shot that sticks to the green like glue
Some really good dialog here from all contributors. I found it interesting that the groove issue will affect pros mostly. Unless I missed my guess, It will also affect those amateurs qualifying for the US Open, but I'm not in that category anyway.
Just wonder why the USGA is trying to regulate grooves when they permit players to use outlawed range finders?
Some really good dialog here from all contributors. I found it interesting that the groove issue will affect pros mostly. Unless I missed my guess, It will also affect those amateurs qualifying for the US Open, but I'm not in that category anyway.
Just wonder why the USGA is trying to regulate grooves when they permit players to use outlawed range finders?
I'll be checking the next ball I use for a urethane cover! Pro V1 is urethane. If it will roll less than 15 feet from the rough I'm in.
You should get the magazine: Golf Digest May 2007 (current issue). They will probably all be illegal if they have u/square grooves. Bare in mind there will be a ten (10) year exemption. No new clubs will be made with the illegal grooves but you will be able to play with them legally for another decade.
The pros have figured out that wedge from the rough is better than a 7 or 8 iron from the fairway. The problem here is that the USGA isn't going to try to tackle the real issue, which is the longer ball, which is why the pros are just hitting for distance and not caring whether the ball is in the rough or not. Did you look at the study carefully? In at least one of the tests, there was more spin from the rough than the fairway. The grooves are a non-issue, and just being used as a diversion so that the length of the ball doesn't become the center of attention.
April 13th, 2007, 05:41 PM
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