Legal grooves?

One of my regular 4 ball has recently bought a nice looking set of Cleveland CG16 irons, a good deal at American Golf. I was a bit suprised when I had a look at them as they appear to have sort of mini grooves in between the main grooves. The effect this seems to have is that he can now stop the ball on the green often with backspin with pretty much any iron, something he an average player by his own admission could never do before. Surely this goes against the most recent R&A / USPGA groove rulings which when they came in a year or two ago were designed to cut down the amount of spin that could be put on the ball? Apparently the majority of new irons now have these mini grooves that are produced by something called laser milling and are perfectly legal. Doesn't this type of thing make the game too easy?

Doesn't this type of thing make the game too easy?

I fail to see how it makes the game easy, Jim, after all one still has to hit the exact distance for this wonderful benefit being of any use. Our own Mr Marshall with his Vokey wedges could stop a ball dead, but as I said to him many times, it is a waste of time unless you hit it up to the flag.

The last thing I want is to see the ball spinning back towards me, I much prefer the pitch and check on second bounce method.

My main point really John was how come these extra grooves are allowed?

I do take your point on board though having recently bought a Vokey wedge myself and not being used to it yet generally leave the ball well short. Must develop trust that its going to stop to get the confidence to fly it all the way there!

Vokeys and my MD wedge both have a rougher face, this was the original 'spin milled' surface, subsequently copied by several manufacturers under various marketing guises. It's nothing to do with the larger, lateral grooves which are now V shaped rather than square as before (although both styles are still compliant for amateurs). They are perfectly legal as long as it's within a certain roughness, which presumably they are. Does it make the game easier? Not really, because as JP quite rightly says that unless you get the length right what's the point? What it does do though is to flatter the player into thinking they are hitting the ball like a pro.

Oooh,did that sound like I'm being cynical about marketing hype...

Tim, you cynical, don't be silly!!

Is it really much difference to having the "rusty face" wedges, like my still used 1990's Cleveland 588 wedge? It's still providing more for the ball to grip on to than just the grooves? It can flatter you, but then you get used to how to play it, just as if you bought irons that give you 10/15 yds extra, if you don't get used to it you just end up 10/15 yds past where you wanted to be!

Perfectly true Colin, one quickly adjusts to how a club behaves and then it is played accordingly, same as golf balls.