New groove Rule from 2010.

I know that this will have no implications to over 98% of people on here, but it has caused a big disagreement on another Forum I visit.

From 1st Jan 2010 the major PGA Events will see the new Rule instated and all Clubs manufactured after that date will also have to comply. The R&A say that all Top Amateur Events from 2014 will have comply but the USGA say that they will instate the Rule in their top amateur Events BY 2014. A decission on the rest will be decided by the R&A about 2020 and looks like it will be the Rule by 2024. All Golf Clubs and Organisations have been given the option to instate the Rule at anytime after 1st Jan 2010.

The Open, The US Open, US Womens Open and US Seniors Open plus The Masters have instated it from 2010 also.

I know how fast a youngster can drop their Hcp during the Summer Hols so I wonder how many will get low enough to gain entry into The Open Qualifying and then have to buy a new set of Irons, just for that Tournament?

During the discussion on the other Forum, I stated that If the PGA set the Rule from 1st Jan 2010 and the R&A from 2014 why were The Open's (technically being Amateur Events - run by The R&A and USGA's) instating it next year? Well, it was as if I had insulted everyone on earth. "The US Open is not an Amateur Event" (yes it is a US site).

The discussion then became about youngsters having to buy a second set of Irons to keep the benefit of the present grooves in some Events and comply with the new Rule in others. The answer came back that "if they want to play at that level then they have to pay" and that there is no problem in bringing in the new Rule over a 14yr period.

What do you people think?

TheLyth

Bit behind the times here.  What percentage of current clubs are affected?

 I think for most golfers the groove rules wont mean jack as hitting the bugger straight takes up most of their time and effort.

 What gets me about these uturns (I think there's something in the pipeline about dricer capacity cc is why did they let it happen in the first place?

Will Ping give them two sets of Irons then?

TheLyth

It's a win win for us mere mortals not only will we be able to use the illegal grooves they have already developed new balls with even more spin around the greens. I doubt wether it will effect the pro's those already using the new grooves and balls (and there are quite a few getting the jump for next season) don't seem to be having any problems controling the ball. Technology advancing again.

Just been having a look at the regs for the new grooves from the R&A and to be honest I don't think it's going to make a huge amount of difference.  OK, the grooves aren't as sharp as before so the initial 'bite' on the ball will be lower, but this will mean the ball can now have a much softer outer cover so that it can flow into the groove rather than being cut-up by the sharp edge.  The result should be comparable spin levels on everything but the softest of shots.  Interesting that there also appears to be no change in the rules governing the surface finish of the face of the club, so I'd expect a lot more manufacturers will be adding spin milled surfaces to the longer clubs and selling them as 'increased spin' models to the gullible equipment geeks.

The point is Jonny you need some spin to get the aerodynamic lift, so compensating for the lack of bite with a rougher, higher friction face will effectively cancel out the losses.

But like you said Jonny, you want lss spin on your longer clubs (although it is immensley satisfying to flush a 5 iron into a receptive green and watch it roll back towards you after landing!)

Got my 3 wood to do it at Foxhills...

Yes I can Santo, like Tim did it with a wood at Foxhills, although mine was a 5 wood

With your woods that was more likely due to a ball bouncing back out of it's own pitch mark on a soft green rather than spinning back surely.