All current U-Groove clubs will be non-conforming soon....

[Augster]

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2758899

Well, it seems all of Johnny Miller's bitching about square grooves every weekend has finally paid off. Turns out, he was right. The USGA did a study and found that from the rough, U grooves actually DO generate more spin than the old V-grooves. Thus, the bomb and gouge era of golf.

The USGA is putting a stop to this, finally. We won't have to go back to a V-groove, per se, but it'll be a modified U-Groove that delivers little to no advantage over the old V-groove.

From Tom Wishon:

"The inside scoop I get on this says that sometime this year, the USGA will ban U grooves and establish a new groove shape that will have either a 65* or 75* side wall angle. The info I hear says that the new grooves will have to be played on the PGA Tour starting in 2009, but that regular golfers will have a far longer, multiple years grandfather period before the USGA rules will dictate the new groove shape for ALL competitions. "

So, if you plan on buying any irons/wedges in the next year or two, be aware that they will be non-conforming somewhere down the line. That is if the USGA doesn't lose their hats in the multiple lawsuits they will most likely encounter from the OEM's.

 

[ezra76]

Lol. OK, so wear out your wedges boys, every single one on the market right now will be illegal. That's pretty much like saying any driver over 400 cc's will be illegal.

 

[ualtim]

I think its time for the USGA and R&A to finally come out with set of rules for touring pro's and one for the amateurs. They already allow touring pros some ridiculous drops when they hit off line behind a grandstand etc, so why not just limit their equipment as well. They are changing the rules because a small percentage of the golfing population can do things that the rest of can't. How are U grooves, high COR drivers, and high MOI clubs helping the average golfer? They are still having a tough time breaking 100, let alone take advantage of all the new technologies.

I know the counter argument will be that if the pros are forced to play different equipment, the amateurs will buy whatever the pros play anyways so we should just adjust the rules for everyone. My argument to that is the wooden baseball bat. Only professional baseball requires the use of the wooden baseball bat. How many amateurs and weekend baseball/softball players use wooden bats? Very few.

Let us keep the U grooves, high MOI, and high COR stuff so that we can enjoy the game more.

 

[MCDavis]

Oh, wonderful. And I just bought MX-23's.

Good thing I suck so bad I don't compete!!

 

[demon]

Oh, wonderful. And I just bought MX-23's.

Good thing I suck so bad I don't compete!!

Come on now, I know you will be buying some new irons by 2009.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Somehow i doubt this will take effect, the actual rule about the U grooves. But im sure that the USGA will work with the OEMs to get something hammered out for newer clubs in the future.

 

[Augster]

The thing I found most interesting from the article is that for the U-Grooves to "work" from the rough, you need to be using a Urethane ball. On a surilyn covered ball, the U-Grooves don't spin it from the rough any better than V-Grooves.

Where do most amatuers hit their approach shots from? The rough.

So, if you add it all up, you are doing yourself a disservice to play anything BUT the urethane balls being that most amatuers are playing a HELL of a lot of shots from the rough. Your average amatuer never realizes this built-in advantage to U-Grooves because most are too "cheap" to buy the better balls.

Being that the USGA sees a significant advantage to using U-Grooves and Urethane balls, enough so as to warrant actually making the current design illegal, I guess I won't be hitting ANY surilyn balls in 2007.

From what I gathered from Wishon's other comments on the subject, he feels that the USGA will act on this sooner than later so as to let the OEM's sell equipment that will be legal for years and years instead of just until 2009 or 2010 or whatever ends up being decided.

 

[LyleG]

If this went into effect next week many people here would be ok because they were buying new clubs before then anyways.

 

[warbirdlover]

I'll probably be dead by the time the u grooves are finally outlawed for amateurs. :laugh:

 

[ualtim]

I'll probably be dead by the time the u grooves are finally outlawed for amateurs. :laugh:

I didn't think you were THAT old.

Planning on getting run over by a snow plow in the next few years?:laugh:

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2758899So, if you plan on buying any irons/wedges in the next year or two, be aware that they will be non-conforming somewhere down the line. That is if the USGA doesn't lose their hats in the multiple lawsuits they will most likely encounter from the OEM's.

Interesting thought though. As for many it may be unlikely they will have the same set of irons sometime after 2009. Almost makes you want to buy these, so you can benefit from the grandfather clause until that time. Then it is a assured way to be able to Ho new Irons in 2010, when you can tell your wife you have to because your current ones are illegal.

Kinda like a "Get out and Ho free card"

 

[dave.]

Wow,how bizarre,we new this in 1980,so its taken them 27 years to figure it out.Maybe the USGA and R&A committe menbers have been in comas for that long.How utterly ridiculous.

However its step in the right direction for pro golf but...............with such things as spin milling which can only develop they will find another way to get grip.Some imporved technique would be nice but thats probably a bit far fetched.

 

[mont86]

I'll probably be dead by the time the u grooves are finally outlawed for amateurs. :laugh:

I didn't think you were THAT old.

Planning on getting run over by a snow plow in the next few years?:laugh:

No sssmokin has had enough of his crap and is going to take care of WBL
himself...

 

[ualtim]

:biglol:

No sssmokin has had enough of his crap and is going to take care of WBL
himself...

:biglol:

Too funny. I guess I will shut my mouth about the crooked picture now that I know sssmokin owns a gun, works for the post office, and has a hit list.:laugh:

 

[ezra76]

Mizuno's site says the MP-R has "Max milled square grooves" are these included? Also I seem to remember seeing a set of Ping eye's that said they had square grooves in the description.

Not that I'd actually have the same wedges in '09. I haven't even gotten my 56* yet and I'm already thinking about selling the 2 and having a CG done on some black ox's.