New groove rules

[rolltherock]

Might have this in the wrong section, but what are everyone's feelings on this?

My views on the rules of golf are kind of simple, they are what they are. I'm certainly not going to try and interpret the ones I like as opposed to ones I'm not in love with.....I play by the rules.

I know there are guys at my club who play in our Saturday Nassau who use non-conforming hot drivers and it really irks me, but they are the same guys who use a 'foot wedge' out of the rough, ground their clubs in the bunkers etc.. We know who they are and avoid playing with them.

The guys I play with are old school like me, but I realize there are a ton of people who won't follow the rule. I guess it comes down to picking your battles on the club level. As for our club championship thank goodness it was made easy for us....use USGA conforming clubs which will be verified....or you get DQ'd. We will see how that goes when the rules take effect.

 

[slickpitt]

Well it's going to be 2014 before we have to worry about it if I remember right. I'm willing to be I couldn't tell the difference in a U groove 7-iron and a v groove 7-iron.

 

[Augster]

At the club level, you have until 2024 actually. Long past any useful life of a wedge.

V-groove, U-groove is a total non-issue until you start getting to the pro level, or if you plan on qualifying for state amatuers etc. That's about, maybe, 1% of the golfing public.

The other 99% have until 2024 to get their clubs "legit". Moreover, all clubs from production date 2010 or later will have the V-grooves. If they are manufactured with the U-grooves after 2009, they will be illegal clubs.

 

[rolltherock]

Well it's going to be 2014 before we have to worry about it if I remember right. I'm willing to be I couldn't tell the difference in a U groove 7-iron and a v groove 7-iron.

Yea I would tend to agree, but with the wedges is where I think it will play a big part for everyone. There is a marked difference in shot game shots with spin control and especially being able to have spin and not just trajectory to stop your ball out of the rough.

Will be interesting to follow this as it progresses....especially with the big boys on Tour.

 

[eclark53520]

I dont think it will matter one bit to my game...but it will be interesting to see what kind of difference this will make for those on tour.

 

[mddubya]

I doubt it will make that bug of a difference to the Pros either. They will probably go to a softer ball,meaning the ball manufacturers will develop a softer ball for them. So they may lose some distance off the tee. But a softer ball will probably spin just as much in their hands off a V groove, as the balls they are using now do off the U grooves.

Technology has taken over the game, and I think the PGA is fighting a losing battle.

 

[rolltherock]

I doubt it will make that bug of a difference to the Pros either. They will probably go to a softer ball,meaning the ball manufacturers will develop a softer ball for them. So they may lose some distance off the tee. But a softer ball will probably spin just as much in their hands off a V groove, as the balls they are using now do off the U grooves.

Technology has taken over the game, and I think the PGA is fighting a losing battle.

There is no question the ball has revolutionized the game. If I had to go back to say a Titleist DT my handicap would go up 3x. I would lose 1 club on my irons and 25 yards off the tee. Even bigger would be my short game shots....completely different game then. I could live with the groove issue if the ball didn't change, but if the USGA goes after the golf ball....there will be HUGE issues with the games of everyone in my opinion.

 

[DouginGA]

I am confused here. what is the difference between u groove vs. v groove when I catch it thin and skull it over the green?

 

[fisher]

I'll put it this way, I won't be running out to buy the latest V-groove wedges and irons. Its gonna hurt the club manufacturers big time.

The groove rule is the stupidest thing ever. They should reconsider especially in these hard economic times for the golf industry.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

I dont think it will matter one bit to my game...but it will be interesting to see what kind of difference this will make for those on tour.

Bingo! Wouldn't make 1 damn bit of difference to my game.

I am confused here. what is the difference between u groove vs. v groove when I catch it thin and skull it over the green?

Ahh, so you have copied my chipping style?

 

[Fourputt]

First, 99% of amateur golfers won't even notice the difference. They don't hit the ball hard enough for the grooves to matter, and they don't hit greens regularly from the fairway, much less from the rough, which is the only place where the grooves matter anyway.

Second, any clubs manufactured before Jan 1, 2010 will be grandfathered in until 2024 for club level play. The PGA Tour will switch in 2010, as will the top level USGA tournaments. Lesser USGA and state golf association competitions will switch over in 2014. Anyone participating in competitions higher than club level should probably check with the tournament committee, or just use clubs conforming to the new rule.

Third, why in the world will this hurt the equipment manufacturers? Equipment junkies aren't going to change their habits just because of a groove change. And players aren't going to play with worn out wedges just to spite the USGA. I expect to see a run on wedges during the last half of this year from guys stocking up in the false hope that having those clubs stockpiled will somehow make them better at the short game than the guys who are using the new gear. That won't hurt the makers or the dealers either.

This whole issue is much ado about nothing. Every time someone mentions it on a golf forum it starts the panic all over again... I've already used clubs with the new grooves, and for me there was no noticeable difference just because of the grooves.

 

[TheTrueReview]

Hopefully after a season, the Pros will agitate enough for the groove rules to be changed back to the way they were. Who wants to watch players in contention suddenly be out of contention because they've flown the green from the rough. .... and it's not all about skill in staying on the fairway. As we all know, an unfair bounce can have you in the rough.

Then there's the effect on us weekend players. If there's a greater prospect of pros flying the green from the rough with the v grooves, imagine what it will do to us 'hackers'. Anyone for a triple bogey?

 

[nututhugame]

Anyone for a triple bogey.....

Dude, triple bogey is my life.

I'm getting better though.

 

[ualtim]

I sent an email to Ping a few weeks ago asking about the availability of replacement clubs on the i10's after 2010 and they said that they would be available for a long time like the rest of their clubs. If my i10 irons/wedges ever wear out (unlikely) I can just order up a new one with the same exact specs as my current one, square grooves and all with a matching serial number to my set.

Even better, if you have a set of Ping Eye 2's they are grandfathered in to being legal forever due to the results of the lawsuits filed back in the 80's. The Ping Eye 2's square grooves can be played regardless of how they change the groove rule and still be considered legal.

 

[mddubya]

And for us weekend hacks, you can always sharpen the grooves on your NEW V groove irons with a U groove sharpener,