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V groove conforming irons on the market

Resonance

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2009
6
0
What V groove conforming irons are on the market?? NEED HELP

Hi Everybody

Im quite new to golf and am planning on buying my first set of irons. Until the recent news that the USGA was banning U-grooves i had no idea there was such a difference in grooves on clubs.:eek:

I figure since Im buying a set of new irons anyways I should get one that conforms with the new rules.

My question is what irons on the market right now conform to this new rule and how can you tell that they are?

Thanks

P.S. I hope I posted this in the right section of the forum
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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For which will conform, you will likely need to check the manufacturers website. Unless you plan on being professional prior to 2014, you will be fine in competition assuming the clubs are manufactured prior to 2010. Then after 2014 it will apply to competition play until about 2024. This assuming the rules do not change again between now and then.

Here is some more information.
http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=10565

Being new to the game, I would personally buy what you like and then deal with the situation in 5 years if it becomes a further issue. Just my opinion.

Actually if I were looking for clubs right now, and the current state of the situation, I would buy U-grooves. They work quite well for me and will be quite legal for me until at least 2014. :)

If I end up having to replace them in 5 years and get 5 years of enjoyment, it would be money well spent IMO.
 

Bignose

Well-Known Member
Oct 23, 2006
426
2
I agree with Pa in that you should just buy what you like now. For the vast, vast majority of us, any club conforming today will be conforming until at least 2024. The two closer years would be if you plan on entering USGA tournaments, but your local club tournament shouldn't be ruling any club nonconforming until 2024.

There are members on here who will change their iron set twice before they get their socks on in the morning. That translates to precisely 17,899,710 different sets between now and 2024. All joking aside, 2024 was picked because it is far enough out there that darn near almost everyone will have a new set by then anyway. And the wording "almost" was in all likelihood thrown in by the USGA because come about 2022, they will probably issue an addendum to the notice letting all old clubs be grandfathered in anyway -- again because most avid golfers will have gotten a new set anyway by then. Again, these will be just for non-top level players, but that covers pretty much everyone, because there are only 5,000 or so "top level" players in the world.

Another thing to realize is that for the vast majority of your shots, the grooves aren't going to make that big of a difference anyway. No matter what grooves you have, the oblique angle of impact is the major contributor to spin. Only when there is a lot of moisture between clubface and ball (rain or the moisture that is in grass like in tall rough) are the grooves important. Grooves' main function is to channel moisture away from the impact area. The moral of that story is to not hit it in the tall stuff ;) if only it were that easy, eh?
 

fisher

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2008
1,263
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I was talking to a ping rep the other day and he suggested there may be another round of legal action on the way. Regardless he spoke very passionately about the damage this rule is going to do to the club manufacturers at a time when they are hurting to begin with. Stay tuned. I would not be surprised if there was a further roll back or complete abandonment of the rule change.

As for the original poster buy something with U grooves or Square grooves. They peform better. There is no disputing that fact.
 

TheTrueReview

"Playing it straight"
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Jan 8, 2009
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Buy the u-grooves. You've got a lot of learning ahead of you & there will be some benefit over getting v-grooves. Also, with the long sunset provision for u-grooves & the uncertainty about whether the v-groove regulations will last, it may be a bit premature to source beginners clubs in v-grooves. It'd be a shame to be left with v-grooved clubs if the regulations were thrown out in a couple of years' time.
 

hackworth

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2009
7
0
Go buy two sets of U grooves, that way when you wear the first set out in 20 years you've got another set. Having the PGA dictate what us normal golfers are going to be able to buy in the open market is like Major League Baseball telling normal people that they can't use aluminum bats. The company that ignores V-grooves for the masses will come out on top at the end of this crappy economy.
 
OP
R

Resonance

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Jul 7, 2009
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Thanks for the feedback
I understand what everybody is saying but my thinking is that since there seems to be a general consensus that V-grooves are harder to use and that a person using V-grooves would benefit if they changed to U-grooves or Square grooves but the opposite being reverse I might as well learn and practice the game with V-grooves. This way if the new rules stay I will be fine and if they dont I might benefit from changing to U-grooves. Im assuming this will prevent frustration down the road if i did start with U-grooves then is forced to change since everything on the market is conforming to the new rules that I wont be able to hit the same quality of shot that I'm accustomed to.

Just my POV

That aside...regardless of groove type, any suggestions on what iron sets are a good choice if im planning on spending $700ish or under? (Personally I like the way more blade-like irons look and thats probably the only preference i have so far regarding clubs)

I have a lot to learn = )

Thanks
 

Jimc11

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2009
83
0
I might get scalded here for this but please stay away from blades...go get fitted by a reputible fitter..and listen to what they say...I read a stat the other day that something like 70% of of PGA Tour pros do not use an all blade set anymore...I know plenty of very low handicappers, scratch golfer, and PGA tour players that dont using any blades anymore. Yes I think a blade is sexy...the feeling you get when you hit one clean is like no other...but 95% of guys out there dont hit them crisp enough to justify their use...just my 2cents...
 

fisher

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2008
1,263
0
Something else to consider. A set of U groove or square groove irons and wedges with worn out grooves will likely perform as good or better than a new set with the conforming V grooves.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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Thanks for the feedback
I understand what everybody is saying but my thinking is that since there seems to be a general consensus that V-grooves are harder to use and that a person using V-grooves would benefit if they changed to U-grooves or Square grooves but the opposite being reverse I might as well learn and practice the game with V-grooves. This way if the new rules stay I will be fine and if they dont I might benefit from changing to U-grooves. Im assuming this will prevent frustration down the road if i did start with U-grooves then is forced to change since everything on the market is conforming to the new rules that I wont be able to hit the same quality of shot that I'm accustomed to.
Actually I think my opinion would be to the contrary. You would improve better as a beginner with the confidence of hitting better shots. I believe as a seasoned golfer you will be able to easily adapt to any changes as a result of the grooves. Particularly when you know the difference is a result of club and groove changes. It is not like you are going to have to change or relearn your swing for a groove change. You will either reap the benefit or you will not. It would be much easier for me to adapt later, than simply bite the bullet and hit poorer shots for the time being. Golf is a tough enough game to start with, get every advantage you can under the rules of the game. One of the primary reasons people quit the game is it is just to difficult. Deal with the change when and IF it happens

I also think the time frame is irrelevant for the reason Bignose mentioned. I really doubt you will have the clubs you are getting ready to buy in 2014. While I could see playing the same clubs I have now for that long, I could not see playing either of the other 2 sets I had from the time I started. At the time I thought "Hey, these will last a me a long time" After improving my game and ball striking, there were better options out there for my game.
 

hackworth

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2009
7
0
I'm with Jayhawk on this. You're going to be trying to learn the game. You're gonna need good accurate feedback when you hit the ball and that is easier to feel and observe with U grooves. When you get better you're gonna want to know how far you hit each iron and so on. With V grooves all the way through your bag, you're going to struggle. V grooves cause "flyers" and your going to be scratching your head and throwing clubs into the woods trying to figure out why a shot that felt so good went crazy long or knuckled and fell short

Buy the most forgiving U grooves you can afford, and when you get good, graduate to the V grooves instead of giving up on the game because of them.
 

Wi-Golfer

Golfer on hiatus.
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Jul 25, 2007
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May as well get some persimmon woods with hickory shafts too. Learn how to play with those & then you can graduate to the oh so easy we all hit it 300 yds 460 drivers.
 
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Resonance

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2009
6
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  • Thread Starter
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May as well get some persimmon woods with hickory shafts too. Learn how to play with those & then you can graduate to the oh so easy we all hit it 300 yds 460 drivers.


Hahah I won't go that far to learn it the hard way unless the USGA plan on banning metal drivers and go back to woods.

Thanks all I'll heed your advice and buy myself a set of U-groove irons. I think I can safely assume that most of the sets at Golftown right now will be U-groove. Will post what I end up purchasing if anybody cares :D
 

dylpckl8588

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2009
2
0
Does anyone know if Titleist 735 cm irons are going to be conforming to the groove requirements for next year? I saw that to play in any usga event qualifiers that you need to have the new grooves next year so I'm trying to find out if I need new irons.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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I saw that to play in any usga event qualifiers that you need to have the new grooves next year so I'm trying to find out if I need new irons.
Where did you see that? If you read the link I posted above from the USGA site, it did not say "ANY", and that it will be for the event Qualifier for the U.S. Open, U.S. Womens Open, and U.S. Senior Open. Or are you talking about qualifying for one of those 3? If so I apologize, and wish you luck on that, that would be an outstanding feat just to attempt to qualify.

3. The U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and the U.S. Senior Open will adopt the new groove regulations for championships conducted after January 1, 2010, per the expert Condition of Competition. This includes all qualifying events for these championships.
4. All other USGA championships will apply the Condition of Competition requiring the new groove regulations for competitions beginning January 1, 2014.

Refer to the link I posted above.
 

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