New Golf Groove Rules.
A Guide To The 2010 Golf Groove Rules.
You may have heard some about the new regulations governing the shape and size of golf club grooves.
Although this at present is only for the major tours and touring pro’s the new rules will have consequences for every golfer eventually and you will start to notice the changes soon.
The new rules deal with groove volume. This basically means the limits on grooves on all clubs, excluding drivers and putters, are going to be reduced and they will become shallower and narrower,with a different cross section.
The sharpness of the edges of the golf grooves will also be more stringently regulated on all clubs will a loft of 25 degrees or more from a 5 iron down.
The idea of the changes is to make it more difficult to spin the ball from the rough and so increase the difference between playing an approach from the fairway or out of the rough. So as well as checking your grooves you might also want to get some practice in, keeping it on the short stuff with the driver as well!
The phrase ‘Condition of Competition’ irons and wedges and these are clubs where the grooves will conform to the new regulations. Here are the three important dates to make a note of:
1 January 2010: The date as the PGA Tour, European Tour and other top level tour players must use ‘Condition of Competition’ clubs from this date. Everyone else, unless specified otherwise, can use clubs with the current non-conforming golf grooves.
1 January 2011: All new clubs manufactured after this date need to conform to the new regulations and it is expected that all professional tours will require players to use clubs that meet the new rules. You can continue to use your wedges and irons and retailers can still sell non-conforming clubs after this date. However manufacturers may not continue to manufacturer or stock wedges that are not conforming to the new rules.
1 January 2014: The ‘Condition of Competition’ regulations are set to be extended to the lower level of professional tours and certain amateur events.
1 January 2024: All golfers, the new regulations come into force for every golfer.
What does that all mean for those of us that fall below the level of the professional tour or the elite amateur circuit?
After the first change in 2010 you really don’t need to do anything. Your old clubs and golf grooves will still be fine to use in competition play. In theory tournament committees could enforce the new rules but the R & A are strongly advising that this does not happen at club level. If you’re in any doubt then check with your competition committee.
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