R&A Finally Acts On Grooves...To Preserve The Importance Of Rough!

Of course, the opening line of the press release is revolting on a level I can't begin to describe.

THE R&A ANNOUNCES NEW GOLF CLUB RULES

St Andrews, Scotland, 5 August 2008:  The R&A has today announced revisions to golf’s equipment Rules, which are designed to enhance the benefits of accuracy by making playing from the rough a more challenging prospect in future.

Yes, yes, rough is vital to the game. Old Tom would have wanted it that way. Don't worry about building new tees on the New Course, just make sure that we can continue to line fairways with rough. Or, in the case of the Road Hole, just eliminate the fairway. That's a priority!  Anyway, carry on...

The new Rules will augment the existing limitations on grooves and will affect all clubs (with the exception of drivers and putters), with the new regulations limiting groove volume and groove edge sharpness.  Essentially, larger volume grooves have the ability to channel away more material, such as water or grass, similar to the tread on car tyres.  At the same time, sharper groove edges facilitate a better contact between club and ball, even in the presence of debris.

Both new regulations will apply to golf clubs with lofts greater than or equal to 25 degrees (generally a standard 5-iron and above) with only the rule limiting groove volume applying to clubs of lesser loft.

So a 3 or 4 iron could have...ah forget it.

The Rules will apply to all clubs manufactured after 1 January 2010.  Clubs manufactured prior to this date, which meet the current regulations, will continue to be regarded as conforming under the Rules of Golf until at least 2024.

Well, that's not going to cause the rush to Roger Dunn's that the manufacturers would have hoped for.

It is intended that the new Rules will be introduced as a Condition of Competition at top professional level from 1 January 2010 and at top amateur level and in other professional events from 1 January 2014.  The R&A and the USGA will introduce such a Condition of Competition at their respective championships in accordance with this schedule.  The world’s top professional tours for both men and women, and the organisers of golf’s major championships, have all indicated their support for the new groove regulations and their intention to implement the Condition of Competition in 2010.

At GolfDigest.com, Mike Stachura summarizes the news while USGA.org offers...no announcement as of 10:15 a.m. PST.

Update on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 10:24 AM by Geoff

The USGA release arrives at 10:24 PST and includes this oddly phrased line:

The PGA Tour, the European PGA Tour, the LPGA, the PGA of America and the International Federation of PGA Tours have all indicated their support for the new regulations on grooves. Each of these organizations, as well as the Augusta National Golf Club, have told the USGA and The R&A, the game’s governing bodies, that they intend to adopt the condition of competition, applying the rules for their competitions, beginning on January 1, 2010.

They've told them! Works for me.

Comments

[Jordan]

When will the R&A, the USGA, and Augusta figure out that short grass can actually make the game more interesting and affect scoring by creating indeciveness, bad angles, and more balls in bunkers? Then this silly groove debate would go away.

[RM]

The 2024 Senior Club Championship just got a little bit tougher for all of us!

[Scott]

So which clubs would be illegal in 2010 for the pros?

And it seems that you can use these grooves until 2024.

[F. X.]

These announcements amount a bifurcation of the rules between pros and hackers. Why not just bifurcate the ball rules? Bifurcate the ODS?

'said Rains. "This means that clubs you own today will still be conforming for top-level amateur competition for another 5 1/2 years and, for other competitions, conforming until at least 2024, if not indefinitely." '

If not indefinitely = bifurcation of the rules.

[mp]

As Scott said, clubs bought before 2010 can be used until 2024. Doesn't make much sense to me, since this rule was apparently enacted to limit the pro's ability to spin balls out of the rough. What's to keep them from buying say, 42 copies of their favorite wedge, and having a 14 year supply of that wedge (assuming 3 wedges per year)?

[Erik J. Barzeski]

mp, the fact that the condition of competition will be enacted is what will force pros to use clubs with the new grooves in 2010:

"The PGA Tour, the European PGA Tour, the LPGA, the PGA of America and the International Federation of PGA Tours have all indicated their support for the new regulations on grooves. Each of these organizations, as well as the Augusta National Golf Club, have told the USGA and The R&A, the game’s governing bodies, that they intend to adopt the condition of competition, applying the rules for their competitions, beginning on January 1, 2010."