Oh those well meaning salespeople at Golfsmith, Dicks, S/A...

[mainuh]

Just read this - Grooves get 16-year-old star disqualified.

 

The problem started when, according to Scott Crouthamel, senior director of rules and competition for the Washington State Golf Association, one of Lee's fellow competitors told officials she believed Lee was spinning the ball too much and wanted the grooves checked for conformance...

 

it's really unfortunate," said Crouthamel. "She had bought the wedges and had been told they were conforming.

 

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/blogs/local-knowledge/2010/06/grooves-get-16-year-old-star-disqualified.html

 

rob

 

ps - wanted to link this through a " h ref =..." but the code would not work here.

Any reason ?

 

thx, rbm

[HillWilliam]

OUCH...A shame...I suspect it was completely unintentional..The conforming list of wedges and irons needs to be displayed prominently at each tournament (and accessible for the rest of us). I know the rules differ for amateurs and pros but who wants to sink hard earned $$ into clubs that aren't legal. Not judging the rule, just the implementation.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

Caveat emptor.

[Addicted2Golf]

That's the problem with some of the kids these days - they don't take the time to learn anything about the equipment they are playing. In the old days, pros used to bend, grind, and adjust the swing weight of their own clubs. Now, the tour vans do everything for the pros and the kids in the amateur ranks just get handed stuff.

 

The groove rule has been well publicized. Hell, there have been articles in both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine about what clubs conform. Any player at any level who gets disqualified has only themselves to blame.

[Dave]

I have no sympathy for her. At the level she's playing at she should be responsible for checking if her clubs conform.

[Shambles]

It's a problem for those very few of us who are at the bridge spanning 2024 and TODAY. She happened to be at the crossover and was still habituated to taking things for granted. It's a costly error but I expect she'll have learned her lesson and her skill is still intact so it's on to the next tourney.

 

A salesman's job is to sell. We need to remember that always.

 

 

Shambles

[JohnBarry]

She should be up on the rules, and shame on the sales person too

[HoosierGolfer]

In a Golfweek article in the most recent issue, it is pointed out that the event tour rep had decided well before the event, that he would have the winners clubs checked.

Not sure how I know that everything (for the most part) being sold in stores right now, are "old" grooved clubs. With most OEM's, the only way to get "new" groove products is by special order. Most pro's don't walk into a store for clubs but in her case she had to blame someone and when did anyone start trusting a sales person in a golf store?

[Andrew Bush]

Im with hoosier kinda trusting a used car salesman, but then again ive walked into stores before and schooled some sales people on things so past that part

 

And also someone had to be playing around that girl u know somebody good or knowledgable that new anything about the sport to see if those were non conforming or mention to her about them, her playing partners sure did notice and said something.....

 

and lastly cant put any blame past her or her caregivers mom dad whoever now adays for not checking on those wedges before they got in the car or sent a application to enter!!!!

 

 

But this is probally not the first victim look at the others that didnt even come to the event because of this rule

[djdogstar]

I think that the blame needs to fall with the USGA. This move to new grooves has been mishandled from the start. Manufacturers are put in a tough position (especially in a down economy) and amateur competitors are left trying to figure out which clubs to use for which tournaments.

 

I skipped US Open qualifying this year because even if I made it out of local qualifying I would have had to find and replace all 3 wedges I use for the next qualifier. $450 additional cost not to mention the fact that no retailer I have found carry conforming Mizuno wedges. And why can I use non-conforming wedges for the local qualifier? Makes not sense.

 

How many people can walk into a golf store today and buy a conforming Ping wedge? Or Mizuno? I've seen a FEW Titleist wedges but that is about it.

[smooth7iron]

Just read the article. What a bummer. I agree with djdogstar on how the usga has mishandled this groove rule from the beginning.

[ja2thacub]

I have to agree with dave and john barry. I mean, don't all of you know every exacting detail about your beloved sticks? She has no excuse

[PingManKMB]

I work at Golf Galaxy, and finding conforming wedges for the new USGA ruling is kind of hard.

 

We stock the Vokey CC wedges (in limited quantity)

We stock the Cleveland CG15 Tour Zip Groove (in limited quantity)

 

You can get the XFT TaylorMade wedge with the ZTP face insert, but I don't believe we have those in stock at the moment.

 

Right now, the options for wedges is limited, which is a bummer.

 

 

Final thought: I don't care if you're 16, 26, 36 or 66... If you're playing at that level of competition you should know your equipment.

[GolfSpy Dave]

 

Final thought: I don't care if you're 16, 26, 36 or 66... If you're playing at that level of competition you should know your equipment.

Exactly. Especially if the consequence is severe. Someone should have asked the conforming question prior to competition.

Not like the groove rule is under the radar..

[Jools]

I also lay some blame on her coahc for not talking about the groove issue to the players. It was the other player that wanted her club tested. Apparently she knew...

[thespoon]

The rules are what they are. Now, if they were only consistent enough to be followed easily.

Conform or be DQ'ed.

[GolfKahuna]

With the high prices of new clubs, I have decided to wait until a conforming club is on sale!

[paperclip]

Irregardless of whether or not we agree or disagree with the groove rule and as screwed up as the whole thing is, I think the manufacturers had more than enough time and notice to get their act together. As well, we have been constantly bombarded with the news about the groove changes. And apparently the player didn't take advantage of the "free groove checking" offered at the tournament? I think totally the player's fault here. She should have known better by now. No sympathy.