Will the PGA get rid of the new groove rule?

[jarnol18]

it's been interesting to see how manufacturers are "getting around" the groove rule by creating balls that spin more or grooves that are milled differently. hoping the PGA reverses the rule so that everyone can end the confusion and become more streamlined.

[Matt Saternus]

I'd like to see this rule pulled also, but I doubt that it will happen. It seems to me that if you want to reign in distance, then change the ball. Create two sets of rules, one for tour balls and one for recreational balls.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Were the score too low? Is that what started this? If so, why is this a problem?

You could just adjust par for the pros.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

The USGA is just trying to make sure that courses don't have to be 8000 yards to hold tournaments on. I could care less what type of grooves my wedges have on them.

[GolfSpy_X]

And also they felt golfers were not being penalized as much for missing the fairways.

 

The USGA is just trying to make sure that courses don't have to be 8000 yards to hold tournaments on. I could care less what type of grooves my wedges have on them.

[Moecat]

I'd like to see this rule pulled also, but I doubt that it will happen. It seems to me that if you want to reign in distance, then change the ball. Create two sets of rules, one for tour balls and one for recreational balls.

 

Wasn't that the original conundrum? Either change the ball or change the grooves? So the USGA and R&A went with grooves.

 

If they reverted back to deeper / wider grooves but then changed the ball, I'm sure there would still be a lot of hollering and head scratching.

[Matt Saternus]

Wasn't that the original conundrum? Either change the ball or change the grooves? So the USGA and R&A went with grooves.

 

If they reverted back to deeper / wider grooves but then changed the ball, I'm sure there would still be a lot of hollering and head scratching.

 

I imagine there are some people (I might be one of them, not really sure) who wouldn't like to see any changes, so yes, I think changing the ball would result in head scratching. It just seems to me like the reason for the rule change was to reel in distance and they went about making that change in a very circuitous way - we're going to punish long hitters who miss the fairway by taking away their grooves. I might be misinterpreting the whole thing, but that's how I understood it.

[Golfware]

The USGA is just trying to make sure that courses don't have to be 8000 yards to hold tournaments on. I could care less what type of grooves my wedges have on them.

 

Courses don't have to be 8000 yards to hold tourney's with the new grooves. The Tour needs to make the courses tougher to play. Let the rough grow out. Narrow the fairways and don't cut them razor thin so that these guys get 40 yards of roll. I've seen in first hand at Harding. NEVER... NEVER... NEVER will you get as much roll for us amateurs as those pros did that week. We closed the course for at least 2 weeks (and reduced the rounds numerous weeks before) and dried the course out, then shaved the fairways down to a razor. Tour players were getting MASSIVE roll that week. And don't have the greens rolling at 11-12 and pure as hell. I've putted on greens like that and if you're a decent putter, you'll LOVE it because the ball stays on point.

[mcbush25]

I can't see the USGA and R&A backing down on the groove rule. I think when the rule finally effects all amateurs is when we will see the biggest change. I think it will be interesting to see how everything plays out when the rule is in full blown effect.

[jamo]

No way. If guys want to play 20 year old Ping wedges, go ahead, they aren't getting any help.

[Jeeves]

The USGA is just trying to make sure that courses don't have to be 8000 yards to hold tournaments on. I could care less what type of grooves my wedges have on them.

 

As someone working within the Golf Course Design industry.. I can relate. It used to be that when laying out a course set within a residential envelope, you could get away with a 50-yard protective radius from the center of the fairways and greens. Now, we need a minimum of 65-yards.

 

Architects are concerned about possible lawsuits from wayward tee shots. I know of a big name famous island builder(hint, hint) who was sued for several million after a girl was struck in her backyard on a course built over 20 years ago. Back then, the design was not an issue... today's technology has turned the course into a liability.