Golf - Not so GROOVY anymore!

If you've followed any professional golf over the last two years it's highly likely that you've heard of the new groove rule.  The discussion has been the major news on golf technology since the USGA made the decision to implement the rule in 2008.  The decision was made then, but the rule did not take effect until January 1, 2010.

For those of you who don't know, grooves are the long lines of indents on the face of the golf club.  The grooves impart backspin on the golf ball at impact allowing the ball to fly higher and straighter as the consistent spin helps stabilize the ball in the air.  Particularly important on irons, the grooves, by increasing backspin allow the golfer to hit more accurate shots into the green.  The extra spin causes the ball to stop shortly after landing and thus makes it easier to control the distance that the ball is hit.  Although these grooves may seem very simple to the naked eye, there are many factors involved that can greatly affect the response of the golf ball.  The depth, sharpness, and shape of the groove are the main parameters that can be controlled.

Many recreational golfers wonder why they are unable to get the backspin that professional golfers do.  The way to get the most backspin on a ball is to make sure that when striking the ball there is no grass in between the head of the club and the ball.  Professional golfers are very accurate when striking the ball and will almost always contact the ball before the ground.  Grooves come in especially handy for recreational golfers as their design allows for grass to be trapped inside and an cleaner contact between the club and ball to be made.  Recent groove technology has created sharper, deeper, U-grooves that can close the gap between a well struck shot and a poorly struck shot.  The USGA (governing body for golf in the United States) felt that these grooves were closing the gap between the elite ball strikers on the PGA tour and the good ones and decided to create a new rule regulating the specifications of the grooves.  Grooves now have a maximum depth and the shape must now be a V-groove.  This takes away a lot of the efficiency of the groove and puts more emphasis on the quality of the shot.

This new rule as posed some very big questions on how technology is regulated in golf.  Although it makes sense on the professional level, the new groove rule will most likely affect recreational golfer's the most.  Even if they don't realize it the grooves helped their shots immensely and they will find the game much more difficult when playing these new grooves.  Although the rule is only in affect for professional golfers and recreational golfers can use whatever clubs they want, golf club manufacturers will no longer produce the old grooves starting in 2011.  As golf club technology increases greatly every year I always suggest to every golfer no matter what skill level to update their golf clubs as much as possible.  New technology makes the game easier and more enjoyable for recreational golfers.  With the new rule however, there will be a big drop in performance between clubs manufactured after 2011 compared to before.

It makes me really wonder if golf club sales will drop greatly in the next few years and whether the industry will be able to make it through unscathed.  I often wonder if perhaps the USGA has shot itself in the foot with this new rule as the golf club industry (very important to the game) may very well be entering some hard times.

Technology is greatly advancing in sports.  New golf clubs hit the ball farther and straighter and new hockey sticks shoot the puck harder and faster  As the professional levels begin to regulate the technology should the game perhaps look towards professional baseball for advice?  The technology between wooden baseball bats, and metal ones is very extreme and therefore metal bats are illegal at the professional level.  It makes sense at that level but they have let the amateur players to continue using the better metal bats.  This makes a lot of sense to me and I wonder if pressure from golf club manufacturer's will push the USGA in the same direction;