Golf-FAQ.com

when did golf clubs come oug with v grooves

by Claudie Heidenreich DDS Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

Brief History of Grooves
Prior to 1984, golf clubs had what we now refer to as “V” grooves. As the name implies, the grooves were shaped like a V. In mid-1984, Ping introduced the second version of the Eye2 irons which featured “U” grooves.
Jul 7, 2009

Do I have V or U grooves?

The deeper, sharper grooves are called "U" grooves. "V" grooves are the opposite. They are much shallower and have rounder edges. The "U" groove can move much more debris away from the contact zone.

When did golf clubs get grooves?

In 1908 it was discovered that grooves on the club face could increase backspin and generate more distance. The first few decades of the 1900's saw a lot of experimentation and innovation in the club design.

What year were square grooves banned?

1990Saying that the use of square or U grooves in golf irons ''has changed the nature of the game,'' the PGA Tour Policy Board today declared clubs with square grooves illegal for use in PGA Tour events starting Jan. 1, 1990.

What year did USGA change the grooves?

2010Since January 1, 2010, the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 have been adopted as a Condition of Competition (now Model Local Rule G-2) for the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as all qualifying stages for these three championships.

When did golf clubs stop using wooden shafts?

Hickory became the standard material for golf club shafts until steel shafts were introduced in about 1925 in the US, and became standard everywhere from the mid 1930s. They had the advantage as they did not break like the hickory shafts and could be produced reliably with uniform feel in matched sets.

When did they stop making wooden shafted golf clubs?

Millions of clubs with wood shafts were made before 1935. In today's rapidly growing sports collectibles market, no wood-shafted club is worthless, but only a small percentage of old clubs do have significant value. The category of steel-shafted, or “classic clubs” is covered elsewhere.

Are V grooves legal?

Golf club manufacturers can continue to make clubs with grooves shaped like a “V”, a “U” or “square”. The USGA Rules have previously allowed, and will continue to allow, for a series of “straight grooves” with diverging sides and a symmetrical cross-section.

Is it legal to sharpen grooves on golf clubs?

The rules of golf state that grooves must be no more than 0.035 inches wide, 0.020 inches deep and 0.075 inches from any adjacent grooves. If you play competitively, using a groove sharpener could make your clubs non-conforming and illegal for competition.

Is it illegal to sharpen golf grooves?

Groove sharpeners are technically not illegal to use, but you'll need to be careful in how you use them to avoid game disqualification. The main point to remember is that the shape of a groove cannot be changed by the golfer. This is considered illegal.

What golf grooves are illegal?

Under United States Golf Association (USGA) rules implemented on January 1, square or U-grooves have been outlawed but a 20-year-old Ping wedge was deemed legal because of a lawsuit won by its manufacturer over the USGA in 1990.

What wedges are illegal in golf?

A rule that is more important for wedges is the groove rule originating in 2008. This rule affects all clubs with lofts of 25 degrees and more, which basically means it refers to all the wedges. It banned all wedges with U-shaped grooves, allowing only wedges with V-groove design to be officially used.

Do grooves on Driver matter?

0:201:27What Are Grooves on Your Driver For? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTaking grooves out will help them do that really get the best distance with the most durability.MoreTaking grooves out will help them do that really get the best distance with the most durability.

What are grooves on golf clubs?

By Don Patton. Grooves on your golf clubs primarily are designed to create spin when the ball is struck properly. Grooves on golf club faces are there primarily to impart spin to the ball. They also channel water and foreign material away from the clubface, especially for shots from heavy rough. The larger grooves on some irons allow players ...

Why do golf clubs have grooves?

Grooves on golf club faces are there primarily to impart spin to the ball. They also channel water and foreign material away from the clubface, especially for shots from heavy rough.

How wide is a clubface groove?

The cross section may be U- or V-shaped as long as it is symmetrical and the sides don’t converge or have sharp or raised edges. The dimensions of each groove are limited to 0.035 inch wide and 0.020 inch deep. The required minimum spacing is three times the groove width and no less than .075 inch.

How much less spin on golf shots?

This means 30 percent to 50 percent less spin on shots hit from the rough with very little effect on fairway shots.

When did Phil Mickelson use Ping Eye 2?

Several PGA Tour players, including Phil Mickelson, exercised that right by using Ping Eye-2 wedges on the tour in early 2010, much to the dismay of the USGA and outrage from other tour players. Fortunately, Ping settled this dispute by waiving legal rights and allowed the USGA to outlaw the older clubs. Sorry, the video player failed to load.

Why do golf clubs have grooves?

Essentially, the reasons why golf clubs have grooves on the face is to allow water and debris from the ball and your lie as a place to go. If you were to hit a ball that was wet from the rain, at the moment of compression the water and debris would transfer from the ball to the club face and through the grooves.

What is a V groove?

Instead, “V” grooves are the only type of groove allowed on any club of 25 degrees or more.

Why did the pros change the rules in the rough?

Apparently, they changed the rules because whenever the pros were hitting from the “rough” they were still able to get an insane amount of spin on the ball. The “U” shaped grooves in combination with sharp edges made it possible for the player to have better control of the ball while in the rough.

Why sharpen grooves?

Sharpening your grooves doesn’t make sense to me, the only reason one would sharpen their grooves is if they thought the grooves made ball spin better. But the grooves don’t make the ball spin so I would say no. On the other hand, you could sharpen your grooves if you had a small dent or blemish near the grooves.

What does a new wedge look like?

New wedges have these small grooves around the entire face of the club. It almost resembles a giant thumbprint on the face of your club. I’m assuming these are for better grip on the ball but this shouldn’t be the case for the reasons stated above.

What would happen if you didn't clean golf ball grooves?

If the grooves were too deep than so much more dirt would eventually settle over time. If you didn’t clean the grooves it would probably be extremely difficult to remove.

What happens if a golf ball is wet?

If a wet golf ball compresses against a clean club face with grooves, the water has a place to go. Even if it’s the tiniest amount of water, it still needs a place to go or the ball probably won’t compress properly. You won’t hit your target at the very least.

When did the R&A golf club come out?

Around 1925 the steel shaft was introduced in the United States, although blacksmiths had experimented with them since the late 1890’s . The R&A, named from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, is the governing body of the game of golf.

What is the evolution of golf?

The Evolution of the Golf Club. Since the inception of the game of golf, players have continually tried to improve upon their equipment. The earliest golf clubs were initially carved by the golfer themselves and typically out of wood. Golfers soon turned to skilled craftsmen to produce higher quality equipment.

What wood is used for golf clubs?

Hickory quickly became the standard wood of choice for club-makers due to its availability and better durability. In 1848 the “guttie” ball was introduced by Rev. Adam Paterson, which quickly made the “longnoses” or drivers obsolete. Bulgers emerged to replace the longnoses which had a bulbous head, resembling modern woods.

How many clubs can you carry in a golf bag?

Up until 1939 it was common for a golfer to carry 20-30 clubs in their bag. However with the advancement of the steel shafted clubs the R&A introduced the 14 club rule in 1939, which limited players to only be allowed to carry 14 clubs. The traditional names of the clubs, like “niblicks” and “spoons”, were replaced by the standard numbering system used to this day.

What were the clubs made of in the 1500s?

In the 1500s a set of clubs consisted of: a set of play clubs, “longnoses”, for driving; fairway clubs or “grassed drivers”, for medium range; “spoons” for short shots; “niblicks” similar to wedges; and a putting “cleek”. These golf clubs were made up of wood with the shafts being made from ash or hazel and the club heads being made ...

What is the R&A golf club?

The R&A, named from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, is the governing body of the game of golf. The R&A finally legalized the use of steel shafted clubs after the Prince of Wales used them on the Old Course at St Andrews in 1929. The steel shaft provided for greater accuracy and durability.

What were the names of the golf clubs after World War II?

The traditional names of the clubs, like “niblicks” and “spoons”, were replaced by the standard numbering system used to this day. There was little development and advancement for the next few decades. After World War II development of golf clubs were influenced by research into synthetic and composite materials.

When did golf clubs become more popular?

Metal and the Modern Era. The history of golf clubs took a turn when the casting method of mass production began in 1963. Metals like steel and iron became cheaper to produce, nearly eliminating individual craftsmen. With industrialization, clubs became more affordable and greatly expanded the popularity of the game.

When did golf clubs use steel?

The use of steel was trendy in the 1920s. However, it was widely contested until 1929, when the Prince of Wales used it in a match. Clubs made with steel shafts were more robust and lighter and could produce better accuracy. However, this posed another dilemma. With a lighter club, a golfers swing also had to change.

What are the different types of golf clubs?

At that time, there were five main styles of clubs from which to choose: 1 Play Clubs or Longnoses, for driving 2 Fairway Clubs or Grassdrivers, for medium-range shots 3 Spoons for short shots 4 Niblicks, which are similar to wedges 5 Putting Cleek

What wood is used in golf clubs?

Woods were typically made with popular persimmon wood due because it was both durable and powerful. Until 1991 when the first “metal” wood emerged, persimmon was the wood of choice for most golfers. Wedges had already been fused with metals since the late 1800s.

What is a Haskell golf ball made of?

It was made from a solid piece of rubber called gutta-percha. Greater distance and durability gave this golf ball precedence over others. Later in 1898, the Haskell three-piece ball was invented and became the standard for the next ninety years.

When was the featherlite golf ball invented?

Other metals were cheaper and more desirable but were prohibited due to the type of ball used. The Featherlite golf ball was invented in 1618. It was made from leather and feathers. If golfers hit the Featherlite with anything other than wood, it would occasionally explode upon impact.

What are golf clubs made of?

Most clubs were made with a solid piece of wood, but some were fused and connected by leather straps. While wood/iron fusions worked for shorter range clubs like wedges, longer drivers became too heavy to maneuver. Other metals were cheaper and more desirable but were prohibited due to the type of ball used.

samtay6

I asked a similar question in the new acquisitions thread, but figured I'd do a new topic and get some additional opinions.

Bella Woods

They could "create" a tiered handicap system, one for modern complying clubs and one for non-complying

NRJyzr

What I will do is nothing, other than continuing to play my clubs. I don't particularly care what the USGA says regarding grooves, I find it to be the second dumbest move they've made, behind only the abject cluelessness of the anchored putting rule.

Kirasdad

What I will do is nothing, other than continuing to play my clubs. I don't particularly care what the USGA says regarding grooves, I find it to be the second dumbest move they've made, behind only the abject cluelessness of the anchored putting rule.

BIG STU

Me personally I aint doing a damn thing. I could give two hoots and three hot damns less about the USGA the R&A or the PGA for that matter. I do not keep an handicap anyhow and am not going to play in a comp that requires one. Like Stix mentioned at his club also happened at my home course.

BIG STU

What I will do is nothing, other than continuing to play my clubs. I don't particularly care what the USGA says regarding grooves, I find it to be the second dumbest move they've made, behind only the abject cluelessness of the anchored putting rule.

deejaid

What I will do is nothing, other than continuing to play my clubs. I don't particularly care what the USGA says regarding grooves, I find it to be the second dumbest move they've made, behind only the abject cluelessness of the anchored putting rule.

How wide should a golf club be?

The rules of golf state that grooves must be no more than 0.035 inches wide, 0.020 inches deep and 0.075 inches from any adjacent grooves. If you play competitively, using a groove sharpener could make your clubs non-conforming and illegal for competition.

How do wedges create spin?

At impact, the grooves are responsible for biting into the cover of the golf ball. The downward strike on the ball, coupled with the sharp grooves, traps the ball against the ground and creates backspin . Over time, the lower grooves will start to wear out and eventually will not catch the ball as sharply.

What is the SM8 wedge?

What Titleist says: “SM8 features a reimagined progressive center of gravity, which produces the most accurate and forgiving Vokey wedge yet. Using tungsten weights and varied hosel lengths, the Vokey R&D team has moved the CG outside of the wedge head and placed it in front of the face, resulting in increased MOI and exceptional feel.”

Do wedges wear down grooves?

Although this may seem counter-intuitive, as using your wedges will only wear down the grooves, it is a great opportunity to get a good feel for how much life is left in them. When you are practicing, take note of your ball flight.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9