What happened to golf club grooves in 2010?
In 2010, the PGA made some pretty big announcements regarding golf club grooves. They had found through several studies, that professional players had been downplaying the significance of drive-accuracy because of their confidence in approaching the green from the rough. The reason for this confidence?
How often do you clean the grooves of your golf clubs?
Those were optimal conditions though, how often do you get optimal conditions on a public golf course? I would say not very often. So for less than optimal conditions and lies, I would recommend cleaning the grooves of your clubs.
Why do golf clubs have grooves?
Now, back to golf clubs… Golf club grooves have the exact same function as the treads on a tire. They allow water and debris to move away from the ball’s point of contact to provide cleaner contact with better control. Striking a ball from the rough can be unpredictable when there is a lot of debris between your club and the ball.
What is the history of the Golf Club?
After World War II development of golf clubs were influenced by research into synthetic and composite materials. In the 1960’s, fiberglass shafts were tried unsuccessfully. In 1963 the casting method of manufacturing club heads was introduced, making clubs more affordable.
When did square grooves become illegal?
Jan. 1, 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.
Are 30 year old golf clubs still good?
There is no evidence that golf clubs deteriorate over time. Well maintained clubs will last a lifetime. 10+ year old clubs should be checked for better options but clubs less than 5 years old do not need replacing except for wear and tear issues to which wedges and forged irons are most vulnerable.
When did they stop making wooden head golf clubs?
In the mid-20th century, both the USGA and the R&A ruled that golf clubs with steel shafts could be used in tournaments. While steel was used for club shafts, wooden heads were the norm for drivers and fairway woods until the 1970s.
Is vertical groove golf still in business?
VGG is currently a provider for the PGA Champions Tour. Notable golfers who have used Vertical Groove clubs include John Daly,Rocco Mediate and Kenny Perry.
Can golf irons go dead?
Golf irons will go dead and wear out over time as their grooves and clubface deteriorate from repeated use. Golf technology is always rapidly changing, meaning irons that are older than five years of age are likely outdated and won't perform as well as the latest models.
Do forged irons last longer?
Problem, as you say, forged clubs do tend to wear a little quicker than cast. I use my previous R7 irons as an example. When I sold them there was hardly any wear for a club I'd had and used 3-4 times a week for 12 months. I practice quite often, around 3 times a week, plus 18 holes in a Saturday.
When did golf clubs get metal shafts?
1925The first few decades of the 1900's saw a lot of experimentation and innovation in the club design. Around 1925 the steel shaft was introduced in the United States, although blacksmiths had experimented with them since the late 1890's.
Are old golf clubs worth any money?
According to GolfWeek, the most valuable antique golf clubs can sell for as much as $80,000 at auction. However, it's not at all common to see this type of value. Most individual clubs sell for between $15 and $100 at auction or in resale shops.
How old are wooden clubs?
Believe it or not, hickory golf clubs are not that rare. Literally, millions of golf clubs were made from the late 1800's until early 1930's. (That is 40 years of hickory golf club production) In the mid/late 30's, hickory shafted clubs halted production due to the new technology – steel shafted clubs.
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 is vertical driver?
The Vertical Groove Driver is designed to help players who tend to hook or slice the ball when shooting off the tee. The vertical grooves of the Vertical Groove Driver are designed to grab the ball at impact, which in turn helps to neutralize the side spin on the ball.
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 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.
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.
Why does my golf ball fly in the wrong direction?
I can totally imagine the golf ball flying in the wrong direction if you didn’t have grooves in the club face. Any debris that was trapped between the ball and the club face could alter the flight and where it ultimately ends up.
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 is a V groove?
Instead, “V” grooves are the only type of groove allowed on any club of 25 degrees or more.
Why is it important to keep your grooves clean?
Clean grooves are critical as it reduces the chance of fliers. While a flier 7-iron might impress your mates, it will probably leave you with a nasty chip to try and save par. Research shows that you can lose up to 1,300 RPM of spin if you don't keep your grooves clean.
What does spin do to golf balls?
In layman’s terms, they create spin which generates drag and lift force for the golf ball. The ball needs a certain amount of spin and speed to maintain a controlled flight and grooves are one of the critical variables. It’s the complete opposite of the downforce generated by Formula One cars.
How to tell if a golf ball is going?
Watch for fliers. If you start to notice the ball is flying higher and longer, it could be a sign the grooves are going.
Why do golf clubs have grooves?
Golf club grooves have the exact same function as the treads on a tire. They allow water and debris to move away from the ball’s point of contact to provide cleaner contact with better control. Striking a ball from the rough can be unpredictable when there is a lot of debris between your club and the ball. Grooves help tremendously to make these shots more predictable.
Why did the PGA use the U groove?
In turn, because the rough shots were so “easy”, the PGA took action .
Why are U grooves illegal?
In turn, because the rough shots were so “easy”, the PGA took action. They implemented regulations restricting the dimensions of grooves that were legal to use in competition play. Many “U” grooves became illegal due to their dimensions, and manufacturers had to comply with the new regulations.
What is the difference between a grooveless and a smooth face golf club?
The smooth face would have more surface area to come in contact with the ball. More surface area means more friction and therefore more ball spin. From a perfectly clean lie with no obstructions between the ball and the club face, a grooveless club will always out spin a club with grooves.
What is a check in golf?
They can land the ball straight on the green and have it either stop dead, or roll back, leaving them with a perfect uphill putt. In golf jargon, this roll back is called “check”. Many players mistakenly attribute the ball “checking-up” to the grooves on the club face. They think that the grooves must grab the ball at impact and cause it to spin. What they don’t realize is that a club face with no grooves would actually produce more spin in perfect conditions! Let me explain…
Does a smooth face golf ball have more surface area?
The intuition is correct that the more “grab” on the ball at the point of impact, the more it will spin. Many people don't know that a club face with no grooves would actually put more spin on the ball. The smooth face would have more surface area to come in contact with the ball. More surface area means more friction and therefore more ball spin.
When were steel shafted golf clubs invented?
The first few decades of the 1900’s saw a lot of experimentation and innovation in the club design. 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. 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. In 1931, after the R&A banned concave-faced wedges, Gene Sarazen invented the modern sand wedge which had a straight face and added bounce.
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.
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.
When was the Guttie ball invented?
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. By 1900, persimmon became the material of choice for wooden club heads, which was also imported from America.
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.
Do square grooves spin the ball more than C-C grooves?
I do believe that when tested in a strictly controlled laboratory type environment, and with a much larger sample size square grooves might show that they spin the ball marginally more than the current C-C grooves . However, our tests indicate that the difference might be so minute that not even golf professionals are able to identify a difference.
Do grooves make a difference in golf?
We had two golf professionals test new conforming grooves against the older square grooves, and the results suggest that, from fairway lies, grooves actually don’t make a heck of a lot of difference!
Miblogdegolf
I know that a golf club without grooves in the face can impart spin to the golf ball but I'm very interested about knowing that amount of spin ¿Anyone know anything about it?
Pepperturbo
Can't answer spin question. It varies per golfer skill and shot intent.
PDoN
I'm certainly not an expert in the field, but i read in another thread once that grooves have nothing to do with spin on a tight lie, with nothing between the club face and ball. However, grooves do help impart spin when perfect club face-ball contact is not possible. i.e. deep rough. I guess someone with more expertise can confirm.
TRoc9892
It's funny this topic came up now. About a week ago a buddy of mine showed me his 5 year old Vokey and there were practically NO grooves left in the sweet spot. Ran my finger over the face and it was almost completely smooth. It was interesting to see him check up a few 30 footers like it was a new wedge.
JimNewton
I always thought that the grooves clawed into the ball and zipped it backwards. After watching some video from Cleveland Golf explaining the new USGA groove rule, and what the grooves actually do, apparently that's not what happens.
daniel gibson
grooves have nothing to do with the spin, i read in an artical pretty recently, from a lie in the fairway, a club without grooves will ( should ) spin as much as a club with grooves, its when conditions are less than perfect per say, wet, rough, mud between club and ball that grooves come into play.
QuigleyDU
I also have read an articles about grooves not really helping with spin on clean lies. to me that seems to hold true for full shots. But on chips and pitches (even from clean lies) that you want to check, or on swings less than full swings. it seems nice clean grooves help more.
