when were grooves on iron golf clubs

Full Answer

What are the grooves on my golf clubs for?

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.

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?

Why do some golf irons have bigger grooves?

The larger grooves on some irons allow players to be less concerned about the rough, making driving accuracy less important. For this reason the USGA implemented a set of rules changes in 2010 that tightened the limits on groove dimensions.

What was the name of the old iron clubs?

Some of these names, e.g. mashie, niblick, are found in literature of the early twentieth century. Although these clubs and their names are considered obsolete, occasionally a modern club manufacturer will give a new iron the old name.

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?

Saying 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.

How do I know if my golf clubs are antique?

Common golf clubs can be identified by these traits:Aluminum caps on the end of the handles.Nickel, chromed or stainless steel heads.Dots, lines, hyphens or other face scorings.Stamps on the back for yard ranges.Phrases on the back such as accurate, superior, aim-rite, and other common sounding names.

Do all clubs have grooves?

Where would we be without these grooves? They are part of the identity of every single golf club.

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.

What is the 2010 groove rule?

The new rule, as it is currently written, calls for the grooves to be “straight and parallel.” The grooves must have a symmetrical cross-section “and have sides which do not converge.” The width, spacing and cross-section of the grooves “must be consistent” throughout the impact area.

Are 60 year old golf clubs worth anything?

Many clubs produced as recently as the 1950s and '60s are considered "classics." Some are worth $1,000 a set, and the right kind of sand wedge can bring $500 or more all by itself.

What are the most valuable vintage golf clubs?

What Are The Most Valuable Vintage Golf Clubs?Long Nosed Scraped Golf Club: this vintage club was sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2007 for $91,000.Square Toe Light Iron Golf Club: this club was auctioned at the Sotheby's 2007 auction for $151,000.More items...

When did they stop using wood shafts on 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.

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.

Do Callaway irons have V grooves?

0:063:22Callaway Golf Club Clubs Groove Sharpener. Groove ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe make golf grooving it's made with a tool steel bit shaped. So that it will not infringe the rulesMoreWe make golf grooving it's made with a tool steel bit shaped. So that it will not infringe the rules of golf. It will clean recut your groove redefine the edges. And keep your grooves legal.

How do you know if you have V shaped or grooves?

0:040:59How to Identify Types of Grooves on Golf Clubs - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhich are much shallower and less performing are always conforming to USGA standards u grooves areMoreWhich are much shallower and less performing are always conforming to USGA standards u grooves are required to have a tapered edge in order for them to be conforming.

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.

What is the eye 2 iron?

The complicated story includes another twist. In the settlement of a 1990 lawsuit against the USGA, Ping Golf won the right to have its Eye-2 irons exempt from any future rule change regarding grooves. This meant that tour players could continue to use these older clubs. 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.

Where is Jordan Spieth's golf tournament?

The event is at the famous Firestone CC in Akron Ohio which requires straight driving and puts a premium on wedge play into tricky greens. All great golfers know their own game. Jordan Spieth is not a long hitter compared to his fellow young guns. He drives the ball 291 yards on average which is 82nd on Tour.

Do grooves work on golf clubs?

The grooves only help when there is interference between the ball and the club face (grass, water, etc...). That's when the grooves kick in and do their thing. And different groove shapes do it better than others, hence the controversy. But they all work great.

Do you need a club face groove on a fairway lie?

From a good lie in the fairway, the wedge grooves do little or nothing to improve spin or stopping power. Club face grooves are essentially not needed from a clean, fairway lie. Depending on what you can do with your regular wedge, the smooth faced wedge can make the ball bite, back up, skid to a stop, etc...

Why did the PGA use the U groove?

In turn, because the rough shots were so “easy”, the PGA took action .

Why do you use grooves on golf balls?

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 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 roll back in golf called?

In golf jargon, this roll back is called “check”. Many players mistakenly attribute the ball “checking-up” to the grooves on the club face.

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.

What is an iron in golf?

Irons in a golf bag. An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. Irons typically have shorter shafts and smaller clubheads than woods, the head is made of solid iron or steel, and the head's primary feature is a large, flat, angled face, usually scored with grooves.

How many clubs can you have with a driver and two fairway irons?

This usually comes at the cost of having to remove other clubs, often the long irons, from the bag in order to meet the 14-club limit; with a driver and two fairway irons or hybrids, for a player to have four wedges, they must start their numbered irons at the four-iron instead of the three.

What is a pitching wedge?

The pitching wedge is the lowest-lofted club typically called a wedge. It lies on the cusp between the numbered irons and the wedges (in fact it is sometimes labelled the "10-iron"), and is useful for a variety of short shots from firm or semi-soft lies.

What are the 5 to 7 irons?

The irons from 5 to 7 are typically called the "mid irons", and are generally used from the fairway and rough for longer approach shots, between 130-210 yards depending on the club, player and course. They are also used on hillier fairways to avoid hitting a low rise, which is a risk with long irons. These irons are commonly needed for the second shot of a long par-4 or the second or third shot of a par-5, and whenever the player must "lay up" their tee or second shot to avoid a hazard in range of their woods or long irons. Mid irons are common "bump and run" clubs in close-in situations where the player does not wish to hit a more lofted chip shot, but needs more rolling distance than a pitch or bump-and-run with a short iron would produce.

What is the lowest lofted iron?

The 1 iron, or driving iron, is the lowest lofted and longest iron (14 or 16 degrees of loft), although Wilson did make a 0 iron for John Daly. Often called a butter knife because of how it looks, the 1 iron has the least surface area on its face and so is commonly regarded as the most difficult club in the bag to hit.

What is a wedge iron called?

Irons with higher loft than the numbered irons are called wedges, which are typically marked with a letter indicating their name, and are used for a variety of "utility" shots requiring short distances or high launch angles. Prior to about 1940, irons were given names rather than numbers.

What is a cavity back iron?

Cavity back, or perimeter weighted, irons are usually made by investment casting, which creates a harder metal allowing thinner surfaces while retaining durability, and also allows for more precise placement of metal than forging techniques. Cavity backs are so called because of the cavity created in the rear of the clubhead due to the removal of metal from the center of the clubhead's back, which is then redistributed, most of it very low and towards the toe and heel of the clubhead. This has the general effect of lowering the clubhead's center of mass, placing it underneath that of the ball allowing for a higher launch angle for a given loft. The perimeter weighting also increases the moment of inertia, making the clubhead more resistant to twisting on impact with the ball. The end result is a clubhead with a larger "sweet spot" that is more forgiving of slight mis-hits.

When did golf clubs have grooves?

The grooved marking of faces on antique iron clubs was not introduced until the first few years of the 20th century. While this will not rank as an exact method of dating an old golf club, a smooth face would certainly indicate that it is a club that dates prior to 1905. The Metal Club Head - Simple test.

What are the grips on a golf club?

The grips are usually real leather strips, cut and wrapped around the handle end of the club. These grips are held on with two sided friction tape, tacks and waxed linen thread that is used to transition to the wood, just as on the irons.

What are golf club heads made of?

Most wooden golf club heads are made from persimmon wood which was considered the highest-quality golf club heads for those clubs referred to as "woods". Persimmon woods are still made, but in far lower numbers than in past. The wood shafts are made of hickory for it's strong and yet elastic flex and feel, and they are generally tapered ...

What are golf shafts made of?

The wood shafts are made of hickory for it's strong and yet elastic flex and feel, and they are generally tapered to be a smaller diameter at the head and larger at the grip. The handle end of the shafts are larger so that you could apply one layer of friction tape and a user desired leather grip to create a standard grip for use by most golfer.

What is the wood shaft test?

The Wooden Shaft Test - Whether or not the shaft is made of wood is a primary indicator of age. Steel-shafted golf clubs were introduced in the 1920's about the same time that some club makers started using the current numbering system to identify different clubs instead of the old creative names. Some of these clubs had metal shafts ...

What are putters made of?

What Age Characteristics To Look For On The Putter. Putters are mostly found with a blade style head. They are usually made of forged steel and have a great feel when struck properly in the sweet spot.

What are iron heads made of?

On the irons you will notice that the iron heads are made of forged steel, with an old look and feel. Like the woods, the iron heads may be stamped with the name of the maker or the professional’s name and the golf course he was associated with. The iron heads will also be stamped with one of the old colorful names that are common ...

When were feathered golf clubs invented?

With the introduction of the “featherie” golf ball in 1618 golf clubs continued to be made with wooden heads, although forging iron into the head was possible, because of the delicacy of the featheries. The wooden clubs were expensive due to the time and effort that went into making them and they were prone to break.

Who made the first metal club head?

Taylor-Made was the first company to produce metal club headed woods. The popularity of metal club heads over persimmon club heads didn’t become prolific until Callaway introduced the Big Bertha in 1991. The Big Bertha driver, which had an oversized metal club head, was the first of its kind.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

Overview

Design and manufacture

Components

Types of irons

See also

External links