Club Selection

In mid-2008, the USGA and R&A announced new rules regarding the grooves on the faces of irons. The governing bodies adopted new specifications for the allowable volume of grooves (their width and depth) and the sharpness of the groove edges. The new specs apply to all irons with loft of 25 degrees or greater for groove sharpness. The rules go into effect, as a Condition of Competition, beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

Impact on Professional Golfers
"Expert professional golfers" who play on professional tours must use 2010-conforming golf clubs from Jan 1st, 2010. This is the tour golfers, men and women who play the PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour etc.

Local and Club Tournaments golfers?
Local and club tournaments are free to implement the Condition of Competition and require the new grooves at any time. That might be as of Jan 1st, 2010, or it might not be until 2024. It's up to the individual tournament committees. Guidance provided by the USGA recommends that unless a tournament involves highly skilled amateurs, it is not to adopt the new groove rules prior to 2024.

Impact on Amateur Tournament Golfers
The impact on amateurs who play tournaments will depend on the level of competition.
Amateurs who play in USGA or R&A championships can stick with old grooves through 2013, but in 2014 must use grooves conforming to the new rules.
Amateurs who get into professional tour-level tournaments via qualifying must be using new grooves in those Tour-level events as of Jan 1st, 2010. Whether the Condition of Competition will immediately apply to qualifiers for professional tour events is something that most of the major tours have yet to decide.
Other major amateur tournaments, collegiate golf tournaments and state golf association championships will apply the new groove rules starting in 2014