VIEWPOINT tour tales & true

Grant Dodd
Getting in the groove

T
he governing bodies of world golf must be feeling
Andrew Buckle and his peers won’t
quite chuffed at the moment. After prolonged and be generating as much spin from
largely unsuccessful attempts to rein in the way the thick grass from January 1.
that technology is fundamentally altering the game,
they’ve finally had a win.
A small one albeit, and perhaps slightly pyrrhic in nature,
but the modification to the groove rule on irons that comes
into effect this year will be greeted in the halls of power with
both relief and a sense of vindication.
Perhaps relief will be the more dominant of those emotions
for the R&A and USGA. Amid accusations of impotence
in relation to their ability to manage a rapidly evolving
technological environment, it is a timely affirmation of their
continuing relevance to the game they profess to govern.
While the barbed judgments directed their way have been
coming thick and fast, wariness in such litigious times is
understandable. The precedent set by the pivotal ‘square
grooves’ court case initiated by equipment manufacturer Ping
has hung above the USGA like the Sword of Damocles for two
decades. Ping sued for $100 million in damages after the USGA
outlawed the groove configuration the company was using in
its irons. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed
sum, but the residual effect was that hesitance became the
default position on matters regarding technology governance.
In the interim there have been profound changes to the suggest that spin rates from the rough over certain distances
dynamics of the game, primarily related to the distance the (particularly with wedges) can be affected by as much as
golf ball travels. Despite continued utterances about a desire to 50 per cent. Consequently, the potential change to the way
protect the integrity of the game and the legacy of the classic the ball reacts on the green adds a new dimension to course
courses, the perceived threat of legal action has enabled the management, and will introduce an element of uncertainty to
equipment companies to navigate their way around the edges shot-making that has been absent for many years.
of the rulebook with relative impunity. But some observers have equated this initiative as
The move to ban U, or square, grooves on iron faces from tantamount to hunting an elephant with a slingshot. Others
2010 onwards marks arguably the most significant rule view the co-operative shift on the part of the manufacturers
implementation for many years. Clubs used in elite competition as a strategic compromise that momentarily deflects attention
will in future have to conform to the ‘V’ groove stipulation, away from discussions regarding regulating, or ‘rolling back’,
created to limit the amount of spin that can be imparted on the golf ball. The more cynical among them have also been
the golf ball, particularly out of the rough. In essence, it is a quick to point out that the potential for a hardware sales
regulation designed to place a greater emphasis on accuracy bonanza as golfers upgrade to new equipment would hardly
and reward players who keep their ball on the short grass. have passed without notice.
For professionals, this will apply from January 1. In the case For the time being, both sides in the battle will be quietly
of elite amateurs, older equipment with U-shaped grooves will claiming victory. For the game of golf, however, the status quo
remain legal until 2014. For everyone else, there is no need has barely moved. It seems the more things change, the more
DOUG BENC/GETTY IMAGES

to panic. They’ll have until 2024 to upgrade to clubs with
conforming grooves.
The jury is still out as to whether the change will have the
desired effect. Anecdotally at least, reports from professionals
who have been involved in testing irons with legal grooves
they stay the same.
Grant Dodd played in the 1997 and 1998 British Opens and is
now a commentator for golf broadcasts on One and Ten. To ask
Grant a question, visit http://grantdodd.blogspot.com

56 Australian Golf Digest january 2010