Barry Brakebill has a plan to avoid buying golf clubs with new USGA-approved grooves until absolutely necessary.
“I’m probably going to end up buying a couple sets, because they do wear out if you play as much as I do,” said Brakebill, who lives in Calhoun, Tenn. “I’ll buy a couple and stash them away.”
The policy prohibits grooves called square or U-shaped for high-caliber players. Approved irons must have grooves with rounded edges or a V-shape.
The reasoning is that professional or low-handicapped amateur players were able to put an abundance of spin on shots out of the rough, which negated the penalty for being in the rough. The new grooves, based on USGA research, reduce spin and limit ability to back the ball up on the green.
But as of now, the policy applies only to pros and those who reach the sectional stages of USGA open tournaments.