V-Grooves. U-Grooves. Really?

I was reading the rules of golf from Golf Canada and came across the changes to the grooves on clubs. I read their intent and have concluded that technology is making the game of golf too easy. Well, I for one completely agree….haha! I will concede that technology has allowed the amateur to hit the ball a bit further, lob the ball higher, and hit recovery shots easier. But, a player still must hit the shot straight, strike the ball to obtain the proper distance, and manage the course to lower their score.

So what is the big deal about V-Grooves or U-Grooves! The table below from the RCGA outlines when the rule will take effect.

Date	Change	Effecting…
Jan 1, 2010	New specifications introduced on club-face markings.	All new models of clubs launched after January 1, 2010. Existing models of clubs will continue to conform to the Rules of Golf.
Jan 1, 2010	Condition of Competition will be available to Committees requiring players to use clubs with markings which conform to the new specifications.	Strongly recommended that this Condition should be introduced only on the major Professional Tours. All other golfers, playing in competitions where this condition has not been introduced, can and should be permitted to continue to use old model clubs which do not satisfy the new specifications.
Jan 1, 2014	Condition of Competition will continue to be available to Committees.	Strongly recommended that this Condition should be extended only to lower level Professional events and expert level amateur events. Club level golfers can and should be permitted to continue to use old model clubs, which do not satisfy the new specifications.
Jan 1, 2024	Earliest date that the Rules will be applied to clubs manufactured prior to 2010. This date will be reviewed in 2020 and may be extended.	All players, all abilities, all forms of play.

Golf Digest’s excellent article on grooves explains why they are changing….or not changing the face of golf. I never really understood the reasons before, but I guess it make sense. The sharper the edges the more grip the club face will have in the rough or wet conditions.

Titleist.com has the best guide I could find. It explains everything. Their view is that the design of the grooves really do not make any difference. The main point of the guide is the angle of the groove face and the volume of the groove. This article is very good and will explain much about this issue.

So What? Why am I telling you this! Rules are changing. It is important that we stay on top of the changes so it does not have a negative impact on our game in the future. The rules are an important part of golf and levels the playing field. I am not fussed about the rule change on grooves, but would not change my clubs because of the rule change.

What do you think about the change in the groove rule?