You have heard by now about the changes to the groove requirements adopted by the United States Golf Association as a condition of competition. The implementation of this change for the PGA of America will take effect in 2010 for the Senior PGA Championship, the PGA Championship, the Grand Slam and has been recommended for use at the Ryder Cup. The USGA will adopt the condition for the US Open, US Women’s Open and the US Senior Open. This includes the sectional qualifying events for each of these championships but does not include the local qualifying round for the US Open.
This condition of competition will not be in effect for any of the Kentucky Section PGA, Kentucky Golf Association or Kentucky Senior Golf Association tournaments for 2010.
Since the KGA provides administrative support when conducting USGA qualifying events in Kentucky, any USGA event that would be designated as a sectional qualifier would be required to include the groove policy in the conditions of competition. At this time, there are no events scheduled in Kentucky for those championships.
Each association affiliated with the KGA-PGA, Inc. will annually review the policy and announce well ahead of time when the new groove rules will be implemented into the conditions of competition.
The following is the adopted rule concerning the new groove policy:
4-1/1 Condition Requiring Clubs Conforming with Groove and Punch Mark Specifications Effective January 1, 2010
A Committee that wishes to limit players to clubs manufactured with grooves and/or punch marks that conform to all aspects ofthe Rules of Golf that are effective from January 1, 2010 may adopt the condition of competition detailed below.
Between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2014, it is recommended that this condition of competition be adopted only for competitions involving the highest level of expert player. After January 1, 2014, this condition of competition may be adopted more widely (e.g., at the highest level of amateur golf), but it is recommended only for competitions involving expert players.
"The player’s clubs must conform to the groove and punch mark specifications in the Rules of Golf that are effective from January 1, 2010.
*PENALTY FOR CARRYING, BUT NOT MAKING STROKE WITH, CLUB OR CLUBS IN BREACH OF CONDITION:
Match play - At the conclusion of the hole at which the breach is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred; maximum deduction per round - Two holes.
Stroke play - Two strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred; maximum penalty per round - Four strokes.
Match or stroke play - In the event of a breach between the play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.
Bogey and par competitions - See Note 1 to Rule 32-1a.
Stableford competitions - See Note 1 to Rule 32-1b.
*Any club or clubs carried in breach of this condition must be declared out of play by the player to his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play immediately upon discovery that a breach has occurred. If the player fails to do so, he is disqualified.
PENALTY FOR MAKING STROKE WITH CLUB IN BREACH OF CONDITION:
Disqualification.
Exception: Clubs manufactured before March 31, 1990 that meet the criteria of USGA Decision USGA/4-1/100, such as the Ping Eye 2 irons, will be permitted for play when the above Condition Requiring Clubs Conforming with Groove and Punch Mark Specifications Effective January 1, 2010 is in effect.” |
