Local Qualifying For 2010 U.S. Open Exempt From
Condition Of Competition For New Groove Rules
Far Hills, N.J. (Sept. 22) - The United States
Golf Association will adopt the new groove rules as a condition of
competition for the 2010 U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior
Open starting with the sectional (final stage) qualifying events for
each of the three championships. The condition of competition regarding
grooves will not be in effect at local (first stage) qualifying events
for the 2010 U.S. Open Championship.
The USGA will adopt the condition of competition for U.S. Open local
qualifying beginning in 2011 and for the national championships and
team competitions it conducts for amateur players no later than 2014,
as originally indicated.
"We plan to adopt the condition of competition for all stages of Open
qualifying in 2011, but 2010 will be a transitional year for the 9,000
players who typically try to qualify for the U.S. Open," said Mike
Davis, USGA senior director of Rules and Competitions. "The important
point is that any player who is one step from making it into any of the
three Open championships will be playing with clubs that conform to
this new condition of competition."
Announced by the USGA and R&A in August 2008, the revisions to the
Rules of Golf, which place new restrictions on golf club grooves, will
go into effect starting Jan. 1, 2010. The regulations control the
cross-sectional area of grooves on all clubs, with the exception of
drivers and putters, and limit groove edge sharpness on clubs with
lofts equal to or greater than 25 degrees (generally a standard 5-iron
and above). The rules apply to clubs submitted to the USGA for
conformance evaluation on or after Jan. 1, 2010.
The PGA Tour (including the Champions and Nationwide Tours), European
PGA Tour and other members of the International Federation of PGA
Tours, as well as the LPGA, intend to adopt this condition of
competition at their tournaments beginning Jan. 1, 2010. The PGA of
America and Augusta National Golf Club intend to adopt this condition
of competition at the PGA Championship and Masters Tournament,
respectively, in 2010.
Additional information about the new regulations on grooves, including
technical specifications, may be found in the Equipment section of
www.usga.org.
Questions regarding the groove regulations should be addressed to Dick
Rugge, USGA senior technical director, via e-mail at
drugge@usga.org. Questions
regarding the condition of competition should be addressed to Mike
Davis, USGA senior director of Rules and Competitions, via e-mail at
mdavis@usga.org.
About the USGA
The USGA is the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico,
a combined territory that includes more than half the world's golfers
and golf courses.
The USGA annually conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S.
Senior Open, 10 national amateur and two state team championships. It
also helps conduct the Walker Cup Match, Curtis Cup Match and World
Amateur Team Championships.
The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing,
provides expert course maintenance consultations, funds research for
better turf and a better environment, maintains a Handicap System®,
celebrates the history of the game, and administers an ongoing "For the
Good of the Game" grants program, which has allocated more than $65
million over 13 years to successful programs that bring the game's
values to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with
disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit
www.usga.org.
