Effective from Jan. 1, 2010, the USGA adopted additional specifications for grooves and punch marks in the impact area of irons, wedges, fairway woods and hybrids. The additional specifications are required for all new models manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2010 and may apply to any model, regardless of manufactured date, if the local committee adopts them as a Local Rule (Model Local Rule G-2) requiring that the player's clubs conform to the Rules of Golf effective from Jan. 1, 2010. As a result, the USGA and The R&A have created a reference resource called the Informational Club Database (the "Database").
About The Informational Club Database
The purpose of the Database is to assist golfers in determining whether their irons, wedges, hybrids and fairway woods comply with The Local Rule.
The Database is a tool designed to facilitate a search of irons, wedges, fairway woods and hybrids which have been submitted to the USGA and/or The R&A and evaluated to determine whether they meet the requirements of The Local Rule.
It is important to remember that most clubs in production prior to Jan. 1, 2010 were designed to comply with a different set of groove and punch mark specifications. Clubs that conformed to the rules that were in effect prior to Jan. 1, 2010 will continue to conform to the Rules of Golf until at least 2024, unless The Local Rule is in effect. If The Local Rule is in effect, the clubs must comply with the specifications effective from Jan. 1, 2010.
Unlike the List of Conforming Driver Heads, the Database is to be used for reference purposes only. The Database is not to be used in any manner stipulating that clubs must be included in the Database in order to be carried when The Local Rule is in effect.
How to Use The Informational Club Database
There are two ways to search the database:
1. Manufacturer or Product Name Search
Simply type the name of the manufacturer or product – as you type, a drop-down menu of available choices will appear. Select the appropriate item. Please note that some brands are manufactured by a parent company (e.g., Titleist is manufactured by Acushnet). If you only know the brand name, you can enter it into the Full Text Search.
2. Club Type, Manufacturer or Product Name Search
a. Pick a club type (iron, wedge, fairway wood, hybrid)
b. Pick a manufacturer or select all
c. Pick a product name or select all
Once you have located the club model, expand at least one of the "View Markings" fields to ensure that the markings on your clubs match the markings displayed. There may be subtle differences in the markings differentiating two versions of the same model of a club (e.g., a pre-2010 and new version of the same model), or indicating two different models. For example, one version of a model may include a hosel marking indicating compliance with The Local Rule, while the original version may not include the hosel marking. Please note that these differences vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. As a result, if all markings of the clubhead shown in the Database do not match exactly the markings on the club in question, it may be a different model or version and you should consult the USGA for further assistance.
Reading The Search Result
1. The search result provides the club's or model’s conformance status with the groove and punch mark specifications in effect prior to Jan. 1, 2010 (Yes or No), as well as an indication of whether the club meets the Rules of Golf effective from Jan. 1, 2010 (Yes, No or ATR).
2. A 2010 status of "Yes" or "No" indicates that, based on the samples submitted, there was sufficient information available to provide a definitive answer regarding the status of the club or set of clubs relative to The Local Rule. A player with an iron model that lists only one or two clubs within the set as meeting the 2010 Groove Rules should not assume that the set conforms – as a result, further verification is necessary.
3. A “No” in the “Meets 2010 Groove Rules” column does not mean that the club does not conform to the Rules of Golf. Irons, wedges, hybrids and fairway woods available prior to Jan. 1, 2010, which conform to the 2008-2009 Rules of Golf, are permitted for use until at least 2024, provided that The Local Rule is not in effect.
4. “ATR” means “additional testing required”. Any player who wishes to carry such clubs when The Local Rule is in effect should have their clubs individually tested to determine their status. “ATR” is indicated in situations where the results of the official test samples were mixed within a set (e.g., some of the samples submitted within the set met The Local Rule, while other samples within the set did not), or the model did not consistently meet The Local Rule when tested. In such cases, there is insufficient information available to determine compliance to The Local Rule.
5. An individual club or set of clubs with an ATR status indicates that the player assumes the risk that his or her clubs do not comply with The Local Rule if the player does not have his or her club or set of clubs tested for compliance prior to the competition and he or she chooses to carry the club or set of clubs when The Local Rule is in effect. Accordingly, it is highly recommended that the player has the individual club or set of clubs tested to ensure they are in compliance with The Local Rule.
6. Please note that because the edge radius requirements effective from Jan. 1, 2010 do not apply to clubs with lofts of less than 25 degrees, some searches may yield a result indicating that clubs with lofts less than 25 degrees within an iron set meet The Local Rule, while the higher lofted irons within a set do not. However, please note that a second major change to the groove and punch mark specifications (Area divided by Pitch), applies to all clubs, regardless of loft, other than driving clubs and putters.
7. It is the player's responsibility to ensure that his or her clubs conform to the Rules of Golf, including all applicable conditions of competition. Players, therefore, should take care to ensure that any clubs carried during the stipulated round meet the requirements of the rules on clubs in effect for that competition. Moreover, it is strongly recommended that any questions regarding compliance with The Local Rule be resolved by the player in advance of the competition because onsite testing is not generally available.
To have your clubs tested by the USGA prior to the qualifying round or competition, please refer to the following link: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/grooves/player-club-testing-information.html.
8. The committee in charge of the competition may rely on the Database and presume that clubs listed as meeting The Local Rule may be carried in the competition, without further field testing, unless the grooves and/or punch marks have been purposely modified (e.g., by re-grooving or sharpening). If a club is tested and fails any on-site evaluation for compliance with The Local Rule, that individual club may not be carried by the player without penalty, when The Local Rule is in effect, even if that model is included in the Database as complying with The Local Rule.
9. Questions regarding the conformance status of any clubs should be directed to the USGA Equipment Standards department at (908) 234-2300.