tourstage v7000s and bridgestone ray floyd wedges...

[tigerhood]

i am currently using the above forged irons for my social/casual rounds but am liking them so much i intend to use them for more serious amateur tournaments..

i plan to join more local and national senior amateur events(am 65) which are always run using USGA/R & A rules and are also used as the basis for selecting our senior teams representing our country in international events..

although they are close to 10-year old models i have not found any of the newer models which can out perform them--for me..

i got them in mint condition last year and the V7000s are 4-P,P/S with stock 64 gm graphite R shafts and the 53*/58* wedges have precision 5.5 steel shafts..

all the clubs have "bridgestone" identically stamped in the hosels and i presume they are manufactured and forged in japan..

will they be legal for the events i plan to join?.....thanks for any replies..

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I'm not 100% but R&A is on the same groove ruling as USGA correct?

If so one should think that the irons must be new groove rule conforming.

[tigerhood]

I'm not 100% but R&A is on the same groove ruling as USGA correct?

If so one should think that the irons must be new groove rule conforming.

is there any way i can re-groove these irons to make them conforming?

[jamnguy1]

is there any way i can re-groove these irons to make them conforming?

i think its possible to regroove them to be conforming

typically the specs of the grooves are inspected if another player calls you on it and not the age of the clubs

this is different than drivers where its not as easy to check the cor

Edited July 22, 2011 by jamnguy1

[Shambles]

is there any way i can re-groove these irons to make them conforming?

Any re grooving would also require that the clubs be submit for examination and approval. I doubt it's worth your time, effort and expense.

It might be possible for you to submit the clubs to a local governing body and ask them for a written approval or disapproval.

Shambles

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I would say forget about the re-groove.

get yourself a new set of irons the V7000's are very old.

[jamnguy1]

I would say forget about the re-groove.

get yourself a new set of irons the V7000's are very old.

this would be the easiest

Because golf is a game of honor, every participant is expected to play by the rules and there is a presumption that competitors are doing so. When the groove rule changed, it was assumed that all the competitors would abide. In a few amateur usga sanctioned tournaments in the year that the change took effect, some competitors were found to be using clubs with old grooves, but it was determined to be so only when other competitors pointed it out and not because there is any standard inspection process that occurs beforehand. If old clubs have conforming grooves, they could be played, but there is always a presumption of inelligibility if the clubs are old and made way before the groove change. Its really not worth the hassle even if you regroove imo. New clubs nowadays are just as good if not better than old ones. Its less of a hassle finding a new set that works as opposed to regrooving. That said, if regrooving is your choice, be prepared to have your clubs inspected. Its highly unlikely the usga will provide a specific exemption just for you and your specific set of custom clubs.

[ant]

dont see how re-grooving would help here. new grooves are smaller in volume ie smaller depth and width than the old ones so unless the face is blasted clean and then new grooves are pressed or milled i dont see how it can work. even so you end up shaving quite a bit of material off the face in the process and that would mean altering club properties to some degree. plus as others pointed out there is no guarantee they are gonna be proper unless submitted for official testing/inspection. same goes for common groove sharpening tools in general. you might wanna find out if the tournaments you gonna play in apply new groove rules because amateur events are not expected to enforce them til 2014 but may do so if they choose to i believe. another thing about it is that new rules apply to wedges and irons with more than 25 degrees of loft so depending on what you got if you get the specs or measure you might actually be able to keep half of your set. maybe not the best option but some people mix irons for other reasons and seem to be good with that, certainly an option.

[jamnguy1]

dont see how re-grooving would help here. new grooves are smaller in volume ie smaller depth and width than the old ones so unless the face is blasted clean and then new grooves are pressed or milled i dont see how it can work. even so you end up shaving quite a bit of material off the face in the process and that would mean altering club properties to some degree. plus as others pointed out there is no guarantee they are gonna be proper unless submitted for official testing/inspection. same goes for common groove sharpening tools in general. you might wanna find out if the tournaments you gonna play in apply new groove rules because amateur events are not expected to enforce them til 2014 but may do so if they choose to i believe. another thing about it is that new rules apply to wedges and irons with more than 25 degrees of loft so depending on what you got if you get the specs or measure you might actually be able to keep half of your set. maybe not the best option but some people mix irons for other reasons and seem to be good with that, certainly an option.

Good pt about regrooving to conform. Now that i think bout it, it is going to be hard to even do physically without damaging or altering the integrity and quality of the club.

[xxio]

The easiest way would be to ask the governing/ruling body of that tournament what their plans are re: the groove rules.

Majority of the elite Am events and even majority or PRO tournaments outside the major tours (PGA, EuroPGA, JPGA, LPGA, etc.) still allow the older grooves and will do so for the next couple of years.