Questions and Answers on the Application of the New Groove Condition
Q1. During a competition a player uses a club that he knows the USGA/R&A had ruled non-conforming to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 before the competition started. Before the competition is closed, the Committee discovers that the player used the non-conforming club. What is the ruling?
A1. The player is disqualified – see Exception (iv) to Rule 34-1b.
Q2. During a competition a player uses a club that he knows the USGA/R&A had ruled non-conforming to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 before the competition started. After the competition is closed, the Committee discovers that the player used the non-conforming club. What is the ruling?
A2. The player is disqualified – see Exception (iv) to Rule 34-1b.
Q3. During a competition a player uses a club that he did not know the USGA/R&A had ruled non-conforming to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 before the competition started. Before the competition is closed, the Committee discovers that the player used the non-conforming club. What is the ruling?
A3. The player is disqualified – see the penalty statement to the condition of competition.
Q4. During a competition a player uses a club that he did not know the USGA/R&A had ruled non-conforming to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 before the competition started. After the competition is closed, the Committee discovers that the player used the non-conforming club. What is the ruling?
A4. The player’s score stands – see Rule 34-1b. However, the player should be advised that the club does not meet the condition of competition and, as a result, must not carry or use it in subsequent competition rounds when the condition of competition is in effect.
Q5. During a competition a player knowingly uses an ATR* club (Additional Testing Required) and does not inform the Committee. Before the close of the competition this fact is brought to the attention of the Committee. The Committee sends the club to the USGA for testing and it is ruled that it does not conform. What is the ruling?
A5. The player is disqualified – see the penalty statement to the condition of competition.
Q6. During a competition a player knowingly uses an ATR club and does not inform the Committee. After the close of the competition this fact is brought to the attention of the Committee. The Committee sends the club to the USGA for testing and it is ruled that it does not conform. What is the ruling?
A6. The player is disqualified. It is the responsibility of the player, not the Committee, to know whether his clubs conform and he assumes the risk that his clubs will be found to be non-conforming if he does not know before he uses them. The fact that a club has been classified as an ATR club should put a player on notice that it might not conform. Therefore, he ought to either not play with it or get it tested before the start of the competition. To allow a player to use a non-conforming club when he knows it might be non-conforming is unfair to the other players in the competition.
Q7. During a competition a player knowingly uses an ATR club. After the close of the competition this fact is brought to the attention of the Committee. What is the ruling?
A7. Since the player was unaware that the club was an ATR club prior to the competition closing, the player’s score stands – see Rule 34-1b
Q8. A player comes to the Committee and asks if a club conforms to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010. What is the procedure for the Committee?
A8. If there is sufficient time prior to the start of his round, the informational database can be consulted and the conformance status of the club can be verified. If the club is listed in the database as meeting the 2010 groove specifications, the face of the club has not been altered, and there are no other extenuating circumstances or other evidence of non-conformance, the club will be assumed to conform. If the club is not listed as such in the database and a determination cannot be made immediately or if there is insufficient time to consult the database or access to the database is not available, the player may choose to play with the club but risks disqualification even after the competition has closed if a determination is subsequently made that the club does not conform.
Q9. Prior to the competition, a player informs the Committee that he has an ATR club but has no way of testing it. Is the Committee obligated to test the club? What is the procedure if they cannot do so, as in the case of a qualifier where no testing equipment will be on-site?
A9. The player, not the Committee, is responsible for ensuring that his club conforms long before the day of the competition. Waiting until the the day of the competition is the fault of the competitor, not the Committee. The Committee is under no obligation to test the club prior to the start of the stipulated round (at Local and Sectional Qualifying, the Committee will not be able to test the club the day of the competition). The competitor may play. However if it is later determined that the club is non-conforming (e.g., the player is a potential qualifier or alternate and the club is sent to the USGA Test Center for testing), including after the competition has closed, the player is disqualified.
In general, if the competitor has had the conformity of his equipment questioned before the close of the competition, then he should be disqualified if it is determined later that his club is non-conforming, regardless of when the determination is made. Questioned would include: (1) the player knew his club was listed as ATR, (2) the player had reason to believe his club might not conform, (3) the player has asked that it be tested for whatever reason, which implies that he has some question about the conformity of the club, or (4) another player or the Committee has chosen to question/test the conformance of the club.
Please note that all U.S. Open, Women’s Open and Senior Open entrants are advised upon entry that they may send their clubs to the USGA Test Center for evaluation if their clubs are listed in the database as ATR or if their clubs are not listed (players should contact the USGA prior to submitting clubs manufactured on or after January 1, 2010). See the following link for further detail:
http://www.usga.org/equipment/testing/inviteforopenclubtesting/
Q 10. A player wins a competition with a non-conforming club. During a subsequent competition, it is determined that the player’s club is non-conforming. Is the player disqualified from the competition which he had won?
A10. No, unless the player knew he was or might have been in breach before the close of the earlier competition – see Exception (iv) to Rule 34-1b
Q11. What is the impact of the waiver granted to the USGA by Ping with respect to the use of Ping EYE2 clubs?
A11. Ping EYE2 clubs may not be used at the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and the U.S. Senior Open, as well as Local and Sectional Qualifying competitions for these championships, unless they have been tested and found to conform with the current groove specifications. They are permitted at all USGA Amateur Championships.
*ATR (Additional Testing Required) indicator signifies that, based on the samples submitted to the USGA Test Center, there was insufficient information available to provide a definitive answer regarding the status of the club or set of clubs relative to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010. As a result, the player assumes the risk that his club or set of clubs does not conform if the player chooses to carry the club or set of clubs, when the condition of competition (see Decision 4-1/1) requiring conformance to the groove rules effective from January 1, 2010 is in effect, unless the player has the individual club or set of clubs tested and they are found to conform to the condition.
