It's going to be tougher in the rough.  Photo: Mike Cohn.

Today, the USGA released new rules regarding groove design on clubs lofted higher than 25 degrees.  It's a ruling the golf community has anticipated for some time.  You can read more about the news here on Golf World.  The ruling is effective in January 2010.   This essentially makes it harder to execute shots from the rough while enhancing the premium on drives in the fairway.  The change will most likely create new innovations in irons, wedges and golf balls.

I believe that the equipment companies have anticipated this ruling and are well ahead on their plans for new groove designs.  The ruling affects groove volume and sharpness.  So clubs like Titleist Spin Milled Wedges will need to change in order to conform.  But a key thing to watch is that the ruling allows designers to vary groove width, space, and shape.  We could be seeing funky new grooves in the future.

Another aspect to watch may be the golf ball.  The ruling is now the next great challenge for golf ball engineers yearning for new innovations that optimize spin for the shorter irons and wedges.  Although I've been to one of the Titleist ball plants, I still know very little about golf ball design.  We could see three or four cover golf balls or a return to windings.  Perhaps something totally different than today's normal solid core, multi-cover urethane ball. 

I like the USGA's rationale behind the rule change and I look forward to the future golf club manufacturer innovations.