Mar12 grooverulespushupprices

Golfers could be forced to pay more for irons in the wake of the latest rules on grooves.

That’s the verdict from two of the biggest manufacturers in the game, Ping and TaylorMade.

The R&A and their American equivalent the USGA want to change the groove designs on irons and wedges so that it’s harder for top players to get the ball close to the flag out of deep rough. They want to put a premium back on hitting fairways.

 
But while it’s unlikely to affect the multi-millionaires in the pro game, the rules – and the design changes they’ll force – could see the average prices of irons go up.

 

Ping boss John Solheim (pictured) said: “They’re trying to bring us back to V-grooves. That means we’d have to redesign every groove.”

 

And Benoit Vincent, TaylorMade’s design and development chief, estimates that could add 10% to the cost of new irons.