GOUGE: The great debate over grooves and the USGA's proposal to limit the effectiveness of current groove designs (so that elite players can't generate as much spin from the rough) has a lot of people hot and bothered. Sometimes even us journalists overheat. Just read a column authored by Golfweek's Jim Achenbach. The story seems to suggest that a final decision on the matter is imminent, alluding to a conversation with USGA President nominee Jim Vernon. The word "soon" was even used. That news struck me as odd as the two of us have regularly checked in with Dick Rugge, USGA Senior Technical Director, and have tried to keep up to date on the USGA's many ongoing research efforts during the grooves rule proposal's "notice and comment" period. As best I can tell, "soon" was not a word in any of our conversations. But I'll check my notes. ... Yup, "soon" is still not in there. But let's be clear: the USGA is still carefully studying the grooves rule, analyzing repeatedly the expected effect of the proposed rollback in groove volume and spacing, as well as making efforts to understand how such a rule might be enforced effectively and efficiently. Soon? What do you think, my long-hitting friend?...
BOMB: You know, I really didn't need another thing to do seeing how we're gearing up for the PGA Merchandise Show next week where we have an appointment scheduled every half-hour for three straight days. That's a lot of grip-and-grin, not to mention getting beat up over Hot List. But when the column you point to was brought to my attention, it got my attention for all the reasons you mentioned. So what to do? Get on the phone. First call: Dick Rugge who told us nothing much had changed since our last conversation. That efforts were still ongoing and, in fact, more research was being done. Well my friend, if more research is being done on the topic then "soon" doesn’t really seem possible, now does it? Next call, Jim Vernon, a man whom I looking forward to getting to know better. Vernon told us the following: That the Equipment Standards Committee is getting together at the USGA annual meeting in Houston on Feb. 8. The R&A is having their meeting after that date and that no decision on grooves would be made until after the USGA and R&A met again to discuss to the matter. At the very earliest that is more than a month from now. OK, so maybe a month or so might qualify as "soon." But the column made it a definitive--that the decision had already been made to implement a rule of some sort. Again, when posed to Vernon, he said, "There has been no prognosis made on when a decision will be made and there has been no prognosis on what that decision may or may not be." In plainspeak, not only hasn't a decision on timing been made, but there hasn't been a decision at all. As such, how can a reporter say that not only will your grooves be changing, but a decision will come "soon." Just asking, Jim (Achenbach, not Vernon). Of course, if a rule comes down in the next few weeks we'll look bad, but for now, based on our conversations with the two people at the USGA who know what's going on in this area, I think it's safe to say this is still a developing story as opposed to a fait accompli.
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