THE GROOVE ISSUE
What do the authorities think?
The old grooves will be banned on the PGA and European Tours from January, and club players will be able to use theirs until 2024.
But what about those in between?
WHAT if you are a pro away from the main tours or an elite amateur competing in the likes of the Amateur Championship or Brabazon?
The USGA have said that, with effect from 2014, their top-level amateur tournaments " for example, the US Amateur " will adopt the rule.
In next year"s US Open, those playing in local qualifying will be free to use the existing grooves.
But should they go through to the final stage, sectional qualifying, only conforming models will be allowed.
We asked the game"s leading authorities to clarify their position.
R&A
THE R&A are responsible for several prestigious events, including the Open Championship, the Amateur Championship, the Walker Cup and the St Andrews Trophy.
With effect from 2014, they: "strongly recommend that this condition should be extended only to lower-level professional events and elite-level amateur events."
With respect to qualifying for next year"s Open, they said: "We will issue the Open Championship Entry criteria (later this month) and this will confirm the requirements for qualifying events for next year"s championship including how the new grooves condition will be applied."
The English Golf Union
THE EGU are responsible for several national championships, including the Brabazon Trophy (English Men"s Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship) and the English Amateur.
John Walker, the EGU"s championship manager said: "It is clear that the R&A have thought this change through and that it will not cause any real problem to the average club golfer.
"Any amateur event will not be affected until 2024 so it is fair to assume that, as any clubs bought from the 1st January 2010 must conform, by 2024 there will be no need to panic buy and the changeover should be seamless."
As this seemed to be in contradiction of the USGA and R&A"s stated position on elite amateurs, we asked for further clarification and were told that there was an EGU championship committee meeting late last month on the subject.
Our interpretation was that the EGU were extremely likely to follow the R&A"s lead and impose the regulations on elite-level amateurs as of 2014.
The PGA
THE PGA are responsible for an array of events for both male and female pros in the UK. These include the PGA Professional Championship.
They have decided against adopting the new rule in January, saying they would "monitor the situation with an annual reassessment of our position".
They added: "We are very aware that manufacturers are under pressure to ensure tour players are using conforming equipment, and asking them also to fit our 7,000-plus members is really not feasible at this early stage."
The European Tour are also responsible for the Challenge Tour and the Senior Tour. They will adopt the rule on all three tours with effect from January 1, 2010.
Ladies European Tour
THE LET are responsible for Europe"s professional tour for ladies. They will implement the new rules for the 2010 season, with effect from January 1. The new rules do not apply to next month"s Q School, as it takes place before 2010. They said: "The condition of competition is being brought in to prevent the de-skilling of the game and therefore is in the best interests of golf."