Informational Club Database

The R&A has received numerous inquiries from golfers wishing to know whether their existing clubs will meet the new groove and punch mark specifications.

As a result, in conjunction with the United States Golf Association (“USGA”), The R&A has compiled an Informational Club Database.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

• The new 2010 specifications do not apply to clubs which were in production prior to 2010.
  
• Pre-2010 models, which conform to the pre-2010 Rules, will continue to conform to the Rules of Golf until at least 2024 for the vast majority of golfers.
  
• Committees in charge of elite level, professional golf may introduce the Groove and Punch Mark Condition of Competition from 1 January 2010, requiring that the player’s clubs conform to the new groove and punch mark specifications.
  
• For full information on the new specifications and guidance on the recommended use of the Groove and Punch Mark Condition, please click here.
  
• Players should check with the Committee in charge of any competition they are entering to ascertain whether the Groove and Punch mark Condition has been adopted.

The Informational Club Database is a searchable database of all irons, as well as hybrids and fairway woods with lofts of 25° or higher, which were in production prior to 1 January 2010 and which have been submitted to and evaluated by either The R&A and/or the United States Golf Association (“USGA”) . The purpose of the Database is to assist golfers and Rules Officials in determining the status of these clubs, when evaluated against the existing (2009) Rules of Golf and the new groove and punch mark specifications, which are effective from 1 January 2010.

For the avoidance of any doubt, clubs that were in production prior to 1 January 2010 can continue to be produced and sold by manufacturers until 31 December 2010 and can be sold by retailers until their inventory is depleted. This is regardless of whether these models meet the new 2010 specifications. However, all new models of clubs planned for production on or after 1 January 2010 must conform to the new specifications.

The Informational Club Database is not a fully comprehensive list of clubs and there are models of clubs which are not included, because either they have not been submitted for evaluation or they have not yet been evaluated against the 2010 specifications. The database should only be used a reference tool.

TIPS FOR FINDING A SPECIFIC MODEL:

• Enter one or more of the following search criteria.
• Case does not matter (e.g.,BLUE, Blue and blue are the same).
• Spaces do matter (e.g., HP and H P are different)
• You can select more than one club type. Not selecting a club type will include all clubs matching the other criteria.
• Manufacturer names may be different to Brand names (i.e. the manufacturer of Titleist and Cobra irons is Acushnet).