[Kim Maengnyeong's Golf English Conversation] "The Role of Grooves"

The fine groove on the face is a groove.

'Groove' refers to a notch or indentation in an object, as well as the rhythm or beat in music. The fine grooves etched into a record are also called grooves.

If you look at the face of a golf club head, you will see long, thin, horizontal indentations-these are called grooves. In other terms, they are also referred to as 'scoring.' Grooves are generally horizontal and parallel indentations made into the club.

The function of grooves is similar to the treads on a tire; they absorb water, dirt, grass, and other debris that may come between the ball and the clubface. More importantly, at the moment of impact, grooves increase friction between the club and the ball, allowing for a stronger spin. However, when hitting from the rough, grass or debris can get caught between the ball and the grooves, which reduces the amount of spin generated.

The shapes of these fine grooves include V-shaped grooves, U-shaped grooves, or square grooves.

The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), which establish the global rules of golf, have strengthened groove regulations for irons with a loft of 25 degrees or more (from 5-iron to wedges) in all professional golf tournaments worldwide since 2010, to minimize their impact on scoring.

The regulations specify that the width must be within approximately 0.9mm and the depth must be no greater than 0.5mm. To prevent excessive spin, only V-shaped grooves and U-shaped grooves (or square grooves) that meet these depth and width standards are permitted. This is intended to increase the skill differentiation among players when hitting from the fairway or rough after a tee shot.

Weekend golfers may use non-conforming wedges to increase backspin. However, this is only allowed under local rules and not in official tournaments.

A: What is a groove in golf?

B: The word 'groove' also means a line scored on the clubface.

A: What is the function of grooves?

B: They allow control and spin over the golf ball, especially backspin.

Written by Kim Maengnyeong, golf columnist