A club is designed for striking the golf ball. Clubs designs come in three basic forms determined by shaped and intent. These designs are woods, irons and putters.

The golf club has two main compents the shaft and the club head and these components must be fixed to create one unit. The overall design must resemble tradition form.

Conforming golf clubs must not be adjustable (so the adjustable loft golf club does not conform), except the weigh can be adjustable. The adjustability of weight must be approved by the USGA. The adjustment of weight cannot take place during the rouond because a player cannot purposely change the playing characteristics of their equipment during the round.

Length

The length of a club must range between 18 inched to 48 inches in length, the only expection is putters may excedd 48 inches. Technically the lenth of irons and woods is measured while the club is horizontal to the ground and the sole is placed against a plate angled at 60 degrees. The length is measured from the top of the grip to the intersection point of the horizontal and diagonal planes near the sole of the club. The putter is measures simply as a straight line beginning from the top of the grip, following the shaft, to the bottom of the sole.

Shaft

Straightness
The shaft of the golf club must be straight. A bend in the shaft is permitted as long as the bend occurs with 5 inches of the club’s sole (commonly seen in putters).

Bending and Twisting Properties
At any point along its length, the shaft must:

1. the shaft must bend or flex in the same manner along the length of the shaft, regardless of axis
2. the shaft must twist or torque the same amount in both directions.

Attachment to Clubhead
The shaft’s hosel, where the shaft becomes attached to the club head, must be 5 inches or less in lentgth from the top of the hosel to the sole. The hosel of a putter may attach itself may be position anywhere on the club head.

Grip
The grip must be straight and plain in form, must extend to the end of the shaft and must not be molded for any part of the hands. If no material is added, that portion of the shaft designed to be held by the player must be considered the grip.

1. the grip must have a circular cross-section
2. A putter grip does not need a circular cross-section, exhibits no concavity, and is consitently symmetrical throughout.
3. may be tapered and may not exhibit any bulge or waist.
4. Axis of the shaft and grip must be parallel, except for putters.
5. A putter may have two grips. Each must have a circulat cross-section, a parallel axis between shaft and grip, and 1.5 inches apart.

Clubhead

Plain in Shape

1. Must be generally plain in shape,
2. Must be rigid, structural in nature and functional,
3. Difficulties to define plain in shape precisely, therefore nonpermittable items include:
• holes through the head (except bore through hosels)
• transparent material
• addition to the main body of the head to aid aiming or for any other purpose.
• runners on the sole must not extend into the face.

Dimensions and Size

1. Woods
• heel to the toe measurement must be greater than distance from the face to the back;
• heel to the toe measurement is not greater than 5 inches (horizontal plane); and
• Measurement of the sole to the crown must not exceed 2.8 inches (vertical plane)
• The size of the clubhead must not exceed 460 cubic centimeters
2. Irons and Putters
• heel to the toe measurement must be greater than distance from the face to the back;
3. Striking Faces
• must have only one striking face
• One exception is the putter as long as they are opposite each other

Club Face

General
The face of the club must not impact any undue influence on the flight of the golf ball. Example would be the trampolone effect and increasing or decreasing spin. The face must be hard and rigid, must be smooth and must not have any degree of concavity.

Impact Area Roughness and Material
Surface roughness within the impact area must not be more than decorative sandblasting, or fine milling.The whole of the impact area must be of the same material.

Impact Area Markings
Markings in the impact area must not have sharp edgesor raised lips as determined by a finger test. Grooves or punch marks in the impact area must meet the following specifications:

1. Grooves
• Groove width and cross-section must be consistent
• Rounding of grooves must not exceed 0.020 inches
• Maximum groove width 0.035 inches
• Distance between grooves must be at least 3 times the width of a groove but nor less than 0.075 inches.
• Groove depth must not exceed 0.020 inches
2. Punch Marks - may be used
• Punch marks cannot exceed 0.0044 square inches
• Must be at least 0.168 inches apart, measured from the centers, from another puch mark or groove
• Depth must not exceed 0.040 inches

Decorative Markings
The impact area may be outline provided the design exist within a boundary 0.375″ by 0.375″ from the center and no undue influecne is imparted on the golf ball.

Putter Face Markings
Putter do not need to follow the same roughness, material and marking specifications.