There are plenty of things to avoid that would make your golf equipment illegal, such as adjusting the loft of your driver or fairway wood mid round (in a competition).
Because of the strict rules around equipment, enforced by the governing bodies, there aren’t many legal changes you can make to your golf clubs, whether that’s during a competition or away from the golf course.
However, there are a few little tricks and modifications that, so long as you’re careful, shouldn’t land you with a penalty - or worse, disqualification. Here are a few of the legal changes you can make to your golf clubs…
Wedge Grind
Although you’re not allowed to alter your golf clubs during a competition or counting round, you can tinker with your equipment away from the course, or when you’re on the practice ground .
If you know what you’re doing, you can also customize your wedges. Wedge grind is the manipulation (grinding off) or removal of material from the sole of the club - the idea being that you can improve contact with the turf or sand.
Let’s say you have a bit of a 'sweepy' (shallow) angle of attack. It’s possible that a wedge with a narrower sole - one with a little material removed around the toe, heel and leading edge - will suit your game.
We wouldn’t recommend getting your chisel out and doing this at home. If you’re curious about wedge grind - perhaps you have a particularly steep swing - you should speak to your PGA professional or a certified club fitter.
What you don't want to do is ruin your expensive new wedges, or start grinding the wrong part of the club.
Sharpening Grooves
Can you sharpen the grooves on your golf clubs? Yes, you can - and there are plenty of products out there that will help do the job for you.
Should you try sharpening the grooves on your golf clubs? No, you probably shouldn’t - and not just because you risk cutting your fingers if you’re not wearing gloves.
There are some pretty aggressive tools out there that can transform your clubs, therefore giving you the type of spin that was on offer when they were new.
However, there are strict groove rules in place, put in place by the governing bodies “to protect the fundamental challenge of the game and ensure that skill, not an overreliance on technology, is the prime determinant of success in the game.”
There is a big difference between cleaning your grooves - so getting rid of grit and mud - and having them sharpened.
To put it simply, if you try to sharpen your grooves, you risk making your clubs non-conforming - and then you’re in trouble.
So, if your wedges are looking a bit tired and the grooves have seen better days, your best bet is really to buy new wedges.
WEDGE GRIPS
Such grips - which are longer compared to standard grips - are designed to promote more consistent and precise short game shots, with the extra inch or so helping to enhance feel and control. They also tend to have markings that encourage consistent hand placement on the club, even when choking down by a certain amount to reduce the speed of the swing.
Meanwhile, a straighter, reduced profile shape helps the hands to work together more effectively and eliminates excess grip tension - something a lot of club golfers struggle with around the greens.
Drawing Lines On Your Putter
This might come as a surprise, but you are allowed to draw lines on your putter, something Tommy Fleetwood has had done to his custom TaylorMade mallet putter.
Earlier this year, the Englishman tested a prototype zero-torque Spider and a Spider Tour Black, in a bid to correct a marginally left aim and closed face at impact.
Fleetwood wanted a Spider-style putter, although he was keen on the ZT's small milling marks on the crown by the face, which helped with alignment and enabled him to adopt a more athletic posture over the ball.
So, TaylorMade putter rep James Holley used a ruler and a sharpie to add the same lines to Fleetwood’s Spider Tour - and it hasn't done too badly for the FedEx Cup champion.
The general rule is that such features must be plain and subtle, conforming to the overall shape of the club and not excessively protruding.
And, of course, they can't be used to show the line of play to another player.
Lead Tape
You can apply a thin strip of lead to your clubs to alter weight and feel - something which is legal. It's normally only a practice adopted by professional golfers, who can detect very slight changes.
For example, lead tape is often applied to the heel or toe of a putter to fine-tune the weight distribution in the club.
As explained by PGA Professional Andrew Pillans, a club-fitting expert, "Placing lead tape to the toe can help slow down the closure rate of the putter face, while tape on the heel speeds it up."
In other words, players use lead tape to help in situations where they might be suffering with pushes and pulls.
Lead tape can also be used to adjust the weight in different areas of the wedge head, too, which allows players to dial in feel and touch on certain shots around the greens.
Over the years, leading players have used lead tape in various different ways. Jack Nicklaus famously used it under the grips to act as a counter balance and make the club feel lighter.
However, if you are going to tinker with the feel of your clubs, it's best to seek the advice of a qualified club fitter.
