Golf is an exciting game in which the nuances need to be learned to become a skilled player. Although the sport seems simple on the surface, it does take a great level of skill and practice to become a decent player. Apart from your skill level, what also matters is the condition your equipment is in.
Your clubs in particular must be maintained in order to continue playing at peak performance.
Over time, the grooves on your irons will definitely start wear down. Those lines you see on the club face are not just for looks, but are an integral part of what makes a golf club work.
I’m going to explain to you what groove sharpeners are, whether they work or not, and tell you if they’re worth the cost.
Do Golf Club Groove Sharpener Work
The grooves in a golf club tend to become light and might fade after some time. This is a problem faced by almost all the golfers. It is not necessary to buy new clubs every time this happens.
Yes groove sharpeners do work well to sharpen the grooves on your golf clubs. First grab the tool, and then move it back and forth along the grooves on your club. The end result will be sharper grooves that look and perform like a new golf club.
After trying out several groove sharpeners from various brands, I found some really good products that did bring my grooves back to life.
However some items I tested were certainly not worth the time and energy spent. You will have to find a high quality tool, as well as perform the correct sharpening technique for it to work correctly.
How to Use a Groove Sharpener
Groove sharpeners are usually sold with a set of instructions. In most cases, they need to be inserted into the groove and carefully clean out the grooves. They will need to be slid in and out of the grooves as to not disturb the shape of the groove.
Steps:
- Read the instructions that came with your groove sharpener
- Insert the groove sharpener on your irons club face
- Slide the tool along the grooves to sharpen
- Follow the lines of your grooves precisely to keep the lines in their original shape
How to Sharpen Grooves on Wedges
The groove sharpeners will have sharp metal edges which are used to clean and shape out the grooves. You will need to be aware of the shape of your groove so as to not to change it. You can insert the sharpener into the wedges and slowly clean out the grooves. They will appear to be very sharp and hence it is necessary to perform the technique firm but slowly.
Are Groove Sharpeners Illegal
It is indeed a fine line that groove sharpeners walk on. Groove sharpeners are technically not illegal to use, but you’ll need to be careful in how you use them to avoid game disqualification.
The main point to remember is that the shape of a groove cannot be changed by the golfer. This is considered illegal. So if you are careful to not change the shape, then you can definitely use a sharpener.
It wouldn’t be wise on your part to use a sharpener while playing in a tournament, as there might be fine print that says you cannot. You will need to refer to the tournament manual in detail before using a groove sharpener.
Homemade Groove Sharpeners
There are a lot of ideas that can be used to sharpen the grooves of your old wedges. A lot of golfers find that buying a proper grove sharpener is entirely unnecessary to help sharpen the wedges. A simple flat faced screwdriver could be used to sharpen the edges.
Some people have also used nail files to clean and sharpen the grooves. You might be able to make this work by using any tool which is the same size as the groove. As long as the tool is sharp enough and fits, then it should work.
It’s necessary to exert caution while using these DIY methods to sharpen the grooves. I recommend you attempt any homemade methods at least a few days before a golf game. This is because you don’t want to injure yourself so close to playing.
How to Sharpen Golf Grooves with a Screwdriver
A lot of people often wonder whether it is completely necessary to buy a groove sharpener. Many people have found that using some simple tools found at the house such as a screwdriver can help in doing the job.
A simple flat headed screwdriver can be used to sharpen the wedges. The screwdriver needs to be of a size suitable for the groove (not too big or small). Carefully run them through the grooves. This can easily sharpen them without much effort.
Regrooving Irons Yourself
If you’ve been playing golf regularly or practicing hard for the last season, you might want to verify that your irons are in good condition. The grooves might have become soft and faded a bit.
You can either get the regrooving done by an expert company, or you can do it yourself. It’s essential to know that the grooves need to conform to the standards set by the association. If you’re careful, your club will become invalid for tournament usage.
If your grooves are clean and sharp, you instead may have scratches on the face of your club. See how I remove scratches and marks on my own clubs (read my article)
Golf Club Regrooving Services
If you want to avoid the cost or hassle of sharpening your irons yourself, you can certainly use a regrooving service instead. Any specialized golf shop that sells clubs will certainly offer this service.
Using a restoration service will save you time and is normally very affordable to use. The average price of using these services ranges from $12 to $20 (USD).
Here is a list of companies offer golf club regrooving services along with prices and other important details:
Golf works offer precision milling service of V and squared grooves for your irons. The service costs $12.99.
Phone:
1-800-848-8358 U.S.A
1-800-387-5331 Canada
1-740-328-4193 International
Operating Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9am to 5pm (EST)
Saturday: 9am to 5pm (EST)
The business is closed on Sundays
The Iron Factory located in Glendale, Arizona (USA) also offers a golf regrooving service. The price is $20 per iron and they claim to mill new square grooves into the face of your club.
Once you send in your clubs, the turnaround time is 3 – 4 weeks.
Phone: (970) 245-2444
Operating Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Where to Buy Golf Groove Sharpener
Groove sharpeners are one of the most inexpensive pieces of equipment available for golf. This is a breath of fresh air for a golfer, as most items tend to be expensive!
Sharpeners can be found in all popular golf stores as well as online retailers. Online stores offer a lot more variety and are useful for reading user reviews. For a $20 product it’s not really worth taking too much of your time searching department stores for these tools.
I definitely recommend that you sift through user reviews online. Websites like Amazon have a large selection to choose from.
Keep in mind, the overall quality of products in this sector is questionable. Each of the groove sharpeners I tested either worked great, or didn’t work at all. This isn’t a huge problem as these items are cheap, but at the end of the day you need a sharpener that works!
I’ll now share with you the best groove sharpeners I have either tested myself or found online.
Best Groove Sharpeners
There are a lot of excellent groove sharpeners available in the market and it’s important to find the best tool for your wedges. You can easily read the descriptions and user reviews before buying a groove sharpener.
In some cases, you might have to try out a few sharpeners before you find one that actually works.
After doing a lot of research, the following sharpeners have been rated very high.
- EEEKit Iron Wedge Golf Club Groove Sharpener Tool
- RED TruGroove Golf Club Groove Sharpener
- Nu groove sharpener
Nu Groove Sharpener
This groove sharpener from Nu is one of the best rated choices I came across. It has a 4 inch aluminum handle, as well as a non-slip grip. A grip that prevents slipping is important due to the sharp nature of the tool.
This product can easily be used to clean out the grooves and sharpen them within a few minutes. It costs less than $11 USD and is available in a lot of online stores. It can be used on wedges, irons and any other golf club that has grooves on its club face.
TruGroove Sharpener
The TruGroove golf sharpener has many positive reviews from its users. This tool is readily available in most golf stores and can be bought online as well. A pack of 2 sharpeners will cost you $20, which I think is a great deal. The TruGroove can be used for sharpening both U grooves and V grooves, and it complies with USGA regulations.
X6 Groove Sharpener
The X6 is one of the sharpeners which is made of vacuum treated steel. It even has a hardness factor of 65 Rockwell. This is a very sturdy product that can be used to regroove your irons and clubs with ease. It’s designed very ergonomically and even comes with a rubber handle. The cutting head is also replaceable in case the sharpness wears off. The X6 can be picked up for $20 which I think is a real bargain.
Ping Groove Sharpener
The Ping Groove sharpener is the most popular sharpener out on the market. This is no surprise thanks to Ping’s marketing efforts and the company’s solid reputation
The most common problem faced with poor quality sharpeners is that the sharpeners are not hard enough to perform well.
Ping does make special method of this products hardness levels and boast it’s better than other tools. Golfers who have used this are generally happy with the way it sharpens the grooves. This model is also available for a cost of about $20.
Golfsmith Groove Sharpener
Golfsmith groove sharpener has a hard cutting edge and can be used to regroove most of your wedges and irons quickly. This is one of the reliable sharpeners available in the market.
Groove Mate Groove Sharpener
Groove Mate groove sharpener is a simple and elegant tool to regroove your clubs and irons. It’s necessary to regroove your clubs on a regular basis to improve your backspin performances. This particular model can be used to regroove U grooves, V grooves as well as square grooves.
It’s also USGA rules and regulations compliant. The model comes with an aluminum handle, which offers greater strength and durability. At $40, this product is more expensive than most other models, but users have reported the extra cost is worth the price.
Mizuno Groove Sharpener
The Mizuno Groove sharpener is another highly recommended item. It can be used for sharpening both U grooves and V grooves. The sharpener has cutting edges on both sides to enable usage for both the types of grooves. It also comes with rubber caps for the cutting edges, which makes this product feel safe and easier to carry around.
How to Use Maxfli Groove Sharpener
The Maxfli groove sharpener is generally used in conjecture with the oil that comes with it. The groove is to be sharpened with the sharpener, and the oil can be used to remove any dirt or dust particles.
A piece of soft cloth is also provided with this kit which can be sued to wipe the club face. The oil helps in removing even tough particles from the grooves.
Once these steps are followed, the wedge will perform as good as new!
Conclusion
Regrooving is necessary to ensure that your wedges and irons perform well in tournaments. While it’s advised to get your clubs sharpened at an expert store, you can attempt to perform the sharpening procedure yourself.
Do some research to avoid buying a dud product. You should also read the instructions carefully as these products can be very different from one another.
You will also need to take great care that the original grooves are not disturbed while sharpening. Incorrectly re-grooving your clubs could lead to a disqualification from games.