"In talking to players, the new groove rule has certainly caused them to change some of their shot-making."

But as Peter Dawson tells John Huggan...

"But - and this didn't come as much of a surprise - these guys are so good they adapted pretty quickly. They can't quite do what they used to do from the rough, but every player is different."

Key word: quite. Which is precisely why the PGA Tour is already going back to pre-groove-rule-change rough heights of 3 or so inches (see Torrey Pines). The reason cited by the rules staff? Lack of impact by the groove rule change.