Club manufacturer Callaway has welcomed the decision of golf's governing bodies to stage the introduction of new equipment regulations.

The R&A and USGA recently announced plans to restrict the grooves on clubs in order to make hitting the ball out of the rough more difficult.

Many previous rule changes have been across the board, but this one will only apply to professionals when it is first introduced in 2010.

Top amateurs will have to comply with it by 2014, but club golfers will be able to carry on using high-spinning wedges until at least 2024.

Several club makers have criticised the decision, most notably Ping, but Callaway's senior executive vice president Steve McCracken said he was pleased with the way the issue had been handled.

He said the authorities had "carefully considered" how the changes would impact on golfers at all levels and "ultimately opted to acknowledge those differences by separating their actions with respect to each group".

Callaway will, however, be working hard to design new wedges for its staff professionals, who include Phil Mickelson, Rocco Mediate and Ernie Els, ahead of the initial 2010 deadline.