What Are Golf Rangefinders And How Do They Work? New PGA Tour Rule Hopes To Speed Up Pace of Play

The PGA Tour will tee off from TPC Louisiana this week for a rare team-based event. This week, the world’s top players will competing in a team-based event but there is another important change happening at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week. For the second consecutive tournament, PGA Tour pros will be allowed to use rangefinders on the course in hopes of speeding up the pace of play. 

Rangefinders are typically not allowed during tournament rounds on the PGA Tour but the rules and competition committee has decided to put them to the test in six tournaments this season. 

After putting them to the test last week at the RBC Heritage, the Tour will also be allowed to use them at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Truist Championship, OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Byron Nelson and another event to be announced.

What Are Golf Rangefinders & How Do They Work?

A golf rangefinder is a small, handheld device that uses laser technology to calculate the distance to the flagstick, green, or other points on the course. 

Rangefinders help players and caddies make more accurate decisions based on the distance of a particular target while factoring in variables like slope, wind, and more. 

The hope is that using rangefinders will help minimize time between shots, allowing golfers to choose their clubs faster while improving both confidence and accuracy on the course.

PGA Tour Rangefinder Rules

The use of rangefinders has traditionally been forbidden and using one during tournament play on the PGA Tour could result in a two-stroke penalty. 

Instead, all measurements must come from yardage books, markers, or pacing off distances manually.

However, rangefinders have been used before. In fact, they are commonly used on the LPGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, DP World Tour and the PGA Championship. 

The PGA of America has allowed them in its championships, including the PGA Championship, since 2021.

Will Rangefinders Really Improve Pace of Play?

The PGA Tour will monitor how rangefinders impact pace of play and gather from players and officials throughout the six-event stretch. If the results are positive, the rule could potentially expand to more tournaments in the future.

But, not everyone is convinced that they will make a difference, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. 

Scheffler voiced his opinion last week ahead of the RBC Heritage, saying that he believes there are bigger challenges to tackle to improve pace of play.

“When you see the biggest changes in pace of play, it all comes from going from three guys to two guys in a pairing. It’s just easier to get around the golf course.”

Luckily for Scheffler, the Zurich Classic is played in pairs, which should help the overall pace.