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Laser rangefinders are widely used in golf because they provide quick, accurate yardages and help maintain the pace of play. Instead of players taking the time to manually calculate the yardages, rangefinders offer a quicker way to do that. And they are more accurate. While most professional events have made the use of rangefinders common, this week, at the 2025 Crown Australian Open, things were different.

Despite Rule 4.3a (1) allowing rangefinders in professional play since 2019, which states that “you could use them to give information on distance and direction…”, the event at Royal Melbourne Golf Club does not permit them, requiring players to rely on traditional course knowledge.

So, it means players must read the course themselves, judging distances, slopes, and breaks without any technological assistance. Every yardage must be accurate, making strategy and course management even more critical.

This is a developing story…