The PGA Championship is one of the biggest stages in golf, which is all set to take place at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte from May 15 to May 18 this year. Golf’s come a long way over the years, from paper scorecards to high-tech gear and precision play. But one change that got people talking? Back in 2021, the PGA Championship gave the green light to rangefinders. And now that the PGA Championship is almost here, there is a buzz among fans once again: Why are rangefinders allowed at the PGA Championship?

‘We’re always interested in methods that may help improve the flow of play during our championships. The use of distance-measuring devices is already common within the game and is now a part of the Rules of Golf,’ said Jim Richerson, former president of the PGA of America at the time. With growing complaints about slow play in rounds and bottlenecks on the course, especially at big events, officials needed solutions, and rangefinders sounded like one—a small but powerful tool that could help players make faster, smarter decisions without replacing the skills of their caddies. But how exactly does it change the dynamic, and why did the PGA Championship lead the charge?

Rangefinders are already used during practice rounds, so letting players use them during competition felt like the right thing for the PGA Championship. It helps players immediately know how far they are from the pin, and it cuts out all the back-and-forth and helps the game move faster. Caddies are still a big part of the game and super important, but rangefinders just give players one more tool to help speed things up.

So yeah, the PGA Championship is always at the forefront of change, and slow play has become a major concern. By allowing rangefinders, they’re addressing this plaguing issue head-on, testing out a solution that could improve the pace of play without altering the essence of the game. At Quail Hollow this year, expect to see more caddies pulling out rangefinders to get exact distances with the push of a button.

Do you know that after seeing how the PGA Championship allows rangefinders, the PGA Tour has decided to give them a shot, too, but here’s the catch: it’s just a trial run for now.

Rangefinders are the talk of the show everywhere in the golf world

The Tour is testing out rangefinders in six tournaments to see if they actually help speed things up. It was much needed at this point as slow play has been a recurring issue, which has led to a lot of frustration in fans and players. Commissioner Jay Monahan announced it during a press conference at the Players Championship, and now all eyes are on the results.

‘They’re going to have an extra tool in their toolbox for four weeks, and we’re interested in hearing, following that period, how it was. Do you feel it was beneficial? Do you feel it helped you with pace of play?’ said Gary Young, , the PGA TOUR’s senior vice president of rules and competitions, during a press conference at the RBC Heritage. The trial will be monitored, and at the end of the testing period, the PGA Tour will evaluate whether these devices improve the pace of play. If the results are positive, these devices could become a permanent feature in tournaments.

Whether rangefinders speed up the play or not, they definitely make it easier for the players. Some players, like Brian Harman, believe that rangefinders alone won’t solve the issue. Now all eyes are on the PGA Tour; it looks like they just might go ahead and approve it, especially after seeing the PGA Championship do it.