Distance-measuring devices will be allowed this week at PGA Championship, but a ban on green-reading books would be better.
The following written content by Mike Purkey
Americans are uncommonly inventive – and there’s nothing at all wrong with that – but golf, at times, is victimized by innovation just as much as it has benefitted from it. Easier is not necessarily better, faster for us isn’t always faster for them and the afflicted among us shouldn’t be penalized every time they find a way that works that might look a little funny.
Topic A is distance-measuring devices, or DMDs, aka rangefinders. The PGA of America, in one of its most head-scratching moves ever, is allowing DMDs this week at the PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C.
“We’re always interested in methods that may help improve the flow of play during our championships,” Jim Richerson, the PGA’s president, said in a news release when the decision was announced in February. The PGA also will allow DMDs in the Women’s PGA and Senior PGA.
“The use of distance-measuring devices is already common within the game and is now a part of the Rules of Golf,” Richerson said. “Players and caddies have long used them during practice rounds to gather relevant yardages.”
Yes, it’s common among amateurs and even PGA professionals who don’t have yardage books or professional caddies in their tournaments. But the touring professionals – and their caddies – are steadfast in believing that DMDs won’t improve pace of play. In fact, the use of rangefinders during competition probably would slow things down.
Caddies on the PGA Tour and in major championships already get detailed yardage books, and the exact distance to the flagstick is not the only yardage they are calculating. Players want to know the distance to the front and back of each green and yardage to carry certain greenside bunkers. You can’t shoot those numbers accurately with rangefinders.
“I have a hard time seeing it speed things up, unless you get it way offline or you’re out of contention,” Jordan Spieth said.
The PGA Tour doesn’t want anything to do with DMDs in competition, having conducted a test over four tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017. The USGA, which allows rangefinders only in amateur events, is taking its cue from the Tour. Read more from S.I. Golf.
Advertisement
