PGA to Allow Distance Measuring Devices (Lasers) in 2021!

[iacas]

PGA of America to Allow For Use of Distance Measuring Devices During Its Major Championships, Beginning in 2021

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This policy will debut with the 2021 PGA Championship, which will be played at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, from May 17-23.

The PGA of America today announced that, beginning in 2021, the use of distance-measuring devices will be allowed during competition rounds at its three annual Major Championships: the PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

Yay!

[Vinsk]

Awesome! Finally!

[Double Mocha Man]

PGA Tour needs to follow suit.  It'll speed up play.  And put those folks who make yardage books too big for one's back pocket out of business.

[saevel25]

Good to see. 

[turtleback]

Once you allow all of the other yardage practices (on course yardage markers, yardage books, etc.) the pros get good yardages already.  So it really doesn't matter how they get those yardages.  Whether by these means or laser or GPS.  So, good.

Although it would be fascinating to set things up like they were back in the day without any yardage assistance of any kind, where it all has to by eye and judgement.  Not as a general practice, but maybe an exhibition.

Edited February 9, 2021 by turtleback

[woodzie264]

  On 2/9/2021 at 5:04 PM, iacas said:

PGA of America to Allow For Use of Distance Measuring Devices During Its Major Championships, Beginning in 2021

---

This policy will debut with the 2021 PGA Championship, which will be played at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, from May 17-23.

The PGA of America today announced that, beginning in 2021, the use of distance-measuring devices will be allowed during competition rounds at its three annual Major Championships: the PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

Yay!

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 The USGA and the PGA TOUR are separate entities and obviously need to make their own rulings as other have said.  Understanding that this will affect the three tournaments mentioned, would it immediately affect anything else? I apologize in advance for my ignorance!

[Double Mocha Man]

  On 2/9/2021 at 5:49 PM, turtleback said:

Although it would be fascinating to set things up like they were back in the day without any yardage assistance of any kind, where it all has to by eye and judgement. 

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Ahh, another reason Jack is the GOAT.  OT, for another thread.  I know.

[boogielicious]

  On 2/9/2021 at 5:49 PM, turtleback said:

Although it would be fascinating to set things up like they were back in the day without any yardage assistance of any kind, where it all has to by eye and judgement.  Not as a general practice, but maybe an exhibition.

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You are going to have to go way back. My FIL was a caddy back in the 1930s. They new the yardage for every inch of the courses he caddied at. Groundskeepers measured it and the caddies knew it even without walking it off. 

[Vinsk]

  On 2/9/2021 at 5:49 PM, turtleback said:

Once you allow all of the other yardage practices (on course yardage markers, yardage books, etc.) the pros get good yardages already.  So it really doesn't matter how they get those yardages.  Whether by these means or laser or GPS.  So, good.

Although it would be fascinating to set things up like they were back in the day without any yardage assistance of any kind, where it all has to by eye and judgement.  Not as a general practice, but maybe an exhibition.

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Yeah but then you’d have the likes of DeChambeau pacing off every shot and not getting penalized enough for the delay.

[NCGolfer]

Now if they get rid of greens books the pace of play might speed up.  I don't think lasers will significantly speed up play honestly.  Would like to see the PGA Tour follow suit...

[krupa]

  On 2/9/2021 at 7:12 PM, Vinsk said:

Yeah but then you’d have the likes of DeChambeau pacing off every shot and not getting penalized enough for the delay.

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Instead we'll get a half-dozen articles about how DeChambeau tests his measuring devices for accuracy, an inevitable controversy about him taking too long to use three different devices to triangulate the position of the flag, and then back to him reading the greens with a protractor.

[iacas]

 

[billchao]

  On 2/9/2021 at 7:50 PM, iacas said:

 

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The skill thing is kind of dumb. That’s generally the caddy’s skill, not the player’s. I watch the PGA Tour to see how well a golfer can play golf, not how well a caddy can measure a golf course.

[Double Mocha Man]

  On 2/9/2021 at 7:50 PM, iacas said:

 

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Strange angles?!  John would be talking about Mr. Spieth.

[iacas]

  On 2/9/2021 at 7:56 PM, billchao said:

The skill thing is kind of dumb. That’s generally the caddy’s skill, not the player’s. I watch the PGA Tour to see how well a golfer can play golf, not how well a caddy can measure a golf course.

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He's a caddie. He was talking about the caddie's skill. It helps determine, particularly for some players, what caddie they want to use and how well they score any given week.

That's John Wood. Recently an announcer, previously Kuchar's caddie (non-Mexico edition) for a long time.

[billchao]

  On 2/9/2021 at 7:59 PM, iacas said:

He's a caddie. He was talking about the caddie's skill. It helps determine, particularly for some players, what caddie they want to use and how well they score any given week.

That's John Wood. Recently an announcer, previously Kuchar's caddie (non-Mexico edition) for a long time.

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I stand by my point. I don’t watch golf for whom is one whose bag. They can let the tour players play with rangefinders and push carts for all I care.

[Double Mocha Man]

On a side note... the USGA recently allowed the use of distance measuring devices in local and sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open.  But not in the Open itself.

[iacas]

  On 2/9/2021 at 8:07 PM, billchao said:

I stand by my point. I don’t watch golf for whom is one whose bag. They can let the tour players play with rangefinders and push carts for all I care.

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But, Bill, you weren't making a point.

What you are watching doesn't negate that a caddie who is good at getting yardages from awkward spots is a skill that results in players playing better or worse by some small degree.

And whether those players play better or worse is what you're watching to see.