At the beginning of this year, the U.S. Golf Association and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club gave rangefinders the green light. These devices, which resemble miniature binoculars or digital cameras, allow golfers to quickly determine distance to the pin from any location on the course.
Decision 14-3/0.5 of the Rules of Golf lets each course, club or tournament determine whether to allow use of rangefinders by issuing a local rule.
One of the biggest arguments for approving the use of distance-measuring devices is that they will help speed up play. Golfers will no longer have to search for a semi-hidden marker in the ground or pace off distance from a 150-yard post. Instead, they will just aim the rangefinder, get their yardage, select a club and hit, thus saving a minute or two on fairway shots.
"It has been a long time coming, and it is the right thing to do for the game of golf," said Rob O'Loughlin, president of Laser Link Golf. "This type of technology can only speed up play and improve scores for the average player."
On the other hand, if golfers begin to measure distance to and over various hazards, it may not decrease time spent over each shot. Golfers still need to make sure they are keeping up the pace of play and not spending more time with the devices than they might without one. To reduce this potential reduction of time saving, courses can install their own systems for use, systems like Laser Link Golf's Distance System.
The Distance System has two components, a handheld rangefinder and a reflector on the flagstick. This focuses golfers on determining yardage to the pin and is designed to speed up play.
"The laser is calibrated to find only the target, and the target is specifically engineered to seek out the laser. This feature is what separates our product from other handheld laser measurement devices like it," reads a statement on the company's Web site, www.laserlinkgolf.com.
"Simply put, a target specific device is easier to use and more precise than a non-target specific device."
The QuickShot is the handheld part of the system, and reads distances to a Laser Link reflector from 30 to 300 yards. The Smarty is a reflector that screws on to the top of the flagstick -- or courses may choose a SmartStick with the reflector built into the body of the flagstick.
The QuickShot does not include other features like wind speed, so it can legally be used for handicap purposes. The USGA did issue a recent clarification on which distance-measuring devices are permitted under the rules.
"Golfers must NOT use distance-measuring devices for handicap purposes or in competition that are capable of gauging or measuring other conditions that might affect play, even if such a function is not used," the USGA announced in a press release dated March 1. "For example, a distance-measuring device that includes a compass and can measure changes in elevation can NOT be used in competition or for handicap purposes."
Laser Link's O'Loughlin welcomed the clarification.
"Our company has always focused on measuring distance to the flagstick only, and it was our belief that this was going to be the way the USGA would decide," O'Loughlin said. "They are doing what's best for the game. They have drawn a line in the sand, much the same way they did with ERC. Allowing devices that measure all kinds of variables seem to only complicate a game that is already complicated enough. We want to simplify distance measurement, which in turn will help to speed up the game."
Nikon, Bushnell, Leica and Newcon Optik also offer handheld electronic devices that conform to the USGA rules.
