Right, so I was out on the course last Saturday. Sun was out, playing okay-ish, you know how it is. I pull out my trusty rangefinder, zap the pin. 147 yards. Easy peasy. Couldn’t play without that thing these days, eyes aren’t what they used to be, and pacing it out feels like ancient history.
Then I got home, flipped on the TV, watching the PGA Tour guys. You see them, right? Them and their caddies. Deep in conversation, looking at these detailed books, pacing things off. Looks like hard work, honestly. And it got me thinking, watching Fowler and his caddie figure out a tough approach shot. Why all the fuss? Why don’t they just whip out a laser like I do? Seems like a no-brainer.
My Own Digging on This
It bugged me for a bit. Seemed inefficient. So, I started paying more attention during broadcasts, looked around a little online, asked my buddy who follows this stuff religiously. Turns out, it’s not so simple. For the longest time, in the main PGA Tour events, the answer was a hard NO. Like, forbidden. Against the rules. All about player skill, caddie knowledge, reading the course the old-fashioned way.
But things started shifting. It always happens, tech creeps in. I remember the chatter starting a while back.
- First, they started letting players use them during practice rounds. Okay, that makes sense. Getting ready, dialing in numbers.
- Then, the big change came. They decided to allow them in certain specific tournaments. The PGA Championship was the big one, started doing that just a few years ago. Caused quite a stir.
- But for the regular week-in, week-out PGA Tour events? Still mostly the old way. Caddie books, sprinkler heads, maybe some intense calculations.
So, can they use them? The answer is a classic “it depends”.
Here’s the deal as I understand it now:
During the big PGA Tour weekly tournaments, it’s still mostly a no. Gotta rely on the caddie and the yardage book. But, during practice rounds before the tournament? Yes, they can zap away. And for some specific big events, like the PGA Championship, they actually are allowed to use them during competitive play now. Seems they wanted to speed things up, maybe?
It’s funny watching the change. Some guys use them in the events where they’re allowed, some stick to the old ways. Guess it’s personal preference now, where the rules permit it. Me? I’m sticking with my laser on my weekend rounds. Makes things way less complicated. But watching the pros navigate this mix of tradition and tech? Still fascinating stuff.
