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Do you think rangefinders should be allowed on pro tours?

syndicate559

syndicate559

Sweet Trajectory
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If this has already been discussed, please merge. Just something I was thinking about today. While watching the Travelers this weekend, the CBS guys talked about using rangefinders for a couple of minutes (I believe it was when Baddely hit into the wrong fairway on Sunday) and I was kind of surprised that most of them seemed to be in favor of it. I hadn't thought about it much before then, but I think I agree that it would be a good way to speed up the game on Tour(s). After all, the caddies do extensive work leading up to and during the tournaments to make sure their yardages are accurate for pretty much every shot. So why not let them use a rangefinder that only gives yardages so they don't spend so much time doing math at every shot? It doesn't seem like it would change the number they ultimately end up with, but might help them get there a lot quicker. Thoughts?
 
I don't see why not. The caddies use them ahead of time and just write everything down. I found it kind of silly watching the guys walk some yardages off during the coverage of the U.S. Open.
 
Sure do.
 
Definitely. Would be HUGE for pace of play on Tour.
 
Use them! It would speed up play and get the average Joe to buy one IMO.
 
Unfortunately golf prides itself being rooted deep in history and tradition on somethings ... much to its detriment at times in my opinion ... I think they should be allowed, but I am sure a traditionalist will disagree ...

But then I think Pro players should be allowed to wear shorts ... gasp!
 
Wait a second, the pros have different rules and play a different game than the rest of us? I've heard Jack, the R&A and USGA tell us otherwise, so this can't be the case. (sarcasm not directed at the OP...and to answer the question, yes, let them use the range finders. You can't put the genie back in the bottle...the technology exists, it is good, so use it!)
 
I don't know why they don't now. They WANT to speed up the game, and yet they make the caddies walk off yardages. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm pretty confident that with the time it takes to laser off a shot, or walk off a yardage, it would be about the same time or less for the laser.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Wait a second, the pros have different rules and play a different game than the rest of us? I've heard Jack, the R&A and USGA tell us otherwise, so this can't be the case. (sarcasm not directed at the OP...and to answer the question, yes, let them use the range finders. You can't put the genie back in the bottle...the technology exists, it is good, so use it!)
Click to expand...

Agree with this post...

...And the pros should be able to wear shorts like the rest of us when they're in Hawaii.
 
I think they should be able to use rangefinders anytime. But.... who would the Players blame for bad yardages?? Guess they would still take it out on the caddies!
 
Yes. Walking off distances is time consuming.
 
sure, but they will still have to discuss the wind, club selection and uphill/downhill difference
 
I consider myself a traditionalist but I really do think they should be allowed on tour. Caddies use them to map a course ahead of tournaments and they'd definitely help speed up play IMO.
 
Yes I do.
 
I think they should be able to. So can they even wear a GPS watchout there??
 
Absolutely. Though the easier thing on the PGA Tour would be to give the caddies access to the shot link data live.
 
Heck yeah, ridiculous that they aren't allowed to already.
 
Yes so I don't have to watch caddies walk off 160 yards when guys hit wayward
 
Yes it would make the game faster and would bring more people to watching it. Imagine what they will do when they know and exact distance.
 
Sure. I don't think it would change that much in terms of pace of play, though. There's still going to be plenty of time conversing about wind speed and direction, lie, angle into the green, etc. Knowing the yardage only helps so much, IMO.
 
Of course they should be allowed. Only distance though, not elevation.
 
I guess I'm going to be the lone holdout and traditionalist, but I'll stand my ground and say no. I'll also say, stop tinkering with the game. Next thing you know they'll let caddies use push carts or Pros use golf carts.
 
I have no issue with it--or even GPS option. They will all find ways to get the distance--why make it take so long?
 
The only people that should be against it are the caddies themselves. Would be alot harder justifying 10% of winnings if all that yardage pre work becomes unnecessary.
 
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