AJGAers Get To Use Their Precious Distance Measuring Devices

This Golfweek.com report'll put to rest any questions about whether or not this is a tour for children of means...

“We are excited to introduce the use of rangefinders in all of our events in 2013,” said Mark Oskarson, AJGA Chief Operating Officer. “With all the information we gathered over the course of the year, we feel this is the right direction for our organization.”

The studies gathered information from parents, juniors and staff about types of rangefinders that are most popular among juniors players and how allowing their use might affect pace of play. In 2012, the average 18-hole pace of play for all AJGA events was 4 hours and 23 minutes. AJGA studies showed there was not a major impact, positive or negative, on pace of play where rangefinders were used.

That's a load off!

"Most time is lost on the greens."

Watching the tepid pace of play during round 1 of The Players, I wondered if rangefinders would help. After all they were billed as a savior of the game a few years ago but have not made it to regulation PGA Tour play (they can be used in practice rounds).

Then I read Paul Kenyon's story on the Rhode Island Golf Association allowing them for use in competition. Their executive director, Bob Ward, about nailed the crux of the problem:

"I didn’t keep track, but I would estimate that at least 50 percent of the field (178 players) either had the devices or asked about them,’’ Ward said. ``I feel the only thing that will change is that the pace of play will speed up a little. I’m still not sure how much because I believe that most time is lost on the greens. It is putting that slows the pace of play. But if this helps with the pace of play, then it’s good.’’

Has anyone heard of any studies or stories documenting actual improvements in pace of play thanks to distance measuring devices?

"The forward-thinking PGA has agreed to allow GPS use across its tournament calendar in 2008"

Thanks to reader Nick for catching this latest cave-in on rangefinders (I know, we're back to the good old days of golf debates over distance devices instead of nooses...for now):

SkyCaddie today welcomed the PGA’s groundbreaking decision to sanction the use of GPS rangefinders in its professional events this year – including the Irish PGA Championship, Scottish PGA Championship and the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.

The market-leading distance measuring device was made official rangefinder of the PGA earlier this year and was used to monitor pace-of-play statistics during the PGA’s prestigious Glenbrae Fourball eight qualifying rounds and final at Fulford Golf Club in October.

Now, following positive results, the forward-thinking PGA has agreed to allow GPS use across its tournament calendar in 2008 – a decision taken at its executive committee meeting on 15th January. Other leading golf bodies are now expected to monitor closely the success of the scheme.

“These partnerships will help bring to life the amazing feats that occur each week on the LPGA Tour, such as crushing 275 yard drives..."

Thanks to reader Tom for this release. As always, your vote on the most ridiculous of the requisite lame quotes is welcomed:

LPGA announces technology enhancements for telecasts SkyCaddie to provide real-time GPS information

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 26, 2007- The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the Golf Channel have each partnered with SkyGolf, makers of the SkyCaddie® GPS rangefinder, to provide enhanced, real-time information to viewers during live LPGA tournament broadcasts.  Analysts will be utilizing SkyCaddie® rangefinders to provide real-time information to viewers of LPGA telecasts on ESPN2 and the Golf Channel, beginning with the Golf Channel's broadcast of the SBS Open at Turtle Bay, Feb. 15-17.

Viewers will be given comprehensive information, including players’ driving distances and positioning, such as distances needed to clear or lay up in front of fairway hazards.  The inclusion of this cutting-edge technology and production enhancement represents the first time advanced GPS technology will play such an integral role during LPGA golf broadcasts.  The SkyCaddie® rangefinders use the same global positioning system used by the U.S. military, but in a highly portable handheld device about the size of a cell phone that can compute distances to any point on a golf course.

“We are very excited to be working with the LPGA and the Golf Channel to provide a unique perspective to viewers that will help showcase the remarkable talents of these highly skilled professional athletes,” said SkyGolf CEO Richard Edmonson.  “These partnerships will help bring to life the amazing feats that occur each week on the LPGA Tour, such as crushing 275 yard drives and pinpoint approach shots.”

Even Bivens in her prime can't top that...crushing 275 yard drives?

“Our research has shown that our viewers are looking for more statistics and information about the great play on the LPGA Tour,” said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens.  “We are pleased to team with SkyCaddie to bring enhanced information to our tournament broadcasts.  SkyCaddie’s portability and easy-to-use technology will make broadcast implementation seamless, allowing our broadcast partners to clearly illustrate why LPGA players are some of the best athletes in the world.”

MBA Points for use of portability, seamless and partners, but best athletes in the world? Boring...

“The LPGA is extremely popular right now, featuring gifted players and intense competition each week,” said the Golf Channel’s Executive Vice President of Advertising Sales and New Media Gene Pizzolato.  “We’re proud to be expanding our production capabilities of LPGA telecasts by incorporating the proven performance of the SkyCaddie into our broadcasts to bring exciting real-time information to our viewers like never before.”

I wonder if they'll plug the SkyCaddie numbers into WinZone in order to make it, well, work? 

Where Are The DMD's?

John Paul Newport pens one of those strange WSJ columns where he first makes a point to let us know that distance measuring devices have not only not ruined the game (did anyone ever write that they would?), but have actually been a positive addition to his game. And then he pretty much dispels any notion that they speed up play or add any real great pleasure for his game, except on courses he hasn't seen.

What do you think? 

Thanks to reader John for this.

DMD's In Ireland

Thanks to Smolmania for noticing this from SI.com rangefinder aficionado Gary Van Sickle's column:

If you don't think laser range-finders are going to be commonplace and widely accepted within a few years, think again. They're apparently going to be used during the Ryder Cup matches -- just not by competitors during the competition. Many Tour pros and caddies already use laser range-finders during practice rounds to check yardages.

At the Ryder Cup, range-finders may be used by SkySports and NBC so their television spotters can relay accurate yardages to the broadcast teams. The K Club, the host site, was an early customer of Laser Link, the range-finder firm based in Madison, Wis. Reflectors are installed in the flagsticks so the lasers can more easily pick up the target, and the K Club plans to leave the reflectors in during the matches.

Laser Link founder Rob O'Loughlin was surprised when John McHenry, the K Club's golf director, told him the plan. "I don't see how the PGA of America would sit still for that. It'll never happen," O'Loughlin said. "John said, the Ryder Cup host makes the decision and I'm the host. I've already talked to the European PGA Tour. The decision is made. It's wild."

Then a PGA of America rules official heard about the idea and thought the Laser Link guns would help the officials who officiate the Ryder Cup matches. Their purpose? To determine who's away from out in the fairway, a common match-play question.

There's a moment to look forward to. Some bloated rules official sauntering between balls, pulling out his distance measuring device, and declaring who is away. What progress.

More DMD Questions Raised

Jim Achenbach's column below has raised more questions about this idea that a player can have a Bushnell 1500 Slope Edition Range Finder in their bag, or pocket, but will only be disqualified if they use it.

Previously we were led to believe that if you set foot on the course with the "Slope Compensation" model, you were DQ'd. But now we learn you could theoretically have both models in your bag, as long as you don't pull out the Slope model.

Check out this photos of the Bushnell 1500 Tournament Edition from the Bushnell website:

 

 And the Bushnell 1500 Slope Edition from the Bushnell website:
 

So they look kind of, uh, identical.

Naturally, this is brilliant from Bushnell's perspective, forcing possible cheaters to buy two instead of one!

Now, if a competitor asks to check their playing partner's rangefinder mid-round and determines that is in fact the Slope edition, will they be disqualified for having used the Slope version to determine whether it was a legal device?

Okay I'm kidding. Slightly.

Has the USGA asked Bushnell to differentiate the models so that players and officials can easily decipher between the Slope and "Tournament" devices?

And how is Bushnell able to use Slope, which the USGA seems to have copyrighted and displays as Slope Rating ®? Do they only have the rights to Slope Rating and not Slope?  Lawyers?

It would seem that the only way to ever be sure that Slope measuring devices are not used is to actually make it illegal to one in your bag or in your pocket while playing a competitive or for-handicap-purposes round.

Distance Device Debacle, Vol. 339

Jim Achenbach reports that Bushnell's devices measuring slope cannot be used in tournament play as previously reported. However players will NOT be disqualified from competitions allowing the devices as long as the slope aspect device is in his bag or pocket!

According to the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland – golf's two rulesmaking bodies – this slope-measuring rangefinder (the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500, Slope Edition) cannot be used in tournament play. Furthermore, it cannot be used in everyday play if scores are to posted for handicap purposes.

According to Jason Seeman, national sales manager for Bushnell's golf products, the slope rangefinder is selling just as briskly as the company's non-slope rangefinder.

"There continues to be a lot of interest in the Slope Edition," Seeman said. "It shows that golfers really value this information."

In Golfweek's special report on rangefinders in the magazine's April 29 issue, Lew Blakey of the USGA Executive Committee was misquoted in regard to the slope-measuring rangefinder.

With apologies to Blakey, one of golf's foremost rules experts, here is exactly what could happen: If a player has the slope device in his bag or his pocket, he is not disqualified. But the minute he uses it to measure yardage, he is flagged with a DQ.

So will there be referrees in every group with a yellow flag to toss as soon as they think they saw the player using the slope component device, versus the normal version, which looks identical? 

But since we know referrees rarely go with every group, if a player in his group suspects it is being used, how will this be resolved? Is there a paper trail? A memory chip that the "committee" can review to see if the device had been possibly switched and used that day?

The USGA really thought this one out. 

D'Amato on Distance Devices In Wisconsin

Gary D'Amato took on the distance measuring device issue, and in particular the Wisconsin State Golf Associations's approval of them for play.  Some borderline LOL funny quotes in this one:

"Absolutely," said Rob O'Loughlin, president of Madison-based Laser Link Golf. "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. This is a big problem but if I can take 20 minutes off even a six-hour round I think they should build a monument to us."

And here I was starting to feel sorry for the fact that the devices were unapproved for play by college coaches.

"In the month of April we made deals with Oakland Hills, Oak Hill, Baltusrol and Inverness (to install Laser Link reflectors on flagsticks and provide rangefinders to members)," O'Loughlin said. "We have 31 of the top 100 Golf Digest courses. We're going to get everybody. We're going to get Pine Valley and Augusta National, eventually."

"Jim Reinhart, I have Rob on line 2 again, should I put him through?"

 The image-conscious PGA Tour hasn't approved rangefinders because of the way it would look on TV when Woods or Phil Mickelson used them. Rangefinders also would seemingly diminish the importance of caddies.

"Never say never," O'Loughlin said. "The PGA Tour is not averse to technology."

No argument there.

Where They Stand On Distance Devices

Brad Klein looks at differing views on distance measuring devices. More impressively, he lists where each state and regional golf association stands on their use in tournament play.

A few interesting graphs:

The Ohio Golf Association, normally a maverick (as evidenced by its recent decision to require use of a single tournament ball in its Ohio Champions Tournament), has sided with those who view distance devices as a boon to play, and is allowing them in all competitions this year. Jim Popa, executive director of the OGA, said the rangefinder decision had "nothing to do with the ball issue; it's based on personal experience by those who have used some of these in play."

Popa was quick to add that the OGA decision had "no commercial links involved and no sponsorship money" and that use of the devices is "up to individual competitors. If there's a downside, not everyone can afford it."

And...

Buford McCarty, executive director of the Alabama Golf Association and executive secretary of the Southern Golf Association, said he's "not convinced the (devices) will speed up play" and is comfortable with the decision of his two groups not to allow their use.

McCarty recently attended a college event that allowed the devices and that helped reinforce his associations' decision.

"We witnessed on more than one occasion players sighting distance and then walking off yardage from a fixed marker. On a couple of instances, after all this, we saw players then walk the distance from where their ball was to the green and back."

I've heard from some college coaches who said the devices actually made rounds slower, especially in the rain when players would fumble around with their device while trying to keep it dry and in its case!  No one ever said progress was waterproof.

Randy Reed is director of rules and competitions for the Maryland State Golf Association, secretary of the Middle Atlantic Golf Association and executive director of the Washington (D.C.) Metropolitan Golf Association – none of which are allowing rangefinders.

"In my 20 years of involvement in the golf association business," said Reed, "not one person has ever asked me: 'When are the golf associations going to legalize rangefinders?' " The pressure, he concludes, is coming from industry leaders, not golfers.

No DMD's In PGA Events

The PGA of America joined just about every other governing body in prohibiting distance measuring devices for their events.