PGA gives SkyCaddie green light
Now club pros can use yardage devices in tournaments
Posted: 21 January 2008
by Golfmagic correspondent
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Sandy Jones, trail-blazer for the PGA
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The decision by the Professional Golfers Association at The Belfry to allow the use of Electronic rangefinders in all its events, including national championships, will have far-reaching repercussions in golf.
The PGA says its radical move in rubber-stamping the use of these electronic yardage gadgets - even in national championships like the Irish and Scottish PGA tournaments and the Glenmuir PGA Club Pros Championship - will help tackle the bugbear of slow play around the world.
Approval for use of all distance measuring devices was agreed at the PGA's executive committee meeting last week. Other leading golf bodies including the European Tour, the R&A and English and Scottish Golf Unions, are expected to monitor closely the success of the scheme.
The decision followed a successful trial at last year's PGA Fourball Championship with handheld SkyCaddies (the PGA's official rangefinder). More than 100 of the finalists carried them with 55 of 78 pros quizzed responding positively. Many said how their use helped speed up yardage calculations and decision making.
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The Latest Sky Caddie SG5 unit costs £299.
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They have also been used with a wide degree of success on the PGA Europro Tour and PGA chief executive Sandy Jones welcomed the decision.
"I'm aware a number of traditionalists might be appalled by this decision but the evidence suggests that using rangefinders really helps improve pace of play so it is difficult to see why such a decision should be detrimental to the game," he said.
"Slow play in professional and amateur golf has increasingly become an issue and we've taken the decision to embrace technology in a bid to resolve this problem and increase enjoyment of the game.
"The single biggest advantage of rangefinders is that you can take an accurate yardage from any point on the golf course - whether you're ideally placed in the middle of the fairway or stuck in trouble in the trees.
"As we see slow play is often caused by golfers straying into trouble and the caddie or player then having to pace off the yardages. With rangefinders it saves all the fiddling about and consultation of the yardage book, hence speeding up play."
Jackie Hitchcock, managing director of SkyCaddie UK, the PGA's official rangefinder, which has mapped out more than 17,000 golf courses and is on track to have 9 per-cent of the world's courses mapped by the end of 2008, believes the PGA's backing of rangefinders can lead the way in the sport.
"We're delighted the PGA has taken this decision as it further validates that our technology gives golfers - regardless of skill level - instant access to valuable information they need to play at the highest level," she said.
"Professional golfers on Tour never play competitively without this type of information because they have caddies and the courses are marked with reference points for their benefit. Now recreational golfers can have the same information without the wasting time which slows the game.
"Our mission is to grow the game of golf by using technology in a responsible way to improve pace of play, enhance enjoyment of the game, and ultimately increase participation without compromising the traditions of the game."
"To see the PGA and its professionals using them can only help others to follow suit," she added.
"This is the start of a whole new era for both amateur and professional golfers. Since the R&A allowed rangefinders to be at the discretion of local rules, hundreds of thousands of golfers have jumped on board.
"We've seen more and more courses using rangefinders in competitions and general play and that's fantastic."
Course details are stored on a light-weight hand-held unit, all of which come with 'IntelliGreenT' as standard, which allows players to view all aspects of the green from any position.
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Discuss this story
Has anyone heard much about the PGA's decision to allow GPS rangefinders at all its pro events this year - including the PGA Championships? It's great news for all of us who can't get our clubs to allow them in medals etc. Maybe now they'll change theior view. Although a little bird tells me the R&A are gobsmacked by the PGA decision. Then again, they won't let us win more than £500 in a comp either! 
Posted: 21/01/2008 11:08
Its the swing that counts, thats the real skill in golf, why do you think they practise day in and day out To know which way and how far is one thing but to be able to hit the ball in the right direction and at the right distance judging the elements is the SKILL in golf the game needs speeding up but without making people hurry their shots, knowing your yardage instantly without searching for marker plates and posts and pacing up and down to hazards and marker plates will speed up the game. Using a Skycaddie is no different than using a Yardage book except it quicker and I have found in most cases more accurate. Great news from the PGA WELL DONE AT LAST A GOLFING RULING BODY WITH BALLS AND SENSE, MAYBE THE R&A WILL FALL OFF THE FENCE NOW AND STOP ALL OF THE PONTIFICATING AND CONFUSION WE SHOULD ALL NOW LOBBY OUR GOLF CLUBS AND MAKE THEM IMPLIMENT THIS NEW RULE, AFTER ALL THE SECRETARY AND COMMITTEE ARE THERE FOR THE MEMBERS BENEFIT ARNT THEY!!??
Posted: 21/01/2008 17:53
Roman have you used a SkyCaddie before? If you have surely you would know how these things speed up the game and improve your distance control over night whether you're a 28 handicap player or scratch! As for the pro game, the caddies are so good that they will produce identical results to the GPS but take alot longer to gather the info. Cutting back on the 5 hour slogs. Also from my experiance I don't believe that the technology in these things is advanced enough for tour players to completely replace the traditional course planners. If you have ever been fortunate enough to see a pro yardage chart you might have be supprised to see the complexity of the drawings especially on and around the greens. Not only will it take SkyCaddie hours on each green to input this data, players like personialised notes on yardage around the greens something, as of yet, that SkyCaddie fails to offer. Only when all these things have been added to the technology shall the pros totally do away with the 'traditional' method, but even when that day comes along Roman, they've still got to produce the same shot as they did when the guy to his left was holding a notebook which was flapping in the wind or a hand held device which has just ran out of batteries. 
Posted: 21/01/2008 17:55
I have an SG3 and its the best thing I have ever purchased golf accessory wise. My strength is my short game and it saves me pacing out how far Ive got from the 150 or 100 Yard markers. This speeds my play up considerably (not that I was slow anyway) but sadly alot of the time I wouldnt bother to pace it out and hit to the wrong distance. I still have to judge conditions such as wind, lie, gradient and shape of shot etc so there are many things that can go wrong and test my 'Skill' with SkyCaddie!!! (often lacking!) So I really welcome the decision - especially as I cant use mine in competions at The Park Resort near Bath and it really bugs me so this should encourage a change of our old fashioned local rule. Obviously its great that I can use it on other courses as its a huge advantage if I have never played there before. I think they have been using SkyCaddies on the LPGA tour for a while and been a big success from what I have read (Natalie Gulbis is even on the SkyCaddie website). So I say bring it on and well done to the PGA for embracing a change that only improves the game IMHO.
Posted: 21/01/2008 19:24
I reckon poor course management accounts for at least six shots a round. If you think what happens if you hit the fringe of a large green and the flag is cut at the back - you're left with a huge putt. For me, that's almost definitely three putt territory, wasted shots. With the SkyCaddie Intelligreen function you can 'move' the flag on the screen to the back of the green so it gives you a much more accurate reading. You get three distances, to the front, to the pin (wherever you position it, and to the back) Removing the guesswork = better course management and shot selection. That's got to be good (and surely taking less shots means a quicker round too).
Posted: 22/01/2008 08:53
I keep hearing the statement (and seeing the quote on forums) that these distance devices will save you at least 6 shots per round ... likewise the statement I hear (and again see quoted) of how electric trolleys save you at least 3 shots per round ... now I've nothing against either of these pieces of electronic gizmos (although I own neither) and if people get their buzz from either or both then fair play to them - however , I'm thinking that at 9 h'cap I could soon be down to scratch if I believe what I read/hear ( +shell out circa £700) where do I sign up ? -- it all sounds so simple as if it's almost too good to be true ...
Posted: 22/01/2008 11:47
I wish it were true for all of us Paul W, alas it only works out that good IF you are a high HC player I reckon. A leccy defo saves you shots...been carrying recently in the muck again and i'm whacked with 3/4 holes to go...defo costing me shots and accuracy compared to normal scoring. Spot on Longdriver....anything that speeds up the game both on Tour and for hackers is a GOOOD THING !
Posted: 22/01/2008 12:01
Although I do agree with the use of GPS and plan to get one myself soon, I doubt it will make any difference for tour pros. After all, they have excellent yardages every time they play whether the caddie walks the course and has figures from every hazzard, tree, bush, etc; exact pin position yargage on and from the side of the green; and more recently most new courses have yardages printed on sprinkler heads throughout the course. I was fortunate to play Archerfield Links on the outskirts of Gullane in East Lothian a few of times during the past two years (which is a very posh members only club) but they issue you with a pin positions sheet with your scorecard every time you play, plus have fairway yardages every 20 -30 yards on the fairway, so unless your're wild off the tee you have great yardages every hole. I think it's chipping and putting that slows down the tour pros the most and they will always take their time in these areas. If you go and watch the pros live, most take no time at all arriving at the tee or their ball on the fairway and play their shot. I doubt they would be any quicker debating what iron to hit if using a yardage book or gps. I also agree with Roman that on your local course, you're always going to get the methodical anti electronic fourball in front to ruin things. Good call by the PGA to allow these though anyway and it's high time the R&A allow these in all play regardless of local rulings.
Posted: 22/01/2008 12:50
FAO Roman - fair comment, I should have said Improve MY game As for comments about shots saved I reckon maybe 1 shot a round for me, certainly no more but personaly I think that 1 shot is huge (or can be depending on good/bad day scenario)!! But playing of 10.5 every shot counts as I try to get to the Holy Grail of single figures. Regarding speed of Play for Pros, I marshall at the Celtic Manor Wales Open so see every group come through and some players take so long over yardages you wouldnt believe it! (even frustrating to watch let alone play with!) Mark Roe being one of them!!! Ive seen caddie then player pace out the distance twice despite very detailed yardage charts the caddies carry. The LPGA apparently sped up with the intro of Sky Caddie so I guess the proof will be in the mens pudding... if the pudding is every fully allowed by the R & A is another thing... I think we all agree that stokesaver booklets are brilliant on a 'new' course so for me having an electronic one already is superb (and for my mates who always ask for the distance by the way!! - and I dont lie to them HAHA)
Posted: 22/01/2008 21:48
John, That is what 55 years of experience gives you. However some of us took up this game much later and why shouldn't we use the latest technology to close the gap? At my club there are people who know every distance from and to every point on the course and which club is going to get them there, but you could say that is unfair to those people who do not know the course that well. There are always going to be those who do not accept change, but all sports progress. I am sure that you don't still play with a leather ball stuffed with feathers. You may play with wooden woods, but the majority now play with metal woods.
Posted: 23/01/2008 01:07
I can see the speed of play arguement for the pro tours, they do take an age over deciding on their shot. Can't say that I've ever experienced delays in amateur play over yardage calculations. Any studies done have indicated other aspects as being far more prevalent in the cause of slow play. The overiding one being overloaded courses with gaps that are too small between tee times. As for whether EMD's(electronic measuring devices) should be allowed or not, I think the cat is already well out of the bag. You can use any means you like to prepare a yardage chart in advance of play. For example you could take an A4 sheet picture, via google earth, of each hole on the course. This could be annotated with as much info as you like, obtained via google, gps, laser or old fashioned measuring tape. Make it into a ring binder and take this on the course and it is legal. Want to take the EMD on the course and it's not, doesn't make a lot of sense to me. As for whether they save shots, I think that would depend on your existing approach to the game. I've never played golf with a decent player who just guesses at his distances. They've all known how far they hit the ball and how far they want to hit it. The aspect of their game that has always impressed me is the ability to factor in externals, such as wind, temp, elevation and their ability to look to hit certain parts of a green. I'd guess that you're more likely to save shots the higher your handicap is. It should also give far more realistic feedback on how far you hit each club.
Posted: 23/01/2008 08:45
I've been using a rangefinder for 4 years for most of my non-comp golf. Does it save me shots? Not as such. I dont use it from 50yds in which is around 60% or more of my shots, and I dont use it for driving except on Par 3's. I may use it once each hole, but not always, so say around 15 or so times a round at most. There is no doubt it does help me regarding club selection and removing indecision on approach shots, so in that sense it is a great aid, but the real skill in golf is being able to hit to the yardage, not knowing the yardage. Knowing the yardage is 161 rather than "somewhere between 158 and 168" is an advantage with approach shots, but per se I don't think that reduces ones scores. When I have played comps without the rangefinder my scoring doesnt really suffer, but there is no doubt in my mind that I do spend increased time with yardage charts, looking for sprinkler heads with yardages on them, consulting pin placement chart (if one is available) and generally calculating the yardage. I just find it quicker, easier, and more enjoyable to play with a rangefinder.
Posted: 23/01/2008 10:37
I purchased my Sureshot a week before our club championship in 2007. I wasn't allowed to use it during the competition but during the week i went up and mapped out the measurements in a note book of most of the relevant positions on the course. I am 70years young(playing off 7 handicap) and came 4th best net over the 36 holes because i was able to to know almost the exact yardage to each hole and was able to select the correct club for the distance required and strike the ball with more confidence than i would have by using the yardage chart provided on the score card. Many golfers including the pros need to know the exact yardage to the relevant point on the green. The pros have their caddies to work out the yardage for them and we can see them using up time pacing it out when we watch them on the tv. They want to know to the yard how far it is to the pin and I dont know why this system has not been accepted before now. I also find it very usefull when i go to play other courses. I dont incur the cost of a course planner (£2-£3) because I am able to download the more accurate planner from the website. The only thing left for you to work out in your head is the wind strength , direction and the slope of the ground. They dont have a device to work that out for us yet.
Posted: 23/01/2008 12:32
There are a few points here: 1. Not all courses have yardage charts. 2. There may be other reasons why corporate types are slow. i.e. doing business deals etc. However at our private members club we don't get this problem and we don't have buggies either. However we do have slow play especially during the holiday periods because we are in a tourist area (Devon). I would guess this is because there are a lot of people that are unfamiliar with the course so surely the GPS will help in these situations. The fact that we have fantastic views out to sea and over to Dartmoor probably doesn't help either. 3. I think timing taken over a shot is a bit difficult to calculate. When would this start - when the pre-shot routine starts? If somebody walks at twice the speed they might take longer over a shot than someone who walks slower, but they may still get round the course in the same time.
Posted: 23/01/2008 14:23
The SG5 I have cost me £250 BNIB. Unfortunately having bought it from the USA, I had to buy another charger and then there's the £30 a year subscription. But all said and done, it still cost less than a Taylor Made R9 driver and I know I am going to get more use out of it. I didn't know the PGA had authorised their use! I have been trying to follow this quite closely but keep hearing different things. The PGA have seperate areas in the UK I believe and in the North West the use of these devices has been sanctioned. I don't know about the PGA as whole though. Where would you find out about this? I know the EGU is allowing their use in all of their sanctioned tournaments. The R&A are definitely sitting on the fence, which I think is a disgrace. As the ruling body of our sport, they should be showing some leadership instead of abstaining all the while. I have been in contact with them and it would seem that they are giving all sorts of excuses not to be involved in the decision to allow them freely into play. Suck it and see is the apparent policy - see how many people lobby for and against. All I can say is that there must be a strong lobby against at the moment but I can't see why there are any objections against them. For years now the R&A have been fighting slow play claiming it as the biggest evil in the game, but never really doing anything positive about it. With the advent of these devices we have a real chance to at least allieviate the problem, but the R&A are fighting shy again. Sky Caddie reckon that 85% of clubs are now mapped. These courses are mapped even though they may not allow them to be used in competition, so at least visitors and casual golf are catered for. 15% of clubs are not mapped. Amongst these are the old fart clubs that hide behind tradition saying that they should not be part of the game. In the next breath the same people are pulling out the latest driver from their bag - why aren't they still playing with hickory shafts if that is their way of thinking? Many of these traditionalists are still moaning because they went out and spent a few bob on a hot face driver that they can no longer use - gimme strength! My club is refusing to let Sky Caddie map the course. Of course it hasn't stopped me carrying out the limited mapping exercise myself, but then they introduced a local rule effectively banning them from club competitions. Today I have learned of another course in the area where I live that is refusing Sky Caddie access. In the end it is the clubs that will lose out. They will lose revenue through visitors which in this current financial climate are essential to keep the clubs going and they will lose members who are fed up to the teeth with slow play knowing that things could be better. I have no idea how to convince anyone in positions of power in this game, they are faceless and refuse to come forward into the debate. I can only think that if everyone who feels strongly enough should write to them or form a petition.
Posted: 26/04/2009 16:27
I didn't know the PGA had authorised their use! I have been trying to follow this quite closely but keep hearing different things. The PGA have seperate areas in the UK I believe and in the North West the use of these devices has been sanctioned. I don't know about the PGA as whole though. Where would you find out about this?
PGA Announcement Here is the announcement from the PGA (Jan 2008).
Posted: 26/04/2009 17:02
Isn't it about who can and can't afford them? Those who can have an unfair advantage over those who can't? I just use my pure natural ability to know exactly how far I am from the pin, accurate to 2 yards. Wether I execute the shot or not is a different matter.
Posted: 26/04/2009 17:20
Isn't it about who can and can't afford them? Those who can have an unfair advantage over those who can't?
Groundhog day? 
Posted: 26/04/2009 17:34
Isn't it about who can and can't afford them? Those who can have an unfair advantage over those who can't? I just use my pure natural ability to know exactly how far I am from the pin, accurate to 2 yards. Wether I execute the shot or not is a different matter.
Are you joking? Accurate to 2 yards? From how far out?
Surely being in posession of a skill such would earn you enough dough to be able to afford a GPS?
Posted: 26/04/2009 18:44
I'm guessing that the same arguments raged when the gutta percha ball replaced the feathery, the steel shaft replaced the hickory and the metal wood head the persimmon. I'm also guessing that all the detractors of distance measuring devices have embraced these aforementioned technologies. At the end of the day, when all is said and done and the fat lady sings, you can have all the technology in the world but its still the monkey on the end of the stick that matters. Enough said.
Posted: 26/04/2009 19:11
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