PGA Tour makes slow play announcement ahead of RBC Heritage

The PGA Tour has confirmed golfers will be allowed to use rangefinders at the RBC Heritage. 

The $20m signature event at Hilton Head marks the beginning of a six-week trial period where distance measuring devices will be permitted.

Slow play has always been a contentious issue on the PGA Tour but even more so in 2025 with some rounds taking nearly six hours. 

Golf fans have expressed dismay with TV broadcasts dragging on and even on-course reporters have broke ranks to call out the slowpokes.

"I think we're starting to need a new word to talk about this pace-of-play issue," a fed-up Dottie Pepper said at Torrey Pines. 

"And it's 'respect' for your fellow competitors, for the fans, for broadcasts, for all of it. It's just got to get better."

Multiple solutions have been proposed - such as issuing penalty strokes - but the Tour appear reluctant to take that step just yet. 

Instead, they are getting their feet with other alternatives. 

The trial encompasses six events scheduled between last week's Masters and the US PGA Championship. 

These tournaments include:

• RBC Heritage

• Zurich Classic of New Orleans

• CJ Cup Byron Nelson

• Truist Championship

• Corales Puntacana Championship

• Myrtle Beach Classic

The primary objective is to evaluate whether rangefinders can enhance pace of play. 

Course mapping, club selection advice, measuring slope plus elevation and wind must be disabled. 

Any player who breaches this rule will receive two penalty strokes.

A second breach will result in disqualification.

What other solutions have been discussed?

Plenty. 

Justin Thomas - a self-confessed dawdler - explained before The Players he wasn't against slow-play data being published. 

Rory McIlroy is an advocate for smaller fields. 

Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover previously laid out his eight-point plan to combat the issue. 

Glover believes rangefinders could help somewhat.

But he also believes every group should have a designated bunker raker and reckons sign bearers should be scrapped. 

He also wants to ban AimPoint. 

Perhaps the only solution that will make meaningful change is to simply start assessing penalty strokes. 

The LPGA Tour have updated their pace-of-play policy. 

It took effect on 27 March and sees players exceeding their allotted time by 1-5 seconds hit with a fine. 

Golfers who exceed their limit by 6-15 seconds incur a one-stroke penalty. 

Exceeding allotted time by 16 seconds or more leads to a two-stroke penalty.