Internet Status – The TOFLENTENTER event by Barstool Sports and Bob makes sports – received more than 1.5 million views less than 1.5 million views after its release last week (and now close to 3 million views).
The final episode had its share of controversial moments, a few of which are still talked about in the coming days online and on podcasts. One of them focused on the alleged use of the pumpkin function in the arluffinder – a no-no during tournament play, according to the rules of golf.
SnaFu asked the brains to ponder: What is (and isn’t) allowed when using a rangefinder for fun and tournament play?
Rangefinders are a useful tool, not only in providing accurate meters but speeding up play as well, as there is no longer a need to hunt for distances from spray booths or walking distances. While almost every pro golfer uses rounds, it has long been banned during tournament play on the PGA Tour. That rule, however, was changed for six tests this year, when the PGA Tour and the Orn Ferry Tour allowed them to see if it could speed up play (findings have yet to be released.)
One important caveat for PROS: “Slope” Conversion must be turned off. When the slope is present, the egadages are calculated with the suggested change to be calculated, taking the skill out of the process.
The TOUR’s penalty for finding a slope during the tournament break was two strokes to get the first seed, with the second result coming from a foul. Davis Riley was hit with a penalty at the Cj Cup Byron Nelson in May, one of which he even committed.
“On that tee on 17, I thought the rayFinder was on the fairway and I shot it, and two pars came up,” Riley said. “I’ve used it enough that that’s a slope number. Unfortunately, it was kind of one of those moments where your heart sinks a little bit, just as you throw two shots.”
But enough about the pro game. About you youdear reader? Surely you can use the slope and play with the offense without the offense, even if you enter the points of your handicap, on the right?
Not so fast!
When asked for clarification, the USGA said that rule 4.3 (the rule that prohibits using a slope on a distance measuring device), like all rules, also.
One bullet point under rule 4.3A, the permitted and prohibited use of equipment, states that a player must not create a potential advantage “using a club (other than the ball) that eliminates or reduces the need for skill in the game.”
That reports include clearly using the rangefinder’s slope function, given that the rules of golf state that judging swings is an important skill.
Craig Winter, the USGA’s executive director of golf rules and amateur status, told us that one of the most common misconceptions about Golf and the RangeFinder Rule applies only to tournament play.
“In fact, rule 4.3a, which governs the use of equipment other than clubs and balls, applies to any other rule, whether you are playing a tournament or a regular round,” said the difficulty. “At the same time, whether the player knows only the distance limit, or another action prohibited under the rules, we realize that recreational golf is often played among friends who choose to relax certain rules.”
So there you have it. Playing with a slope? Violating technology like taking a mulligan or being full of lies. That means what you do on your Saturday-Saturday-Morning for your business. Distance detection is included.
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