The radical move could pave the way to a golfing revolution across the world as leading tours attempt to tackle the bugbear of slow play which frequently sees rounds stretch well past the five-and-a-half-hour mark.
Among the high-profile PGA tournaments where rangefinders will be allowed are the Irish PGA Championship, won last year by defending Open champion Padraig Harrington, the Scottish PGA Champion- ship and the Glenmuir PGA Pro- fessional Championship.
And, closer to home, competitors in the M.E.N. Open are expected to be given the nod.
Approval for use of all distance measuring devices was agreed at the PGA's executive committee meeting with other leading golf bodies expected to monitor closely the success of the scheme.
The decision to give the green light to rangefinders 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 with many citing how their use sped up yardage calculations and the decision-making process.
Wide degree of success
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 well 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.
LANCASTRIAN Tony Bennett has landed a top job with the Professional Golfers' Association of Europe.
As its first full-time director of education, he will oversee existing programmes in the 37 member countries and establish new ones for under- developed nations.
Bennett, 47, a former Leyland professional, has already visited Central and South America, including Brazil, as a golf development consultant.
ARRON Buckley has quit his teaching post at Mottram Hall and moved into the catering business.
"I felt I needed a change of direction and when a member offered me a job as a rep in the Manchester area it was too good to turn down," he said.
The 32-year-old will not apply for reinstatement as an amateur.
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