Yes: rangefinders are legal in golf. Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Golf lets you use a distance-measuring device to get a yardage in any round, unless the committee running your competition bans them with a Local Rule, and as long as you do not use slope, wind or club-recommendation features while competing. That covers casual golf, club events, USGA amateur championships and, since 2021, the PGA Championship. The regular PGA Tour is the big exception, so the full answer to “are rangefinders legal in golf” depends on who is running the event.
Below is the answer in one table by level of play, from a Saturday four-ball to the majors, with a slope column for each, plus how to make the rangefinder you already own tournament-legal (slope off, indicator visible; see how to turn off slope for every brand) and what a breach costs. Where a tour policy has been changing, we say so rather than guess.
Key facts
- Distance-measuring devices have been allowed under Rule 4.3 since January 1, 2019; a committee can still ban them by Local Rule, so the entry sheet is the final word.
- Slope, wind and club-suggestion features are not allowed in competition. You may carry a slope model as long as slope is switched off.
- PGA Championship: allowed since 2021. Regular PGA Tour events: not allowed, apart from a limited 2025 trial. Korn Ferry, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Americas: allowed, slope off.
- 9 levels of play compared below.
Are rangefinders legal in golf at your level? Rules by competition
The Rules of Golf set the default (allowed, distance only). Every organizer below either keeps that default or bans devices outright by Local Rule.
| Level of play | Distance-only rangefinder | Slope / elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual rounds, friendly money games | Yes | Yes | No committee, no Local Rule. Use whatever you like. |
| Club competitions, member-guests, handicap rounds | Yes, unless a Local Rule prohibits | No | Most clubs keep the Rule 4.3 default. Check the sheet. |
| USGA amateur championships (U.S. Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur) | Yes | No, slope must be off | Confirmed in research for the USGA’s amateur events. |
| High school and college golf | Set by the association or conference | No | Governed by the competition’s Local Rule. Ask the coach. |
| PGA Championship (PGA of America) | Yes, since 2021 | No | Introduced to speed up play; still in force per 2025 reporting. |
| PGA Tour, regular events | No | No | Limited trial in spring 2025 (RBC Heritage, Zurich Classic). Allowed in practice rounds. |
| Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Americas | Yes | No | Permitted with slope-adjusted features turned off. |
| Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship | No | No | The other three men’s majors do not allow them. |
| LPGA Tour | Players have used them in competition | No | Golf Monthly notes an official rangefinder partner and players using devices; confirm current policy. |
What Rule 4.3 actually says about rangefinders
Before 2019 a distance-measuring device was only legal if a Local Rule allowed it. The 2019 Rules of Golf flipped that: Rule 4.3 now allows players to use DMDs to measure distance, and a committee may adopt a Local Rule prohibiting that use. The default is “allowed”; the exception is a ban. Golf.com’s refresher dates the change to January 1, 2019.
What the rule does not allow is anything beyond plain distance. Measuring elevation change (slope), wind, or taking a club recommendation from the device is a breach in competition. You may carry a unit with those features; you cannot use them during the round, which is why every mainstream slope model ships with a switch and a visible indicator. For what the laser measures, see how golf rangefinders work.
Penalty: the Rules of Golf treat a first breach of Rule 4.3 with the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play) and a second breach with disqualification. Confirm the wording in the current Rule 4.3 before relying on it in a dispute.
Are rangefinders allowed on the PGA Tour?
Not in regular competition rounds. Golf Monthly puts it plainly: the PGA Tour does not allow them in its events, but players can use them in practice rounds. In April 2025 the Tour ran a trial: players and caddies were allowed to use distance-measuring devices for a four-week stretch starting at the RBC Heritage, as part of a speed-of-play test covering six events that season. Golf Channel reported in January 2026 that the experiment covered the RBC Heritage and Zurich Classic. Beyond that trial, treat the answer as “no” until the Tour announces otherwise.
The PGA Championship is different because it is run by the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour. It has allowed rangefinders since 2021 to help pace of play. The Masters, U.S. Open and The Open have not followed. The Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour Americas allow devices with slope off, which is why you see Champions Tour players pull a laser and still consult a yardage book.
How to make your rangefinder tournament-legal
A tournament-legal rangefinder is any rangefinder with slope switched off in a way a fellow competitor can see. If your model has no visible indicator, a rules official has to take your word for it, which some committees will not accept.
- Bushnell (Tour V5 Shift, Tour V6 Shift, Pro X3, A1-Slope): the Slope-Switch on the side moves a colored band into view when slope is off. Slide it before the round and leave it.
- Precision Pro NX10 and NX9: external slope switch with a visible indicator; confirm it shows “off” before you tee off.
- Blue Tees Series 3 Max and newer Blue Tees models: physical slope switch on the housing.
- Callaway 300 Pro: external slope switch; the indicator is small, so make sure it is visible.
- Garmin Approach Z82 and GPS units: use the tournament-legal mode in the settings and confirm the indicator on the display. Distance-only course overlays are fine; elevation-adjusted numbers are not.
Full instructions by brand are in how to turn off slope on your rangefinder. If you are shopping, our best rangefinders with slope list only includes models with a switch and an indicator.
What counts as a violation
In a competition where devices are allowed, these are the actions that get you penalized under Rule 4.3:
- Reading a slope-adjusted (“plays like”) yardage, even once, even by accident. Switch it off before the first tee.
- Using the device to measure wind, or reading any club recommendation it offers.
- Using any device at all in an event whose Local Rule prohibits distance-measuring devices.
Checking a plain distance with slope off is not a violation, on the tee, in the fairway or on the putting green. Nor is carrying a slope-capable unit. The rule targets what you use, not what you own.
Can pro golfers use rangefinders?
It depends on the tour. PGA Championship players can, since 2021. Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour Americas players can, with slope off. Regular PGA Tour events do not allow them in competition rounds, apart from a limited 2025 trial; pros use them freely in practice rounds.
Can caddies use rangefinders on the PGA Tour?
Only when the player can. The PGA Tour’s 2025 trial allowed both players and caddies to use distance-measuring devices at select events; outside that trial, caddies are under the same prohibition as players during competition rounds. Caddies do use them in practice rounds.
Can you use slope in a golf tournament?
No. Rule 4.3 allows measuring distance only; measuring elevation change is a breach in any competition, and every tour that allows devices requires slope off. You can carry a slope model, but keep the switch off and the indicator showing for the whole round.
Are rangefinders allowed at the Masters?
No. The Masters, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship do not allow rangefinders in competition. The PGA Championship is the only men’s major that does, and it has permitted them since 2021 as a pace-of-play measure.
Are rangefinders allowed in high school golf?
Usually, distance only, but it is set by the state association or the event’s Local Rule. Ask the coach or read the entry sheet, and play with slope off. If the sheet is silent, the Rule 4.3 default applies and a distance-only device is allowed.
Is a GPS watch or phone app legal under the same rule?
Yes. Rule 4.3 covers any distance-measuring device, so a GPS watch, handheld or app is treated like a laser: fine for distance, not for slope-adjusted numbers or club advice. See laser vs GPS vs hybrid for the practical differences between the two.
How this page was made. Written by The Golf Rangefinder editorial team from manufacturer specifications, published manuals and aggregated owner reviews. We do not test rangefinders in hand and we never claim to. Last checked: September 2026. Prices change; the retailer page is the final word.
Sources
- Major Change: Use of Distance-Measuring Devices — usga.org
- When and where can you use a rangefinder? A refresher on the rules — golf.com
- Are Rangefinders Allowed In Pro Golf? What The Rules Say — golfmonthly.com
- Distance-measuring devices allowed at RBC Heritage as PGA TOUR tests speed-of-play solutions — pgatour.com
- PGA Tour competition changes ahead of the Sony Open — golfchannel.com
- Should Rangefinders Be Allowed On The PGA TOUR? — elisportsnetwork.com
- Are Golf Rangefinders Allowed in Tournaments? USGA Rules Explained — blueteesgolf.com