Are rangefinders allowed in golf?
Officials' detail · Players, equipment and conduct · 2 of 2Clubs and balls must conform to the separate Equipment Rules. Other equipment may be used to help, but not to replace a skill the game is meant to test. A device may give distance and direction. It may not measure slope or wind speed, or recommend a club.
How it works
| Allowed | Not allowed | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance and direction | A distance-measuring device or a compass | Measuring changes in height; a device that recommends a line or a club; an alignment device for the ball |
| Wind and weather | A weather forecast; measuring temperature and humidity | Measuring wind speed at the course; an artificial object such as powder or a ribbon to judge the wind |
| Information | Notes gathered before the round; recording statistics for later | Processing data from the current round to get a recommendation |
| Audio and video | Listening to news or background music | Music used to block distractions or to help the tempo of the swing; video that helps choose a club or play a stroke |
| Gloves and grip | A plain glove; resin, powder, a towel round the grip | A glove or device that gives an unfair advantage with hand position or grip pressure |
| Training aids | Using equipment for general stretching | A training or swing aid, or an alignment rod, used to help prepare for or make a stroke |
- The penalty: the general penalty for a first breach and disqualification for a second.
- The ball must be a conforming one. Playing a ball that has been deliberately altered, by scuffing or heating it for example, means disqualification.
- A player may use equipment for a medical reason if the Committee decides it gives no unfair advantage.
- A Committee may ban distance-measuring devices, audio and video devices or motorised transport by Local Rule.
Tricky cases
Are rangefinders legal?
Yes, for distance and direction, unless the Committee has banned them by Local Rule. Using a slope function is not allowed.
Can a player listen to music during a round?
It depends on the purpose. Background music is allowed. Music used to shut out distractions or to help with the tempo of the swing is not.
Can a player throw grass in the air to check the wind?
Yes. The ban is on using "an artificial object", such as powder, a handkerchief or a ribbon.
Why the rule exists
The Rule draws the line at equipment that "artificially eliminates or reduces the need for a skill or judgment that is essential to the challenge of the game". Knowing the distance is information. Judging the slope and the wind is the skill.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rules of Golf | As above | G 4.2; G 4.3 |
| A Committee using Model Local Rule G-5 | No distance-measuring devices | G 4.3a (note) |
| Equipment Rules | The specifications for clubs, balls, gloves and tees | Not saved |
From the rule book
The R&A and USGA Rules of Golf, Rules 4.2 and 4.3. Effective January 2023. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Rules of Golf (PDF).