The PGA Tour is set to trial the use of rangefinders in a bid to speed up play following Rory McIlroy's first Masters win.
The Northern Irishman secured his maiden Green Jacket on sunday after a tense playoff with Justin Rose.
At 35, McIlroy has joined an elite group, becoming only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam and the first since Tiger Woods in 2000.
The decision to allow rangefinders was first revealed at the Players Championship.
Golf news: The PGA Tour is set to trial the use of rangefinders in a bid to speed up play following Rory McIlroy's first Masters win
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Despite a shaky start at the Masters, which some critics labelled as an "inexcusable" mistake, McIlroy managed to overcome his early struggles.
Golf Channel analyst Paul McGinley suggested McIlroy's initial difficulties could be attributed to his playing partner Akshay Bhatia taking too long over his shots.
"I think he got distracted," McGinley commented. "His playing partner Akshay Bhatia put his second in the water. He took ages to play his shot - he took about 10 practice swings."
The Tour has announced that players will be permitted to use rangefinders on the "distance-only" setting during games.
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A long time coming. Congratulations, Rory. #themasters pic.twitter.com/f72nOxQbfw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025
This new rule will come into effect at the RBC Heritage and Corales Puntacana events.
The trial will conclude with the Truist Championship and Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic, according to Golf Digest.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to address pace of play issues that have long plagued professional golf tournaments.
Rangefinders are expected to reduce the time players spend calculating distances to targets.
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However, any player caught using features other than the "distance-only" mode will face penalties.
The first offense will result in a two-stroke penalty, while a second offence will lead to automatic disqualification from the tournament.
Players will also need to ensure their devices are properly configured before use.
The rule change represents a significant shift in how professional golfers calculate distances during tournament play.
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When asked about potential solutions to improve the pace of play before Pebble Beach, McIlroy confessed to GOLF.com that he had "no idea."
McIlroy noted the challenges posed by wind speeds and green speeds.
He admitted that slow play has always been an issue in golf, but couldn't provide a definitive solution.
"There's a lot of different things that go into it. I don't know."
Rory McIlroy defeated Justin Rose to win the Masters on Sunday
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McIlroy suggested smaller fields could help address slow play, but acknowledged this would reduce playing opportunities.
"If you could be able to space the tee times out a little bit more, that would hopefully make things flow a little bit better," he added.
"Nowadays, most people go for par 5s in two, so you've got to wait on that. You've got longer par 3s."
