The PGA Tour have a real problem on their hands when it comes to the pace of play.
In fact, it’s not just the PGA Tour – players on tours all around the world are struggling with the amount of time it takes for three-balls to play a round of golf.
Lucas Glover is an outspoken critic of the pace of play on the PGA Tour, and he has actually outlined numerous potential solutions to the problem.
Glover has highlighted how the problem has seeped into amateur golf as well, and he has devised a nine-point plan to help tackle the issue.
Course markingsDistance-measuring devicesBunker rakersNo honorary observersScrap sign bearersBan Aim PointEliminate golf cartsDrop circlesLearn the rules
But what ideas from that list above are the PGA Tour actively looking into implementing from the start of next season?
There is one rule in particular that would make so much sense to change, and the early signs are that the PGA Tour are set to oblige.
PGA Tour expected to approve rule change for 2026 season with many players fully behind it
Dan Rapaport discussed the pace of play problem on the PGA Tour, when speaking on his Dan on Golf Podcast on Monday.
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
And he opened up on a recent initiative that has been trialed by the PGA Tour – one that could come into play permanently from 2026.
Rapaport opened up on what he’s been hearing about the use of rangefinders being permitted on tour starting from next season.
He said: “The tour is continuing to move down this path to switch to rangefinders. I don’t think it made a massive difference with pace of play but the players liked it. Second shots on par-5s and shots from 40-60 yards got faster by about five seconds. The interesting part about the rangefinders is that the players felt that it was faster, which is almost as important as whether it’s actually faster, placebo is very real. Players really liked it, so I expect to see this approved. From what I gather the signs seem to be pointing toward rangefinders on tour from 2026.”
Rangefinders are of course allowed on LIV, and they are permitted in the PGA Championship as well.
However, the PGA Tour have trialed them in certain tournaments this season too.
The trial period began in April at the RBC Heritage and lasted for four weeks, ending at the Truist Championship in May.
What Michael Kim said about Patrick Cantlay’s pace of play at the Rocket Classic
Michael Kim and Patrick Cantlay were paired alongside one another for the third round of the Rocket Classic last week.
Cantlay is widely regarded as being one of the slowest players on the PGA Tour.
And Kim took to X after his round to share what he personally thought of the 2021 FedEx Cup champion’s pace of play.
He said: “Patrick Cantlay gets a bad rap on being slow lol. He takes a bit extra over the ball which is when TV shows him but he takes no practice swings and quick to the ball so in the end he’s nowhere close to being the slowest guy out here.“
There you have it then. Cantlay has clearly been getting a bad rap throughout the years.
As for the rest of the players who really are slowing down the fields on the PGA Tour, hopefully rangefinders being permitted from 2026 onwards will help speed them up.
