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I review the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function (GCLF) with emphasis onrecent observational data and theoretical progress. As is well known, theturn-over magnitude (TOM) is a good distance indicator for early-type galaxieswithin the limits set by data quality and sufficient number of objects. Acomparison with distances derived from surface brightness fluctuations with theavailable TOMs in the V-band reveals, however, many discrepant cases. Thesecases often violate the condition that the TOM should only be used as adistance indicator in old globular cluster systems. The existence ofintermediate age-populations in early-type galaxies likely is the cause of manyof these discrepancies. The connection between the luminosity functions ofyoung and old cluster systems is discussed on the basis of modelling thedynamical evolution of cluster systems. Finally, I briefly present the currentideas of why such a universal structure as the GCLF exists.Comment: 25 pages, Latex, 10 figures, 5 Springer style files, Review given at  the U.Concepcion-ESO Workshop: Stellar Candles for the Extragalactic Distance  Scale, Concepcion, Dec. 2002, Lecture Notes in Physics, Springe

The Globular Cluster Luminosity Function: New Progress in Understanding an Old Distance Indicator