The PGA Tour has a way to fix slow play – just not the will to do it

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

Lots of chatter this week after NBC on-course reporter Dottie Pepper called out the final group at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday for taking three hours to play the front nine. The week before there were reports of full rounds exceeding five-and-a-half hours. This panel, along with many others, has been steadfast for years in advocating for real penalties for slow play but the PGA Tour has refused to do it. Baseball speeded up their games considerably with the use of a pitch-clock. Is a shot-clock on every player with real penalties the answer?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Yes, I think so.  Something has to be done.  But there are a few logistical questions.  Like, when do you start the shot clock… when the previous shot is struck, when the player arrives at his ball, when it’s his turn to putt?  What about a guy who needs a ruling, and has to wait for an official to arrive?  I suppose there’s no other solution, but this one could be problematic.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): Unless the Tour starts to hand out PENALTY STROKES for slow players, pace of play will continue to be an issue. Just think if a Rules official approached that last group on #8 and said “boys, pick it up or the next time I come back one or all of you will receive a 1 stroke penalty”. They’d definitely move faster, that 1 stroke could mean winning or losing, or a doc of $100K or more. It is simply unacceptable to be that slow and far behind at that level. At this point, a shot clock is a must to be part of this process backed with some TEETH in stroke penalties. Forget the fines. If you win an extra $100K by being slow, and pay a $10K fine for being slow, what incentive do you have to play faster? EVER! It’s silly.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: Professional Golf Organizations must do everything they can to speed up play. The viewers see all the antics and mimic them. TV should show far less time used by players assessing their shots, especially putts. People see this and think it helps them when, in reality, most would be better if they mimicked Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) in Caddy Shack.  On the PGA Tour, nothing would hurt more than ‘points’ penalties and making them public.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): Yes, yes, 100 times yes.  They really do need to do something, it’s getting out of control.  Imagine 3 professional players taking that long to play nine holes.  We can play 18 holes in four-balls in that amount of time early mornings at Scarboro.  It’s embarrassing.  I know they are playing for more than $5 Nassaus, but there’s no reason there shouldn’t be a shot clock to speed up the guys with excruciatingly long pre shot routines.  It only takes one in the field to slow down the rest of the tournament, penalize them once and for all.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Two decades before Pepper arrived late to the subject, Rory Sabbatini at the wonderfully named Booz Allen Classic walked off the 16th and teed it up on the 17th while playing (sic) partner Ben ‘Human Rain Delay’ Crane was finally approaching the 16th green. Twenty years ago! Of course, there have to be real stroke (read ‘money’) penalties, but not via a shot clock. The digital read out is ok for the soon to be short-lived TGL, but not real golf. When a group is out of place, an official can be assigned with a stopwatch. They will soon know that the group is not out of place, but an individual player (like the infamous Crane used to) is holding up play and leading to a 3-hour nine. That player (or in the unlikely event, those players) can be given one warning. If pace not accelerated to an acceptable standard within two holes penalty strokes should be immediately assessed — not to the group, but to the offending player(s). The players and the Tour know full well who the snails are. They can easily be monitored. Done and done. Shouldn’t take another 20 years to fix this.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): Maybe a shot-clock could be a prod to the slowpokes but regardless of how they identify the offenders, nothing will change until the Tour starts assessing penalty strokes, even for the leaders on Sunday afternoon. Their reluctance to impact the outcome for one player is affecting the outcome for all. Time to publicly shame the turtles and end this farce.

The PGA Tour is suffering from a decline in viewers for a number of reasons that include greed, loss of personalities to LIV and a product that has grown tired and stale. If you add slow play to the mix, the Tour may be at a crisis point. They appear to be doing things to satisfy elite players with smaller fields and larger purses but sponsors, second tier tournaments, non-elite players and fans aren’t happy. As PGA Tour Commissioner, you’re charged with delivering a better product to the fans. What’s your first order of business?

Deeks: Put a shot clock on slow players!  Have more mini-profiles of key players during the broadcasts (where they’re from, how they got to the tour, their tour stats, family life, etc. – extra work for the broadcasters, yes, but maybe the Tour should pay the production costs.)  Tell the players to smile more.  Dial back the ball so players will be hitting longer shots into greens, like the rest of us do.

Loughry: A year-long Match Play that takes place Head to Head each week (player vs player) on the Wednesday of tournament week on that course. This Match Play is recorded and shown in a wrap-up show as part of the broadcast Thursday to Sunday. It would certainly help fill the damn time between showing 50% or putts (boring). And then place that recorded match and matches on the PGA Tours YouTube Channel for viewers.

Schurman: There isn’t enough space here to cover them all, but start with Jay Monahan, who starts at the top of the most influential and/or wealthiest participants and works down. He has allowed a two-tiered schedule to have a greater definition, so much so that it is close to a three-tier system. He rode the Tiger bandwagon for so long without thinking about the days when he was gone, we are now left with huge purses, incredibly talented players who nobody cares how they play. I have always been an advocate of a Ryder Cup Team format, playing a worldwide schedule just like other sports, particularly in countries where little golf is played. I would include the LPGA, even though many disagree. The PGA TOUR is in a bind. The ROI for a sponsor isn’t high enough for regular weekly events. It’s the same reason LPGA purses aren’t equal to the PGA TOUR. It’s always about the money.

Rule: I understand the need to satisfy the top players because they bring the eyes and ears to the Tour, so it’s a tough one.  But there must be other ways to keep them happy and still make the sport fair to the middling pro trying to make it.  Watching Cinderella stories of guys winning and changing their lives in one week is part of the allure of the Tour.  They need to find a way to spread the money out to support up and coming pros, and maybe one of them will have a personality that translates into viewership.  I don’t know if I have one specific order of business, but I would want to spread the money out, and – well – speed up play!!

Quinn: Have long maintained in this forum and others, even shouting at folks huddled at bus stops: Golf is too much with us! The Golf Channel (dropping the ‘the’ was a signal of the end) was an admirable attempt to expand golf coverage. However, 30 years later (where have you gone Peter Kessler?)  it’s 24-7. Who in North America sets their schedules around seeing every shot of the DP World Tour, or (sorry Jim) the LPGA Tour, or the Korn Ferry Tour, or American college golf, or that histrionic Aussie shouting golf tips, or even the PGA Tour?  With a gigantic Trumpish marker pen this executive order would cut back full-on coverage to just the so-called signature events, the Majors, and the Ryder Cup. The rest, including the Presidents Cup, highlights only. Enough is already too much.

Mumford: Team sports have long seasons culminating in playoffs. If the Blue Jay beat the Yankees in a four-game home stand in July, it’s nice but the real prize is a lift in the standings. Golf is just the opposite. It has a series of tournaments that are distinct, and each should be celebrated. The PGA Tour’s focus on FedEx Cup points and a season-long race detracts from the individual events, so scrap the FedEx Cup crap. Nobody cares. Second, shorten the season – 30-32 tournaments should suffice – and eliminate all opposite field events. They’re minor league. Third, put the Sentry Tournament of Champions back to winners only. Celebrate the winners! Fourth, implement draconian penalties for slow play. Finally, eliminate the elite player ranking and no-cut events. The PGA Tour has always been merit based and success by obscure players one of its highlights.

Taking matters into his own hands, Justin Thomas sent a letter to fellow PGA Tour players last week urging them to better connect with fans by doing pre- and mid-round interviews and being more engaging. Is that likely to help?

Deeks: Yes.  Starting with Justin Thomas, frankly.  Most of the American players in particular come across as dull and lifeless – show us some personality boys.  And if you don’t have any, go to a media trainer.

Loughry: JT’s letter although commendable will not help. If you don’t have an engaging personality, you simply won’t do it and most PGA Tour Players just do not want that extra attention even though it helps elevate and sell the PGA Tour product. Nobody knew this better than Mr. Arnold Plamer, a lesson that lacks in the majority of PGA Tour Players today. Players are “independent” contractors, so they’ll just do what they want within reason.

Schurman: This is a result of the mega-purses. Players earn so much they think they are beyond having to give anybody anything. However, in fairness, the issue of security is much more serious than in previous years. Gone are the days when you could walk down the fairway beside the players. The internet has also brought change, with every tiny incident being photographed or recorded. And one or two strokes over the season can cost thousands of dollars. Sure ain’t what it used to be.

Rule: Not sure you can just ask people to have more personality.  I can’t imagine Patrick Cantlay is all of the sudden going to show his inner Peter Jacobsen. And Justin Thomas isn’t exactly the most dynamic personality.  But I do like him and like his thought process.  Just not sure how many can just turn it on.

Quinn: As The Match and TGL have painfully demonstrated, pro golfers ain’t that funny, or witty, or engaging. There are exceptions, like Adam Hadwin who has been great on a couple of walk and talks. But really? Asking these guys to be entertainers while trying to make a cut or thinking about how much to transfer out of one tax haven to another before slamming the trunk on Friday is asking way too much. Golf broadcasts are boring enough already. Adding another layer isn’t going to help, but thanks anyway Justin.

Mumford: Odd that this is coming from Thomas, who is often pouty, but he’s right about connecting with fans. Mid-round interviews are ok but a deeper dive into player’s lives, and their thoughts like on the Netflix series would help fans know a player better and change perceptions that the players are just robots. Smiling occasionally would help. Or maybe they could all whistle while they play. It worked for Fuzzy Zoeller.

The Round Table
The Round Table is a panel of golf writers, PGA members and industry experts.

4 thoughts on “The PGA Tour has a way to fix slow play – just not the will to do it

  1. I was a volunteer at a national amateur event, and we had timers at 3 holes through the course. A group finishing a hole more than a predetermined time after the previous group were all penalized with one or two shots (depending on how often that had happened), unless one individual took the blame or they had an adequate excuse. Why can’t this system be used in PGA? It’s relatively easy and doesn’t involve any significant infrastructure or large numbers of staff.

    1. Thanks Allen. The system you describe works quite well at amateur events but I doubt the PGA Tour would approve. The system encourages groups to maintain a time but the downside is it could penalize all players in a group based on the actions of one. Not likely a pro would admit it was his fault when big money is on the line.

    1. You’re right Pro. Seems to be a few players that can’t play better and play faster at the same time. I’m not sure penalty strokes will speed up some of them.

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