ORLANDO, Fla. — Gradual tempo of play has plagued the PGA Tour and the LPGA for years, irritating gamers, followers, and broadcasters alike. It virtually reached a breaking level final week on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open in San Diego, the place CBS Sports activities’ Dottie Pepper expressed her frustrations concerning the last group needing three hours to finish 9 holes.
“We’re beginning to want a brand new phrase to speak concerning the tempo of play situation, and that’s respect,” Pepper stated on the published.
“Respect to your fellow opponents, for the followers, for the broadcasts, for all of it. It’s gotta get higher.”
Her feedback weren’t directed towards the ultimate trio of Harris English, Andrew Novak, and Aldrich Potgieter per se however extra towards everybody enjoying within the last spherical. Each group performed at a glacial tempo, and the ultimate spherical become a slog. It was exhausting to observe.
On Wednesday, the PGA Tour introduced that it had assembled a job power to examine pace-of-play points, in response to Doug Ferguson of The Related Press. One doable answer is to allow rangefinders in any respect tour occasions, however solely the PGA Championship permits gamers to make use of distance-measuring gadgets.
However 10-time main winner Annika Sorenstam, a quick participant herself, says this concept would trigger extra hurt than good.
[Rangefinders] will gradual it down as a result of you’ll want to double-check the quantity now. Did I push the button proper? Did I hit the flag, or did I hit the tree behind it, or did I hit a pole behind the inexperienced?” Sorenstam stated to SB Nation.
“Caddies at all times need to have floor yardage as a result of that’s what they do. I don’t assume [rangefinders] are gonna assist. It’s extra of a matter of maintaining with the group forward and having a sure time. You already know, the AJGA does a superb job. Once you play, and also you get to Gap No. 4, that you must be at an hour, after which after 8 holes, possibly that you must be at 2 hours. Now we have to push it. In the event that they don’t need to try this, minimizing the sphere hurts different folks.”
In November, the PGA Tour introduced a flurry of modifications for the 2026 season, which consists of diminishing area sizes. The tour felt that eliminating spots in fields would assist officers area out tee instances and, due to this fact, enhance the tempo of play.
But, the actual situation is that the PGA Tour and the LPGA don’t implement anybody who violates the tempo of play insurance policies.
“Gamers need rhythm, caddies need rhythm, tournaments need rhythm, followers don’t simply need to stand there,” Sorenstam stated.
“It must be addressed. There must be some form of ramification or one thing that stinks, like, what, I’m not going to do that once more.”
Sorenstam then made a terrific analogy. She stated that policing gradual play needs to be like a baby touching a scorching range. As soon as their hand feels the burn, they study by no means to the touch it once more.
She feels the PGA Tour and the LPGA should observe that premise.
“The best way they go about it immediately, there’s a warning, after which there’s a timing — that course of, primary, is just too lengthy, skip a step. Should you’re behind, which as a participant you see, it’s not such as you’re oblivious on the market, you see it,” Sorenstam stated.
“[Officials] ought to say, ‘Okay, you gained time.’ Then, from there, there shouldn’t be one other step, and it shouldn’t be a fantastic. It ought to harm extra. A stroke, two strokes, no matter it takes. Possibly it’s some form of suspension down the street or one thing, after which clearly, if it continues, you may need to take into account a participant’s eligibility.
“It’s not good for the tour.”
One thing must be carried out.
Even Sorenstam’s spherical on Thursday on the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions, which options 32 LPGA professionals and 51 celeb amateurs, took for much longer than wanted. She performed alongside World No. 1 Nelly Korda and former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe, two gamers who hit the ball a great distance and play rapidly. This group didn’t play slowly, but it affected everybody.
However on the finish of the day, as Pepper stated at Torrey Pines, it comes right down to respect. One thing should be carried out, and implementing rangefinders is akin to slapping a band-aid on a gunshot wound. It received’t assist.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.
