Tours finally cracking down on slow play?

So Soomin Lee got a one stroke penalty for slow play at the Volvo China Open today. One day after a slow play penalty on the PGA Tour.

Are the Tours going to continue to add penalty strokes for slow play and do you think it's fair?

And Levy took about 20 minutes to finally decide on an unplayable...

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

Agreed, lost balls or provisionals or waiting for rulings puts everyone out of position and is unjust in being targeted.

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

 

Agreed, lost balls or provisionals or waiting for rulings puts everyone out of position and is unjust in being targeted.

I didnt feel bad for him at all.,,within 2 minutes it was very obvious he couldn't play it as it sat. Not a ton of options to consider from that point. Make a decision and go.

I'll believe they are serious about doing something when it happens to one of the stars in contention on the weekend.

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

 

Agreed, lost balls or provisionals or waiting for rulings puts everyone out of position and is unjust in being targeted.

No excuse, figure it out and move the heck on....stroke 'em up repeatedly they will either get better or get out.

So Soomin Lee got a one stroke penalty for slow play at the Volvo China Open today. One day after a slow play penalty on the PGA Tour.

 

Are the Tours going to continue to add penalty strokes for slow play and do you think it's fair?

Ill believe it when they do it to a big named player or someone in contention. I think I have a better chance of winning the lottery.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

I agree. But the kind of do this already (as much as they do anything). The group falls behind and as a whole, is put on the clock.

Once that happens, individuals with bad times get penalized. The ones that don't have bad times don't get penalized. From what I hear, most RO's know which player(s) are the culprits by the time the group is put on the clock.

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

The penalty isn't for the group being behind, so making double bogeys will not get you penalized. Getting behind only puts you on the clock. The penalty came after they took more than 40 seconds to hit a shot. Twice. You can triple bogey every hole and never get a slow play penalty. You just need to hit within 40 seconds after you are put on the clock.

BTW, 40 seconds is a long time. It's plenty of time to measure yardage, check the wind, select a club, practice swing, and hit.

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

 

The penalty isn't for the group being behind, so making double bogeys will not get you penalized. Getting behind only puts you on the clock. The penalty came after they took more than 40 seconds to hit a shot. Twice. You can triple bogey every hole and never get a slow play penalty. You just need to hit within 40 seconds after you are put on the clock.

 

BTW, 40 seconds is a long time. It's plenty of time to measure yardage, check the wind, select a club, practice swing, and hit.

40 seconds,,,,,, unless you're the "first to play" in your group. Then it's 60 (on the PGA Tour anyway).

Kind of felt bad for that kid. He was spraying it makin two doubles I think. Which got him behind. They need to offer penalties on people who are playing slowly but playing well . Not pick on the guy who's struggling to keep it in play. Speeding him up isn't going to make him hit it straighter

 

The penalty isn't for the group being behind, so making double bogeys will not get you penalized. Getting behind only puts you on the clock. The penalty came after they took more than 40 seconds to hit a shot. Twice. You can triple bogey every hole and never get a slow play penalty. You just need to hit within 40 seconds after you are put on the clock.

 

BTW, 40 seconds is a long time. It's plenty of time to measure yardage, check the wind, select a club, practice swing, and hit.

 

40 seconds,,,,,, unless you're the "first to play" in your group. Then it's 60 (on the PGA Tour anyway).

Good point. And if you are not first to hit, you usually have that extra minute to evaluate your shot while the first guy is getting ready.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. But the kind of do this already (as much as they do anything). The group falls behind and as a whole, is put on the clock.

 

Once that happens, individuals with bad times get penalized. The ones that don't have bad times don't get penalized. From what I hear, most RO's know which player(s) are the culprits by the time the group is put on the clock.

Except they rarely actually assess strokes. Which means they really don't do enforcement.

Also if they were serious this "put on the clock" wouldn't exist. If they were serious, everyone would be "on the clock" from the 1st tee shot of the day to begin with. We keep "calling in" and emailing with video evidence of slow play penalties that were missed, but nobody ever answers the phone. They have been perfectly fine ignoring these bits of factual evidence for years. Didn't even need a "new rules edict".

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

I'm sure the tour deliberately does not pair those two together, as there would be zero hope of keeping pace, even playing with DJ or Matt Jones.

I'll believe they are serious about doing something when it happens to one of the stars in contention on the weekend.

The players from what I've read prescribe to the unwritten rule that if they are in the final few groups (ie in contention) you get a bit more leeway. It comes down to the tv guys to crack that whip. The players aren't going to mind

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

Correct. That's why it doesn't matter who you get paired with. You never have to be a race horse.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

 

I'm sure the tour deliberately does not pair those two together, as there would be zero hope of keeping pace, even playing with DJ or Matt Jones.

Nope. On weekends the tour doesn't decide who to pair. It's done via a very simple and well known formula.

You want to see slow play pain, watched the LPGA Tour today. Wow, you talk about slow, Kerr made Na and Crane look like speed demons.

You want to see slow play pain, watched the LPGA Tour today. Wow, you talk about slow, Kerr made Na and Crane look like speed demons.

She is awful.

Was at the US Womens Open at Black Wolf Run a few years ago sitting on the par 5, 7th. The women in the fairway waiting to hit their second shots, DID NOT move until after the group ahead had moved to the green. Then, and only then did they start looking at their shot. In fact, I don't believe that the players that hit second and third did anything until it was their turn to play. They weren't going for the green as they hit their seconds with the group ahead still on the green. I realize that maybe the groups were backed up but I bet this kind of thing goes on all the time. This is the definition of slow play.

You want to see slow play pain, watched the LPGA Tour today. Wow, you talk about slow, Kerr made Na and Crane look like speed demons.

I am reading this at 5:15 before I get ready for work. I'm watching the golf channel and Kerr is playing the 18th with Nomura. I literally cooked eggs, toast, and sliced up some fruit, ate my breakfast, made a cup of coffee and started browsing WRX in the time it took them to finish one hole. Unbelievable.

As long as they stay in position nobody will get dinged for slow play. They generally don't get out of position because they all play slow.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

 

Correct. That's why it doesn't matter who you get paired with. You never have to be a race horse.

is that true..no full group penalties ?

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

 

Correct. That's why it doesn't matter who you get paired with. You never have to be a race horse.

 

 

is that true..no full group penalties ?

That's my understanding - although it's a tour rule, not ROG, so they can basically do whatever they want.

If they finally start getting tough on slow play focus should be directed at individuals, not groups. It isn't fair for a whole group to be penalised because of one snail. Equally a slow player should not be able to fly under the radar because his playing partners keep the group up with pace of play. It would be very easy to send a volunteer out with each group, who could then alert officials of any slow play. An official could then come out and drop the hammer on the culprit/s.

 

I agree. Get paired with a couple of snails like Ben Crane and Kevin Na and you basically have to be a race horse just to keep the group on time.

 

As long as you don't have a bad time, it doesn't matter does it?

 

Correct. That's why it doesn't matter who you get paired with. You never have to be a race horse.

 

 

is that true..no full group penalties ?

Yes. A group get's put on the clock. Then each player in the group gets timed. If a player exceeds the time limit TWICE in the same round after being put on the clock, then only that player is penalized.

There are also fines when you are penalized. And also fines that accumulate throughout the year. But there is never a GROUP penalty for slow play.

https://www.thoughtco.com/pga-tour-slow-play-rules-penalties-1566468

Governing bodies might soon ban the green-reading books that have become so prevalent on Tour. They're pace-of-play killers.

Let's face it people: The PGA Tour is a group of people that govern themselves. They won't be fining anyone, they won't ban the green reading books, they aren't going to do something that lessens their warm fuzzy feelings.

The Masters, the US Open (The USGA), The Open Championship and The PGA Championship, might be able to do something, but your run of the mill every week tourney isn't going to change.