The LPGA is starting to crack down on sluggish play, a problem that has plagued the tour for years.
In a memo despatched to gamers on Tuesday, initially obtained and posted to X by Ryan French of Monday Q Information, the LPGA indicated that gamers would obtain a advantageous for going one to 5 seconds over and will obtain as a lot as a two-stroke penalty ought to it take longer than 16 further seconds to hit a shot. As for many who take a further six to fifteen seconds, match officers would then asses a one-stroke penalty.
THIS is how it’s finished.
Bravo @LPGA for demanding that gamers get quicker. Assuming they observe via with penalizing gamers, the tempo of play will choose up. pic.twitter.com/vMjiuXxasx
— Monday Q Information (@acaseofthegolf1) February 5, 2025
In response to Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, the LPGA’s present tempo of play coverage reads: “A participant in a bunch which is out of place could also be penalized for unreasonable delay if: A, the participant takes greater than 60 seconds to play one shot, together with putts, and/or B, the gamers exceeds the utmost allotted period of time for the entire strokes timed on a given gap by greater than 10 seconds.”
Primarily, the general coverage stays the identical. However the penalties assessed might be a lot harsher, which Annika Sorenstam referred to as for throughout final week’s Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions in Orlando.
“It ought to harm extra. A stroke, two strokes, no matter it takes,” Sorenstam informed SB Nation.
“Perhaps it’s some sort of suspension down the street or one thing, after which clearly, if it continues, you would possibly need to take into account a participant’s eligibility. [Slow play is] not good for the tour.”
One participant thrilled about this growth is World No. 1 Nelly Korda. She performs rapidly with out dilly-dallying or stagnation, identical to Sorenstam did in her heyday.
“Lastly. Yeah, I’m very enthusiastic about it,” Korda mentioned Wednesday.
“I believe that’s one of many issues that I’ve seen over my time on Tour; is that we used to go from 5 hours to below 5 hours, so now it’s 5 and a half hour rounds. Implementing harsher guidelines might be good for the sport of golf.”
Gradual play has additionally troubled the PGA Tour, which followers noticed firsthand on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open. Even Dottie Pepper of CBS Sports activities referred to as it out, saying it has develop into a problem of “respect,” or lack thereof.
Korda is conscious of that, too, including that sluggish play doesn’t have an effect on simply the LPGA.
“It’s simply going to have a optimistic impression on the sport of golf,” Korda mentioned.
“I really feel prefer it’s not simply girls’s golf that’s combating it. I believe your complete recreation of golf is combating sluggish play. It’s a really, very massive subject throughout all excursions. I believe it’s simply going to be higher for the followers. They’re going to be — as a substitute of dropping half your followers on the again 9, I really feel like they’re going to keep it up and watch the ending of it.”
Now it’s time for the PGA Tour to take after the LPGA and implement comparable, stricter insurance policies.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.
