With so much to talk about in golf at the moment, the LPGA Tour look like they’ve moved into prime position to lead the game into a new era.
With the PGA, DP World, LIV and LPGA tours all dominant in their own way, they all also have a same problem in common. Slow play.
Although LIV seem to be quicker than the PGA Tour – which their shotgun start seems to allow for – slow play has become an increasingly big discussion point in recent weeks.
The PGA Tour are looking at their own ways of sorting issues out after the Farmers and AMEX came in for criticism.
However, the LPGA Tour are now leading the way after they announced that while the fine system will still be in place, they’ll also start punishing players who take even longer by taking strokes off players.
And according to one golf analyst, the LPGA have shown the way.
PGA Tour urged to follow LPGA Tour with slow play rules
Speaking on the Golf Channel, the popular analyst Johnson Wagner got onto the subject of slow play and spoke of the LPGA addressing things.
And according to Wagner, it’s high time the PGA Tour followed on.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence they did it this week with the issues at Torrey Pines three weeks ago. Now granted the wind was blowing and the conditions were tough but still, it should be under five hours,” Wagner said.
“Hopefully they set a new standard and it gets the men’s game taking a step in the right direction.”
Pressed further on why the PGA Tour haven’t followed suit, Wagner admitted he can only imagine it’s down to responsibility and ultimately, it needs addressing.
“When you’re timing someone, it’s very personal, when do you start the clock? So to sit and start penalising people two strokes, it’s going on somebody, on that rules official,” he continued.
“But at the same time, they are rules officials and in the NFL, the officials make calls and put flags down, so they need to start doing it.”
READ MORE: Two-time major winner reacts to ‘brutal’ LPGA Tour policy on slow play after Nelly Korda complaints
How Nelly Korda reacted to the LPGA’s slow play announcement
Like many in the women’s game, Nelly Korda has been among the players to publicly call for changes to the slow play ruling.
Korda was openly critical of the LPGA after the ANNIKA last year and reacting to the news, she seems delighted the change has finally come.
Korda reacted to the announcement and overall, seemed to suggest it’s about time.
“Finally. Yeah, I’m very excited about it. I think that’s one of the things that I’ve just noticed over my time on Tour, is that we used to go from five hours, under five hours, to now you it’s just five and a half, typically, our rounds,” she said.
“So I think that implementing harsher rules is going to be good for the game of golf. They were saying at the meeting, at the end of the day we’re a form of entertainment. If we’re taking really long out there, I mean, that’s not entertaining.”
With the likes of Lexi Thompson and Charley Hull also making points about the slow play problems in recent times, the LPGA should see an immediate benefit to their events.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
