If there’s one thing across all forms of golf that annoys players from the amateur game to the professional ranks, it is pace of play.
Over the years, the speed at which players get around a golf course has been a constant talking point and right up to now in 2025, we’re seeing the subject rage.
The different tours and governing bodies have tried different tactics over the years to combat the issue but in the main, things have remained the same.
Nevertheless, while the PGA Tour and DP World Tour continue to struggle to get a grip on the situation, the women’s game and the LPGA Tour are showing how it’s done.
LPGA shows the PGA Tour how to deal with slow play
While the men’s game has never quite introduced the right way about ensuring players take notice of their slow play, the LPGA Tour are making a concerted push to deal with the issue.
Charley Hull has been one of the women’s game’s most prominent voices when it comes to her stance on slow play.
Now, at the Evian Championship, the LPGA seems to have heeded the advice of Hull and others by enforcing some harsh rulings.
This weekend has seen Chinese star Yan Liu become the latest to fall foul of the LPGA’s crackdown as she was given a two stroke penalty at the Evian Championship.
Ultimately, it proved costly as well, as Liu missed the cut and lost her way after her and her group were put on the clock for the final six holes of their second round.
For Liu, it might seem like a harsh penalty. But the reality is that this is what needs to happen to combat the issue and get on top of things.
If players are being hit with stroke penalties and that is costing them making the cuts and crucially, losing them money, it’s going to hit them hard.
So, the PGA have seen first hand how things can be handled here and over the course of the next few years, it’s something they have to consider bringing into the men’s game.
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Lexi Thompson’s recent comments show slow play remains a problem
While the LPGA have shown the way forward with their tough stance at the Evian this week, it’s not been completely eradicated from the women’s game.
Indeed, it was only a few weeks ago that one of the game’s biggest stars, Lexi Thompson, was forced to address the problems after her own pace of play was called out.
“Uh-huh. Yeah, we were on the clock. We were warned and then put on the clock for maybe two to three holes, two and a half holes, something like that,” Thompson admitted at the KPMG Women’s Championship.
“Yeah, it’s not ideal out there, especially when it’s super windy and you have to back off shots because of gusts and everything like that. But it happens. I mean, we fell maybe a hole behind. I didn’t think that we were playing — I mean, we were playing slow. It took three hours to play the front nine.
“But it’s a difficult golf course. Pins are tough, and some holes are just really par holes that you can’t really hold greens on too, and some holes you have to pitch out. So it’s a difficult golf course to play quickly, safe to say.”
Still, the LPGA seem to be making steps where the PGA Tour aren’t.
And for that, you have to applaud them and admit they’re doing a far better job of trying to deal with the issue than the men’s game.
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