PGA TOUR takes minor steps to improve pace of play
PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan announced a series of small steps the circuit is taking aimed at improving pace of play.
The TOUR will publish pace-of-play data, test range finders at six events between the Masters and PGA Championship, and begin administering penalty strokes for slow play on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.
The pace-of-play data will include statistics on which players are both the fastest and slowest.
"This is not done from the standpoint of negativity," Monahan said while speaking ahead of The Players Championship on Tuesday, per Golf Digest's Shane Ryan. "There's also a really positive element to this. ... I think it's really telling when you look at the people on our boards, there's a lot of shaking of heads and understanding this is an area where we need to improve."
Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas were among the players to express support for this venture.
"I think it should be released," Morikawa said. "I don't know why you wouldn't want it to be released. ... I think, what is there to hide, right? If you're slow, you know you're slow. If you don't know, then there's an issue."
"I'm the first to admit I'm on the slow side of players," Thomas added. "It bothers me, but I've talked to many officials about it. I want to know why I'm slow because, obviously, the first thing that any slower player thinks is that they're not slow."
The hope with range finders, meanwhile, is that getting the correct distance in a quicker manner will lead to taking less time for players to hit the ball. Here's the tournaments they'll be experimented at:
| Tournament | Date |
|---|---|
| RBC Heritage | April 17-20 |
| Corales Puntacana | April 17-20 |
| Zurich Classic | April 24-27 |
| CJ Cup Byron Nelson | May 1-4 |
| Truist Championship | May 8-11 |
| Myrtle Beach Classic | May 8-11 |
Lastly, the penalty strokes for slow play on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas will begin April 14. Players will receive a warning, then a timing, then a one-stroke penalty for slow play. Monahan didn't discuss when this policy could come to the PGA TOUR.
"I think there's a real commitment from players across the board to make certain that we're doing everything that we possibly can to improve," Monahan said. "And these three steps are just a start.
"We're listening to our fans and we're responding. Clearly, this is something where they'd like to see improvement."