The LPGA has implemented a new policy to speed up the pace of play.
The tour will penalize and fine players who exceed the time limit to hit a shot. If someone is one to five seconds over, they will receive a fine, six to 12 seconds will get a one-stroke penalty and 16 seconds or more will be handed a two-stroke deduction. These sanctions will take effect at the Ford Championship on March 27.
Players gathered for a meeting Tuesday night ahead of this week’s Founders Cup and discussed the new guidelines.
“I’m very excited about it,” Nelly Korda said Wednesday. “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.
“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.”
THIS is how it is done.
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) February 5, 2025
Bravo @LPGA for demanding that players get faster. Assuming they follow thru with penalizing players, the pace of play will pick up. pic.twitter.com/vMjiuXxasx
The changes were apparently well received by everyone in the room.
“I think it was quite good,” major champion Minjee Lee said. “Nobody really was opposed to it because obviously we get on TV and we have—I mean, a lot of holes might be backed up and then TV goes a little off and play goes a little off and everybody is unhappy. So, yeah, I didn't really think it was too negative at all.”
There was still an abundance of questions, and some of the details on how to best implement the penalties will be sorted out.
“I think it was more of people were asking how the rules officials time exactly,” said Korda, the world No. 1. “Like what if a rules official times—they don't see the ball still moving on the green and they start the timer, but it’s not necessarily you're time to hit because the other person—theoretically the ball is still moving, right, so your time shouldn't start yet. There were questions about that.
“I think over time that’s going to be ironed out, and I think everyone is just—it’s going to be better for everyone that the rounds are going to be moving a little faster.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as LPGA Has Players ‘Excited’ About New Slow Play Penalties That Will Be Implemented.
