I have heard Rocco Mediate on SiriusXM radio saying that the penalty for slow play (“Slow play flash point demands change,” February 10, GGP) needs to be more severe. He suggested a two-stroke penalty for the first timing infraction and then disqualification for the second. I think there is some merit to that suggestion, but there needs to be some consideration for the players.
Borrowing from the TGL, I would like to suggest adopting Rocco’s penalty system (or something similarly severe), but giving each player two “green cards” at the beginning of each round that can be used at any time during the round. The green card could be handed to a tour official when a potential timing infraction occurs. This would give the player more time to prepare for the shot they are facing.
I think doing something like that would allow the more severe punishments for a timing infraction to be accepted by the players. And it would speed up the rounds because most of the shots throughout the day would be played in a timely fashion.
Cliff Beveridge
Bastrop, Texas
Great article on a subject that needs to be addressed thoughtfully but with some real consequences for the guilty (“Slow play flash point demands change,” February 10, GGP). One thing that might help would be to have a slow-play leaderboard, maybe in the PGA Tour app, making it very clear to fans who all the slowest players are in a tournament. Let’s have a slow-play cut line! Social media pressure can be a powerful tool.
Greg Hindahl
Poinciana, Florida
Read your column about slow play (“Slow play flash point demands change,” February 10, GGP) with interest. A three-step quick solution for dealing with slow play: 1. Let players use distance-measuring equipment. 2. Once on the green the caddie cannot give advice of any kind. (Would love to see the line-up markings on the ball banned, too). Bring back the old skill of natural green reading. 3. The 40-second guide for taking a shot should be enforced everywhere, especially on the greens.
It would make a world of difference and would be so simple to implement.
Roger Coleman
Dublin, Ireland
In response to your article (“It’s high time to address blight,” February 10, GGP): your first topic of conversation, what’s happening with LIV? Answer: Don’t care! Second topic, slow play: People do care!
If I could do one thing to improve pace of play, it would be to bring in continuous putting. Once the player starts to putt, they must continue and finish the hole. Present rules allow a player 40 seconds to hole out from 6 inches! It is my experience that time is lost chipping and putting.
And in my opinion, interviewing players during a round is a huge step backward.
John Roger Jones
Conwy, Wales
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