The LPGA is beginning to crack down on slow play, an issue that has plagued the tour for years.
LPGA adopts strict slow play policy and World No. 1 Nelly Korda is thrilled about it
After its first event of the season, the LPGA adopted new pace of play policies, and nobody is happier about them than Nelly Korda.
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
In a memo sent to players on Tuesday, initially obtained and posted to X by Ryan French of Monday Q Info, the LPGA indicated that players would receive a fine for going one to five seconds over and could receive as much as a two-stroke penalty should it take longer than 16 extra seconds to hit a shot. As for those who take an additional six to 15 seconds, tournament officials would then asses a one-stroke penalty.
According to Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, the LPGA’s current pace of play policy reads: “A player in a group which is out of position may be penalized for unreasonable delay if: A, the player takes more than 60 seconds to play one shot, including putts, and/or B, the players exceeds the maximum allotted amount of time for the total strokes timed on a given hole by more than 10 seconds.”
Essentially, the overall policy stays the same. But the penalties assessed will be much harsher, which Annika Sorenstam called for during last week’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando.
“It should hurt more. A stroke, two strokes, whatever it takes,” Sorenstam told SB Nation.
“Maybe it’s some kind of suspension down the road or something, and then obviously, if it continues, you might want to consider a player’s eligibility. [Slow play is] not good for the tour.”
One player thrilled about this development is World No. 1 Nelly Korda. She plays quickly without dilly-dallying or stagnation, just like Sorenstam did in her heyday.
“Finally. Yeah, I’m very excited about it,” Korda said Wednesday.
“I think that’s one of the things that I’ve noticed over my time on Tour; is that we used to go from five hours to under five hours, so now it’s five and a half hour rounds. Implementing harsher rules will be good for the game of golf.”
Slow play has also troubled the PGA Tour, which fans saw firsthand at the Farmers Insurance Open. Even Dottie Pepper of CBS Sports called it out, saying it has become an issue of “respect,” or lack thereof.
Korda is aware of that, too, adding that slow play does not affect just the LPGA.
“It’s just going to have a positive impact on the game of golf,” Korda said.
“I feel like it’s not just women’s golf that’s struggling with it. I think the entire game of golf is struggling with slow play. It’s a very, very big topic across all tours. I think it’s just going to be better for the fans. They’re going to be — instead of losing half your fans on the back nine, I feel like they’re going to stick with it and watch the ending of it.”
Now it’s time for the PGA Tour to take after the LPGA and implement similar, stricter policies.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
