Slow Play: What to do?

How long has it been since a penalty has been assessed on the PGA tour for slow play? Tick tock, tick tock...time's up. Just like it should be for all golfers who basically are ignoring the rule of timely play. It's been sixteen years since a penalty of one stroke was assessed for slow play, and the irony? One of the officials that actually keep the players on the clock nowadays was that person that was last penalized.

Tiger Woods has written in his own newsletter that slow play must be addressed, but understands that it is a tricky thing to do when you consider that a whole group of players could be an issue or just one--so should they all be in trouble? Adam Scott has been less stoic about it, basically making public outcries to make changes and make them fast (pun intended). However, slower players like J.B. Holmes has a message for the complaints: He doesn't care. In his eyes, he's playing for a lot of money, so if it means more time taking practice swings or lining up shots, so be it.

But something has got to change. Tournaments are getting longer and longer, and players are getting more and more frustrated. Until the PGA makes a hard line like they are doing with drug testing, slow play will continue to get worse and worse and really hinder the sport overall. Make changes--make them stick--and penalize, penalize, penalize. While Holmes is right--playing for millions should mean that he can do what he wants--to an extent--when the penalized strokes start actually costing him places and therefore money, I would be willing to bet he'll be singing a different tune.

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Slow Play: What to do?

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