If There Were No Slow Play... 'How Enjoyable Would It Be'

Tour Players Face Criticism for Slow Play
Cantlay, Meronk, Shiganda Noted as Typical 'Turtles'
Shots Within 40 Seconds, 1st Warning Then 1-Stroke Penalty
Encouraging Prepared Golf, Considering 'Speed Up' Methods

Slow play is a concern in the golf world.

Patrick Cantlay. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

It is also a reason for the decline in golf's popularity. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) are making great efforts to shorten playing times. Among these efforts, they are imposing strict standards on slow play. There are slow players on the tour as well. Patrick Cantlay (USA), Adrian Meronk (Poland), and Carlota Timeada (Spain) are representative players. On the tour, there is a reluctance to play alongside these three players.

Cantlay is a strong player with a total of 8 wins on the PGA Tour. He is currently ranked 11th in the world. Although he has excellent skills, he was criticized for slow play at the Masters in April last year. He explained, "The group ahead played slowly, so I had no choice. Everyone was slow," but this only backfired on him.

Meronk is a golfer playing on LIV Golf. He was named DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) Player of the Year last season. Ahead of the 2024 season, he transferred to LIV Golf. On the final day of the LIV Golf Jeddah tournament in March, he received a one-stroke penalty for slow play on the 18th hole (par 5). It took him 2 minutes to take his second shot. As a result, his ranking dropped by one place, causing him to lose over 300 million won in prize money.

Carlota Shiganda. Photo by AP and Yonhap News

Recently, Timeada has been criticized for turtle-like slow play. She is a veteran with 2 wins on the LPGA Tour. She is considered a typical slow player. She has caused controversy several times due to slow play. Last week, she played slowly during the Annika Driven event and reportedly paid a $4,000 fine. The 3rd and 4th rounds of this tournament took more than 5 hours and 30 minutes, far exceeding the usual 4 hours. Timeada said, "I am trying to play faster," but added, "We play golf for a living. Many things happen inside our minds."

So, what are the ‘Speed-up Rules’ that must be known? The ‘40-second rule.’ Every shot must be made within 40 seconds. The starting point for timing is important. If the group ahead has already moved on and there are no distractions such as galleries or bad weather, the player must make the stroke within 40 seconds from that moment. The player who tees off first can take an additional 10 seconds.

The committee issues a warning when slow play is detected. A second violation results in a one-stroke penalty. The R&A and USGA recommend ‘ready golf.’ Generally, golf follows the principle of ‘far ball plays first.’ The player farther from the hole plays first. However, if safety is ensured, shots can be made regardless of order. Even in match play, where order is important, ‘ready golf’ can be requested. This is a method to speed up play.

Choi Kyung-ju, who has 8 wins on the PGA Tour, also warned against slow play. "In over 30 years, I have never been penalized for slow play. There is no need to use the full 40 seconds. During practice, I even try routines where I take shots in 5 seconds. The same goes for putting. If you avoid slow play, the game time shortens. You need a considerate heart to give your opponent a little more time. If you have a good heart, your score will improve as well."