Slow Play in Golf has stirred the hornet’s nest and has been a hot controversial topic lately. Now, this piece of news comes as a breather.

 

 

 

                                Golfer Bryson DeChambeau has often been criticized for slow play

 

 

 

The European Tour now has taken momentous steps to eliminate slow play by increasing penalties from the start of next season. With the pace of play in the spotlight following the antics of Bryson DeChambeau, the move means attention will also fall on what steps the PGA Tour in the US will take.

 

 

 

Starting from late November, a player on the European Tour will incur a one-shot penalty for two bad times in a single round. Fines for those who are consistently needing to be timed – known as being “on the clock” – will be increased significantly. A player who is timed 15 times next season will be fined £26,000 compared with £9,000 now.

 

 

 

 

 

The tour will also reduce field sizes where possible, a factor considered integral to the pace of play. Its members will be offered educational sessions as part of the detailed, four-point action plan.

 

 

 

The tour insists this is not a reaction to DeChambeau’s slow play during the Northern Trust event in New Jersey. The world No 9’s glacial approach led to him being criticised by fellow players, including Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas, while the PGA Tour promised to review pace-of-play guidelines.

 

 

In Europe, the tour was approached by players on its tournament committee in May with a view to putting a plan in place for next season.

 

 

 

(The Guardian)