Slow play in pro golf is a headache that just won’t go away, and Justin Thomas knows this better than most. He’s spent 10 years dealing with it as part of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council.
The numbers tell an interesting story. Amateur golfers typically wrap up 18 holes in about 4.5 hours. But watch a PGA Tour event, and you’ll rarely see pros finish under 5 hours.
Why the difference? Well, these guys are playing for their livelihoods, not just bragging rights at the clubhouse.
The idea of a shot clock keeps coming up as a possible solution. It’s not a new concept – people have been talking about it for years. But it’s complicated.
The new TGL indoor golf league is actually trying it out. They’ve got a strict 40-second shot clock for every player, every shot. Fans seem to love it.
But Thomas, fresh off leading Atlanta Drive to a 4-0 win over New York on Tuesday, points out that indoor golf is a whole different ballgame.
"There’s no wind, the turf’s always the same, and you don’t even need to check your yardage book – it’s all right there on the screen," he explains.
When it comes to bringing a shot clock to the PGA Tour, Thomas isn’t convinced it would make much difference.
"We’ve been talking about pace of play for all 10 years I’ve been on tour," he says. "The problem is, you need to make huge changes to see any real improvement. Are we really going to cut an hour off round times? Or just 12 minutes?"
He’s got a point about what fans want, too. There’s kind of a catch-22 here.
"Fans tell us they want two things – tougher courses and faster play," Thomas explains. "But when you’re playing for this kind of money on really difficult courses, those things just don’t go together."
The truth is, there’s no easy fix. Golf’s pace of play problem isn’t going anywhere soon, even with all the talk about shot clocks and other solutions.
"Sure, we could try some small changes," Thomas admits. "But at the end of the day, what are we really trying to accomplish here?"
It’s a question that’s likely to keep coming up at those Player Advisory Council meetings for years to come.
