ST. ANDREWS — The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Troon reignited a long-standing debate in professional golf: slow play. Opening rounds stretched to nearly six hours, leaving players, fans, and analysts frustrated. "Felt like 12 hours," quipped one caddie, summing up the collective exhaustion.
The Pace Problem
Golf’s pace-of-play issue isn’t new, but the 2024 Open highlighted its severity. Morning groups averaged 5 hours and 45 minutes, with some afternoon pairings pushing past 6 hours. The R&A, golf’s governing body outside the U.S., acknowledged the delays but stopped short of blaming players outright. "Course setup, weather, and field size contributed," a spokesperson said, though data suggests player habits played a larger role.
Why So Slow?
Several factors converged to create a glacial pace:
- Pre-shot routines: Many players took over 45 seconds per shot, far exceeding the PGA Tour’s 40-second guideline.
- Group size: Threesomes instead of traditional twosomes added 15–20 minutes per round.
- Course difficulty: Thick rough and tucked pins led to extra deliberations.
Rory McIlroy, a vocal critic of slow play, didn’t mince words: "It’s unacceptable. We’re professionals. There’s no reason a round should take this long, especially in a major." His sentiment echoed across social media, where fans shared clips of players agonizing over 3-foot putts.
Historical Context
The Open isn’t alone. Recent majors have seen similar complaints:
- 2023 U.S. Open: Final-round groups took 5 hours, 30 minutes at LACC.
- 2022 PGA Championship: Southern Hills’ closing holes became a bottleneck, with waits exceeding 10 minutes.
But the Open’s coastal winds and pot bunkers exacerbate delays. As analyst Paul Azinger noted, "When every shot could cost you the tournament, players understandably double-check everything."
Possible Solutions
Golf’s governing bodies have experimented with fixes, but progress is slow:
- Shot clocks: The European Tour’s use of 40-second timers reduced round times by 15 minutes in 2023.
- Penalties: Only two PGA Tour players have been penalized for slow play since 2020.
- Field sizes: Reducing the Open’s 156-player field could ease congestion.
Brooks Koepka proposed a radical idea: "Fine them. Hit them in the wallet. If you’re consistently slow, it should cost you $50,000, then $100,000. Watch how fast they’ll play after that." The PGA Tour has resisted financial penalties, opting instead for warnings and "observation lists."
Fan and Player Backlash
Spectators voiced frustration on-site and online. One fan tweeted, "Paid £100 to watch golf, spent half the day watching players stare at yardage books." Even slower players admitted the issue. Patrick Cantlay, often criticized for his pace, conceded, "It’s something we need to address as a tour."
The Road Ahead
The R&A plans to review pace-of-play data from Royal Troon. Chief Executive Martin Slumbers hinted at changes: "We’re committed to improving the fan experience. Six-hour rounds don’t align with that goal." Potential measures include stricter enforcement of existing rules or adopting the European Tour’s shot-clock model.
For now, the debate rages on. As the sun set on Royal Troon’s first round, a marshal’s radio crackled with dark humor: "Group 14 just teed off. See you tomorrow." Golf’s slow-play problem, like its storied courses, shows no sign of fading quietly.
