Jack Nicklaus is ready for the PGA Tour to pick up the pace. Literally. The 18-time major championship winner says it’s time to do something about players taking their sweet time on the golf course.
Prior to an exhibition event at The Woodlands in Houston Nicklaus was asked to comment on the Tour’s pace of play issue. It’s become a hot-button issue in the world of golf already this season.
Nicklaus believes it’s becoming an issue.
“They do have a problem on the Tour today,” Nicklaus said per USA Today. “The golf ball is a part of the problem. The longer the golf ball goes, the longer the courses get, the more you have to walk, the longer it’s going to take. I don’t think it’s good for the game. (The USGA and R&A have proposed) bringing the golf ball back (and reducing the distance it can travel). I think it’s a good start. It’s the first time they’ve done that in forever. We’ll see where it goes with that.”
The golf legend also says it’s time to start penalizing players for slow pace of play. It might be the only way to finally squash the issue.
“It’s got to be equitable,” Nicklaus added, “but they need to make an example and stay with it. It’s not very pleasant to watch somebody stand over the ball for half an hour.”
Jack Nicklaus was once penalized for slow pace of play
Believe it or not one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game was once penalized for slow pace of play. Nicklaus was slapped with a two-stroke penalty during the second round of the Portland Open in 1962.
The “Golden Bear” Believes it might’ve been the best thing that happened for him in his career.
“It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Nicklaus said, noting that Black told him, “Jack, you can take as long as you want over the golf ball to play but be ready when it’s your turn.
“I always tried to stay out of everybody’s way. I didn’t want to bother anybody lining up my putt while they were lining up their putt so I stayed back. I didn’t want to start walking my yardages off. I took a while over the golf ball but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was being ready to play. I realized after playing on the Tour for a while that it’s also a courtesy to the field. It’s not fair to do that.”
PGA Tour’s Matt Fitzpatrick comments on pace of play
Former PGA Tour players aren’t the only ones commenting on pace of play. Star Matt Fitzpatrick also has complaints about how some are taking too long on the course.
“If you’re in a three-ball, in my opinion, you should be round in four hours, four-and-a-half absolute maximum. It’s a disgrace to get anywhere near that,” Fitzpatrick said, via the Golf Channel. “You’re talking five hours and 15 minutes, five-and-a-half hours at some venues, and its truly appalling.
“The problem is this conversation has gone on for years and years and years, and no one has ever done anything, so I feel it’s almost a waste of time talking about it. I have strong opinions, but no one’s going to do anything about it.”
More must-reads: