Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow

Slow play, probably the most complained about aspect of golf, be it at professional or amateur level.

Quite frankly its been the curse of the LPGA for years. Viewers hate having to watch 3 minutes a shot getting wasted by caddies lining players on tee’s and fairways, this has cost the LPGA a lot in terms of sponsors and spectators.

Every media outlet has criticised the women’s tours for this.  

Well until this weekend.

In the semi finals of the Sybase Match play between Morgan Pressel and Azahara Munoz Pressel lost a hole on a slow play penalty.

So you would think the media would line up to pat the LPGA on the back for finally taking action? Thank them for tackling slow play ?

Em, well, no. Instead the media seem to be attacking the LPGA for taking action! Confused? Well I certainly am!

If Munoz or Candie Kung had been penalised would the US media’s reaction been the same ? You can bet your bottom dollar it would not have been!

If Kung or Munoz had been penalised a hole there would have been mass praise for the LPGA! Seems to me the only mistake the LPGA made in this was penalising Morgan instead of an overseas player!

Is Pressel a slow player? Deliberate yes but slow I am not so sure if I would count her amongst the slow players. The surprising thing is that Munoz is slow, really slow. But quite frankly compare to Beatriz Recari and the vast majority of Korean players Pressel and Munoz are playing at warp drive!

So why now and why Morgan?

One theory is that because there where only two matches on the course there was a rules official with each group so the rules where actually applied for a change.

Now I know that’s a sweeping statement but in a full field event you are lucky if there’s one rules official for every 10 groups, hence the slow players get away with blue murder!

Slow players know they are slow and don’t give a flying hoot about their fellow players or their opponents, you show me a slow player and I will show you an egotistical, arrogant, selfish golfer.

Was Morgan just simply unlucky? You know what maybe she was.

But I have a theory, not like me eh.

The powers that be on the tour know there is a problem with slow play on tour.
The egotistical selfish players are costing their fellow professionals and the tour money and exposure.

I think, that behind closed doors, there was a wee discussion about slow play.

I think it was decided long before the semi finals tee’d off, the decision had already been made that the 1st chance they got to penalise someone they would.

I think the theory was that it would send a message out loud and clear to the selfish slow players that the tour had had enough of them.

I think the tour expected to get the full backing of the media and be held up as a shining example of how to run things properly.

As I say only theory, but I honestly think that’s what happened.

But I also, very firmly believe, that if the penalised player had been Kung or Munoz it may have worked.

From my own point of view I think any slow play penalty, handed out to any player, can only be good for the LPGA and golf in general.

Watching Kevin Na at the painful at the very least, but the PGA had him on the clock for nine, YES nine holes! What action was taken? Sweet FA.

As a fan I hate slow play.

As a weekend hacker I hate slow play.

So for me at least I think the LPGA had it right, almost.