I thinks it's only really an issue for the players, it certainly doesn't detract from the viewing experience. There is always something for the t.v. co to flick to if someone is faffing over a putt.
Not really ,I must have watched that waterfall on Sky this weekend for quite some time.!
After commenting to his caddie that it comes in a bit from the right, it didn't move and he missed on the right by a couple of inches, running on 2-3'
Saw similar on Sky. https://www.skysports.com/golf/news...e-hit-with-tougher-penalties-by-european-tour
My issue is who is monitoring this and standing there with the clock and when the timings start and is it being done throughout the field from first group until the last one finishes. I admire the ET trying to tackle this and issuing a set out policy but not sure the logistics have been thought through completelyIf I understand then it will work like this:
Players keeping up with the group in front will have 1 min 25 seconds/1 min 10 seconds to take a shot depending on whether they are first to play in the group. This 15% reduction in current timing still seems crazy long for the 2nd and subsequent players who have already had 1½ to 2½ minutes to prepare for their shots while player/s before them take their shot/s, get them down to 40 seconds!
There is surely no sane reason not to because this is the only place where round times can be meaningfully reduced because it covers the play of most players in the field, but by design its already being set for an excessive round time by only reducing the shot time limit by a paltry 15 seconds for subsequent players
However here's what would happen in a group keeping up with the group in front:
If play by one or more players in a group is slow enough for a group to fall behind the group in front (so that they’re out of position) then players in that group are put on a more stringent shot clock of 50 seconds if playing 1st and 40 seconds if not 1st . Here's what will happen;
- Player A breaches 85/70 sec shot time limit once, no action
- Players A breaches 85/70 sec shot time limit twice, the player can use their one off ‘40 second time extension’, no action
- Player A breaches 85/70 sec shot time limit for a third time and only then do they get a one shot penalty
Seems weak that it still needs 3 time breaches before any penalty is given. Is that really different to the current tour pace of play rules, except the current ones aren’t really applied anyway
- Player A breaches 50/40 sec shot time limit once, no action
- Players A breaches 50/40 sec shot time limit twice, the player can use their one off ‘40 second time extension’, no action
- Player A breaches 50/40 sec shot time limit for a third time and only then do they get a one shot penalty
As a tv viewer it doesn't really bother me how long they take but as a meaningful solution to address slow play by the Tour i'm not impressed
edited due to incorrect info
Seems he had a reaction to going quickly and it made him even slower since then. I can't help feeling this is all hot air from the ET and while I applaud them for recognising there is a problem and while it may be policed stringently for a few events I can't see it being a long term solution and as I've said I have concerns whether all players will be treated equally and each and every one monitored properly
