So much for productive New Year's Resolutions!

PA-PLAYA

Jason Day has spoken. Expect to see him taking even more time to hit a golf ball in 2017.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/day-focusing-less-speeding-routine

Knee-Jerk: Jason, if it takes you more than 40 seconds to play a golf shot, you deserve a warning. If it happens again during the same round, you deserve a penalty stroke. Just because you've reached a pinnacle of success doesn't mean you're at liberty to make those playing behind you suffer through your agonizingly slow, closed-eyes, see-the-shot be-the-ball, planets-must-be-aligned-and-in-complete-harmony routine.

If this new commish had balls, he would comment on your statement and use it as an example of precisely why things need to change. Televised golf has almost become unwatchable... viewership is down, primarily because most of the coverage on tv is watching guys like you scratch your ass, diddle and dawdle when it's your time to play.

Even if this was one of your personal New Year golf resolutions, you would've been better off not publicizing it.

mikeintopeka

We cried 'foul' when the NCAA instituted the basketball shot clock too. And then shrugged our shoulders when the clock has been sped up twice since 1985 because it was good for the game, and the viewers, and just tweaked the game a little.

sdandrea1

Put him on the clock...........

PA-PLAYA

I think it's pretty sad that a player, particularly one who already has a history of playing slow and being put on the clock, feels empowered enough to go on record saying that he's expecting to be put on the clock even more this season because he plans to play even slower. Even if he's true to his word (and we have zero reason to believe he didn't mean precisely what he said) what did he have to gain by saying that openly?

He's basically mocking the tour, that's what it all boils down to. I'm gonna play slow and outside of giving me an occasional warning, you're not gonna do a damned thing about it. In fact - I dare you. I'm #1 in the world, you need me more than I need you.

Imagine someone/anyone from the European Tour coming out and saying that. That player would have a huge bullseye on their back, the rules officials would make it a point to follow him closely and make an example out of him the first chance they get.

But not the privileged American tour players. Nope. Might as well put those stop watches away, refs. We now have a precedent with a privileged player who is making light of the fact that it's all just a meaningless charade anyway.

sdandrea1

PA-PLAYA

Not to mention the example he is setting for the youth that admire him. Heck, let's teach the kids that slow play is OK. Good grief, already.

Spuzz

PA-PLAYA He's basically mocking the tour

This is likely a part of it, but to me, he is also saying why should he be a "lone wolf" and change his ways when nobody else is, or nobody is being penalized.
I think he is saying he plays better when he is at his own pace, has tried to play faster and done worse, so he"s reverting back to old form until such time that the field is forced to change as a group.
I don't think he is saying he is advocating slow play, rather a can't beat them join them viewpoint.
Maybe he is challenging the tour to actually do something by going public with his comments?
He really didn't need to say a thing at all unless he had a point to make.

ode

These guys are so obsessed with being perfect....Like they can't get out of their own heads. Makes me appreciate DJ a lot more, seems to me he makes a decision and hits the ball. Same with Rory and Fowler....At least from memory, these guys have the work done (yardage, club, etc) and are ready to hit when it is their turn, do their routine and hit.

Hit the ball....Mate!

PA-PLAYA

The kicker... these guys go out as 2-somes and 3-somes most of the time. Then on those rare occasions, you'll see a single player go out with a marker when the number of players in the field have an odd number, like if someone withdraws the night before, etc... that single plays the complete round in 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Yet these guys are needing 5+ hours on the weekend, going out as 2-somes? WTF!

I really like Jason... comes across as a good fella, very likable, and you can't help but admire his story, what he went through as a kid, to get to where he is today. But man... this guy goes through spells where he's almost as bad as Keegan. And for him to come out and say that it's gonna get worse? He loses some points with me over that. He was basically telling the sports writers that because he's forewarned them - he doesn't want to be reading any negative press about his slow play. I mean - the tour ain't gonna do anything about it. And if the tour ain't gonna address it, then the media shouldn't be wasting their ink on the issue as it pertains to him. I think that was his real intent.

But it's not just Jason. It's a lot of those guys. Nicklaus was notoriously slow. Tiger was never a rabbit... he got a pass because he was Tiger, he was immune from that scrutiny just like Jack was. Furyk, Holmes, Bradley, Spieth, Zach Johnson, the list goes on and on. They play miserably slow because they're allowed to. And if this new commish doesn't read what one of his players just said and maybe reconsider that maybe the policy does need to be actively enforced - then they deserve every bad television rating they get. That's a big part of why people like me have stopped watching most televised golf... it's just too painful to endure most of the time.

PA-PLAYA

Spuzz

Very good viewpoints. The latter part of your first sentence is probably right on the money.

ode

Is the 40 secs (50 if first to play in the group)....Once they've addresses the ball?

PA-PLAYA

ode

The prevailing issue is that there seems to be no apparent standard. Typically, a group that has fallen behind is put on the clock and each player is afforded 40 seconds to execute their respective shots. More to the point is the unwillingness of the PGA Tour to penalize players for not adhering to the 40-second timeline.

Quite frankly, the 40 second rule, or even if extended to 50 seconds for the initial player who is away, isn't being enforced. And to my understanding, the time limit is supposedly enforced once it is determined who is away.

Either way, this additional 10 seconds either permitted or disallowed isn't the issue, be it 40-50 seconds or whatever for the first player. It's the fact that these guys aren't being pressed/timed/penalized when they technically fall out of position, with the latter part of the "penalized" aspect historically not being enforced.

In summary, 50 seconds (even if this is the standard for the first player) is seldomly observed by the slow player in the group.

The PGA Tour's policy is so conditional that it reveals an unwillingness to deal with the issue imo.

ode

IMO 40-50 seconds is not a lot of time once player and caddie get to the ball....If we are taking into account figuring yardage, club selection, and then routine and hitting shot....If we are talking once club is pulled then yeah, 40 is plenty of time. It really does not make sense the 40 vs. 50.....The guys waiting should be doing all that stuff at the same time, less preshot routine and hitting. All I know is these guys are slow, redicilously slow.