Charley Hull’s Tough Plan to Fix Slow Play in Golf Gets Support from Nelly Korda and Max Homa

British golfer Charley Hull, known for her brisk pace on the golf course, has recently voiced a strong opinion on how to address the pervasive issue of slow play in professional golf. At a recent press event during The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, Hull proposed a severe solution to the problem which has garnered the support of top golfers like Nelly Korda and Max Homa.

Hull’s suggestion was straightforward and stringent: “I’m quite ruthless but (my idea would be) if you get three bad timings, every time it’s a two-shot penalty. If you have three of them you lose your Tour card instantly. I’m sure that would hurry a lot of people up and they won’t want to lose their Tour card. That would kill the slow play, but they would never do that.” This bold proposal highlights her frustration with the current state of affairs where penalties for slow play are rarely enforced.

Nelly Korda and Max Homa Echo Hull’s Sentiments

World number one Nelly Korda, who clinched her seventh Tour title this season at The ANNIKA, also expressed concerns over the scheduling issues that led to players finishing rounds in diminishing light. “It’s kind of hard when you don’t really see. I think it was a little bit of poor planning by starting so late for us. Whenever you’re sitting on 18 and the sun is already down, I mean, it’s never nice,” Korda remarked.

Both Korda and PGA Tour player Max Homa found Hull’s ideas compelling enough to share her interview video on their Instagram stories, signaling a significant endorsement from fellow professionals. This virtual nod might help propel the discussion into more serious considerations within the golfing community.

The Ongoing Struggle with Pace of Play

Despite recent changes like the introduction of weekend cuts to speed up play in the final 36 holes of LPGA tournaments, the desired improvements have yet to be fully realized. The slow pace not only affects the players but also detracts from the fan experience, something Hull is acutely aware of. “It’s ridiculous. I feel sorry for the fans how slow it is out there. We were out there for five hours and 40 minutes in round three. We play in a four-ball at home on a hard golf course and we’re round in three and a half, four hours. It is pretty crazy,” she explained, voicing the general discontent among spectators and players alike.

The Implications of Hull’s Proposal

Hull’s proposal, if implemented, could indeed revolutionize the enforcement of pace policies in professional golf. The threat of significant penalties and the potential loss of a Tour card would likely lead to quicker rounds and more efficient tournament play. However, it also raises questions about fairness and the pressure it would place on players, especially under challenging conditions.

This ongoing conversation about slow play, spurred by Hull’s radical idea and supported by golf’s prominent figures like Korda and Homa, suggests a possible turning point in how professional golf addresses one of its most persistent issues. Whether Hull’s exact measures will be adopted remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the dialogue she has initiated is gaining momentum among those who can enact change.