Charley Hull fires a warning shot: She is demanding tough sanctions against professional golfers who consistently hold up play. From multi-month suspensions to the revocation of their tour card – the Brit wants to put a stop to slow play on the tours. A drastic announcement that is already stirring up the golf world.
For Hull, it's clear: A first offense should mean a three-month mandatory suspension, and up to a year for the next time. Anyone caught three times should have their tour card revoked – back to Qualifying School. Her logic? Only such consequences would truly motivate players to pick up the pace. And as if that weren't enough, she suggests smaller fields of about 100 players and twosomes on weekends to improve the pace of play.
Tough Penalties on the Course
The debate about snail's pace is not new, but it has just intensified again. At the recent Buick LPGA Shanghai, Carlota Ciganda and Noh Ye-rin received two-stroke penalties for pace-of-play violations. A clear signal that the LPGA is taking the issue seriously. Even in 2025, rules were tightened here: Anyone exceeding the time limit by 1–5 seconds incurs a penalty. For 6–15 seconds, there's an additional stroke, and from 16 seconds, it's directly two penalty strokes.
The Persistent Problem of Slow Play
But even with these rules, things don't always run smoothly. Just recall the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson took an incredible three hours and 10 minutes for nine holes. Of course, challenging wind and a tricky course were factors, but it shows: Slow play is a persistent issue that annoys many golfers. Charley Hull, herself known for her quick play, has had enough. Her demand is a wake-up call that is now putting considerable pressure on the tours.
