Just a few days ago, Charley Hull delivered an impressive performance at The ANNIKA, finishing at T2 after four solid rounds. But even being at her best couldn’t shield herself from a familiar frustration: slow play. After a grueling third round that stretched nearly five hours and 40 minutes, extending into darkness, Hull was clearly fed up.

“I’m quite ruthless,” she said afterward. “If you get three bad timings, every time it’s a two-shot penalty. If you have three of them, you lose your [LPGA] Tour card instantly.” According to Hull, the fear of losing a Tour card would “kill the slow play” problem for good.

Bold? Sure. But frustration can lead to strong words. Still, when asked if she’d take the lead in solving slow play, as one of the fastest players on the Tour, perhaps chairing a committee to tackle it. She wasn’t exactly interested. “I am one of the people that I don’t really like to go on committees; I have too much involvement.” Hull admitted after her second round at the CME Group Tour Championship. Though outspoken about her frustrations, Hull prefers to stay away from the nitty-gritty of policymaking. “I’ll say my piece, but I’m not really the brains behind that all. I just kind of like doing my own thing.”

Hull did mention how much she enjoyed playing in twosomes during the CME. For someone as fast-paced as she is, fewer players mean quicker rounds and more fun—“better for the crowds,” as she put it. But the irony is hard to ignore. Hull, a vocal critic of slow play, isn’t eager to spearhead efforts to fix it. It’s not that she doesn’t care—she just doesn’t want to get bogged down in the politics of it all. It takes a toll on you and your game, ask Rory McIlroy.

And when it comes to slow play, Hull isn’t alone. Big names like Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson have backed the idea of stricter rules to speed up rounds as the pace of play is truly becoming a concern, highlighting just how fed up players are with slow play dragging the game down. “Honestly, I despise slow play,” said Korda on No Laying Up after her fifth 2024 win. She conveyed how it drives her up a “freaking wall” while indicating her distaste for the same, “I just can’t stand it,” added the pro.

“Players just need to be penalised. Rules officials need to watch from the first group. Once they get two minutes behind, one minute behind, it just slows everything down. To be standing over a putt for two to three minutes, that’s ridiculous. I think people just need to be ready faster. People start their process a little too late and they stand over it too long. Again, I think we need more people on the ground to monitor pace of play. I don’t think we have enough people to monitor it. I don’t disagree with it [Hull]’s comments. It has to be done. Something has to be done to quicken up the play out there, whether it’s fines or whatever it is. Needs to be done because we need to play quicker,” said Thompson on the serious issue.

Not wanting to resolve the issue by getting involved might be the crux of the issue. Many players, like Hull, prioritize action over bureaucracy, focusing on their game rather than committee debates. But here’s the thing: being one of the most vocal personalities in the golf world, Hull’s influence could make a real difference. Yet her reluctance to step up leaves the LPGA stuck with the same slow-play problem it’s been battling for years. So, what is it that can be done? 

LPGA Tour needs strict rules for better time management on course

The problem once again came up recently on the No Laying Up podcast, where the hosts didn’t hold back. They called out the LPGA, bluntly claiming that “LPGA is even worse than the PGA Tour” when it comes to slow play.

So, what’s the solution? According to the No Laying Up crew, a shot clock could be a game-changer. The idea is simple: give players a set time to take their shots, and if they go over, there are consequences. It’s a straightforward way to speed things up and make the game in favor of both players and fans alike.

While the PGA Tour is making bold moves like reducing the field size to improve the pace of play issues, the LPGA seems to be lagging when it comes to enforcing strict rules. A shot clock, or even clearer penalties for slow play, could be the bold move the LPGA needs to finally put this long-standing problem to rest. So, can the LPGA finally get a handle on this slow-play issue next season, or are we in for more frustrated soundbites from players? Only time will tell.

But what’s your take on the LPGA’s slow decision-making? Are stricter rules the answer, or is there another fix we’re missing? Let us know in the comments!