On November 18, the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council approved a series of controversial changes set to take effect in 2026. These adjustments aim to make the tour more competitive and enhance the pace of play. However, the proposals have not been well-received, with notable critics including Hank Haney, the renowned swing coach who worked with Tiger Woods from 2004 to 2010. During that time, Woods won 34 PGA Tour titles and eight majors.
Haney has not written an in-depth critique of the changes but offered a sharp response to a tweet by Ryan Ballengee, the owner of Golf News Net. Ballengee had expressed a desire for the PGA Tour to enforce stricter penalties for slow play. He suggested replacing fines with public stroke penalties, arguing this would hold players accountable and discourage slow play, which he believes is damaging the sport at all levels, from professionals to juniors. His tweet read: “[P]rofessional tours need to penalize slow players publicly with strokes, not privately with fines. Make slow players into pariahs. They’re ruining competitive golf, all the way down to juniors.”
Haney responded succinctly, stating, “Very good point,” signaling his agreement with the sentiment. Haney has previously criticized the PGA Tour’s motives, alleging that recent changes are primarily designed to funnel more money to top players.
Very good point https://t.co/SL0WlawWqo
— Hank Haney (@HankHaney) November 20, 2024
Interestingly, Haney’s stance aligns with the views of his former pupil, Tiger Woods. In 2012, Woods advocated for stroke penalties to combat slow play, stating, “Very simple. If you get a warning, you get a penalty. I think that would speed it up.” While Woods is currently a player-director on the PGA Tour, he is not a member of the Player Advisory Council, and it is unclear what role, if any, he played in shaping the latest policies.
Critics argue that the proposed changes fall short of addressing slow play. The PGA Tour’s stated objectives include making the competition more intense and improving the overall product. However, the council has also attempted to link the changes to the issue of pace of play, a connection many find unconvincing. Despite these goals, nearly every tournament this year experienced delays due to insufficient daylight, highlighting the persistent problem.
One proposed solution is reducing the field size, theoretically speeding up play by having fewer golfers on the course. While logical on paper, this measure does not directly incentivize players to quicken their pace. Furthermore, the idea of imposing fines for excessive average stroke time remains under discussion. This policy would penalize players whose average time per stroke over four rounds exceeds 12 seconds beyond the field average. Under this plan, players would receive two warnings, followed by a $5,000 fine for a third violation and $10,000 for each subsequent infraction.
However, reliance on fines has proven ineffective in curbing slow play. This approach has drawn criticism from players such as Lucas Glover, who called the proposals “an insult to their intelligence.” Similarly, Charley Hull has advocated for stricter penalties in the LPGA Tour, but such calls have largely gone unheeded.
While the council’s intent to address slow play is evident, many argue that the proposed measures fail to tackle the root of the problem. The debate continues, with both players and fans calling for more meaningful reforms to preserve the integrity and pace of the sport.