Photo via usga.org
New efforts to reduce the pace of play on a golf round have risen thanks to a joint effort between the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).
The effort is focused on data analytics; and both organizations have conducted research in order to achieve the goal of reducing the average round time. As a result of their collaborations, the USGA and LPGA have reduced the average round time by 14 minutes for the 2014 LPGA season.
New techniques and concepts have been adopted in the pursuit of reducing the average tee time. Time par sheets are created for each tournament that represents the time allotted for lead groups to finish each hole during a round. Other groups in the field are responsible for maintaining its position on the course in relation to the groups before them. Officials can warn or time a group if they are holding up other golfers from finishing their position.
The USGA now monitors the pace at all of its national championships and has seen the most improvement from the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open. Where the average playing time for groups of three for the 2012 championship at Blackwolf Run for the first two rounds was 5 hours and 40 minutes, the average time for the Pinehurst No. 2 for the first two round of the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open was 30 minutes less.
“At last year’s Pace of Play Symposium, we discussed the importance of starting-time intervals as well as setting aggressive requirements for the pace of the lead group,” said USGA’s Technical Director, Matt Pringle, in a press conference.
“We were happy that the LPGA focused on these areas to improve flow during their tournaments, and set a policy that can serve as a model for the industry.”