Shot clock penalties to punish the dawdlers

PLAYERS will be given a maximum of 40 seconds to take their shots at a European Tour tournament in the most radical move yet to tackle the horrendous blight of slow play. A shot clock punishing dawdling players will be trialled at next year’s Austrian Open, with one official estimating it will speed up rounds by 45 minutes. If that happens, it is hard to believe it would not be introduced at every tournament in the world. The idea stems from the shot clock introduced on one hole at the GolfSixes event at St Albans in May where it proved to be a great success. The problem for the Tour was how to implement the principle on every hole in a regular tournament, but they have worked on a solution. A referee will walk with every group and time every stroke. Players will be allowed 40 seconds for each shot and receive the equivalent of a yellow card for a first offence. Every subsequent breach will see them docked a penalty stroke. At last, someone has got serious about slow play. ‘The idea was floated at a players’ meeting on Tuesday night and it received unanimous support,’ said the official, a view backed by Lee Westwood. ‘What a brilliant idea, and long overdue,’ the Englishman told Sportsmail. Golf’s leading bodies have tiptoed pitifully around the subject for years without ever doing anything meaningful. Westwood’s Ryder Cup team-mate Andy Sullivan was another huge advocate at St Albans. ‘It underlines how long 40 seconds is to play a shot and how ridiculous it is that rounds take so long,’ he said. ‘The sooner it’s introduced on tour, the better.’