War on dawdlers gathers pace

Thanks to everyone who emailed regarding last week’s column on slow play. There’s no question this is the most pressing issue to vex the mind of the average golfer, the single most off-putting thing about the modern game.

so, have we seen a real breakthrough at last? What happened over four days at the shot Clock Masters in austria was positively eye-opening. a low-key European Tour event that normally receives next to no coverage deservedly drew widespread praise all around the world, with no1 Dustin Johnson leading the resounding applause.

Just look at the startling figures. Thanks to the players being timed on every shot, rounds were reduced by more than 30 minutes over the previous year. In round four, the field was taking less than threeand-a-half hours to play 18 holes. The golf was better, too, because the pros didn’t have time to dawdle and second-guess themselves. The scoring average of 72.24 was more than a full shot better than previous editions at the venue in question, Diamond Country Club.

The next test, of course, is to make it work at an event where all the top players, who are used to getting their own way, are competing.

But you sense the European Tour’s CEO keith Pelley has got the bit between his teeth on this one. If the Canadian’s most lasting contribution proves a tour where everyone plays at a pace more respectful of their fellow competitors and the watching public, what a legacy it would be.