Rory McIlroy believes that introducing a shot clock in PGA Tour events would be a really cool innovation after implementing it in the TGL.
In the TGL players on each team have 40 seconds to play their shots. Even 40 seconds is arguably too long to make the players maintain a quick rhythm but in comparison to the slow play epidemic on the PGA Tour, it is a welcome addition to the TGL product.
On Sunday at Pebble Beach, Tom Kim took over 40 seconds to even address his golf ball and was comfortably over a minute before he eventually played his shot. At the American Express Championship it took the final 3-ball three hours to complete nine holes. Irish Golfer Magazine touted the idea of trialling a shot clock at tournaments after it was introduced to great effect in a series of other sports.
“Look, if you could somehow implement the shot clock in some way and be able to police it consistently, I think that would be a really cool thing. Much easier to do in this controlled environment compared to a golf course that spans 100 or 200 acres,” said McIlroy after his Boston Common side were beaten by LAGC at the TGL.
On Tuesday, Charley Hoffman released a letter to his fellow PGA Tour players criticising slow play and various other issues including wanting to play less but taking in other ventures instead of playing more PGA Tour events which in turn is diluting the product.
“Here’s something else to think about,” Hoffman wrote. “If we truly care about strengthening our Tour, we should be supporting as many PGA Tour events as we can. Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events, and that’s going to continue regardless of field size,” Hoffman wrote.
McIlroy hit back on Tuesday night: “I think the thing he forgot to mention is the PGA TOUR owns 20 percent of TGL, so he’s criticizing his own product. They also own a good chunk of European Tour Productions, so again — I thought some of the elements of the letter were fine, addressed some issues. He was criticizing the Aon Swing 5. He was sixth in that.
“He talks about having it be for the good of the TOUR, but he’s also talking about himself, as well. I thought a couple of them were pointed at me a little bit because TGL, Race to Dubai, non-PGA TOUR events like the Showdown that Scottie and I did in December, I’ve been vocal about not wanting to play quite as much so it seemed like it was pointed at me.
“Yeah, I mean, I guess all — look, what every player has to do is look out for themselves. We have to do what’s best for our own individual careers, and yes, at the back of our mind try to do whatever we can to help the TOUR, but I think the best way for any of us to help the TOUR is to tee it up and play as best we can.”
Leave a comment