PGA Tour Introduces New Leaderboard Function To Help Battle Against Slow Play

The PGA Tour leaderboard had a new timing function on it for the Rocket Classic in a bid to tackle slow play

Rocket Classic leaderboard
(Image credit: Getty Images/PGA Tour)
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Big fans of PGA Tour leaderboards may have noticed a new addition at the Rocket Classic, with new timing stats introduced as part of the plan to speed up slow play.

The average time it takes groups to play each hole has been recorded at Detroit Golf Club and are available for fans to check on the PGA Tour leaderboard.

Group times for nine and 18 holes are also being monitored and displayed, with information being published on individuals and group timings seen as a key way of combating slow play.

The Golf Monthly team have had their own suggestions to eradicate slow play, and now the PGA Tour have started making moves it hopes will speed play up heading into 2026.

“It’s an area we’re committed to addressing on behalf of those fans as well as our players and our partners,” PGA Tour chief marketing and communications officer Andy Weitz said ahead of the Rocket Classic.

“We know there are a lot of things that go into the speed of play equation, but we’re committed to finding the right solutions and tackling it from every angle.”

The LPGA Tour has introduced a season-long slow play tracker to help with pace of play, with punishments handed out if players continually get slow times.

Shot penalties are also being introduced, with some handed out at the US Women's Open qualifers this year.

Shots are seen as the only viable punishment, with the likes of Collin Morikawa stating that just handing out fines will not bring about change on the PGA Tour.

"What I've learned is that monetary fines are useless," said Morikawa. "We make so much money, and some guys frankly couldn't care less about.

"I think what is there to hide, right? If you're slow, you know you're slow. I mean, if you don't know, then there's an issue.

"To me, there's no issue with letting it out, right. It's only going to make things better because then you're either going to have a target on you, put a little more pressure and hopefully you pick it up, or you get penalized."

PGA Tour star Byeong Hun An agreed that only penalty strokes would help speed up slow players, with fines nowhere near enough.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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