Slow Play on the PGA Tour, Tiger Shares His Opinion

[iacas]

I think the LPGA handed out some penalties recently (within the past few years) as well. The PGA Tour should take a lesson from them.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Dave H

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Whether or not Tiger is a slow player and a hypocrite or a player concerned about the Tour on television, one thing is certain. He should spend more time worrying about his golf game than slow play, belly putters, and justifying his Major Championship tantrums. Just play golf, Tiger. Let the Tour sort out the details. If this was Phil or Bubba, the Tiger fanboys would be trashing them left and right, but now? Let's all talk about this new problem called "slow play".

As I recall, last time Tiger tried to not answer questions from the media, he got blasted for that too. Something about Miceli and death stares comes to mind.

Was that the last time or was that sandwiched between the event he withdrew from then escaped in a getaway car and the one where he release a pre-recorded statement?

Originally Posted by jamo

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Whether or not Tiger is a slow player and a hypocrite or a player concerned about the Tour on television, one thing is certain. He should spend more time worrying about his golf game than slow play, belly putters, and justifying his Major Championship tantrums. Just play golf, Tiger. Let the Tour sort out the details. If this was Phil or Bubba, the Tiger fanboys would be trashing them left and right, but now? Let's all talk about this new problem called "slow play".

Well now we're getting into the "we don't want our athletes to be robots but let's jump all over them when they actually profess an opinion on something" territory, no? He was asked a question, and he answered it. I doubt slow play keeps him up at night or he spends his free time trying to crack the slow play code.

I'd like to think if Phil or Bubba said this I'd have the same reaction (as long as it wasn't Ben Crane). We seem to have a new slow play thread here every week, after all.

I think Tiger spends as much time worrying about slow play (and that event in 2009 when Padraig melted down) as Bubba spends wondering why Tiger is so obssessed with swing mechanics.

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Whether or not Tiger is a slow player and a hypocrite or a player concerned about the Tour on television, one thing is certain. He should spend more time worrying about his golf game than slow play, belly putters, and justifying his Major Championship tantrums. Just play golf, Tiger. Let the Tour sort out the details. If this was Phil or Bubba, the Tiger fanboys would be trashing them left and right, but now? Let's all talk about this new problem called "slow play".

I don't think he's calling press conferences just to talk about slow play.

And I'll support anyone, even Rory Sabbatini, who is against slow play (on the topic of slow play, at least).

I agree - just thought it was funn is all.

Originally Posted by iacas

I think the LPGA handed out some penalties recently (within the past few years) as well. The PGA Tour should take a lesson from them.

The LPGA should outlaw caddies helping with alignment and advice for both tours and that would go a long way to eliminating the problem.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

The LPGA should outlaw caddies helping with alignment and advice for both tours and that would go a long way to eliminating the problem.

Absolutely. The lining up by caddies who then step away and try to be invisible mid step is the lamest look in golf.

[brocks]

I was a bit shocked to see Morgan Pressel get penalized for slow play on the par 3 12th hole.  She won the hole to go 3 up, and then was informed on the next tee box that she had violated rules and was penalized by the loss of that hole.  So she ended up being 1up instead of 3 up. The Golf Network seemed alarmed a bit by this, as if this is pretty rare.

An [url=http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/pressel-endures-slow-play-penalties/?hj=xfs]article[/url] on their website says that the LPGA assessed penalties five times last year. It also says that you are penalized for your first bad time on the clock; no warnings. Apparently she was allowed 120 seconds for three shots on a par three hole, and took 129 seconds. So it looks like the LPGA has already implemented what people here are saying the PGA should do, i.e. a no-warning policy that is actually enforced, and all it did was slow play even more, as Pressel retaliated by accusing her opponent of touching her line, which took a lot longer to sort out than the nine seconds extra she took on 12.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by brocks

An article on their website says that the LPGA assessed penalties five times last year. It also says that you are penalized for your first bad time on the clock; no warnings. Apparently she was allowed 120 seconds for three shots on a par three hole, and took 129 seconds.

So it looks like the LPGA has already implemented what people here are saying the PGA should do, i.e. a no-warning policy that is actually enforced, and all it did was slow play even more, as Pressel retaliated by accusing her opponent of touching her line, which took a lot longer to sort out than the nine seconds extra she took on 12.

Yup.  And during the final match, they discussed the 5 times over the past 2 seasons, and 3 times this season.  They also strongly implied (as did Munoz), that Munoz was the reason for most of the slow play, but when they were on the clock, it happened to be Pressel who was slow.

I wonder about the warning thing, though.  The announcers suggested that they had been warned earlier in the round, but you are saying they weren't.

Brandon

[brocks]

I wonder about the warning thing, though.  The announcers suggested that they had been warned earlier in the round, but you are saying they weren't.

That's how I interpreted the article I linked to. But I didn't watch the match, and I don't follow the LPGA, so I have no idea what their rules are.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by brocks

Quote:

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I was a bit shocked to see Morgan Pressel get penalized for slow play on the par 3 12th hole.  She won the hole to go 3 up, and then was informed on the next tee box that she had violated rules and was penalized by the loss of that hole.  So she ended up being 1up instead of 3 up. The Golf Network seemed alarmed a bit by this, as if this is pretty rare.

An article on their website says that the LPGA assessed penalties five times last year. It also says that you are penalized for your first bad time on the clock; no warnings. Apparently she was allowed 120 seconds for three shots on a par three hole, and took 129 seconds.

So it looks like the LPGA has already implemented what people here are saying the PGA should do, i.e. a no-warning policy that is actually enforced, and all it did was slow play even more, as Pressel retaliated by accusing her opponent of touching her line, which took a lot longer to sort out than the nine seconds extra she took on 12.

The article says she was allowed 100 (3 x 90 + 10) and she was over by 29 seconds. It sounds like as a group they were 8 minutes behind and Pressel was slow on that hole. She shoulda seen it coming.

She also appears to sort of call Munoz a "loser".

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

She also appears to sort of call Munoz a "loser".

Be careful not to take that out of context. She was asked if she was going to root for Munoz in the final & she said, paraphrasing, that she doesn't like losing to someone who goes on to lose the finals match - she wants to lose to the eventual winner. She said, I believe, "I don't want to lose to a loser." meaning what I just posted - she wanted Munoz to win her finals match.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

She also appears to sort of call Munoz a "loser".

Be careful not to take that out of context. She was asked if she was going to root for Munoz in the final & she said, paraphrasing, that she doesn't like losing to someone who goes on to lose the finals match - she wants to lose to the eventual winner. She said, I believe, "I don't want to lose to a loser." meaning what I just posted - she wanted Munoz to win her finals match.

I actually did not take it out of context, since I said "sort of" which is exactly the case, but thanks for the warning.

You don't know what she meant any more than I do, but based on the tone of the article and quotes in general, I suspect she was calling Munoz a loser even if it was good natured. You have your opinion and I have mine.

[zipazoid]

I didn't say you took it out of context. I said be careful not to.

Quote:

You don't know what she meant any more than I do, but based on the tone of the article and quotes in general, I suspect she was calling Munoz a loser even if it was good natured. You have your opinion and I have mine.

I watched the interview on GC. It was clear - at least to me - what she was trying to convey. She wasn't calling Munoz a loser. She was saying she wanted to Munoz to win her match so she wouldn't have to 'lose to a loser'. She wanted to lose to the winner of the tournament, that's what she was trying to say. I'm not trying to argue...I'm just saying it was very clear to me what she was saying.

So if you didn't see the interview & I did, I would say that I may have a better understanding of what she was saying, since I saw her say it as opposed to reading it. Try to catch the video & then tell me what you think she meant.

Here's the link to the video - I can't get it to play but it could be due to the firewall here at my office. Maybe it will play for you -

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/lpga-web-hit-052012-sybase-match-play-championship-pressel-sound/

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zipazoid

I didn't say you took it out of context. I said be careful not to.

Quote:

You don't know what she meant any more than I do, but based on the tone of the article and quotes in general, I suspect she was calling Munoz a loser even if it was good natured. You have your opinion and I have mine.

I watched the interview on GC. It was clear - at least to me - what she was trying to convey. She wasn't calling Munoz a loser. She was saying she wanted to Munoz to win her match so she wouldn't have to 'lose to a loser'. She wanted to lose to the winner of the tournament, that's what she was trying to say. I'm not trying to argue...I'm just saying it was very clear to me what she was saying.

So if you didn't see the interview & I did, I would say that I may have a better understanding of what she was saying, since I saw her say it as opposed to reading it. Try to catch the video & then tell me what you think she meant.

Here's the link to the video - I can't get it to play but it could be due to the firewall here at my office. Maybe it will play for you -

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/lpga-web-hit-052012-sybase-match-play-championship-pressel-sound/

Like I said, 1.) That's right, I didn't, but thanks for the warning and 2.) Knowing what I do about Morgan Pressel I'll definitely check out the video and until then you have your opinion and I have mine.

[Golfingdad]

FWIW ...

"I hope she wins because I don't like losing to losers," she said. "I hope she pulls through for her first victory."

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

FWIW ...

"I hope she wins because I don't like losing to losers," she said. "I hope she pulls through for her first victory."

So thus far Munoz has in fact been . . . a loser?!?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

So thus far Munoz has in fact been . . . a loser?!?

It could zertainly be taken that way, although zertain people will probably disagree.

[Shorty]

I'd have her disqualified for calling a tee a "tee box".

[bplewis24]

Just an FYI, I watched the entire live coverage, and Pressel also met Munoz at the final hole to congratulate her on her victory.  Not that I'm saying everything Pressel does it completely sincere, as there were several insincere vibes I got from her that day, but I don't think she meant to be vindictive or mean.

Brandon

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

I think the LPGA handed out some penalties recently (within the past few years) as well. The PGA Tour should take a lesson from them.

According to a Tim Rosaforte article from Golf Digest (on Facebook), there have been 9 penalties assessed on the LPGA tour (counting Pressel) since the beginning of 2008.  The last PGA player assessed a stroke penalty for slow play was Glen Day at the 1995 Honda Classic, 17 years ago.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

According to a Tim Rosaforte article from Golf Digest (on Facebook), there have been 9 penalties assessed on the LPGA tour (counting Pressel) since the beginning of 2008.  The last PGA player assessed a stroke penalty for slow play was Glen Day at the 1995 Honda Classic, 17 years ago.

That is startling.  And I'm guessing there will be empirical data to support my assumption that PGA tour players are significantly slower players than LPGA tour players?