LPGA Slow Play 2025

“It’s ridiculous and I feel sorry for the fans how slow it is out there.” - Charley Hull

There is much at stake for professional golfers, the prize money is life changing for many of them.  The LPGA Tour announced a record-breaking total prize money of $131 million for the entire 2025 season. Comprising 35 events, it is the largest total purse in the 75-year history of the LPGA. The five signature events account for over $47 million of the $131 million purse. Women’s professional golf is still well short of the PGA’s $400 million plus prize money, but the growing popularity of the LPGA cannot be overlooked. 

Sport or Entertainment

Sport is both so my friends say, entertainment because of the moans and groans, and sport because it’s great for the community, and when your favourites win. Entertainment dollars count, the smaller the audience, the fewer dollars you get. Sport at the professional level is very expensive. These days, sport at all levels and the cost-of-living matters to everyone. The flow of dollars toward your sport must be monitored closely, the LPGA is no exception.

Slow Play

Slow play bugs the fans. Anything that gets in the way of the entertainment value of sport minimises the flow of dollars. Charley Hull was thinking of the fans when she made her slow play comments. She has a point, a significant one. Fans on the course and viewers at home are frustrated at slow play. On our public course, beginners abound, seniors of retirement age visit regularly each week, me included. Chamberlain Park is very popular and very busy at times.  

How come, when a group of four, sometimes five, I’ve even seen two groups join up; they can finish a round in three and half hours or up to just over four hours. Yes, I know four is the max, but Chamberlain being Chamberlain, is what you get on our public course. It is a very sociable and fun course to play.

Why can’t the LPGA professional golfers finish in a reasonable four hours when the largest group number is three? To complete a round at the Anika in November last year in five and half hours is inexcusable. Is it any wonder Charley Hull spoke loudly against slow play. Brutal, were the penalties she proposed, three-time penalties and you are off the tour, back to Q school. Go Charley!

Time Penalties

LPGA paid attention to the signals, from Charley, from fans and from the bottom line. Recently, new rules were introduced. If a player exceeds the time by 1 to 5 seconds, she will receive a fine. Exceed it by 6 to 15 seconds, she will receive a one stroke penalty. Exceed it by 16 seconds or more, she will receive a two-stroke penalty. Seems reasonable to me, not brutal at all.

The Majors Key Dates

1. Chevron Championship: April 24-27, 2025

2. U.S. Women's Open: May 29 - June 1, 2025

3. KPMG Women's PGA Championship: June 19-22, 2025

4. Amundi Evian Championship: July 10-13, 2025

5. AIG Women's Open: July 31 - August 3, 2025

Wind Up

It's an exciting time for the LPGA Tour with increased prize money and the new time rules. Charley Hull and us fans will be looking forward to tournaments without unnecessary time delays.