How Slow Do the Pros Play? Well, the Korn Ferry Tour Just Published the Data

Pace of play is an issue at every level of golf. For us amateurs, I live by an old boss’ motto: If you’re gonna suck, suck fast. But that’s not exactly feasible out on the PGA TOUR and other circuits where the field is competing for millions of dollars and their livelihoods hang in the balance.

Instead, the TOUR is hoping that a little accountability is the solution to its problem.

Back in November, the TOUR’s Policy Board approved the publication of the Korn Ferry Tour’s pace-of-play data. On Tuesday, those numbers were released. Along with an overall speed of play metric, four other categories are listed and tracked: Speed of Play: Off the Tee, SOP: Approach the Green, SOP: Around the Green, and SOP: On the Green.

According to PGATOUR.com, "Average Stroke Time is the amount of elapsed time from when the preceding player makes his stroke to the time the player makes his stroke."

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Mitchell Meissner, ranked 17th in overall pace of play on the KFT and a member of the KFT Player Advisory Council, hopes that fans realize how fast they play despite what’s on the line.

“I hope the fans will be surprised by how quickly the majority of us play, especially considering all the necessary decisions it takes to play one shot and the significant consequences at stake out here,” he said.

It’s yet to be decided when the TOUR will roll out the same statistics, but like the ABS system in Major League Baseball, it only feels like a matter of time.

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