The LPGA announced Thursday the creation of a new pace-of-play policy, which will go into effect in March.
The current policy issues fines for players who are 1-10 seconds over the allotted time, and a two-stroke penalty for those who are more than 11 seconds over.
The new policy adds in a one-stroke penalty and is stated as such:
- 1-5 seconds over: Fine
- 6-15 seconds over: One-stroke penalty
- 16 seconds or more: Two-stroke penalty
The tour also stated that it will continue to allow an extra 10 seconds for the first player to hit on par 3s, approach shots and putts. But it will no longer allow that additional time to hit first on par 4s and par 5s (except on what it deems “reachable” par 4s).
Officials can still issue groups a single warning per round before the group — or individual players — are timed.
A Pace of Play Committee met multiples times in the offseason and players were sent a memo earlier this year, outlining the update.
According to the memo, the LPGA fined 22 players for slow play in 2024 while nine players received two-shot penalties. But had the new policy been in effect, there would have been 23 one-stroke penalties and eight two-stroke penalties.
“Based on a data-backed approach and direct player input, this policy now acts as a stronger deterrent, ensuring players take warnings seriously before penalties become necessary,” said LPGA Player President Vicki Goetze-Ackerman in Thursday’s statement.
The new policy will go into effect after the tour’s three-event Asia swing, beginning with the Ford Championship, March 27-30. The developmental Epson Tour will also implement the policy for that week’s IOA Championship.
