I am a fairly obsessed golf fan and watch almost every minute of the weekend action at many of the PGA Tour events on the schedule... but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the slow play epidemic that is plaguing the top level of the game.
I've already written about how pace of play is a serious problem on the PGA Tour and at some Major Championships, evidenced by the ludicrous six-hour rounds at the 2026 PGA Championship, but with the luxuries afforded to elite professionals I am struggling to accept that they can't make the situation better fairly easily.
I recently spent the day watching a full field of PGA Professionals battle it out at the PGA North tournament, hosted at my local club Sand Moor Golf Club, and let me tell you one thing - these guys certainly weren't slow!
As someone who plays Sand Moor regularly I can vouch for how difficult the test can be, challenging every area of your game throughout the round, so I was keen to see how quickly club pros conducted their business on the golf course.
I watched 100 golf shots on the course and tracked how long it took the pro to go through their pre-shot routine, step in and execute their shot... and the data casts serious doubts on why some of the best players in the game take so long!
The data from my investigation at the PGA North presents a stark contrast to the pedestrian pace of play that I regularly see on tour. These competitors, by comparison, where pretty rapid to be honest.
It's worth pointing out the parameters of my investigation before we get into the numbers.
I started the timer when the player was clear to play and it was their turn (for example, once their playing partner had hit and vacated the teeing area or the green had fully cleared ahead of them).
These are the same parameters I used for a similar experiment where I measured the pace of play at a PGA Tour event, which suggested that there were at least 26 instances of 'bad times' where players hadn't adhered to the pace of play policy.
After settling in at Sand Moor, I watched a total of 100 shots.
Of the 25 tee shots I witnessed, some professionals were taking as little as 25 seconds to hit. While others took up to 61 seconds, this was a real outlier and the average 'off the tee' time was a respectable 36 seconds.
A similar picture was seen on approach shots, with an impressive low-time of 12 seconds and a much less acceptable high of 90 seconds. The average once again measured around 36 seconds.
The fastest area of the game to complete was short game shots, ranging from 10 to 40 seconds barring one particular outlier that took 79 seconds (it was a particularly difficult shot over a bunker to a tight pin).
The slowest area of the game was putting, which is a similar picture to what I regularly see on the PGA Tour, but it was still much quicker than what we'd see from most top tour professionals.
The faster players were taking between 15 and 25 seconds to hit their putts, while the slower competitors took more like 50+.
1 / 4
Tee Shots
Time taken to hit a tee shot by pros at PGA North 2026
Time Taken (sec)
Tee Shot 1 49 Tee Shot 2 33 Tee Shot 3 55 Tee Shot 4 30 Tee Shot 5 33 Tee Shot 6 61 Tee Shot 7 52 Tee Shot 8 23 Tee Shot 9 25 Tee Shot 10 61 Tee Shot 11 20 Tee Shot 12 25 Tee Shot 13 32 Tee Shot 14 45 Tee Shot 15 25 Tee Shot 17 40 Tee Shot 16 28 Tee Shot 18 25 Tee Shot 19 33 Tee Shot 20 37 Tee Shot 21 46 Tee Shot 22 42 Tee Shot 23 25 Tee Shot 24 29 Tee Shot 25 34 020406080
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Tee Shot 1 | 49 |
| Tee Shot 2 | 33 |
| Tee Shot 3 | 55 |
| Tee Shot 4 | 30 |
| Tee Shot 5 | 33 |
| Tee Shot 6 | 61 |
| Tee Shot 7 | 52 |
| Tee Shot 8 | 23 |
| Tee Shot 9 | 25 |
| Tee Shot 10 | 61 |
| Tee Shot 11 | 20 |
| Tee Shot 12 | 25 |
| Tee Shot 13 | 32 |
| Tee Shot 14 | 45 |
| Tee Shot 15 | 25 |
| Tee Shot 17 | 40 |
| Tee Shot 16 | 28 |
| Tee Shot 18 | 25 |
| Tee Shot 19 | 33 |
| Tee Shot 20 | 37 |
| Tee Shot 21 | 46 |
| Tee Shot 22 | 42 |
| Tee Shot 23 | 25 |
| Tee Shot 24 | 29 |
| Tee Shot 25 | 34 |
Approach Shots
Time taken to hit an approach shot by pros at PGA North 2026
Time Taken (sec)
Approach Shot 1 66 Approach Shot 2 23 Approach Shot 3 25 Approach Shot 4 40 Approach Shot 5 49 Approach Shot 6 56 Approach Shot 7 90 Approach Shot 8 32 Approach Shot 9 37 Approach Shot 10 15 Approach Shot 11 31 Approach Shot 12 12 Approach Shot 13 42 Approach Shot 14 48 Approach Shot 15 31 Approach Shot 16 44 Approach Shot 17 39 Approach Shot 18 31 Approach Shot 19 32 Approach Shot 20 25 Approach Shot 21 29 Approach Shot 22 35 Approach Shot 23 24 Approach Shot 24 28 Approach Shot 25 36 0255075100
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Approach Shot 1 | 66 |
| Approach Shot 2 | 23 |
| Approach Shot 3 | 25 |
| Approach Shot 4 | 40 |
| Approach Shot 5 | 49 |
| Approach Shot 6 | 56 |
| Approach Shot 7 | 90 |
| Approach Shot 8 | 32 |
| Approach Shot 9 | 37 |
| Approach Shot 10 | 15 |
| Approach Shot 11 | 31 |
| Approach Shot 12 | 12 |
| Approach Shot 13 | 42 |
| Approach Shot 14 | 48 |
| Approach Shot 15 | 31 |
| Approach Shot 16 | 44 |
| Approach Shot 17 | 39 |
| Approach Shot 18 | 31 |
| Approach Shot 19 | 32 |
| Approach Shot 20 | 25 |
| Approach Shot 21 | 29 |
| Approach Shot 22 | 35 |
| Approach Shot 23 | 24 |
| Approach Shot 24 | 28 |
| Approach Shot 25 | 36 |
Short Game Shots
Time taken to hit a short game shot by pros at PGA North 2026
Time Taken (sec)
Short Game Shot 1 79 Short Game Shot 2 32 Short Game Shot 3 20 Short Game Shot 4 18 Short Game Shot 5 14 Short Game Shot 6 19 Short Game Shot 7 15 Short Game Shot 8 17 Short Game Shot 9 19 Short Game Shot 10 23 Short Game Shot 11 10 Short Game Shot 12 11 Short Game Shot 13 12 Short Game Shot 14 24 Short Game Shot 15 10 Short Game Shot 16 17 Short Game Shot 17 19 Short Game Shot 18 31 Short Game Shot 19 25 Short Game Shot 20 27 Short Game Shot 21 40 Short Game Shot 22 19 Short Game Shot 23 25 Short Game Shot 24 31 Short Game Shot 25 25 020406080
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Short Game Shot 1 | 79 |
| Short Game Shot 2 | 32 |
| Short Game Shot 3 | 20 |
| Short Game Shot 4 | 18 |
| Short Game Shot 5 | 14 |
| Short Game Shot 6 | 19 |
| Short Game Shot 7 | 15 |
| Short Game Shot 8 | 17 |
| Short Game Shot 9 | 19 |
| Short Game Shot 10 | 23 |
| Short Game Shot 11 | 10 |
| Short Game Shot 12 | 11 |
| Short Game Shot 13 | 12 |
| Short Game Shot 14 | 24 |
| Short Game Shot 15 | 10 |
| Short Game Shot 16 | 17 |
| Short Game Shot 17 | 19 |
| Short Game Shot 18 | 31 |
| Short Game Shot 19 | 25 |
| Short Game Shot 20 | 27 |
| Short Game Shot 21 | 40 |
| Short Game Shot 22 | 19 |
| Short Game Shot 23 | 25 |
| Short Game Shot 24 | 31 |
| Short Game Shot 25 | 25 |
Putts
Time taken to hit a putt by pros at PGA North 2026
Time Taken (sec)
Putt 1 52 Putt 2 56 Putt 3 31 Putt 4 37 Putt 5 35 Putt 6 50 Putt 7 25 Putt 8 45 Putt 9 42 Putt 10 45 Putt 11 46 Putt 12 39 Putt 13 41 Putt 14 40 Putt 15 20 Putt 16 40 Putt 17 15 Putt 18 38 Putt 19 36 Putt 20 31 Putt 21 35 Putt 22 29 Putt 23 42 Putt 24 40 Putt 25 37 015304560
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Putt 1 | 52 |
| Putt 2 | 56 |
| Putt 3 | 31 |
| Putt 4 | 37 |
| Putt 5 | 35 |
| Putt 6 | 50 |
| Putt 7 | 25 |
| Putt 8 | 45 |
| Putt 9 | 42 |
| Putt 10 | 45 |
| Putt 11 | 46 |
| Putt 12 | 39 |
| Putt 13 | 41 |
| Putt 14 | 40 |
| Putt 15 | 20 |
| Putt 16 | 40 |
| Putt 17 | 15 |
| Putt 18 | 38 |
| Putt 19 | 36 |
| Putt 20 | 31 |
| Putt 21 | 35 |
| Putt 22 | 29 |
| Putt 23 | 42 |
| Putt 24 | 40 |
| Putt 25 | 37 |
I am aware that this sample size isn't indicative of every PGA pro at every PGA event, in the same way that pace of play is not a problem for every top tour pro, but it does paint an interesting picture to reflect on.
I must admit, watching proceedings at the PGA North tournament was like a breath of fresh air - and one notable difference was the absence of caddies.
The PGA Professionals in the field autonomously navigated their way around the golf course without the need to discuss every shot in detail with the person who carries their bag, which in turn improved the pace of play.
Don't get me wrong, some players in the field at the PGA North did have 'caddies', but their role appeared to more functional and limited to pushing the trolley or holding the umbrella.
The professionals on show at Sand Moor still went through a pre-shot routine, of varying lengths and degrees depending on the player, but in my experience it was consistently carried out swiftly without the need for minutes of discussion.
Elite professionals across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf seem to rely heavily on their caddie for support throughout the round, removing autonomy from the player and adding an unnecessary extra layer to the slow play problem.
As my colleague Joe Ferguson often says, perhaps it's time to get rid of caddies to improve slow play.
Another interesting point of difference, which you would think actually gives an advantage to tour professionals, was a lack of spectators on the ground at Sand Moor.
There were pockets of golf enthusiasts on certain holes, but nothing like the three-deep waves of fans lining every hole at elite tour events.
Golfers in the PGA North were required to search for their own ball and maintain an efficient pace of play at the same time, which makes you wonder why a pace of play problem exists when tour professionals have so many extra eyes on their golf ball.
It's clearly important to note that the difficulty level of the courses being played on PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf events will be more challenging than the test posed at tournaments of this standard - but with the added support the players receive I would argue that this should at least nett out. Sadly, it doesn't.
There is also the fact that top tour pros are competing for ludicrous amounts of prize money and potentially even Major titles, so you can understand on a human level why they might take a little longer over each shot.
We do, however, have to hold professionals to account and ensure they are adhering to pace of play policies and setting a good example for other golfers.
Slow play affects everyone, from those on the course to those spectating, so we must all do more to solve the issue.
If professionals at the PGA North can hit shots in an average of 33 seconds without caddies and ball spotters, tour professionals should be held accountable for why many of them struggle to achieve a similar standard.
