The game of golf, maybe more specific the PGA Tour, has been ridiculed this season for how long it is taking rounds of golf to be played. The reports have gotten mainstream media attention, and has forced the PGA Tour to potentially put in place steps to hopefully speed up the game.

But is this issue overblown at the professional level?

Anyone who is a recreational golfer knows pace of play is an issue at your local course, but when it comes to the PGA Tour it might be getting blown out of proportion. That doesn’t mean other competing tours haven’t tried to capitalize on the struggles for the men’s tour.

Shortly after the Farmers Insurance Open, the LPGA Tour and LIV Golf put out their average pace of play to hopefully get some golf fans to come over to their proverbial side.

LPGA Average Round Time: 3 hours, 42 minutes

LIV Golf Average Round Time: 4 hours, 24 minutes

These times were made to look pristine after the final round of the aforementioned Farmers Insurance Open had winner Harris English’s Sunday round take 5 hours and 29 minutes to complete. When comparing apples to apples, it wasn’t a good look for the PGA Tour, and it was after this round, and public comments by people like Dottie Pepper, that the Tour tried to get players to speed up their pace of play.

However, as I watched Joe Highsmith win the Cognizant Classic this past weekend, I couldn’t help but realize what is on the line for these players. When you looked at the famed “Bear Trap” at the PGA National golf course, holes 15, 16 and 17, you saw how these three holes did some serious damage to the leaders at different times during the tournament.

Just as some examples, here was then-leader Taylor Montgomery playing the 15th:

The Bear Trap strikes! 😬

Taylor Montgomery stood on the tee box at No. 15 with a one shot lead @The_Cognizant. He left the hole three back.

📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/P8rwcsa66s

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 1, 2025

Here was then-leader Jake Knapp playing No. 15 on Sunday:

💦🪵💀 #WATER LOGGED — Jake Knapp ejects from the penalty area and makes TRIPLE bogey to fall 3 back of the lead. pic.twitter.com/4kkwb45asJ

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 2, 2025

My point is these courses are difficult, and I don’t mind them taking a little more time than usual to ensure they are putting their best foot forward. There are millions of dollars on the line, and when you look at how Knapp handled his situation on Sunday, I wouldn’t blame him if he took more time to make sure he made the right decision.

While these critical situations might equate in taking more time, it doesn’t mean there aren’t situations where players can speed up their game. Who remembers both Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na, and Brian Harmon taking 20+ “waggles” before actually hitting the golf ball? For a more recent example, here was Tom Kim earlier this season where he took over 1 minute after selecting his golf club to hitting it out of bounds.

42 seconds to approach it. 23 seconds at address. 1:05 from Tom Kim to pump it OB.

Golf has a serious problem. pic.twitter.com/dvrNUkOgWU

— Tim Preston (@TimmyTebrows) February 2, 2025

In these situations there are times when players can speed up their play. When they can practice more “ready golf” compared to what we see from some players on a weekly basis. But I can honestly say these players who take forever seem to be outliers, not the norm. Ultimately, I want to see players playing at a high level. I want to see birdies, not bogeys. If that means a player takes a few more seconds with his caddy when they are looking at a distance in between clubs, that’s not an issue with me.

As a golf fan, I want to be entertained, and as long as the pace of play isn’t glaring, I’m fine with these players avoiding big numbers by taking some extra time before shots. Now for recreational golf, the pace of play is getting out of hand, but that’s another article for another day.

Jeff Hartman is the host of the Fairways & Dreams podcast, and you can hear the latest show talking about this very topic, in the player below.