pep in your step
Eddie Pepperell reveals shocking pace of play fines on DP World Tour
Stuart Franklin
It looks like they’re doing it right on the other side of the pond. While PGA Tour pros take their sweet time setting up putts and deciding on clubs, the DP World Tour has become ruthless in its crackdown on slow play. DP must stand for Don’t Procrastinate.
Golf guy and musician extraordinaire Sam Harrop brought up the strict pace of play rules on the DP World Tour and was flooded by comments breaking down just how tough (in a good way) the European tour can be.
"One player paid over £100k in slow play fines on the DPWT last year,” Eddie Pepperell replied. “No prisoners out here … Fines do work. Pace of play out here is no longer an issue.”
The Twitter/X commenters took their guess, but mum’s the word for Pepperell regarding which specific player paid these punishments.
David Howell, chairman of the European Tour's Tournament Committee, backed up EP’s claims stating that penalties, along with cash considerations, have been very helpful in keeping play moving. A two-shot penalty would certainly give us a sense of urgency.
“If you are ignorant enough to ignore all the slow play rules you can rack up a two shot penalty this year on the DP world tour. We do take slow play seriously,” Howell said. “2 bad times in a week gets you a one shot penalty, if 1 of those breaches was over 80 seconds for 1st to play or 70 secs if 2nd 2 play which is considered and EST (excessive shot time) then the 2 breach would mean the player incurs a two shot penalty. Unlikely but not impossible.”
Howell went on to say that the play at the Ras al Khaimah Championship on Friday finished 25 minutes faster than the allocated time allowance and that the first groups finished 18 holes in four hours and 11 minutes.
It just goes to show you that players will get a move on when their wallet is in danger. Not surprising, but it’s nice to know that someone has a solution.