How it works: Revised Pace of Play policy for PGA TOUR Americas

The start of the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season also means the debut of a revised Pace of Play policy, one that has been adjusted in response to fan feedback and eventually could see wider implementation across PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition.

Through the Fan Forward Initiative, the PGA TOUR has learned that pace of play is one of the most important topics to its fans. In response to that feedback, the PGA TOUR has created a Speed of Play Working Group that will work alongside the PGA TOUR Player Advisory Council (PAC) and PAC Subcommittees to study this important topic.

One result of this group’s work is the revised Pace of Play policy that is being implemented on PGA TOUR Americas for the entirety of its 2025 season, starting in Argentina with the 93 Abierto Telecom del Centro presentado por Zurich (March 27-30). This policy will also be implemented on the Korn Ferry Tour, beginning at the LECOM Suncoast Classic in April, and through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour season in October. Data will be collected across the respective Tours to evaluate the overall impact on the pace of play. Below are further details on the revised policy and how it works:

Implementation of revised Pace of Play policy

Under the revised Pace of Play policy for the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season, the first offense of a “bad time” will now result in a one-stroke penalty. Under the previous policy, a one-stroke penalty was not applied until a player received a second “bad time.” A “bad time” occurs when a player exceeds the applicable time to play a stroke while being timed.

Under the revised policy, a second “bad time” will result in a two-stroke penalty and a third will result in disqualification.

Allotted time

Under the revised Pace of Play policy, a player is permitted 40 seconds to play a stroke, and an extra 10 seconds (for a total of 50 seconds) will be allowed for:

a) The first player to play a stroke on a par-3 hole
b) The first player to play a second stroke on a par-4 or par-5 hole
c) The first player to play a third stroke on a par-5 hole
d) The first player to play around the putting green
e) The first player to play on the putting green

Timing

A group, or individual players within the group, will receive an official warning when the Rules Committee determines the group is starting to fall behind or is out of position. Such warning will be given as soon as possible and given only once during a round.

In some circumstances, the Rules Committee may commence timing without having given such a warning, including when a group has already fallen significantly behind, and the group or an individual is affecting other groups.

Once a group (or individual players within the group) has been warned, the Rules Committee (if available to do so) will monitor the pace of individual players in the group to determine if any players should be timed individually, as opposed to the entire group.

When the Rules Committee determines a group or an individual out of position will be timed, all players in the group, or a specific individual, will be informed they are being timed. Such timing could occur on any hole, including the finishing holes of a round.