The issue of laggardly play is a rising concern in the world of golf, a subject being increasingly deliberated by a plethora of experts, each offering their unique take on potential solutions to this prevalent problem. Amid this, the TGL tournament, a brainchild of golfing legends Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has been catapulted into the limelight, primarily due to the introduction of the innovative TGL shot clock. This new rule stipulates a strict 40-second limit to execute a shot, an initiative aimed at accelerating the pace of the game.
One golf professional who has been frequently linked with this slow play issue is Tom Kim, a name synonymous with the languid rhythm of the sport. However, Kim has embraced the TGL shot clock, deeming it a positive development for the game. This endorsement comes after the South Korean athlete faced heavy criticism in the past due to his unhurried approach to the game.
In response to the flak, Kim chose to shed light on the reasons behind his leisurely pace. The golfer confessed to grappling with mental hurdles that have influenced his game pace. “I’ve struggled with pace of play due to a lot of fighting with some mental stuff,” Kim admitted, according to a quote in Golf! He went on to add, “But it’s getting a lot better. Torrey was a really good week for me. My pace of play got really improved starting from Waste Management, too. It’s something I’ve been working on.”
Kim also credited the shot clock for his improved pace, saying, “It helps when I feel like over the shot clock here, I know I’m comfortable over it, so I know I’m not struggling; it was just a matter of going out in tournaments and consistently doing it and beating that mental barrier.”
In a surprising twist, Kim’s caddy, Paul Tesori, took it upon himself to shoulder the blame for the golfer’s slow play. During his appearance on ‘The Scorecard’, Tesori revealed that it was golf veteran Vijay Singh who enlightened him about the crucial role a caddy can play in the game’s speed. As a result, Tesori has been making a concerted effort to pick up his pace, even losing a significant amount of weight and striding more briskly across the course. He also divulged a number of tactics to hasten the game and was quick to laud Kim’s immense talent, asserting that criticism is inevitable when one possesses such prodigious skill.
