Golf personality Paige Spiranac has never hesitated to voice her thoughts on the pressing issues affecting the golfing world. One of her recent targets has been the slow play problem that has been a constant source of frustration for not only players and fans, but also reporters.
The final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, infamous for its snail-paced play, has drawn Spiranac’s attention and criticism. She pinpointed the slow play as a significant problem that is preventing professional golf from engaging audiences effectively and needs immediate rectification.
According to Spiranac, the PGA Tour should take several steps to make the game more appealing for viewers. These include speeding up the pace of play, incorporating new talent into broadcasts, reducing commercial interruptions, and uniting the top players globally on a single tour. She stressed these points, stating, “No one is blind to the fact pro golf is currently struggling to capture audiences. They need to speed up the pace of play, get fresh talent incorporated into the broadcasts, introduce the audience to the rookies, lessen commercials, and most importantly have the best players in the world on one tour.”
The golf influencer also commented on AimPoint, a green-reading technique that’s come under fire for slowing down the game. Major champion A Lim Kim’s use of AimPoint has particularly irked Spiranac. She clarified her stance, stating that she is not against AimPoint per se, but its misuse that contributes to the slow pace of play, echoing Lucas Glover’s sentiments. However, AimPoint user Collin Morikawa has argued against this, suggesting that Glover’s long putter should be banned instead.
Interestingly, Spiranac has found a pro golfer who exemplifies the act of speeding up the game – Billy Horschel. At the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach, Horschel encountered an unexpected hurdle, a sizable alligator meandering across the fairway near the eighth green. Showing no fear, Horschel jogged up to the reptile, gently guided it back into a nearby pond with his wedge, and continued his game, much to the crowd’s delight. His quick-thinking actions and unfazed demeanor in the face of an unusual interruption won him applause and admiration from Spiranac, who tweeted, “The best part is the jog after to keep pace of play. Legend.”
This isn’t the first time a golf match has been interrupted by a potentially dangerous creature. A similar incident occurred last year, and Justin Rose’s reaction to it was unforgettable. In an interview with Dan Rapaport for Skratch’s “On the Bag” series, Rose jokingly scared Rapaport by pretending to trip into a pit of alligators. The prank, captured on Skratch’s Instagram, was met with laughter and will likely be remembered for years to come.
In conclusion, golf, like any sport, is continually evolving and adapting. The slow pace of play is an issue that needs to be addressed, and it’s refreshing to see influential figures like Spiranac voicing their opinions constructively. As for the players, their ability to handle unusual situations on the course, whether it’s an alligator or a prank, adds a touch of excitement to the game, keeping audiences engaged and entertained.