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Country: gb Page generated at: Tuesday, 14 July 2026 at 13:50:11 British Summer Time
rules
Rules of Golf
‘We need to do something about slow play – or else we’re in trouble’

published: Jan 15, 2020

|

updated: Oct 3, 2023

‘We need to do something about slow play – or else we’re in trouble’

Mark TownsendLink

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Colin Montgomerie explains why slow play is driving people away from the game and what needs to be done to punish repeat offenders

Colin Montgomerie

With the European Tour beginning its stricter assault on slow play with the key revision that players will be given a one-shot penalty for two bad times in a tournament rather than a round.

This gives the referees more power to target the slowcoaches and get things moving, as the Tour’s chief referee John Paramor explained: “Changing the regulation for an immediate one-shot penalty to now be triggered by two bad times in a tournament instead of a round will force slower players to consistently ensure they play within timing regulations.

“This is part of our wider, robust policy to tackle slow play but our fundamental advice to all players remains consistent – they should be ready to play when it is their turn.”

So we sat down with Colin Montgomerie, who is one of the quickest players in the game, to get his thoughts on how the European Tour are planning to tackle the game’s biggest problem.

And in typical Monty fashion, he doesn’t hold back…

Colin Montgomerie is an ambassador for Loch Lomond Whiskies, The official spirit of The Open. You can purchase the Loch Lomond Whiskies Open Special Edition single malt on their website.

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About the author

Mark Townsend

Been watching and playing golf since the early 80s and generally still stuck in this period. Huge fan of all things Robert Rock, less so white belts. Handicap of 8, fragile mind and short game

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