“We’ve been fighting that [slow play] for, God, ever since I grew up watching the game,” said an exasperated Tiger Woods in 2019. Not the first time, the 15-time major champion was vocal about the pace of play. In 2012, Woods suggested strict penalties—not in dough but in strokes—to curb slow play. “Strokes [are] money,” said the former world no. 1.

Entered shot clock. You get 40 seconds to hit a shot. Miss it and you get docked one stroke. Severe, you say? Well, vociferous slow-play critic Matt Fitzpatrick is on board, as are his teammates. The former US Open champ is part of TGL’s New York Golf Club. In a promotional event, former NFL quarterback, avid golfer, and New York Golf Club’s investor, Eli Manning, asked, “What about [the] shot clock? Is that scary or exciting?”

“I think that’s good for us,” the British international said after looking at his teammates. Now, the Englishman follows a meticulous note-taking routine himself. His yardage book is filled with scribbling about the grains and greens. But Fitzpatrick is one of the fastest players on the Tour, regardless.

Matt Fitzpatrick lamented the PGA Tour’s lack of sincerity in curbing slow play

2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover Frankley called it ‘terrible’. The veteran player told Golfweek, “And then hiding behind [the] pace of play, I think challenges our intelligence. They think we’re stupid.” Fitzpatrick agreed. “He’s so right, pathetic that pace of play is spoken about every year and nothing ever gets done,” the two-time PGA Tour winner tweeted.

Here is what he said on slow play last year after winning the RBC Heritage: “It’s a disgrace… it’s truly appalling… It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall.” Matt Fitzpatrick continued, “The problem is this conversation has gone on for years and years and years, and no one has ever done anything, so I feel it’s almost a waste of time talking about it. I have strong opinions, but no one’s going to do anything about it.”