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

The 2025 LECOM Suncoast Classic, the eighth of 26 events on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour schedule, marks the debut of a revised Pace of Play policy, one which has been adjusted in response to fan feedback and could eventually 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.

The revised Pace of Play policy, previously implemented on PGA TOUR Americas prior to the start of its 2025 season, will be in effect for the remainder of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season, which concludes with the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance in October. Data will be collected across the respective Tours to evaluate the overall impact on 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, which will be in place for the remainder of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour 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.

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.

When time starts, and the time allowed for a stroke

Other than on the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke will begin when it is their turn to play and they can play without interference or distraction. Players will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to find a fixed reference point (such as a sprinkler head) and pace back to their ball. Time spent calculating and interpreting that yardage and determining club and other conditions (such as wind), will count as time taken for the next stroke.

On the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke will begin when it is their turn to play and they can play without interference or distraction. Players will be given a reasonable amount of time to complete the actions allowed under Rules 13.1 and 15.1, provided the player is not unreasonably delaying play. Time spent assessing the line of play and other conditions (such as slope or grain), will count as time taken for the next stroke.

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