After a series of distance measurement devices (DMD), tightening the regulations and transparency of data with the audience, the PGA Tour Executive Board believes that the game speed of the 2026 season will improve significantly, bringing a more dramatic experience for fans.
Data publicity – put fans in the center
Starting this week at Rocket Classic, PGatour.com will first announce the average time for each hole of both the round and the completion time of 9 and 18 holes of each group. The information displayed in parallel on the pitch statistical page and the transcript of each athlete, allowing the audience to watch the speed of the competition in real time.
“This is the promise we have for the audience, golfers and partners,” Andy Weitz, Marketing Director and Vice President of PGA Tour, affirmed. “Slow now is a multiple number of variables, but we will solve it with any possible tools.”
DMD proves effectively: withdraw more than 5 seconds per shot
During the newly completed test on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, Shotlink recorded the time from Fairway fell 5.1 seconds, from Rough fell 4.9 seconds when golfers and caddies were allowed to use DMD. Three -quarters of players of two systems want to apply this device for a long time – recommend that the athletes advisory council will soon be considered.
Applicable at PGA Tour Americas and Korry Tour, the new rules are punished directly as soon as the athlete receives the first “bad time” (usually due to the drop in the group). Instead of warning, the time limit is now 40 seconds per owl – the exception of 50 seconds in some special situations.
“On the Korn Ferry Tour, the number of ‘Bad Time’ in the same stage of comparison has decreased from 10 to 1,” Gary Young, Vice Chairman of the competition, announced. “The referee’s warning is now true weight; golfers do not want to fall into the ‘clock’ and the more effort to escape as quickly as possible.”
In addition to the seven main program channels, referees at the Video Review Center (VRC) also observed 25 additional cameras. As a result, the time to handle each law situation shortened about a minute. “Multiplied by 20 times/very, we save about 5 minutes each round,” TV expert Mark Dusbabek estimated.
Reduce the scale of cleaning for 2026
According to the decision of the Policy Council, the majority of PGA tours season 2026 will reduce the number of athletes. At the same time, the FedExcup special characteristics also narrowed from the top 125 to the top 100 – a move considered the last piece to help the “accelerate” journey completely.
From transparent data, supportive technology to strong sanctions, PGA Tour is simultaneously activating leverage to eliminate “slow disease”. The 2026 season promises more coherent, more intense golf rounds – the expectations of the audience in the fast, rapid sports age.
