James Corrigan Why I am backing Charley Hull’s war on slow play and call for ‘ruthless’ punishments

Englishwoman right to call out the laggards who are ruining the chance for the women’s game to attract a larger audience

Women’s golf should be capitalising, instead it is comatosing. Charley Hullhad every right to deliver her epic slow-play rant at the conclusion of the Annika on the weekend because the Englishwoman understands that with so many viewers turning away from the men’s game, the LPGA is wasting a huge opportunity to attract a much bigger audience.

In short, the female tour is missing the boat because of so many of its players acting like barges. Some of them make the Statue of Liberty look light on her feet. It is not at all sexist to point out that the most reprehensible of the LPGA plodders take even longer than those on the PGA Tour, which is like berating someone for smelling worse than a skunk’s backside.

Something needs to be done and Hull is brave enough to declare that no punches should be pulled in the mission to knock out the laggards.

Of course, the detractors will believe that Hull was only so angry in Belle Air in Florida on Sunday night because she had seen the chance of a first US title in two years slip through her grasp. Yet, she knows there is no shame in being beaten by a No 1 reeling off five birdies in succession down the stretch, especially when it happens to be Nelly Korda winning her seventh title of the year.

No, the shame is all on the snails and the slugs for soiling the manicured lawns and, of course the officials for allowing these selfish sloggers from wrecking what otherwise would surely have been a gripping scenario. Korda and Hull are perhaps the two most marketable figures on the LPGA, but their duel was marred, if not ruined, by the absurd time it took to play out.

It lasted 5hr 38min on Saturday and they were forced to complete their rounds in the dark. It was hardly their fault. Korda and Hull are quick players, two of the fastest in the business. The blame was all on the idlers who ensured that the groups backed up.

“It’s ridiculous and I feel sorry for the fans for how slow it is out there,” the in-form Hull said, after adding a runner-up to her win in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. “At home we play a four-ball on a hard course and we are round in three-and-a-half hours. Out here it’s sometimes almost six hours, and now and again, more than that, which is crazy.”

So what should be done? Hull is unashamedly draconian. “I’m quite ruthless, but I say, listen, if you get three bad timings, every time it’s a two-shot penalty – and if you have three of those then you lose your Tour card instantly,” she said.” I’m sure that would hurry a lot of people up.”

Indeed, it would. The Naked Ramblers would suddenly turn into Usain Bolts. Alas, the powers-that-be will not even enforce the regulations they already have at their disposal, never mind install new rules.