The R&A publishes pace of play guidance manual

The manual encourages players to decide on their club and shot whilst walking to the ball

The R&A has published a manual to give guidance to both clubs and players on ways to improve pace of play.

The manual will be distributed to the sport's governing body's 152 affiliated organisations around the world, and every club in Great Britain & Ireland.

It provides practical guidance in the three key areas of management, course set-up and player behaviour.

Following a survey carried out by The R&A, 60% of golfers said they would enjoy golf more if rounds were quicker.

Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, says the guide offered "solutions to day-to day pace of play challenges".

He recognised that pace of play is a "key issue" and the new manual "outlines approaches which have proven to be effective".

Analysis

Iain Carter, BBC golf correspondent:

"This manual should be essential reading for golfers and especially club managers. The R&A believe longer gaps between tee times can ease congestion and speed up the game.

"It is also refreshing that they are encouraging "ready golf" in strokeplay, so that a player primed to play does not have to wait for someone less prepared and further from the hole.

"Course set-up is another key factor, as we witnessed at Sawgrass last Saturday when lightening quick greens led to rounds ridiculously stretching beyond five and a half hours. Fast greens seemed to lead to slow play at the Players Championship and the R&A plan to study further the significance of this correlation."

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