Charley Hull wants slow LPGA players banned for up to a year

Charley Hull has called for players to be banned from the LPGA for up to a year if they repeatedly play too slowly, insisting tougher punishments are needed to tackle a problem that continues to frustrate the English star.

One of the quickest players in professional golf, Hull has never been afraid to speak her mind about slow play and believes the threat of significant suspensions would force players to speed up.

The three-time LPGA Tour winner has become a fan favourite thanks to her no-nonsense approach to the game, with her willingness to get on with things on the course reflecting the personality that has made her one of golf's most recognisable figures.

Speaking to Golfweek, the 30-year-old was asked how she would address the pace-of-play problem on the LPGA Tour. 

Her response was emphatic, with Hull suggesting a lengthy ban should be considered for those who repeatedly take too long over their shots.

"Oh, God, I don't know," Hull initially replied, before outlining her preferred approach.

"I think you should get banned from the tour for a year or a three-month ban to start off with, because I want to play golf and I'm sure the slow players want to play golf," she said.

"If the punishment is strict enough, you're not gonna play slower. You would make sure you'd play a lot quicker than we do."

• Charley Hull offers opinion on issue that ruffled Nelly Korda's feathers

Hull's latest comments underline her frustration with an issue that has long divided opinion in professional golf. 

While players must be given enough time to make decisions and execute difficult shots, excessive delays can affect playing partners, disrupt tournament schedules and leave spectators waiting longer between shots.

For Hull, the answer is simple: make the consequences severe enough that players have little incentive to ignore the clock.

Hull would also reduce LPGA fields and introduce weekend twosomes

Hull also revealed how she would reshape the LPGA Tour if she were given the opportunity to act as commissioner for a day.

Rather than focusing solely on penalties, the Englishwoman would make changes to tournament fields and weekend groupings to help improve the overall pace of play.

"If it was up to me, I'd have a 100-person field every week and cut to 50-55 and playing twosomes on the weekend all the time," Hull said.

Her proposal would create smaller tournament fields and reduce the number of players competing over the final two rounds, potentially helping tournaments move along more efficiently.

Playing in two-balls rather than three-balls at the weekend would also reduce the number of players moving around the course in each group, although the overall impact would depend on how quickly groups kept pace with those ahead.

Hull is currently ranked eighth in the world and remains one of the biggest names in the women's game. 

Although she is yet to win on the LPGA Tour this season, she was part of Anna Nordqvist's victorious European team at the 2026 Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands last month.

LPGA slow-play penalties already have teeth

Hull's comments come amid renewed attention on the LPGA Tour's efforts to combat slow play.

During the third round of the Buick LPGA Shanghai at Sheshan International Golf Club, Hull's Solheim Cup team-mate Carlota Ciganda was assessed a two-shot penalty for a pace-of-play violation.

According to Sky Sports Golf commentator Richard Kaufman, who reported the incident on X, Ciganda was informed of the penalty on the 13th hole. The Spaniard had made a par, but her score was subsequently changed to a double bogey six.

Ciganda responded with birdies at her next two holes and eventually signed for a one-under-par 71. She finished the round at four-under overall, five shots behind leader Hye-Jin Choi with 18 holes remaining.

Kaufman also reported that American Yealimi Noh received a slow-play penalty during the same round.

The LPGA introduced a significantly stricter pace-of-play policy in 2025, giving players 40 seconds to play each shot once it is their turn. Players who exceed the allowance by one to five seconds face fines, while those taking six to 15 seconds over can receive a one-shot penalty. Exceeding the limit by 16 seconds or more brings a two-shot penalty.

Ciganda is no stranger to pace-of-play controversy. At the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship, she received a two-stroke penalty during the second round after officials ruled that she had taken too long over her final putt.

The Spaniard unsuccessfully appealed the decision and was subsequently disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard without including the penalty. She later disputed the suggestion that she had taken 52 seconds to play the putt.

Could Hull's tougher approach change professional golf?

Hull's proposed suspensions would represent a substantial escalation in the fight against slow play, going well beyond the fines and stroke penalties currently used by the LPGA.

However, her frustration reflects a wider question facing professional golf: how can tours protect the integrity of competition while ensuring rounds remain enjoyable for players and spectators alike?

A year-long ban would be an extreme sanction, particularly given the potential consequences for a player's career and earnings. 

A shorter suspension for repeated offences, as Hull suggested, would still mark a significant shift in how slow play is punished.

For now, the LPGA's existing policy remains in place, but Hull has made her position abundantly clear.

The English star wants players to keep things moving, and she believes the threat of missing months of competition — or even an entire year — could finally make the slowest players change their ways.