How Bryson DeChambeau once suggested golf should solve slow play in the professional game

Bryson DeChambeau once called on the governing bodies to factor in how quickly players walk to their golf ball when assessing slow play, as he insisted that the criticism he gets is not fair.

DeChambeau has divided opinion throughout his career. His distinctive name and unique style put him on the radar of most golf fans while he was still an amateur.

Unfortunately, he has not always managed to make headlines for the right reasons.

Bryson DeChambeau defended himself over slow play criticism back in 2019

One of the controversies DeChambeau has sparked during his career concerns how long he can take over his shots.

The two-time US Open champion appears to be the most methodical player at the highest levels of the game, with DeChambeau making all sorts of calculations before he hits what appears to be a fairly straightforward shot.

It has to be said that DeChambeau seems to have got better at hitting the ball quicker in recent years. However, his pace of play has led to plenty of ridicule in the past.

Interestingly, and perhaps unsurprisingly, DeChambeau felt that the perception was unfair.

Speaking to the New York Post in 2019, the American claimed that his pace would be viewed very differently if the time he took to walk to the ball was taken into account.

He said: "How long does it take to walk from shot to shot or to a drive 320 yards out?"

"That takes about two and a half minutes compared to 40 seconds over a shot. We've got more of a potential to decrease the time it takes to play a round by walking a little bit faster. When you're talking about pace of play, you have to include the time it takes to walk.

"I can take 10 seconds longer to hit a shot, but if I walk 10 seconds faster the total aggregate time is the same, yet they're penalising me because I took 10 seconds longer over the ball. It doesn't make sense.

"For some people to say, 'I just go up there and hit it,' well that's good for you. If it works for you, it works for you. But I want to be as precise as possible heading into that shot. I want to be right on point and that just requires me to be a little faster walker."

How Bryson DeChambeau's slow play led to one of the game's most interesting rivalries

It was frustrations with DeChambeau's pace of play that sparked one of the game's most interesting rivalries of the last few decades.

Admittedly, it would have shocked few once it became apparent that Bryson DeChambeau was not universally liked on the PGA Tour before his departure for LIV Golf .

But it was Brooks Koepka who could not bite his tongue any longer. Koepka insisted back in 2019 that he could not understand how a longer hitter could need 75 seconds to do all of the calculations and hit a shot.

While he did not name DeChambeau, it seemed fairly clear who he was referring to.

There was a clash between DeChambeau and Koepka's caddie shortly after at that year's Northern Trust Open. And from there, the two players would go on to make no secret of the animosity between themselves.

In truth, Koepka probably would have found a reason to publicly hit out at DeChambeau at some stage anyway.

It seems Koepka was obviously in no mood to consider just how quickly DeChambeau walked to his golf ball.