New European Tour Event With Shot Clock On Every Shot

Do you like the sound of this new event?

New European Tour Event With Shot Clock
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2018 Shot Clock Masters in Austria will feature a shot clock on every shot in a hope to cut round times by 45 minutes

New European Tour Event With Shot Clock On Every Shot

We've seen the Hero Challenge, the GolfSixes and the Super 6 in Perth and the European Tour has come up with another innovation, this time a tournament featuring a shot clock on every shot.

Slow play is a problem at all levels of golf, especially on Tour, and the European Tour are trying to combat that with this new event announced today.

Related: European Tour speeds up play

The Shot Clock Masters will take place in Austria at the Diamond Country Club next June.

The first player in a group will be allowed 50 seconds to play, with the remaining players in the group getting 40 seconds.

New European Tour Event With Shot Clock

This year's GolfSixes featured a shot clock hole. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Each player will be allowed two ‘time-outs’ during their round which gives them double the time to play the shot.

A one-stroke penalty will be awarded for taking longer than the allotted time to play a shot, with a red card shown next to their name on the leaderboard.

Related: How to beat slow play

The European Tour hopes the Shot Clock Masters will have rounds taking 45 minutes less than usual, with 4 hours for a three-ball and 3 hours 15 minutes for a two-ball.

The event is scheduled to take place between 7th-10th June next year, taking place instead of the current Lyoness Open at the Diamond Club.

New European Tour Event With Shot Clock

Diamond Country Club is a long course at 7,500 yards. (Photo by Paul Thomas/Getty Images)

European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley said: “The 2018 Shot Clock Masters will be a fascinating addition to our schedule next year.

"Not only will it help us combat slow play and reduce round times, it is also further evidence of our desire to embrace innovation.”

Austrian #1, who won the Lyoness Open in 2012, said: “With this change, there will be much more attention from the international sports media during the tournament.

"The new Shot Clock format is an ideal way to focus on the issue of pace of play. The game of golf should definitely be faster and therefore this is a step in the right direction."

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV