"Same tees. Let's go tee it up. Let's hit it."

I sat in on an enjoyable media Q&A with Tom Watson today in advance of Newport Beach's Toshiba Classic.

A couple of highlights:

Q.    Playing in Dubai in the Open Championship last year, you get to see that guys out here are probably a little faster than guys on the regular TOUR. If there is one thing, if you were commissioner for a day, and you could do something about the slow play, what do you think would work that would pick up the pace of play?

TOM WATSON:  Basically the only thing that you ask of somebody: be ready to play when it's your turn.  Be ready, meaning you've already got your yardage.  If you are second to hit, you ask your caddy, what's the yardage. You should be thinking about it. Watching the other guy hit and having your yardage in mind, and watching his ball fly, what he hit, and that gives you information of what you should be doing. Be ready. That's basically it. Just be ready.

Q.  That doesn't happen much with the younger guys?

TOM WATSON:  Well, it does with some of them.  Some of them, they have a process they have to go through.  They have a routine they have to go through.  The older you get, the more patience you get.  When I was young I was a fast player, and Lanny Wadkins and I were always, come on, hit it.  Cary Middlecoff, Jack Nicklaus, some of the slower players back in the 50's and 60's. 

But other players played fast.  You just be ready.  It's pretty simple if you're ready.  Just know what you're going to do. 

And after the other guy hits it, you are already in the thought process of hitting the ball, rather than, okay, now, where is the wind?  What's the yardage?  What did I do here in the previous round here, Luke, my caddy?  You go through that process, that builds up the seconds. You just need a little bit of patience, I guess.

Q.    It took the leaders at Torrey Pines 6:02 to play the final round this year, no amateurs. 

TOM WATSON:  Is that right?  No amateurs, 6:02.  Thank God I didn't have to watch that. 

Q.    We did. 

TOM WATSON:  6:02, that's a little long, like about an hour-and-a-half long.  That's too long to play.  How many generations have I been out here, Dave?  I've been out here four generations.  Almost four generations out here.  Every generation the same ol', same ol', play faster. How do you play faster?  Fine the guys.  Do this, do that. The same ol', same ol'. 

Honestly there are just some people that take more time than other people. It's their rhythm.  And you've got to accommodate that rhythm within reason.  What you're asking is what's reasonable?

And I love this idea. Of course it makes way too much sense.

But the leading players out here on the Champions Tour, they can flat play. What we ought to do, we ought to have a tournament, the Top‑30 Champions Tour players versus the Top‑30 kids. Have a tournament about a 7,000-yard golf course.

Q.    Same tees for everybody? 

TOM WATSON:  Same tees. Let's go tee it up. Let's hit it.