Golf fans do not like slow play, and Bailey Shoemaker’s gameplay at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was proof of that. She became the center of online scrutiny as she took about a minute and 12 seconds to hit the tee at Champions Retreat par-3 8th. But now, she has come forth with an explanation.
Golf.com’s Claire Rogers released a video of Shoemaker on X, where the golfer said, “Been battling injury for over a year now, and so I got some things bugging me. But when you have nerve surgery, you aren’t in control. Like, it doesn’t matter what my brain says or does.”
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Before her surgery, the USC golfer used to spend a couple of hours a day at the physiotherapy center the entire summer of 2025. But she still feels excruciating pain even while sitting in her classes and sleeping at night. That led her to switch her doctors, and she was later diagnosed with cubital tunnel syndrome.
It’s a condition where the ulnar nerve gets compressed right below the elbow. And in October 2025, she underwent surgery to fix the issue. And that’s the reason why she felt pain shooting up her arms into her fingers while swinging. It took her about six weeks to recover and swing again.
Coincidentally, that came on Thanksgiving Day. She hit her first nine holes last Christmas, and since then, she has been on the road to recovery. Shoemaker spends about five hours a day working out. She visits the rehabilitation center before practice to avoid any further injuries. But that’s something that the fans didn’t see when they called her out for her slow play at ANWA.
Shoemaker thanked her coaches and trainers for getting her where she is today. After all, she had a different scare a few months back.
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“A year ago, I didn’t know if I’d be playing golf anymore. This was pretty substantial one, given it was my nerve. And I’m happy to have motor function over my hand. I thought I was going to lose my hand.”
But instead of dwelling on the injury and quitting golf, her father pushed her to use that experience as fuel for her next events. Right now, she’s simply happy to be recovering from that gruesome phase and making progress in her health. And that’s what she cares about, not the heckling or online scrutiny.
She said, “Can you imagine anyone being here in my shoes? I mean, good for them if they are, but I’m just gonna keep doing my thing. I’m playing Augusta National tomorrow, so.”
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Unfortunately, she missed the cut after hitting her second consecutive round of 73 and went two over par. But it’s worth noting that she’s the one who finished runner-up in ANWA 2024 with a score of 66 in the third round.
Bailey Shoemaker’s Coach Addresses Slow Play at Augusta National
Shoemaker’s head coach, Justin Silverstein, noticed in January that the 21-year-old was taking far too long to hit her shots. It’s quite common to experience the yips after undergoing a complex surgery. Upon consultation with his fellow staff, the head coach concluded that Shoemaker’s yips were getting better, and she needed to play at Augusta National. But things worsened in Georgia.
Shoemaker’s slow play went viral and made her pretty upset. She even called Silverstein to get certain stuff taken down from the internet. Reflecting on that, Silverstein had something to say.
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“You can’t run and hide in the sport. You can’t pass the ball. You’ve got to face the music, and that’s what she’s done this week, and I think she’ll be better for it. People are upset, it’s fine. Whatever. We know the truth.”
Now, as the conversation around her performance expands beyond the scorecards, Bailey Shoemaker remains focused on getting better and faster. But how long would it take for her yips to completely disappear? Well, that remains to be seen.
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