The Masters: Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player admit golf must speed up

Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have both spoken of the need for golf to tackle slow play – something which has re-emerged as a key discussion point in the sport.

The two greats of the game carried out their ceremonial duties to open the 82nd edition of the Masters on Thursday before speaking to the world's media and both spoke passionately about the need to address the topic, which has threatened to overshadow players' achievements.

Bubba Watson, Cameron Smith and Patrick Cantlay took five hours and 20 minutes to complete their final round during the Genesis Open in February and Nicklaus and Player have admitted the sport's image is being damaged.

Professional golf has never been healthier but amateur golf, the rounds are down, as we know. So we need our leaders to come up with ideas that are new and to get more rounds of golf played

"It perturbs me when I see how long a round of golf takes now, and I think that's to the great detriment of the game," Player, 82, said.

"So Jack and I both designed nine-hole golf courses. As a matter of fact, I designed a 13-hole golf course, as well.

"Professional golf has never been healthier but amateur golf, the rounds are down, as we know. So we need our leaders to come up with ideas that are new and to get more rounds of golf played.

"Today for a man to go and play golf, he leaves home, say it takes him an hour to get there and by the time he's teed off and it's five or six hours, which some of the rounds are taking now; and then he drives back home, he's away all day.

"Now, he's away all week, and so that's not conducive to great family life. So I think that's been one of the problems with golf, so we need to get it to speed up."

The nine-time major winner also believes the game is becoming too analytical with players becoming dependent on green books to read putts, with natural flair being hindered.

"I'm flabbergasted, and I'm not going to criticise it but I find it hard to understand in a tournament guys bringing out a book when they get on green to look where to putt," Player added.

WATCH: Nicklaus' grandson fires an ace

Jack Nicklaus has enjoyed many memorable moments at Augusta National over the years, but it was his grandson's turn to bring the house down with a hole-in-one on Wednesday.

"You put me on any course in the world; I can read the putt as well as if I played there ten times. I'm a professional golfer. This is something I have to be able to do. And there are special ways of reading and learning about a putt."

Nicklaus, 78, argues slow play - something he describes as "terrible" - needs continued monitoring by the governing bodies.

We have three problems in the game of golf today, and I think all of them can be handled with a variety of different reasons. But the game of golf is too difficult, the game, it's too slow, and it costs too much money

"It's terrible. We used to play The Open, and we would play in about two hours and 20 minutes or two hours and 25 minutes," Nicklaus said.

"We have three problems in the game of golf today, and I think all of them can be handled with a variety of different reasons. But the game of golf is too difficult, the game, it's too slow, and it costs too much money.

"If you look through the years, the R&A have done a pretty darned good job of what they do. They are well aware of what our issues are and what the game's issues are, and I know they are working on them.

"Maybe we'd like to have them work a little faster on them but still, I think that they are well aware of what those issues are."

The Masters - Live

Watch the Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 7pm on Sky Sports Golf.