Thoughts on allowing fans to march down 18 with players?

[Titleist84]

Someone could get seriously injured if not trampled to death.  Somebody grabbed Phil, another person hit Brooks caddie in the face, then the bag hit Brooks in the knee.  

 

How can this be a good idea?

[Blonde Line Lizard]

I think it creates a very dangerous situation for everyone.  Some nutjob may assault a player because they do not like them.  Golf clubs can get stolen or damaged. Someone, especially the elderly or kids can fall and get stepped on.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Blonde Line Lizard
Bad spelling

[PJE]

It's not a good idea. It appears to be a tradition in the Open Championship but it seems more civilized over there. 

[GolfGuitarsCars]

It makes you wonder what security measures could be taken to prevent this from happening in the future.  

[Abh159]

As cool as that scene was on Sunday it should have NEVER been allowed to happen. It's not safe for anyone involved especially the players and caddies. 

 

Although I think Brooks is milking the situation a little bit, the PGA and Kiawah clearly screwed up in terms of security in that moment. I'm surprised they haven't come out already with a public apology for PR purposes. 

[Bad9]

It was pretty close to being out of control

[Blonde Line Lizard]

4 minutes ago, GolfGuitarsCars said:

It makes you wonder what security measures could be taken to prevent this from happening in the future.  

Nothing.  If that many people want to get inside of the ropes, they will find a way (Just like at the Capital in D.C.)

[3whacker]

the idea was good, the execution was very poor and showed they were ill prepared....the US golf fan consists of the "mashed potato" " you da man" "its in the hole" crowd, do you really want them that close to our start athletes, you add in inebriated overzealous fans, and next thing you know we have a Monica Seles type of incident...golf allows fans to get very close, maybe too close, lets not put people at risk

[Ferguson]

When will you guys get it?  The rules don't apply to those people; much the same for "screamers."   

 

 

With the exception of the Augusta Masters, I will never attend another tourney.

 

 

[Nixhex524]

Could have been much worse than it was, it looked like it got out of control for sure.  Would be nice if we could all enjoy the moment but maybe also respect other's space... Not even Covid has taught us anything.  Grabbing Phil was completely out of line and unecessary.  That actually mad me mad...LOL

[dc1123]

I personally love it. The scene of Tiger at east lake and now Phil will always stand out to me. I think there's a way to do it that ensures player safety like making sure they are well up the fairway. 

 

It is incredible to see and I think it is good for golf, but it needs to be done safely. Yesterday was slightly out of control. 

[golfandfishing]

56 minutes ago, PJE said:

It's not a good idea. It appears to be a tradition in the Open Championship but it seems more civilized over there. 

You might want to review some old footage on that. 

[Ri_Redneck]

I don't like it there or in any other sport. Spectators need to spectate. If they want to participate, they need to become athletes.

 

BT

[Titleist84]

27 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

When will you guys get it?  The rules don't apply to those people; much the same for "screamers."   

 

 

With the exception of the Augusta Masters, I will never attend another tourney.

 

 

I bought a GC2 last year and play SIM golf, haven't been to a course in almost a year and personally don't miss it. 

[smturner1203]

I thought it was pretty awesome to see. At the end of the day no one got hurt and it made for one of the coolest scenes golf has seen for quite awhile. 

 

I'm not saying it wasn't a little out of hand, but it made for a surreal ending to the tourney. 

[ducky50]

I thought it was a little unnerving especially if I was either Phil or Brooks the championship committee didn't handle it correct they should have paid more money on getting proper security.

[el h0zel]

Security was clearly not prepared. I don't see a problem with the crowd filling in around the green but there absolutely needs to be security prepped for it. 

[Ferguson]

33 minutes ago, golfandfishing said:

You might want to review some old footage on that. 

 

Drunken nude people abound. 

[Golf10]

There never used to be ropes back in the days.  Guess what, nothing happened to Bobby Jones.  The only difference nowadays is people are less civilized.

[Pepperturbo]

These days, I don't believe that's a good idea.  Most fans behave, but depending on the state, a lot of events contend with some low-rent drunk imbeciles that tend to get out of control.  Having fans following the last players is a recipe for trouble therefore a need for a actual security force with collapsible batons, in case, as it doesn't take much for imbeciles to react.

 

[me05501]

7 minutes ago, Golf10 said:

There never used to be ropes back in the days.  Guess what, nothing happened to Bobby Jones.  The only difference nowadays is people are less civilized.

 

I always chuckle at these sweeping generalizations.

 

People of Jones's generation (the same ones who started and fought WW1 fwiw) were not "more civilized" than people today, nor were the people who cheered on the blood sport during the end days of the Roman Empire. There have always been gentlemen and boors and ever shall it be. Golf fans have often tended toward the "gentlemen" side of the ledger but no more. 

 

By all appearances, the Tour wants to cater *heavily* toward paying fans. They don't limit alcohol sales. They don't throw out the bababooey/get in the hole guys. Hell, they build an entire three/four-level grandstand around a par three in Arizona to create "an atmosphere" that feels "exciting." It's all based on making the fans feel like they're a part of the tournament and that is what the Tour thinks is important to its current and future success. This makes scenes like the closing moments of yesterday's tournament not only possible but predictable. 

 

What probably irked me the most was absolutely no acknowledgement of the waning but continuing pandemic. Supposedly everyone on property was supposed to wear a mask "unless actively eating or drinking." I saw close to zero adherence to this rule. The throng that followed up 18 would have been impossible if any sort of common sense or even concern for overall appearances had been upheld. The message is "It's over...go nuts." 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

It was unfortunate and they were lucky it was “controlled” to the extent it was.  It happened, very popular win, but you could see a lot of buffoons in the crowd wanting to scream “encouragement” in Phil’s face and try to get a little slap in - boobery. Rushing basketball courts has become a joke for the most part. Football? Iowa fans carrying the goalposts out of the Metrodome years ago was a classic, everything else pales by comparison!

 

Seriously lucky nobody was injured, and they have real security at these tournaments for a reason so no point making things easy for the rare nut job  who may seize an opportunity. 
 

 

[dbleag]

11 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

It was unfortunate and they were lucky it was “controlled” to the extent it was.  It happened, very popular win, but you could see a lot of buffoons in the crowd wanting to scream “encouragement” in Phil’s face and try to get a little slap in - boobery. Rushing basketball courts has become a joke for the most part. Football? Iowa fans carrying the goalposts out of the Metrodome years ago was a classic, everything else pales by comparison!

 

Seriously lucky nobody was injured, and they have real security at these tournaments for a reason so no point making things easy for the rare nut job  who may seize an opportunity. 
 

 

You don't know if anyone was injured, and the PGA of America will make sure that no one knows if they can help it.

 

If you've ever been in an out-of-control-crowd, it's hard to know how dangerous it can be.

[ChillyDipper]

I don't think it was on purpose.

[Medson]

As cool as the scene was yesterday, the crowd was borderline out of control. It was a lot more chaotic than Tiger's 2018 Tour Championship. 

 

Better crowd control will be needed in the future. 

[chigolfer1]

Walking behind them is fine.  The whole thing yesterday where the players get enveloped, especially Koepka, isn't acceptable at all.

[Mustard_Tiger]

I think it's awesome as long as it's organic like at the PGA with Phil or Tiger at Eastlake in 2018. The injury risk is overplayed and Brooks Koepka is a sore loser in more ways than one.

 

I had goosebumps feeling the energy of the crowd around Phil. We don't get that very often in golf and we should relish it when it happens.

[Body_Visions]

Mr. Keopka wants to wear his hat backwards and hoodie in the clubhouse.  Seems to me he should have felt perfectly fine, as those should have been his kind of people.  

 

Not sure why he is complaining.......

Edited May 24, 2021 by Body_Visions

[MtlJeff]

3 hours ago, Ferguson said:

 

Drunken nude people abound. 

 

Old footage of drunken nude people? Did you find my old college security tapes?

[MtlJeff]

3 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

It was unfortunate and they were lucky it was “controlled” to the extent it was.  It happened, very popular win, but you could see a lot of buffoons in the crowd wanting to scream “encouragement” in Phil’s face and try to get a little slap in - boobery. Rushing basketball courts has become a joke for the most part. Football? Iowa fans carrying the goalposts out of the Metrodome years ago was a classic, everything else pales by comparison!

 

Seriously lucky nobody was injured, and they have real security at these tournaments for a reason so no point making things easy for the rare nut job  who may seize an opportunity. 
 

 

 

I agree with this and many of the posters here. Not sure this is a good idea to do regularly. 

 

I know these are isolated incidents but we've seen fans do crazy stuff. The Monica Seles example being the worst of course, when she was stabbed by a deranged Graf fan... No need to repeat that. 

 

Given the stuff I've read on this site about Tiger , or Spieth now...I wouldn't put it past people