Thoughts on allowing fans to march down 18 with players?

[BlackDiamondPar5]

On 5/25/2021 at 12:01 PM, Pepperturbo said:

Yep... tour guys learn quick when walking near roped off gallery's.. don't stick your hand out to slap, fingers are exposed, only fist. Some moron could grab the players fingers and snap one.  Don't recall the hole but noticed one guy was coming at Phil fast though the crowd, he extended his arm to grab Phil, and a plain clothed LEO interceded.  Camera quickly turned away.

 

Today, more than ever, people are insecure, rude, and nutso with no boundaries. 

I started going to golf tournaments in the 80's as a teen.  I wasn't a golfer then but loved being at a golf course... just something truly special.  It was a thrill to be so close to the action and at an arms length from legends that my dad watched on TV.  Fans were so respectful toward the players and personal space.  Then in the 2000's Tiger mania hit and along with that the tournaments became mobbed and filled with loud and obnoxious fans.  I remember seeing Tiger hit one out of the the trees and some fan pats him on the back... like they're buddies!  I remember thinking what a complete A-Hole and I can't believe how these animals are behaving!

 

Anyway conduct standards continue to slide and people have generally become more bold, rude and entitled.

[LifeStory]

I never want to see it happen again to be honest. Totally unprofessional and dangerous, doesnt really matter how "exceptionally awesome" of an experience it was, or how others choose to frame it.

Unacceptable. 

[KennyP]

On 5/25/2021 at 6:20 PM, Ferguson said:

What do people gain by touching a tour pro? 

 

Stupid and rude - keep your hands to yourself.

 

Totally agree.

 

Unhygienic as well. I thought C-19 would have taught people just what a bad idea it is.

[Mustard_Tiger]

I'm curious if the Wet Blanket Brigade started a similar thread in 2018 after Tiger won at East Lake.

[jons1]

2 minutes ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

I'm curious if the Wet Blanket Brigade started a similar thread in 2018 after Tiger won at East Lake.

 

Nah, cause Tiger would have 4 local police and 2 paid body guards that are former navy seals taking mother fers out surrounding him like secret service.  Other players would have an 86 year old retired female teacher with a rope and a mean, mean look.

 

[me05501]

1 hour ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

I'm curious if the Wet Blanket Brigade started a similar thread in 2018 after Tiger won at East Lake.

Google says “yes”

[jkumpire]

It's real simple to me. If you want to see it happen then the PGA and the Tour mandate that there to be no sales of alcohol on Sunday. Kick a few drunks out, and the crowd is more civilized and all the fearmongering over this goes away. 

 

Though I think the best thing for professional golf is to have no fans on the course period. It was so enjoyable to see golf without fans messing everything up, though at this point it is clear IMO that the restrictions, masks and, lockdowns were wrong to do. If you want to debate it then let's do it somewhere else.   

Edited May 27, 2021 by jkumpire

[North Butte]

I cringed every time one of the announcers commented on how glad they were, having a bunch of drunk overgrown frat boys back on the course screaming nonsense at the golfers before, after and occasionally during each shot. Really?

[GolfTurkey]

You can have spectators close to players or you can sell alcohol, definitely not both.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

11 hours ago, GolfTurkey said:

You can have spectators close to players or you can sell alcohol, definitely not both.

When I went to tournaments in the 80's and 90's they served lot of expensive alcohol and they didn't have problems with people being an arms length from golfers.  Something else is wrong with people these days. 

[oikos1]

On 5/25/2021 at 1:34 PM, dubbelbogey said:

Maybe golf was luckier than other sports in the past, but to generalize and say society, in general, was more well behaved in the past is just not accurate.

 

Violence with fans in sports has been around since the beginning of sports. We all know this from any number of events in semi recent memory (soccer hooliganism, the Monica Seles knife attack, etc...) but this goes back centuries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_violent_spectator_incidents_in_sports

 

But I agree that uncontrolled access to the players and their field of play is a recipe for disaster.

Ah, lest ye forget the "get off my lawn", "times were different back then" and "kids these days" crew that roams these threads.  It was even suggested that "collapsible batons" be used in case the "imbeciles react".  Nothing like a good public beating from the authorities at the most purported "gentlemanly" game of golf to keep it real. 🤣🤣🤣

[PuttCurseRepeat]

12 hours ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

When I went to tournaments in the 80's and 90's they served lot of expensive alcohol and they didn't have problems with people being an arms length from golfers.  Something else is wrong with people these days. 

 

Prior to the late 90's golf was still a relatively exclusive game in both participation and fandom and if one gives validity to 20/80 theories you can say a great majority of those fans came from the 20 percent whom comport themselves a certain way in public. Since the Tiger boom of the late 90's, the net number of fans has significantly increased to the point where the fandom is being pulled from the 80 percent reservoir in numbers like never before.

Edited May 28, 2021 by PuttCurseRepeat

[hunterdog]

Can spectators conceal carry at any events, maybe Texas? And, if so, does that change how crowds should be controlled?

[oikos1]

2 hours ago, hunterdog said:

Can spectators conceal carry at any events, maybe Texas? And, if so, does that change how crowds should be controlled?

The PGA Tour has a no weapons policy.  However, since you've identified it as "conceal carry", then yes, I would suspect someone has/will conceal carry a gun at a tournament.  You might be surprised all the places people conceal carry guns that explicitly state no guns allowed.

 

https://www.pgatour.com/company/tournaments-prohibited-items.html

[Mustard_Tiger]

2 hours ago, hunterdog said:

Can spectators conceal carry at any events, maybe Texas? And, if so, does that change how crowds should be controlled?

 

 

The last tournament I attended was the 2017 U.S. Open. No weapons allowed and all spectators went through a metal detector and bags were searched.

[Oldboy]

Fights breaking out at MLB games. Popcorn being thrown at NBA players. Hopefully it’s not a trend. 

[80sFredriksson]

Looked out of hand for me, I dont mind the crowd following the last group up the fairway but should be behind the players obviously, also not a good look due to the c19

[PZero]

4 hours ago, hunterdog said:

Can spectators conceal carry at any events, maybe Texas? And, if so, does that change how crowds should be controlled?

 

It's not allowed, even off duty cops aren't allowed to carry.

[nosedive32]

Things were out of control at the PGA. 

 

If the fans are responsible about it (2018 Tour Championship) I'm all for it.

 

But you cannot have fans running out in front of the players, grabbing players, and blocking them from the green.

 

Everyone stayed behind Tiger and Rory in 2018 and it was a great scene.

[Obiwan21]

This used to be the norm back in the day, but given today's society, probably not such a great idea. The fans in golf already get pretty close to the players as it is.

[Big GG]

Fans intruding and walking down 18 has gone on for years. It's the screaming garbage now that stands behind the ropes that is a problem. That bad element was ushered in in the Tiger Woods heyday era. It's not Tiger's fault. The Tour should have taken control. They didn't. It's only a matter of time before we all see far worse than what went on last Sunday. The Tour must do something about this self entitled over indulged never heard the word no walking trash. 

Edited May 29, 2021 by Big GG
Spelling

[RobotDoctor]

I have no problems with fans marching down the 18th (final hole) of a major championship but always behind the players and caddies and never be allowed to walk up to them.  Marshals can use ropes to hold back the patrons/gallery and if anyone breaches the ropes they can be escorted out.  It is a tremendous sight to see the gallery walking behind the final group on the final hole of a major but it is not good to see them overtake the golfers and caddies.

[mwkbmw]

Officials offered to let the gallery walk behind the last group Sunday at the Colonial, but there were no takers given the quality of golf being played.

[Fairway14]

On 5/24/2021 at 10:35 AM, 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. 

 

In general, golf spectators in the UK know the game of golf better and respect the game more so than galleries within the USA.

[Fairway14]

On 5/26/2021 at 6:05 PM, North Butte said:

I cringed every time one of the announcers commented on how glad they were, having a bunch of drunk overgrown frat boys back on the course screaming nonsense at the golfers before, after and occasionally during each shot. Really?

Agreed. No spectators was a better environment for top level golf.

[phizzy30]

Never ever a good idea to let the fans inside the ropes.  You have the idiots who are loaded on booze and God knows what else that say and do stupid s***.  Inebriated fans can become quite uncivil and sometimes dangerous.  Imagine letting them inside the ropes.  Also, as others have stated, having large crowds run around on a golf course can cause some serious injuries such as people getting runned over and what not.  The USGA really needs to step up and address this so called tradition.  

[Barfolomew]

Woulda been awesome if the fans picked up Phil on their shoulders after he sank the last putt chanting Phil Phil Phil