[Patrick_Mucci]

that the crowds at PGA Tour events are getting out of hand ?

On today's telecast it seemed as if the competitors were being disturbed by the crowds.

With "delays" in the telecast, couldn't the networks delete the idiots yelling "get in the hole" when players are teeing off on Par 4's and par 5's.  Throw in every other shot as well.

It seems to me that the crowds are getting more and more out of control ?

What can or will the PGA Tour do to address the issue ?

[Dan Herrmann]

Stop selling beer.

[Ben Sims]

Typical New York.   

[Keith OHalloran]

Pat,
The Golf Channel always shows a clip of a guy heckling Garcia during the US Open at Bethpage like it is some badge of honor. I am not positive, but I think that he was heckled on the 17th tee today, and as soon as he hit his shot, people started to chant USA. Clearly they were cheering against him rather than for anyone. Having grown up on Long Island, I am very hesitant to think the Ryder cup at Bethpage would be a good idea, especially when you have the added fact that the crowds are somewhat encouraged to be patriotic. I don't 12 years is enough time to get ready for the negative that would come up that week.

[Dick Kirkpatrick]

Do not allow spectators.

[Sam Morrow]

Jerks in the northeast?

[Ivan Morris]

The over-the-top rudeness of the Bethpage Black fans was breathtaking. Is Bethpage beer that strong? 
Is there any chance of a similar raucous 'culture' at Medinah during the Hyper Cup? Or, is such boorishness just a New York thing?

[Don Hyslop]

This rude behavior, unfortunately, is becoming widespread across the PGA. The yelling, "Get in the hole" on a tee shot of a par 4 hole shows that these fans have little idea of the game of golf. It is really the fan saying this is all about me. I wish they would be escorted off the course along with those who insist on taking pictures of golfers while they are in their backswings. It is interesting that in yesterdays LPGA Canadian Open where there were very large crowds you heard none of this kind of behavior.

[Pete Blaisdell]

For the most part, I think the fans are pretty good but like Pat said, it appears that the drunken element is growing in numbers. You always get a higher percentage of fools in the NY area and you get alot of happy drunks in the Phoenix area. As an official , I've had a few removed from the property that crossed the line. I made a ruling for Vicente Fernandez at Olympia Fields that was based on an obscure Decision that most people are not aware of and walking to the next tee between the ropes , a drunk walked right along side of me with the rope line separating us and he called me every name in the book and I had him booted. Had a soft drink thrown at me once at Inverness and had a couple of teenagers tossed at an APL. They were wearing long trenchcoats in 90 plus heat and they must have had a case of beer between them stashed in the coats.Got assaulted once by a spectator who was suffering from dementia. That was a strange one!

Ah, the trials and trevails of a rules official, it ain't all bikinis and beer. I will say this, you get some real babes along the rope lines trying to intice the players. At Caves Valley, I was walking with Jim Thorpe and he got out and out propositioned by one that was not playing with a Handicap.

Strange things happen at all sporting events these days.

[PCCraig]

Its not the beer's fault...it's the idiots drinking the beer that are the problem. The cries of "get in the hole" and "mashed potatoes" have become far too predictable. This past week's tournament in New York was just brutal. Why the Tour keeps rewarding the fans behavior at Bethpage with more events is beyond me. The worst idea I've heard in a long time was the recent news that a Ryder Cup will be awarded to Bethpage soon...yikes.

[noonan]

that the crowds at PGA Tour events are getting out of hand ?

On today's telecast it seemed as if the competitors were being disturbed by the crowds.

With "delays" in the telecast, couldn't the networks delete the idiots yelling "get in the hole" when players are teeing off on Par 4's and par 5's.  Throw in every other shot as well.

It seems to me that the crowds are getting more and more out of control ?

What can or will the PGA Tour do to address the issue ?

I agree

Their behavior is embarassing

[Jeffrey Conners]

I think it is a New York thing.  In the past three years I have attended all four days at Aronimink (AT&T) twice, two rounds at Riviera and one day at Quail Hollow and didn't hear or see anything remotely like what happened at Bethpage.  The New York fans were a disgrace.

[BHoover]

I'm happy to see that there are others out there who think that New York sports fans in general, and golf fans in particular, are a disgrace.  Too often, ESPN and Golf Channel will talk about how "passionate" the New York fans are, when in fact they are nothing more than idiots who drink too much and think that gives them the right to become part of the event.  As for those who have wondered whether a Ryder Cup at Bethpage would be a good thing, no F-ing way.  The course itself would be great, but it would have to be a Ryder Cup without fans.  It would be a disaster.

Also, has anyone else noticed the increasing frequency of "Ba-Ba-Booey" references during telecasts?  Who knew that Howard Stern fans (of which I am one) followed golf so closely?   

[Keith OHalloran]

Brian,
I agree that the golf fans at Bethpage were a bit over the top. I also agree that fans in general have to calm down, but you need to pump the brakes a bit when you call NY fans idiots who drink too much. To date, we have not had a fan beaten tnto a coma for wearing the wrong jersey to a game. There has been no rioting after wins, there are no fires set, haven't needed a judge in the arena, etc. I go to a lot of NY events, and not everyone there is an idiot. Now if you said the same about Eagles fans at The Vet....

[BHoover]

Brian,
I agree that the golf fans at Bethpage were a bit over the top. I also agree that fans in general have to calm down, but you need to pump the brakes a bit when you call NY fans idiots who drink too much. To date, we have not had a fan beaten tnto a coma for wearing the wrong jersey to a game. There has been no rioting after wins, there are no fires set, haven't needed a judge in the arena, etc. I go to a lot of NY events, and not everyone there is an idiot. Now if you said the same about Eagles fans at The Vet....

You're right.  I was being too general.  For the record, I think Cleveland fans are just a bit over the top as well.  Two years ago, some dude at a Browns game pushed a 12-year old kid to the ground for wearing a Jets jersey to the game.  I'm sure the kid deserved it (just kidding).  To be fair, though, Clevelanders have had to put up with almost 50 years of losing and disappointment.

[Mark McKeever]

Stop selling beer.

Nailed it Dan.  Too bad they make too much money off booze to cut it.

Mark

[Terry Lavin]

Is this a news flash?  New York golf fans are characterized by their loudest and drunkest members?  It's a joke, really, and I don't care how many times they sing Happy Birthday to a player, the lingering thought of NY golf fans is relief that we don't have to hear them until next year.

[Jason Thurman]

Stop selling beer.

Nailed it Dan.  Too bad they make too much money off booze to cut it.

Mark

The clowns we're talking about will find ways to get alcohol in. The quiet fans will use a flask. I'm guessing the louder ones will do the "duct tape Ziploc bags full of liquor to your thighs" trick. It's a classic move on the first weekend in May in my hometown of Louisville.

[Phil McDade]

As for those who have wondered whether a Ryder Cup at Bethpage would be a good thing, no F-ing way.  The course itself would be great, but it would have to be a Ryder Cup without fans.  It would be a disaster.

What makes BBlack a good Ryder Cup course? I don't think it's a good match-play course at all -- repetitive hole strategies (hit the fairway or else...), few holes with true options on how to play them, and an all-time bad 18th hole that would denude matches that go the full 18 holes. I can think of a dozen better courses.

(Notice my post is GCA-related. )

[Morgan Clawson]

The problem might be solved if they started kicking-out people for yelling, heckling or taunting.

And they should.

The poor behavior by the Bethpage fans has been rewarded over the years by the media and others explaining it away as one of the charms of New York.

[Matthew Petersen]

The problem might be solved if they started kicking-out people for yelling, heckling or taunting.

And they should.

The poor behavior by the Bethpage fans has been rewarded over the years by the media and others explaining it away as one of the charms of New York.

I think this is correct. The vast majority of tour events do not have the raucous feel of the Phoenix Open, because it's a cultivated and celebrated part of that tournament. It doesn't spread because it wouldn't be tolerated on 17 at Pebble beach or 16 at Riviera etc.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Didn't Sergio flip them the bird in 2002?

[JSlonis]

It was typical NY fan mentality and behavior. Boorish at best, downright stupid and rude at worst. They think they need to be part of the action for some reason. It was as if buses loaded with Giants/Jets fans got accidentally dropped at a golf tourney. I was embarrassed for them.

A Ryder Cup held at Bethpage could spell the end of the event...  

Our Philadelphia fans are notorious as well but at least the knuckleheads have enough sense not to show up at a golf tournament.  The crowds at Aronimink for the two years of the AT&T were great!

[SL_Solow]

Your observation is obviously correct.  It is equally obvious that the Tour does not want to do much, if anything, about it.  At a time when participation is a t best stagnant, when ratings are less than desired except when Tiger is in contention, when Tiger's future is questionable, the Tour is loathe to do anything that may reduce attendance.  Until fans begin to stay away because of the atmosphere or players opt out of tournaments due to fan behaviour, it will continue.  Although it is currently an aberration, the oft mentioned 16th at Scottsdale is an obvious example.  The hole no longer looks like it is part of a golf course during the tournament and the behaviour is different.  But it draws huge crowds, raises money for charity, creates attention and, so far, most players choose to "play along".  It may be fun for one tournament but the message it sends creates ripples for other tounaments.  Its not only the fans.  The intrusiveness of photographers and announcers has increased every year.  But I suppose these are all viewed as necessary to support the purses which hqave made the tour so lucrative for the players.

[Tom_Doak]

For the most part, I think the fans are pretty good but like Pat said, it appears that the drunken element is growing in numbers. You always get a higher percentage of fools in the NY area

As a native New Yorker, I would like to take issue with this.  I think the percentage of fools in the NY area is the same as everywhere else -- which means there are more of them, just as there are more nice people.

If your observation is correct, it just means that fools are more likely to attend a golf event than the population at large, so NYC fills the galleries with them.  Perhaps that should be a worrying sign for golf in general, instead of for New York City.

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