[Michael Moore]

Bad for golf?

Somewhere in between?

Who cares?

I honestly can't decide.

[Norbert P]

            It's good for beer companies.

 I think it's a great change of pace and its fun background music for being on the computer.

[ed_getka]

Whats going on at #16? I only watch the majors, so I don't know what you are talking about.

[Michael Moore]

Sorry Ed, I hate the presumptuous post as much as the next guy. Actually, I hate it more than anyone here.

There are 10,000 (not a typo) spectators around the tee boxes of this 174 yard par three. Immediately after each player strikes the ball, most of them yell. If the ball lands near the hole they yell louder. They also chant and do the wave.

[Joel_Stewart]

It looks like fun and the players seem to be enjoying it.   I wouldn't want to see it every week but not many courses can hold as many as Phoenix.  

Curtis Strange said if the players don't like it then don't come which is what Tiger has decided.

[DTaylor18]

Michael, clearly it's over the top, and I don't think i'd want to be there, but at the same time I think it is good for golf since it's only once per year.  It is very rowdy, but it also looks like fun.  I think the players that play in this event are ones that don't mind it as much or thrive on it, whereas the guys that hate that kind of stuff never show up.  There are so many events on tour and plenty of monotony, I think it's ok just because it's different and a change of pace.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Michael Moore,

NO,

What's next, the Pit ?

[Forrest Richardson]

While I do not enjoy the loudness or ruckus, I find it entertaining and appropriate that we have brought back the closeness of spectators to golfers lost somewhere between 1960 and 1965, at which period ropes and distance then separated those watching from those playing. Look at some of the great spectator photographs from the 1930s...spectators completely surrounded greens, which then were about 3,000 s.f.

[Doug Siebert]

Patrick, I don't think you have to worry about that, the 13th at North Berwick couldn't hold 10,000 fans  

[Scott_Burroughs]

Curtis Strange said if the players don't like it then don't come which is what Tiger has decided.

Which is ironic, since he was one of the earlier instigators to the madness there, with his "raise the roof" ace there back in '97.  He was totally into it then and was as excited as the crowd.  I guess he's 'matured'.

Maybe I have the wrong tournament, but wasn't this also the location of the group of spectators helping him move the otherwise immovable boulder?  

[ed_getka]

Its probably not a good idea in the long run, as things will undoubtedly get worse. There was some of what you are describing at Bethpage, and it seemed okay, but I could see where over time it would likely get out of hand.
   On the other hand I would rather have that, than the drunk, cigar-smoking corporate types who end up at the US Open each year.
   One corporate (free pass) guy actually gave me crap for taking up space in the stands (I was a volunteer on my day off) that should be reserved for paying customers. Pretty ironic!

[Andrew_Roberts]

Joel,
Tiger also did not like that a few years ago a person was found with a gun in the Tiger Woods Crowd.
Tiger also uses that as a excuse(good or bad?) that he no longer trusts the Pheonix Open security.

But overall, the crowd is overall good for the tour, but I agree that if that was the case every week then there would be some problems.

[Forrest Richardson]

Andrew,

I was not aware Tiger has mentioned this since the incident. If you know otherwise, I'd like to know.

Also, "security" in the happening in Phoenix was actually two peace offers assigned to Tiger's group that day and the chap with the gun had been issued a concealed weapons permit from the State of Arizona. He was being obnoxious following a warning and, when approached by the officers, began to let his alcohol level show — it was in this intereaction that the officers learned the fan was carrying a weapon and immediately wrestled him to the ground and disarmed him. The man never drew his firearm, nor was he threatening Tiger with it — he was just showing his power toward the officers by stating that he "had a gun, too."

At many other events I could envision a different scenario. Security at the Phoenix Open (excuse me, FBR Open) is extremely tight.

[Andrew_Roberts]

Forrest,
Maybe Tiger did not mention it,
that would have been rude to the sponsors,
but I heard that it was a possible reason on why he no longer goes to the tournament.
I believe the course sets up really well for him and I am surpirsed he never won at the the FBR.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Doug Siebert,

I was referencing the Globe Theatre

[MikeJones]

I can't imagine that Tiger would be put off by a big crowd! I'm sure there must be other reasons why he doesn't play in that event any more.

I think it's great makes for good TV and attracts people to the sport which has long been tainted by an old fuddy duddy image, especially in the UK.
Before anyone says "we don't want that kind of person taking up the game" as soon as they start to play they will at least have a chance to see why we all love it so much. Anything that brings in new and younger players to this great game has to be a positive thing.

[rgkeller]

Very little of the PGA Tour is good for golf.

[Hunt]

Scott,

The answer to your question is yes, this is the tournament where Tiger had the boulder removed.

I don't mind the 16th for this hole and this event only (It seems absurdly appropriate to run alongside the Super Bowl), but I'll bet it comes to a crashing halt over the next few years. Some moron will start yelling in a backswing and a player/caddy gets riled or an overserved college frat boy makes a poor decison when being interviewed by Judy Rankin (I bet she just can't wait to be there again today).

On a side note. How about Ricky Barnes hitting an 180+ yard 8 iron yesterday on I believe, 15? WHAT?

[Forrest Richardson]

I visited the 16th today and can report that the crowd was behaved, all-be-them interested in yelling immediately following any shot — and I mean ANY shot. Among the most entertaining traits was the continual "wave" initiated in between groups among the crowd at the completely encircled hole. Most of the pros seemed to be having a good time with the Phoenix crowd. I suppose there was not much else they could do as they hunted for some of the $5,200,000 purse money.

[tonyt]

There is often talk on the tour about the Tiger events, and the non-Tiger events, and the wide split this can potentially create. That the Tiger-less Phoenix has it's niche as a hyped carnival type event is all power to them.

Phoenix always gets enormous crowds, the best of the year worldwide from memory. Mark Calcavecchia (regular winner and automatic starter each year) when asked to confirm that he must regard it one of his favourite tournaments replied "Phoenix isn't a golf tournament". He loves it, and a huge host of the other players love it, and mark it on the calendar every year.

I'll ritually disembowel myself if I ever saw such a phenom at that pretty place in April, or at a US Open. But I can't believe there isn't room for it at least once a year, such as at an event played in winter in Arizona. If we are going to pick out an event that has a crowd phenom that hurts the tour, lets not choose one that routinely attracts enormous crowds without Tiger.

[James Edwards]

Not for me, sorry!

(Although, it's the first time I've ever seen my girlfriend smile, with anything to do with golf!)

[THuckaby2]

Now just why is this bad for golf, other than making things a little tough on the players, who are coddled and pampered everywhere else?

I have friends who've been there and they say it's more fun then they've ever had watching golf, or other sports for that matter.  Hell yes it's one big cocktail party...

You have 10,000 people all interested in the game, or at least watching it.  With all these stories and books about golf dying, this is bad?  Shouldn't interest in golf - even crass like this - be encouraged?

Hell, I'd love to be there, myself - looks like a lot of fun.  And man if golf is dying, I can't see that discouraging raucous interest like this is the best way to resucitate it.  But I surely could be wrong.  It just doesn't make sense to me to complain about golf dying on the one hand and say this is wrong on the other.

So long as the players remain safe, I say long live this event.

TH

[THuckaby2]

 

Me too!  I really was wishing for that... god that would be cool.

TH

[James Edwards]

Tom,

I suppose, I'm looking at it from an ex pros point of view.  I have no problem as long as it's quiet 'enough' on the tee at the point of final address.  I watched this weekend and it looked fun, but in the weir group, weir had it quiet, whilst sluman and the big lad had some noise pollution.  

But that being said, thoughts do go back to Fred Couples (?) and Tiger Woods shots and the crowd reaction which were umbelievably good tv with the the beer cans etc etc.

Architecturally, the hole looks a great one... Is it?

[THuckaby2]

I have no idea about the golf hole.  It plays well on EA Sports Tiger Woods Golf video game...

So ok, sure, there are competitive imbalances created also.  But jeez, to me these pros are so coddled as it is, they can live with some unfairness on one hole.  No offense!  

I just continue to not get how if the game is dying, interest like this is bad.

TH

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