OT: Golf should follow baseball's example

[Jerry Kluger]

Call me a cranky old guy but I think it is awful to see PGA tour players, especially at the Masters, walking along and spitting some awful yellow glob from the tobacco that they have in their mouths. Major league baseball has banned tobacco of any substance being used by players coming into the league beginning in 2016 and many stadiums have banned the use of any tobacco products in the stadiums which includes all players.  Minor league baseball had banned it a number of years ago.  Besides being a disgusting habit smokeless tobacco is a known carcinogen and whether PGA Tour golfers like it or not it is a terrible example for young golfers.


As a side note, it did appear that Tiger and Phil were chewing gum which I had not seen them do before during a round.

[Cliff Hamm]

I would love to see all tobacco products banned from golf courses, in general.  Cigars are the worse.  The smell is awful, even after the smoker has left. The smokers leave them everywhere and who is supposed to pick them up?  Disgusting.


Understand why this will never happen, but at most should be treated like a dog.  Clean up after yourself.  Douse the cigar with water and put it in a bag.  Or designated smokers cart with ash trays. Oh sure, that will happen...

[astavrides]

As a side note, it did appear that Tiger and Phil were chewing gum which I had not seen them do before during a round.

Phil's been doing it pretty often the past couple years.

[corey miller]

So it should be banned because it is a "terrible example"? I am sure Augusta National could actually pull off the ban but it seems more should be done by the PGA on the "terrible example" front on pace of play.


or if we are talking baseball the regulating of equipment such has occurred on the college level.


I suspect a lot more golfers are bothered more by the "terrible example" set by slow play, or drinking, or gambling but if you want to throw Copenhagen in the mix I will agree though in fairness it would seem to be well down the list if we are honest.

[Jerry Kluger]

Drinking, smoking cigars and gambling have nothing to do directly with the PGA Tour and slow play is obviously a far more complicated issue which has been extensively discussed.  Watching DJ yesterday when he was next to the patrons off the fairway and dropping a large glob of yellow spit out of his mouth was certainly not a show of class or what professional golf should be - at least in my view.

[Dan Herrmann]

I think chewing tobacco (and tobacco in general) should be banned by the PGA TOUR for the same reason they ban beta blockers - they provide a calming effect and a competitive advantage to the user.

[Jim Nugent]

Should the PGA ban cussing? 

[Jon Wiggett]

Should the PGA ban cussing?

Yep.

[ward peyronnin]

Tiger would have millions in fines by now

[Jerry Kluger]

Tiger has been fined many times for using profanity on the course.  So have many others.

[Steve Lang]

   I have a 2nd cousin who played in the minors in the late 1960's, he got tired of the chew and one day pumped his cheek with tootsie roll chocolate instead, made it obvious, the bulge, spitting, and all... and before stepping up to bat in middle of game, announced he was quitting chew, threw his tobacco pouch into the trash and swallowed, no one gave him a hard time after that...