Opinion & Analysis
Ryder Cup hecklers raise more questions than answers
How should we feel about a fan telling Rory McIlroy to “suck a ****?” Underlying all the soundbites and more nuanced discussions of U.S. fans’ conduct at Hazeltine this week are questions like these: What do we expect from fans at a Ryder Cup? How should they act toward the foreign opponents? Should Ryder Cup fans adhere to a different standard than fans at other sporting events?
And heading off any “cultural disintegration” arguments: No European team member went as far as Sam Torrance did in 1999, when he called U.S. fan behavior at Brookline “disgusting.” And no fan went as far as spitting on the captain’s wife at Hazeltine this year, which reportedly also happened at Brookline.
So, abandoning the “American culture has gone to hell and this is what you get” argument, let’s dig into what happened at Hazeltine. The easiest way to do this would seem to be looking at the situations of Danny Willett and Rory McIlroy separately, and then looking at fan behavior more generally (cheering for bad shots from the Europeans, etc).
First, the unfortunate Mr. Willett. The Masters champ’s brother, P.J., wrote a (satirical?) column for the National Club Golfer ahead of the Ryder Cup in which he made a number of less-than-flattering characterizations of American golf fans. For example: “pudgy, basement-dwelling, irritants, stuffed on cookie dough and pissy beer, pausing between mouthfuls of hot dog so they can scream ‘Baba booey’ until their jelly faces turn red.”
Yahoo’s Ryan Ballengee (perhaps mistaking the chicken for the egg) stated firmly “Danny Willett’s brother was right…fans chugging Bud Lights and Silver Bullets shouted “Baba booey” on most every hole Willett played. Multiple times in some cases. The courage juice certainly helped some spectators come up with other gems like, “Where’s your brother, Danny Boy?” and “Hot dogs!” and “Your brother could’ve hit that shot!”
It’s difficult to imagine a situation in which Danny Willett wasn’t going to hear it from the fans, as he was (unfortunately for him) the only Willett teeing it up at Hazeltine. He was rattled, and didn’t earn a point in three matches.
Should Danny have been the whipping boy for P.J.’s sentiments? From a fairness standpoint: No. From standpoint of “Would he get far worse in any other sport?” Assuredly yes. The question then revolves around whether we ought to give Ryder Cup fans a wider berth than we (and security) would at a PGA Tour event.
Rory McIlroy, as the top dog for team Europe, caught plenty of flack early, which only intensified as he…well, intensified. And his “You’re welcome for the show” bow Friday afternoon firmly sentenced him to another two days of heckling.
The worst of it for McIlroy (as far as we know) came when a spectator yelled, “Suck a ****, Rory!” with the Ulsterman only a few feet away as he walked between holes. For his part, Rory reportedly said, “If you want to back that up, I’m right here,” before having the heckler thrown out.
There’s no doubt McIlroy went to another level of intensity in the face of the jeering (going 3-2-0), and he said as much after his matches Saturday: “(The heckling) fueled me a lot…the more they shouted, the better we (he and Pieters) played.”
ESPN’s Bob Harig, writing about the venom directed at the former world No. 1 said:
“There’s nothing wrong with such partisan cheering at the Ryder Cup. But why such venom has been directed at McIlroy is beyond puzzling. This is one of the more popular, gracious players when he competes in PGA Tour events. He just won the Tour Championship on Sunday — and the FedEx Cup’s $10-million bonus — and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone at the tournament who didn’t cheer that victory.”
This may not be as true as Harig thinks, but the fact remains: McIlroy is not an unpopular player in America. He was, however, the best golfer on the European squad. And he did make a few flippant remarks about the U.S. team and the Ryder Cup task force ahead of the competition. So harassment was deemed a priority by some, and that contagion only spread.
The McIlroy situation is a little tougher to judge than Willett’s. In other sports similar occurrences are frequent, albeit most often not at such close range. And again, like the Willett situation, there’s no doubt such conduct wouldn’t fly at any Tour stop. Thus, the question is, again, “Do we give fans a wider berth than we (and security) would at a PGA Tour event?”
Moving from fan interaction with specific players to the atmosphere in general: Talking about the Hazeltine faithful, Sergio Garcia sounded off:
“They have been quite poor. I’m not going to lie. Obviously it’s unfortunate, because I think that 85 percent of the people are great and I love playing in America. My girlfriend is American. But that 15 percent that is really bad, it makes them look bad.”
That didn’t jive with European Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke’s estimate. “I think you have 99.99 percent of the crowd out there that are wonderfully respectful. They are patriotic, yes, but they are wonderfully respectful,” Clarke said.
“You’re always going to have one or two idiots that say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and, unfortunately, that’s happened,” Clarke said. “But overall, the fans have been absolutely superb to us. And it’s unfortunate, you’re just going to run into people like that now and again that say the wrong thing at the wrong time and the wrong place.”
So there you have it. In general, somewhere between 85 and 99.99 percent of fans conducted themselves appropriately.
Do we respond differently to the Hazeltine hecklers if they numbered 15 percent or a fraction of a percent? Probably. If Garcia’s estimate is anywhere near correct, you might see the next Ryder Cup sponsored by the Temperance Union, rather than Michelob Ultra.
For what it’s worth Golf Digest’s John Huggan thinks he has the solution to Ryder Cup heckling:
“On those occasions when a player is disturbed by heckling while standing over a ball ready to putt. When and if that happens, the putt should immediately be conceded by the opponent. Knowing that any attempt to distract will be counter-productive is perhaps the only way to counteract this cancer that pervades the Ryder Cup.”
Not a slippery slope there at all, John! But really, there are more questions than answers with this one. On the one hand, there are vested interests in the Ryder Cup being as rude and raucous as possible, and few would argue that they didn’t enjoy seeing Rory McIlroy’s performance, which was directly related to the heckling. On the other, putting aside golf’s traditions and the “spirit of the game,” golf is a game played in relative silence where fans are incredibly close to the players, so holding fans to same standards as, say, attendees at an NFL game, doesn’t make sense.
Somewhere between these two poles a solution lies. Maybe a Heckling Task Force is in order?
Related: See what WRX Members are saying about the hecklers in our Tour Talk forum.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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stephenf
Oct 14, 2016 at 11:39 am
“Should Ryder Cup fans adhere to a different standard than fans at other sporting events?”
Yes. Always.
The pro game is swirling down the toilet of other pro sports. It’s just behind the curve a little, but it’s well on the way. A lot of this is the PGA Tour’s insatiable search for ever more money and ever-wider markets. When the game has to make no demands of anybody’s behavior or speech, when it has to be everything to everybody, it becomes nothing. Nothing more than just another pro sport, complete with sex scandals, tabloidism, ex-criminals and drug addicts, you name it.
If what matters about the game is going to survive, it’s going to be at the amateur level, with parents taking their kids out and teaching them what matters in the game. The pro game is becoming more and more just a shadow of what the game used to be and what it meant. Nobody should see it as a flagship, because it isn’t.
Don’t like taking your kid to a baseball game because (aside from being prohibitively expensive, especially for a guy who grew up going to Dodger Stadium when it wasn’t) you’re not crazy about drunk idiots yelling obscenities over the top of your kid’s head? Better not take them to the Ryder Cup either, since you’ll get “Suck a —-” from alleged “golf fans.”
And why exactly do we have to keep “putting aside” elements like cultural decline, golf’s traditions, and the spirit of the game? A little too antiquated for us now, so we have to be vaguely apologetic and avoidant? These things matter. Golf used to be a civilizing influence, when taught and played the right way. It still can be, but it’s rarer and rarer that it is. It’s being subsumed by a culture of selfishness, coarseness, and vulgarity. Anybody who doesn’t see this as tragic and regrettable doesn’t understand the game and what it’s supposed to be.
By the way, it’s “flak.” And “jibe,” not “jive.”
Dave r
Oct 8, 2016 at 7:32 pm
No class at all shown by some fans , have another drink ….not
Double Mocha Man
Oct 5, 2016 at 5:59 pm
… and you wonder why your comments get removed…
Harry Lines
Oct 5, 2016 at 5:53 pm
I think the point is that this kind of heckling and shouting “get in the hole” on the tee of a 600 yard par 5 doesn’t really happen on the European tour or at a European hosted Ryder Cup. It all seems a bit pointless when all the players are trying to do is put on a show for the fans and win a premier event in there sport.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 5, 2016 at 6:05 pm
If you yell “Get in the hole!” on a par 5 tee shot you’re either really, really drunk or you have never played golf other than a miniature golf course or you’ve hit a large bucket on the range using only your driver.
Christian
Oct 5, 2016 at 12:32 pm
To deny this, generally, is an American problem is weird. The number of rude and brash bozos are higher among US golf fans, and that of course is a reflection of american culture. Just accept it or if you see it as a problem, deal with it harshly at events. Producing long winded apologist pieces like this article is not the answer.
Craig
Oct 5, 2016 at 5:38 am
Maybe for something like the Ryder Cup, it should just be played without spectators present? They have done this before in European Soccer. Television is the bulk of the audience for a tourney which is watched around the world. When some idiot yelled out as Stenson started making his backstroke, I stopped watching, it all got too much and as an Australian without a vested interest, couldn’t be bothered with a contest biased towards one side.
Mark Donaghy
Oct 5, 2016 at 5:02 am
We like to think that poor crowd behaviour is a modern phenomenon but in 1855, when playing a match against Willie Park at Musselburgh Tom Morris left the course, with the referee, because the partisan crowd was kicking and standing on his golf ball. These were big money matches with lots of betting and drinking, crowds would number in their tens of thousands and be very hostile to visitors. People would be shouting out at the top of a player’s backswing. Spectators stood in the bunkers to get a better view. Looks like we have come full circle.
Ty
Oct 5, 2016 at 2:34 am
Isn’t this a ton of fun? The Hecklers are in force on these comments boards! Excellent! Lets keep it going for two more years!
Brent
Oct 5, 2016 at 12:43 am
Because you’re a di** head probably.
schadenfreude
Oct 4, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Golf is a gentleman’s game not a WWE event, Raiders game, or monster truck rally! I hope the Ryder Cup doesn’t take on the personality of that Waste Management Tourney in Arizona. As a matter of fact I hope it goes even more conservative and stops selling alcohol to decrease the excuses for idiot behavior. We got a whole bunch of “Kardashian” intelligence sports but lets keep the few we don’t have classy.
Brian
Oct 4, 2016 at 1:30 pm
The Euros flooding this board have no room to talk. Look at their behavior during soccer matches.
RedX
Oct 4, 2016 at 5:52 pm
Sad you feel that way Brian. I’m not European by the way but we’re talking about one of the showcase events on the golfing calendar – “golf” being the most important word in that sentence.
Com
Oct 5, 2016 at 2:32 am
Once again, Brian, an American, getting topics and subjects confused and mixed up and making them all the same. A typical American trait, that, not being able to compartmentalize.
Sven Olsen
Oct 6, 2016 at 6:22 am
I am not an European – I am Danish, and I think the discussion has come to a point, where common sense has left the building.
If you compare soccer to golf, you are far out. Golf is a gentlemen’s sport – soccer is definately not!
If people cannot behave, they have nothing to do at a golf game – cheering on your team is something we all do, but not to the extend, where the opposing players are intimidated and/or abused by a couple of braindeads – for that is the cold facts: Only a very tiny minority behave like idiots – the vast majority of the mainly American audience were good sportsmen – they cheered a good performance, and made some teasing comments – which is fine and proper – since this happened post-shot, so to speak.
And, a little foot note: Please do not call true Europeans for Euros – they abhor the modern version of Hitler’s Neuropa. Further to your comment: Don’t forget, the Scots, who are Europeans (to a certain degree) invented golf, so we, the Scandinavians and the Europeans have plenty of room – plenty!
Topic_Monitor
Oct 4, 2016 at 11:18 am
Please be respectful of others and stick to the subject matter. Thank You
Proud Yankee
Oct 4, 2016 at 9:22 am
Thanks WRX for letting someone post something so absolutely hateful like saying Americans are C**** you should be proud of yourself for taking my post off but leaving that
Zak Kozuchowski
Oct 4, 2016 at 9:41 am
We regret the comment you’re addressing making it through our spam filters. Our apologies. It has no place on our site, and never will.
Ian Muir
Oct 4, 2016 at 4:05 am
The whole world watches the Ryder Cup; it is broadcast worldwide and so the US looks bad in the eyes of the neutrals be it in the Far East, Australasia as well as in Europe and every other corner of the world. But you know what, all that the Hazeltine crowds have done is to further imbed the already held beliefs around the globe that the US are a nation of low-class, drunken and moronic fools. But I guess rather than tackle the issue (and it’s not the first time in RC history that the US crowds have acted in this way) the US will do what it always does – circle the wagons. I guess at least there was no-one firing guns when the putts were rolling in.
Chris
Oct 4, 2016 at 11:31 am
Broad generalizations to label a whole country? That seems about right. So Europe’s futbol fans must be a direct representation of their country , correct? …
Get over it , any normal tour event there is not an issue with hecklers and people over here like Rory and a lot of other foreigners. They even root for them. This is a TEAM EVENT that happens every two years of course we are going to root against the euros..
Ian Muir
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:24 am
It reflects where America is in the world; boorish and needy for attention whilst being lacking in class and intellect in equal measure. The behaviour (yes that is the correct spelling NOT behavior you mugs) seen at Hazeltine was televised around the world and America’s reputation sinks even lower; well done to the brainless, knuckle-dragging morons. Oh, and ban the sale of alcohol it is not the time nor the place for it.
Brian
Oct 4, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Kind of like the Euro soccer fans that hurl bananas and chant monkey noises at black soccer players? Those who live in glass houses…
Lucas
Oct 4, 2016 at 4:03 pm
This isn’t soccer…look at the Wimbledon? Thats not the Point. Stupid people dont have to ruin every sport.
stephenf
Oct 14, 2016 at 11:38 am
Kind of like, it doesn’t matter what other people do. It matters what _you_ do. That’s one of the things this game is supposed to teach people, if they learn it the right way.
Bert
Oct 5, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Sad prospective – very sad.
Brian
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:06 pm
Is that anything like Euro soccer fans throwing bananas and making monkey noises at black players?
Rock Flite
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Some behavior crossed the line. On the Saturday afternoon fourball, Westwood missed a 4/5 foot putt early on the back nine. He had another on the next hole, when someone yelled ‘miss it’ on his backswing- I have it on tape. Commentators acted like it didn’t happen. With that in the back of his mind and the crowd screaming for blood, Westwood proceeds to gag over the next two that were inside the leather. Can only hope the Euro crowd forgets this by ’18.
RedX
Oct 3, 2016 at 7:13 pm
For all those advocating a restriction on alcohol take a moment. The Euro’s at their press conference rejected any call for future alcohol bans. Yes there were a few too many incidents of poor behaviour but it was the overwhelming miniscule MINORITY of the crowd. An alcohol ban punishes many for the indiscretions of the so very few. Lets just hold the idiots accountable for their actions rather than putting a dampener on things for so many people who can have a few drinks and still act like responsible, respectful adults.
If those idiots have a problem at a Ryder Cup match because they’ve had a few beers they probably have problems elsewhere as well
john
Oct 7, 2016 at 12:56 am
This is how society makes laws… The minority ruin it for the rest (speed limits in cars for a prime example). If your minority can’t handle their liquor at a golf event, then alcohol needs to be banned.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 7, 2016 at 11:37 am
I’ve tried to explain just that to my son… how a few idiot people cause laws to be written… laws that end up impacting us all. I think we should be able to apply for an Adult Maturity and Wisdom card. Ownership of that card would allow you to skip over a lot of laws made specifically for the selfish idiots.
Markallister
Oct 3, 2016 at 5:40 pm
maybe the us players should eat more hot dogs and drink more beer so that people would actually like them.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Hey! Let Smizzle have his say!
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 5:05 pm
We all have our problems (as do you and your username) but that was a little over the top.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 5:26 pm
I was referring to the Tickle Me guy. Smiz, all your usernames are okay with me.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 5:50 pm
Chuckle… chuckle… (don’t do anything to get yourself censored)
tickle me puswoo
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:59 pm
that’s
leo vincent
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:32 pm
The United States public in general has gotten more rude and dumber in general.All that needs to be said is the U S public may elect Donald Trump president you can’t get much dumber than that.
birdy
Oct 5, 2016 at 7:38 am
unless of course you elect a corrupt, dishonest, incompetent, unlikable, woman with a track record of fail.
Drimmen
Oct 3, 2016 at 3:19 pm
I was at Hazeltine on Friday and Sunday. Huge crowds, huge emotions. I followed Reed and Rory for several holes. Obviously I’m only one person, but I didn’t see any continual over-the-top rude behavior. A couple of times someone would shout something out and rest of the fans would quickly shut them down. I think Clarke’s .01% was probably correct. The PGA had plenty of messaging on the video screens about being respectful. I say a lot of media hype. Followed Phil and Sergio for much of Sunday. Great match. Sergio seemed thankful for the fan behavior and support.
The Ruder Cup
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:46 pm
It’s the RUDER Cup. To see who can be the rudest in the land.
Pathetic show of a competition or whatever belligerent-fest it is
Warwick
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:40 pm
My wife does not play or watch sport but she watched a few holes with me and exclaimed, “The Americans are very rude.”
We are neutrals from South Africa but the poor sportsmanship displayed by MOST of the American crowd tarnished Arnold Palmer’s memory. The cheer that went up when Rory hit into the water on the 16th was disgusting. An American friend could not stop apologizing.
I thought the golfers behaved pretty well but some, including Patrick and Rory went too far in their antics. Ricky and Phil were exceptionally well behaved.
The golf was riveting but the mindless” USA USA” chant was distracting. Minnesota is not on my bucket list.
Dave
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:11 pm
This must be your first Ryder Cup.
Whatsthecatch
Oct 4, 2016 at 1:56 am
Genocide?
Yes Apartheid was wrong but not genocide…whatever definition from any generally accepted source you want to use
Preventing a person sitting in a whites only restaurant is wrong but not genocide.
What about the Indians?Because it was way back, smaller sample pool does that now change the principle?
SNBD
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:11 am
This is an amazingly witty comment…directed at yet another non-american making “MOST” of us out to be the worst fans in all of sports. Sergio and Clarke didn’t even say “MOST” of the fans were out of line and they were at the event. As for the USA USA chants, you (Warwick) don’t see this type of enthusiasm for the international team in the President’s Cup because your beloved South Africans and the rest of the world get waxed every two years.
Brent
Oct 5, 2016 at 1:00 am
What has South Africa’s history got to do with the ryder cup?
cwp
Oct 14, 2016 at 7:19 am
Oh yeah? Care to tell me what happened to the Sioux tribe then? Only a part of the extermination of indians you have in your history so stop spouting your nonsense.
stephenf
Oct 14, 2016 at 11:39 am
Yeah. I’ll bet these people aren’t either.
Jay
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:28 pm
All the comments of the problem being a tiny minority, or the Euros are the same, or ‘it’s the players fault for stoking things up’. It’s all a smoke haze. Those things are the result, not the cause. The real cause of this, is an over abundance of cultural Nationalism spreading it’s way around the world like a cancer. The world appears to be well down the road to a more dangerous junction whereby Patriotism has already been mistaken for Nationalism and history has repeatedly shown that this slippery slope of Nationalism has ended very badly, yet we as humans have failed to learn any lessons from our past. That’s sad, and a great worry!
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:43 pm
Here’s to being a Universalist. We all share this planet. What’s with those dotted white lines between countries anyway?! They’re just “political” boundaries. God didn’t put those there.
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Smizie… go look up Donald Trump’s GHIN handicap index, watch a YouTube video of his swing and tell me he doesn’t cheat at golf. Your red state doesn’t trump my blue state. Mine has better golf courses. Un-i-verse… Un-i-verse… Un-i-verse…
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Well, sorry, that was a bit of a non-sequitur. I enjoy Smizzle’s commentary, both good and stupid. Didn’t mean to bring in politics, but Smizzle was sounding alot like an old white man there.
stephenf
Oct 14, 2016 at 11:40 am
Hilarious. You really want to try to live without them?
It’s not the fact of the boundaries that causes incivility.
RedX
Oct 3, 2016 at 6:50 pm
Jingoism is the expression you’re searching for Jay. Not new unfortunately
Double Mocha Man
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:20 pm
1. I would have loved to see Rory punch that guy out.
2. You hand should be stamped every time you buy a beer. After 4 stamps you’re cut off.
3. If that guy had 4 stamps or less on his hand he wouldn’t have used that language against a good guy from Ireland.
Dave
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Rory had classless comments about the Americans before it started and Rory was egging it on during the competition. It’s the first time I have ever rooted against him. I now believe he is a spoiled little brat. Stenson on the other hand, due to his behavior and ability to tune out the crowd, is fast becoming my favorite Euro. I just wish he would smile more then once a week.
stephenf
Oct 14, 2016 at 11:41 am
If you think somebody else’s behavior or comments are the cause of yours, you are no golfer. Not really.
KJ
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:00 pm
I have to admit that hearing what was being said was embarrassing at times. I don’t care if it was a very small minority. Find the idiots and throw them out! I was also not thrilled with the overreaction by players on both sides after making good shots and holing putts. You would have never seen any of the greats react that way. I know its an emotional time and tournament, but have some respect for the game. An occasional fist pump or reaction is fine and expected……but not on every hole. McElroy and Reed played ridiculously good golf and both went over the line IMHO.
Keith B. Real
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:28 pm
I wish there was a like button. 🙂
Paul
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Its opinions like this why Golf is so hard to grow. This sport absolutley needs some emotion in it. How do you expect to draw in a younger crowd…which you have to do to energize this sport…if you become offended at the idea of someone displaying passion for draining a 20 foot putt in front of a few thousand. Relax a little bit broski..have a beer..and let the kids have some fun
Scooter McGavin
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Paul is right on the money. They went “over the line”? Are you kidding me? Why do you think most people find golf to be incredibly boring and question it even being athletic? Because of these attitudes that excitement, energy, and passion have to be suppressed in order to maintain “proper decorum for this noble game of old”. That’s why everyone thinks it’s a stuffy hobby for rich white people, when in fact it is quite fun and exciting. Anyone who plays knows how exciting the game can be, so why fight it? To add to it, the Ryder Cup actually adds a team and group pride element absent from other golf tournaments. That’s ONE of the reasons more people find sports like football, soccer, basketball, and baseball more exciting, is they have a team that they and a well-defined group of other people have a vested interest in, so they get more excited to watch them.
JG
Oct 3, 2016 at 8:48 pm
You’re absolutely right Paul. Why didn’t people go up in arms when Tiger would fist pump a putt after leading by 10 at Pebble? Because they loved the emotion.
Plus, competitive matchplay is a completely different game than your day in day out stroke play, the emotion is what gets under players skin. Which might I add is a benefit in the Ryder Cup.
KJ
Oct 4, 2016 at 8:12 am
Golf does not need guys running around, mouthing obscenities and all of the theatrics that were on display in some of the matches. Again, I said some emotion and gamesmanship is great. I enjoyed it to a point. But, they took it too far. If that’s what golf “needs”, then I want no part of playing around anyone that thinks that’s what the game is about. If you cant have fun being outside enjoying good weather, getting some exercise with your buddies, enjoying their company and competing then golf isn’t for you. And that’s ok as far as I’m concerned.
JThunder
Oct 4, 2016 at 10:47 pm
Wow, so many of you equate “emotion” with yelling obscenities and trash talking the opponent. That’s very telling. Those things are not one in the same, and not necessarily even related.
Jack
Oct 5, 2016 at 3:45 am
Agree, I think a proper celebration would have been a slight tip of the hat or even with a charming wink added in. Anything more would be a travesty.
MBU
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:04 pm
You’re bang on there. They should both have known better. There didn’t seem much mutual respect between them either. Dustin Johnson came off as a good guy, and Phil of course.
What Willet harped on about post Ryder Cup was awful. I hope he’s not picked again.
I thought that the USA team celebrated very respectfully after winning. I didn’t mind the US’ winning it, they had a very positive attitude, and deserved it.
Rwj
Oct 3, 2016 at 6:27 pm
#1
The problem is they are no longer sporting events for fans, they are social events for people needing to post selfies showing their acquaintances their life is great. True fans rarely go to sporting events anymore because they know the alcoholics are going to be loud and obtrusive to ruin a good day.
It’s a dog and pony show now on tour. The athlete can’t finish a putt and soak in his achievement of winning a tournament without his trophy wife needing to be on the green for tv coverage.
SNBD
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:24 am
KJ: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you’re not in your 20’s and probably not even in your 30’s….if you are, what is it with your pre-mature “get off my lawn” attitude? Golf is seriously struggling with the younger generation and there are a lot of factors, but the stuffy, respect the game attitude that your post so aptly displays is a huge one. MLB is in the same boat…so many unwritten rules in baseball, you can write a book about them. This is a serious prediction….golf will probably see a gain in popularity and have a “come back” when the baby boomer generation literally dies. Everything wasn’t better in the 50’s….simpler, yes, but not better.
Mr. Wedge
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Standing in a crowd behind the ropes gives a certain few people the false sense of anonymity. Sort of like the internet. General rule, if you wouldn’t say it directly face to face, don’t yell it through a crowd.
Scooter McGavin
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:53 pm
I’m not sure what everyone else was watching, but it looked to me like everyone was really excited and having a blast. Maybe the complainers just need to quit being pansies and whining all the time. Also, fwiw, the 85/15% number was thrown out by Sergio, who is a giant baby.
Jack Nash
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:11 pm
It’s obvious you musta been out of the room when the commentators were mentioning the morons and derogatory remarks towards the Euro players. You musta missed Bubba and the group he was following when he told some fans to cut it down a notch. There’s no problem with boisterous fans. There’s no problem with boisterous players. There’s no problem with the home fans cheering for missed Euro putts or shots. There IS a problem with vulgar and unnecessary shots at different opposition players.
Ajb
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:15 pm
As a neutral and just observing I couldn’t help but notice the similarity between the crowds at the golf and a Trump rally. A very similar energy and I bet if a survey had been done the majority of the golf crowd would have been Trump supporters.
Michael
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:55 pm
You aren’t a “neutral” and your comment makes that quite clear.
Ajb
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:12 pm
I reside in New Zealand hence the neutral tag but have played well over a hundred games in the USA. I have certainly never attended a Trump rally but what I have seen on the net the behavior from large numbers of both crowds is very similar
Ajb
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:18 pm
I live in New Zealand so consider myself a neutral. I have played golf at over 200 course in the USA over 30 years and all the people I have played and met have been wonderful.
I have never attended a Trump rally but the behavior at the golf from large numbers of the gallery seemed very similar to the behavior of his audiences.
daniel
Oct 5, 2016 at 9:02 am
Was there all weekend, wearing a trump pin. The people in MN were def not Trump fans lol. Super liberal. Also I think the media made this a bigger deal than it was. I only heard one thing in 2 entire days I felt was inappropriate. The Euros and Americans in the crowd were both very boisterous, I dont think any one was that out of line.
Bill W
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:56 pm
I quit watching tournaments on TV because of this stuff. It only shows the greed of the organizers to make money from alcohol and what classless trash shows up.
Michael
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:57 pm
The article and the experience of most people reflect that this does not go on during regular tour events. It doesn’t. I don’t know what you are watching, but it’s not the same PGA Tour and Euro Tour events I am watching.
gofish721
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:21 pm
What does anyone expect? It’s now a team game so it will get more vocal. When my team the Cavs played the Warriors, I had no trouble loudly cheering for LeBron and at times loudly booing the Warriors. But when they play is fair and they outperform us, I don’t boo or go abusively vocal. One has to tip his hat to Sergio to play like he did against Phil’s onslaught, sink that last pressure putt, and eke out a half. Wow! That was fun to watch!!
But in other sports pro games, when the players pass by fans going to the lockers rooms, the most obnoxious and offensive comments are made. It’s when you’re practically face to face. Same with passing through to the next tee and the situation with Rory. That may be where they need to focus crowd control. Limit the amount of rope the fans can press up against. And add a few more marshals there willing to eject over the top people to set a desired standard. Two things though… 1- you’ll never stop every classless and/or drunk fan from speaking out pathetic things. 2- make no mistake about it, the European fans who are used to being spectators at soccer matches (and we have seen some results of those), are no angels either. It’s going to happen. Still overall, it’s very enjoyable. I don’t let a few sully comments from a losing team knock the tarnish off this one!! From what I’ve read, Rory has handled it well.
KennyV
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:33 am
Wait till we get to Bethpage
KennyV
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:32 am
Two issues. One….the crowds are too big for the event. 40K paid entries and the PGA and sponsors add another 10K comp tickets. That’s 50K people watching 4 groups. You can’t see anything and sit around for an hour on an empty hole waiting on groups to arrive. What else is there to do but drink
Two….These same fans are idiots most every other week. Something about yelling “get In the hole” that seems cool. Maybe Willet was right. They need to be busted and marched out. Bring back a better spirit to the game.
RichC
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:31 am
Similar instances of bad behaviour and heckling were evident at the 1999 Ryder Cup in Brookline, in an effort to stop it at the next Ryder Cup on US soil, which was held at Oakland Hills, the tournament organisers imposed a total ban on alchohol on the South course, the tented village area was located on the North course which was the other side of the road, and while alcohol was available over there it was not allowed or for sale anywhere on the south course. The US team didn’t perform very well which could have been a factor, but it seemed that overall the behaviour of fans was excellent.
Dunce
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:28 am
Alcohol is the biggest issue, its a shame some morons overdo it, as most people can sit there and have a few beers and not cause problems. They should have a big, Oktoberfest style beer tent or something along those lines for those who want to drink, once you go in there you have to stay there the rest of day or leave the course.
Dunce is a wuss
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:29 pm
What a wussy un-American, un sporting event like comment. You have just been stripped of your man card.
Bill
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:23 am
I think some of the hecklers are egged on by the players themselves. The way some of the golfers over reacted to some of their putts was excessive and way beyond the norm. Some of the older golfer announcers even mentioned it and said in earlier Rider Cups those types out outburst never happened. I think if the players calmed down and acted more restrained and respectable then so will the crowd.
Dale Doback
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:48 pm
I’m sorry but nobody wants to watch unrestrained golf, that’s what makes the Ryder Cup fun. We get the golf clap and the quiet signs all year. The Ryder Cup is a different event. Most of what took place at the Ryder Cup was perfectly fine and no different than what has happened on European soil. Rory and other Euros definitely fueled the crowed which was fun to watch especially when the level of play was stepped up. This was definitely the best Ryder Cup I have ever watched as far as the quality of play from both sides. when the fans serenaded Rory with the song “Sweet Caroline,” I thought that was incredibly funny and clever heckling, I don’t even mind so much the cheering when one opponent missed a shot to allow a player to win a hole. I heard Euro fans cheering when USA players missed putts, but a line must be drawn for conduct and the Euro/USA committee need to have more/better security to deal with rare over the top incidents like what happened to Rory to keep vulgar insulted heckling out of the best event in golf.
Jack Nash
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Well said and to the point.
MSchad
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Big thumbs up!!! You articulated my sentiments exactly.
Dave
Oct 3, 2016 at 4:18 pm
I too agree with you whole heartedly!!
Mr. Wedge
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:21 am
The patriotism and heckling is a small part of what makes the Ryder cup a great event. But there’s a line between heckling, and just being rude and offensive, that unfortunately some people don’t understand. It’s one of the reasons I love golf and hate going to other types of sporting events. God forbid you go to an opposing team’s football game, you have to worry about getting beer poured down you back and getting into a fight. I enjoy the heckling, the boos for missed putts, etc, as long as it doesn’t cross that line. But the Ryder cup seems to attract a portion of that other crowd. You get it from both sides though. Rory even acknowledged that the Euro fans are pretty tough on the Americans when it’s on their turf.
Jackson Galaxy
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:19 am
I have more respect for Rory now than I ever did before. He played his heart out and was very gracious toward the US players afterward.
Galaxy Jackson
Oct 3, 2016 at 2:33 pm
He was wanting to back it up and just suck a D when he told the guy “If you want to back that up, I’m right here,” That was his invite for the dude to get a hummer
Bert
Oct 5, 2016 at 9:21 pm
Absolutely! What a match – can’t get any better but not to forget Phil and Sergio. Two fantastic matches that I’ll not forget.
AllBOdoesisgolf
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:05 am
doesn’t beat the Euros spitting on Tiger and calling him a N!@#$%….. but hey, just the Americans are bad….
SimonCordier
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:42 am
Do you want to substantiate that, or did you just make it up?
Gollie
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:40 pm
When did this happen? Seems like it would have been a big deal. Never heard about it.
Jack Nash
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:25 pm
You never heard about it because it never happened.
Brian DeGraf
Oct 3, 2016 at 10:29 am
As another has said, this type of behavior is not seen at the Masters. I think there two reasons for that. 1) No alcohol is allowed or sold. 2) Limited ticket sales. The larger the crowd, the more agitation among fans trying to see and hear.
GaHack1
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:11 am
Well they do sell beer at the Masters and I would say they have a larger crowd than at the Ryder Cup. But the patrons at Augusta would not stand for such nonsense, I believe they would take care of anyone doing such things.
Seth
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:19 am
Alcohol is sold at the Masters. Domestic and Import beer is available to the patrons at concession stands throughout the course. Liquor is available if you are fortunate enough to get into the more restricted areas (clubhouse, etc.) during tournament week.
I agree with you on the crowd size. I also think people have heard the stories of losing badges and being black listed if the Green Jackets determine your behavior is unacceptable. Also, a lot of people attending the Masters buy their tickets through a broker or hospitality company and there are very stiff penalties in place if the purchaser does not return the badge after play has ended.
Tom
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:31 am
Fans are also probably a lot more emotionally invested in the Ryder Cup than the Masters. Yes, you have your players to cheer on at Augusta, but you’re rooting for your country at the Ryder Cup.
Patricknorm
Oct 3, 2016 at 10:00 am
This isn’t popular but you have to eliminate or restrict alcohol sales at these events. Doing that settles the crowd down a bit and maybe 15% of the fans are going to be affected. The tickets are expensive, it’s a hassle to get there and move around the course and everyone is jacked up because it’s the Ryder Cup. Like I said it’s not popular but possibly the way to appeas the 85% who came to watch and appreciate great golf.
Reeche
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:21 am
Who is at fault ,
Danny willets brother or the “Gutter Press ” for asking for a golf professionals brothers opinions , ,,,,then printing it
larrybud
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:46 am
Right, because otherwise adults who are outside the ropes can’t help themselves but yelling such nonsense…
DrunkenStooper
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:12 am
Get the drunk idiots off the course and the problem will be solved. They are not golf fans anyway.
Bert
Oct 3, 2016 at 7:56 am
Rory was awesome and so was the American Team. Hecklers are unnecessary wasted trash.
Congratulations to both team for a wonderful golf adventure, one I’ll never forget.
Redx
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:04 am
+1 to that Bert.
Ben, for the record partisan enthusiasm is what Rory was responding to. That and the (tremendous) enthusiasm of the US plays (Reed in particular). He wasn’t responding to the minuscule percentage of idiots that worked to tarnish the reputation of US fans overall.
I do feel we expect more of golf fans than some other sports. As we expect more of the players with the rule of fair play and etiquette – it should be In the DNA for golfers.
Great event. Can’t wait until 2018 in Paris. Golf is great and the Ryder Cup is special. Keep the idiots out in whatever way possible but play on! We (the viewers) are the winners here.
Fredo
Oct 3, 2016 at 11:26 am
Right on Bert & Redx! There will always be ‘that’ clown skulking around. The emotion and fire power by the fans and players was exactly what golf needs right now. The Sunday match with Rory and P. Reed was riveting! And that will hopefully translate into new golfers, or bring back the golfers that have deserted the game.