Should golf fans be making noise?
The CEO for a company I used to work for once pitched an idea from his 15-year-old son at a meeting, and all of us cowardly automatons around the conference table said, “Hmmm, interesting. We’ll take a look at that.” What we should have said was, “Hey, how about we leave the professional stuff to, you know, professionals, and we’ll call your son when we need to know about emo music or huffing.”
So I’m not predisposed to look to America’s youth for answers to the world’s problems or anything else. However, student journalist Kyle Betts, in a Daily Illini column titled “Save the Great Game From Itself,” says that the golf may be a little slow for the 21st century sports fan -- his phrase is “God-awful boring” -- and he has some insightful suggestions about what needs changing. Here, in boiled-down form, is Kyle’s prescription for what ails the game: 1. Play More Match-Play Events 2. Liven Up TV Broadcasts 3. Let the Fans Be Fans (That is, let them be loud.)
This last recommendation would be the most controversial, but the rowdy 16th hole at the FBR Open has made it one of the few must-watch regular Tour stops of the year (and Tiger doesn't even play there).
By the way, Kyle, do you have a job lined up after graduation? How about PGA Tour commissioner?
***Tell us what you think. Does golf need to adapt to today's sports fans or should they adapt to golf? Join the discussion below.
Posted by: Chippinfoo | Apr 13, 2009 6:18:13 PM
I'd like to see the following posted during/after the shot. Distance to the pin, wind speed, club selection, carry distance, total distance, and a tracer on the ball flight of every hole. This would allow fans to armchair guess what club their favorites should use, where to aim etc. It also allows the viewers to compare their own games. As for at the course? Let the cameras show the immediate ejection of the fans shouting "get in the hole", "be right", etc after every shot.
Posted by: Jerry Oram | Apr 25, 2008 9:30:10 AM
I've heard rumors over the years that Tiger Woods is the most fined player on tour, for language presumeably...Why does the tour feel like it has to keep disciplinary actions a deep dark secret? Look what making this information public has done for NASCAR, the most boring "sport" on earth...
Posted by: gary | Apr 25, 2008 9:17:17 AM
One of the earlier posters suggested having the caddies miked which is a great idea as I always find it fascinating when the soundman picks up the interplay between the caddie and the golfer prior to the shot and it's sometimes a hoot when you can hear the player's reaction following a shot.
Posted by: JD | Apr 24, 2008 11:01:43 PM
1) Golf requires no more concentration than swinging a baseball bat, hitting a free throw, etc....we only think it does because it's always played in absolute silence. Claiming swinging a golf club is somehow harder or requires more expertise just shows you don't know the skill and expertise required to play those other sports professionally.
2) Incorporating noise in the game is something of a strange idea, because for most tournaments and 90% of players, they have a very small gallery following them. I think the noise would be disadvantageous to the "big" players like Tiger and Phil who get huge crowds.
3) Golf broadcast is what needs to change....they need to do it on about a 30 minute delay just like you can at home with DVR...cut out all the BS and long pre-shot routines, switch around more often, explain why a great shot is a great shot or a hard shot is a hard shot.....and I'm all for condensing the friggin 5 hour-a-day major tournament broadcasts into 2-4 hours. There's just no need for them to be that long....condense the action a bit. Someone in another forum made the excellent comment that golf could not survive on TV if every player had Trever Immelman's 2 minute preshot routine. More power to TI, because he won the Masters, but from a viewer's perspective it was simply ridiculous.
Posted by: Tin Man | Apr 24, 2008 1:52:09 PM
Considering the fact that spectators pay the players' salaries, then obviously golf needs to adapt to the fans. But I don't think that's what you're really asking. You're really asking how fans should behave. Just because we pay to watch golf doesn't mean that any particular spectator should ruin the experience for anyone else.
Fans should do what is in their best interest to do. It's in their best interest to encourage the most entertaining golf experience that they can. Getting excited and seeing how players respond to intense pressure could be part of that experience. Generally making players play poorer golf is not part of that experience, because we also want to see the best golf in the world.
But the bottom line - the consumer runs the show in this country.
Posted by: Gulfstreamflier | Apr 24, 2008 11:27:03 AM
Spectator outbursts directed at individual players should not be tolerated. In a stadium environment watching a team game this type of "commentary" is usually lost in the general crowd noise and it's doubtful if the intended recipient ever hears it. Not so on the golf course where player concentration is paramount and the possibility of actually influencing the shot is very real.
If someone wants to yell and insult players they should stay away from golf.
Posted by: stan | Apr 24, 2008 10:46:48 AM
Cheerleaders
Posted by: Roger | Apr 24, 2008 10:10:07 AM
I wanted to add to the post earlier about miking the players. For anyone who heard Tiger and his caddie discussing his shot a few weeks ago where Tiger told him to call him off if the wind changed...that added to the enjoyment of watching. It showed how they were thinking, not just where his shot went but why he played it that way. I say put microphones on the players we are watching or let the sound guys get a little closer so we can hear them.
Posted by: Dave Knecht | Apr 23, 2008 2:33:58 PM
The gallery needs to be respectful during the actual address and execution of the shots, but after that I think they should be able to cheer, jeer, or even trash talk if they want. Greg Norman forever lost my respect when he went into the crowd and pointed his finger in the face of a guy that was telling him that he was 'choking'. What he needed to do was knock it stiff and then turn to the guy and offer his club to the guy and say 'come knock it inside of mine'.....that would've been shutting the guy up.
Posted by: Matt | Apr 23, 2008 12:59:52 PM
I don't want to see the PGA turn into the XFL of golf. As so many have commented, the game is what it is and that is why people are drawn to it. If you don't like golf, there is nothing they could do to really change your mind. Now they could make those who are golf fans, more excited. I like the thought of more match play events. The best and worst part of the PGA are the majors. They bring us the most excitement, however, they lead many of the top pros to play a shortened schedule. I think the issue comes down to how you can have the most competitive events, a la the Majors, on a weekly basis.
Posted by: Keith | Apr 23, 2008 11:48:32 AM
As purely a suggestion how to increase the interest at any given tournament, how about asking the PGA Tour professionals that are in the top 150 to actually show up every week like Arnold, Jack, Gary, Lee and Tom used to do week-in, week-out? How many tournaments do we have to watch where the top-ranked participant is #27 on the money-list?
As to crowd noise? Golf is one person versus the golf course. Crowd participation is not part of the mix. Try yelling "Get in the hole" at St. Andrews. Someone will pull you aside and tell you "Laddie, this is golf not football" and, by his tone, I doubt you'd be yelling it again.
Posted by: Gordon | Apr 23, 2008 11:09:20 AM
I think the telecasts need to be improved and do believe it can be done without sacrificing the sanctity of the game.
They make it more interesteing by focusing more on players, their conversations, their reactions and some background about players will help as well. people take interest in players they know about.
With the advent in technology, more shot specific data can be shared with viewers like club selection, club speed, ball speed, spin rate, yardage, wind speed etc.
Posted by: Michael | Apr 23, 2008 11:05:50 AM
Well, the idea of "white noise" is really appealing. To me, it is often more unnerving to have everyone suddenly be quiet while I am over my T shot, and I always tell my buddies that I prefer that they just continue to chatter. the problem, in my opinion, would be the transition from the currently expected silence, to a constant chatter. Yes, golf has always been about being a gentlemen and not trying to intentionally distract your opponent while he or she is playing. Fans who approve, or disapprove of a particular player may try to distract that player, and that is not congruent with the game as it is intended. A constant background chatter probably would not bother any player, but sudden hoots or whistling etc in an attempt to alter performance would be annoying to just about anyone. What we love about this game is that it IS a mind-game above all else. Trying to oust our personal demons and focus on the task at hand is challenge enough! I think TW would be sad to see a fan distract an opponent - even Rory - and cause a bad shot/ bad blood or not, it would be in poor taste. People really have amazing and ingenius ways of distracting another person when they set their minds to it... so I could foresee a great many annoying fans out there (if given the chance!) and I think everyone would find that annoying and sad to watch.
Posted by: Bear | Apr 23, 2008 10:49:06 AM
I don't care if the telecasts are boring or if some of you think that crowd noise should be allowed. The game is meant to be played and watching is just a benefit for those who enjoy the game. For me the pleasure is in playing a round in the peaceful serenity of a well tended course where the beauty competes with the activity for your attention. If I want crowd excitement, I will watch football. To me the game isn't about the fans or the Pros, it's about playing and I certainly wouldn't want the experience marred by those who instead of playing would rather try to influence the game with their ill mannered outbursts. We have enough of those experiences and golf to me is a way to avoid those people and behaviors while sharing a round with friends. Golf without the manners is lawn darts at a backyard barbeque.
Posted by: Troy | Apr 23, 2008 10:47:31 AM
There is a typo in my previous comment. the following sentence should have read...
I don't watch soccer because I don't play it and don't enjoy watching and a change to the way soccer is watched would NOT change that for me.
Posted by: Troy | Apr 23, 2008 10:45:14 AM
Golf fans are golf fans because they enjoy and appreciate the sport. Why in the world would you want to change the spectator aspect of the game just to bring in fans who don't enjoy or play the game. I don't watch soccer because I don't play it and don't enjoy watching and a change to the way soccer is watched would change that for me. Golf is boring to people who don't like it....who cares, they don't like golf, they don't have to. Leave it for the true fans!
Posted by: Michael | Apr 23, 2008 10:34:50 AM
Ok... so everyone is focused on the need to yell from the sideline. I wonder: are there really a lot of would-be fans staying home because they can't yell? I have seen NFL parties where everyone yells at the TV like mad (and was a great time), but I have never seen anyone yelling at the TV during a golf game...except for in celebration AFTER a great moment. If I found one of my buddies at home screaming his head off and turning red into his TV at some pro golfer who just skulled a chip over the green I would probably suggest he needed to see his shrink. Just my two sense here, but I suspect that those who wish to yell at a sports event would almost unamimously find golf boring anyway and would rather be at a hockey match. I think the FBR 16th hole is a fun (amusing) novelty, but in truth I suspect there is very little golf watched from the party. But to be constructive here, I personally suggest that TV crews stop following the ball as it floats thru the air. I realize that this is an amazing feat, but I would rather watch the golfer's reaction, or the finish of his swing. The little ball in the air tells me nothing and is a waste of TV time! Showing the ball's flight path with that recent technology is wonderful, but a little white ball in the air is useless info....until it lands because I have no bearing for where it is. I also agree with others that insight into club selection, and strategy from individual golfers as they play would be very interesting. Lastly, I think that coverage should try to give some airtime (and commentary) on what a lesser-name golfer is facing during the tournament. Take a different guy each time and devote as much time to him they do for TW... let us get to know him and what he is going through.
All the best out there guys.
Posted by: Casey | Apr 23, 2008 10:30:11 AM
Why dont we change the Philharminc orchestra, add some rockers and rappers to it! Hey it will make it popular and bring more fans to it.
For the sake of all that is sacred, let's keep the Hockey and Nascar out of and away from golf. It's the only bastion of civility left in sports. If the fans cannot honor and respect the rules and etiquettes of the game, they don't deserve to set foot on the course.
Posted by: LARRY | Apr 23, 2008 10:17:47 AM
The way to make golf more exciting on TV is DVR. You can fast forward and just watch all the good parts. I DVRed the Masters daily and watched it when I got home. I could watch a 5 hour telecast in 1.5 hours.
Posted by: purist | Apr 23, 2008 10:14:10 AM
To all who want to change golf: Golf ia a very boring game, dont waste your time on it, leave it alone and go watch football or whatever!
Please dont pollute the greatest game in the world. It's a game based on honor where integrity of players is above the shallow need to win. where else in any other sport do you find players calling penalty on themselves? This is the game not played against any opponent but with your SELF.
Posted by: JP | Apr 23, 2008 10:10:55 AM
Paul - Couldn't agree more with what you said...
"Just what we need ...one of the last places where people remember their manners....and of course our crude and rude society wants to put it's footprint all over it...."
I used to kid with my brothers growing up that we should take our Hockey and combine it with Golf (Holf) just as Winter was ending and Spring beginning. Try to stick the ball from the tee to green before you're hip-checked into oblivion!
Posted by: JP | Apr 23, 2008 10:09:48 AM
Paul - Couldn't agree more with what you said...
"Just what we need ...one of the last places where people remember their manners....and of course our crude and rude society wants to put it's footprint all over it...."
I used to kid with my brothers growing up that we should take our Hockey and combine it with Golf (Holf) just as Winter was ending and Spring beginning. Try to stick the ball from the tee to green before you're hip-checked into oblivion!
Posted by: Michael | Apr 23, 2008 9:52:19 AM
a tournament I would love to see? Try guys against the ladies! Set up a course with artificial OB areas that take out the advantage of strength/length off the T. The only thing left is pure golf and everyone is equal. Your could have a regular tournament, match play, four ball - what ever. I would love to see some guys (*like Rory) lose to some sharp shooter women! THAT would be a tournament I would watch every year whether TW was in the field or not!
Posted by: Sumar | Apr 23, 2008 3:26:13 AM
most of the fans coming to golfing events are there to spend the day and dont understand what golf is all about. Golf is about etiquette the rules need to be followed as set by the fathers of the game. However pro sports are for the fans and without the fans the major corporations will be advertizing to empty fairways. What golf needs are more FBR's number 16. In this i mean maybe a hole or 2 where the fans can let loose on a few more PGA events. With this even the crowd at 16 on FBR goes silent when the players are setting up to hit the shot. We have to otherwise uphold the integrity and etiquette of the sport.
Posted by: Rod | Apr 23, 2008 12:51:41 AM
Golf is the greatest game. Those who play golf know this. Those who do not will never know. The traditions associated with golf have endured for generations and will continue to weather criticism from those who do not play golf. Don’t pay attention to those who want to change a game they neither understand nor can appreciate unless played. The argument for change is a mute point and one that can safely be ignored.
Golfers control golf rules and etiquette. If you are not interested in following the rules associated you are welcome not to participate in playing or watching the game.
Posted by: Ray | Apr 22, 2008 8:44:42 PM
If the women can play at a good pace (and get put on the clock), why can't the men play quicker?
Posted by: Kriss | Apr 22, 2008 8:09:18 PM
Kriss writes: Chanting, yelling, booing, cheering during golf shots? Comparing a golfer's concentration to batting, free-throwing, kicking soccer goals? Are you people nuts? Do you really want to be in the fairway gallery in front of a small, solid ball careening off a clubface at 130 miles an hour when someone behind that golfer screams, repeatedly clicks a camera or belches uncontrollably during his/her swing? There's no comparison to any other sport: A free-throw from, get this, 15 feet? A football pass for 240 feet? In a controlled stadium? You clearly do not have perspective on your comparisons. But, there's always the fallback position: golf is a sport of manners and consideration. If you lack them, stay off the golf course.
Posted by: Marty | Apr 22, 2008 6:25:50 PM
FANS -> Corporate sponsorship -> Money -> larger purses -> Better player participation -> better quality players
The young teen Kyle gets it but there is no point trying to convince these old stuck up farts of the need of changes in (ONLY) the competetive pro golf tournaments.
Most of these are stuck with the cliche "GENTLEMAN's GAME"
Good luck trying to bring any change to these people and this game !!
Posted by: Howard | Apr 22, 2008 4:40:28 PM
Perhaps young Kyle should find a tape of the 2002 US Open played at Bethpage. If that doesn't satisfy his yearning for audience participation and enthusiasm, he needs another nap.
Posted by: Nikos | Apr 22, 2008 3:56:46 PM
Golf is a game of integrity. And it should be played and viewed as the founding fathers of the grand ol' game intended and established. The appeal of the game is the level of class and ethical conduct that one must uphold to be successful at the sport. Messing with that just strips the sport of all it has grown to be.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 22, 2008 3:35:56 PM
Why reduce golf to appeal to the lowest common denominator? It is a game meant to be played without all the hub-bub and extreme vocal exclamations exhibited in many other sports.Most of which were developed and designed with loud fans. If you are bored with golf then don't watch it. Do not presume to know what is good for the sport.
Posted by: Mac | Apr 22, 2008 1:33:21 PM
Hardly surprising since golf pros have not much of a financial security unlike other pro sports. The Pro golf League in the ryder cup format sounds like a great idea. The fans will have a golf team to support and a team jersey/colors/flag to show support. This will definitely make for a great TV viewing experience!
Posted by: cyberjanitor | Apr 22, 2008 1:09:59 PM
Doesn't it seem counter productive to wonder why there is a bare trickle of new players to this great game while at the same maintaining the elitist attitude represented in majority of the above comments?
Posted by: Chris | Apr 22, 2008 1:05:34 PM
The cheering and yelling and the OOOO's and the AHHHHH's aren't bad at all, its when the one donkey who has had one too many beers is sitting at a par 5 and Tiger, Phil, or any of them are on the tee box, and they hit their ball... say with me folks " GET IN THE HOLE!!!!!!!" That annoys me more then anything, and its all stupidity. For the one person reading this post Sorry i had to point you out.
Posted by: Richard | Apr 22, 2008 11:58:56 AM
Let's see, having to be quiet when a pro takes his swing at a ball that isn't moving is necessary?
OK, so why aren't we deathly silent when someone throws a ball that's not much bigger at the standing by home plate?
Would Tiger be a superstar if the game was match play? Yep, but he wouldn't have as many majors/wins.
You want to make it more interesting then speed it up. There is no excuse for a pro to take forever to hit the ball. Put some of the course marshals the rest of us have to deal with out there. You know, the guy that says your foresome isn't keeping up with the singe ahead of you. Or better yet, allow the group behind to hit into the slower players....
Posted by: Steve | Apr 22, 2008 11:31:01 AM
I always thought golf was a gentleman's sport. Does everyone in America have to f**ing yell?
What's next? Why don't we get half naked cheerleaders/dance troops out there too?
Posted by: Pete | Apr 22, 2008 11:14:03 AM
If you want to see the best players in the world play then please, shutup and watch. If you want to yell at a sporting event go to a football game. If you want to watch golf then shut up and watch. Anyone who doesn't understand why it is a problem to have a lot of noise when you swing has probably never played and doesn't understand what golf is. It is not about the fans, it is about the players.
Posted by: Ash K | Apr 22, 2008 10:51:12 AM
This is quite an interesting conversation going on here. I will also offer my 2 cents: If you see, the most interesting golf event is the Ryder cup. Reasons are obvious, team event huge fan following rooting for their respective teams. The huge fan following for baseball, basketball and football also is due to the fact that they are team sports.
The idea is to have Pro Golf leagues tournament as well. There can be 8 -15 pro teams of 5-10 golfers and they will fight for the annual superBALL event(maybe Fedex cup will be for this) matches can be held in ryder cup format or similar one.
This will be great for all the parties involved, pros will have better financial security, more corporate sponsorship will flow in and fan interest will be tremendous. Imagine Tiger's team going head to head against Phil's team.
This is not to suggest that regular scoreplay events be scrapped. There will be all the majors, WGC events and all other big PGA tour events.
Think about it.
Posted by: Kevin J. Wangler | Apr 22, 2008 10:19:49 AM
I find it amusing, the argument that golf requires silence because it requires 'immense concentration'. As though other sports don't?! Try hitting a free throw in basketball, or kicking a field goal in (American) football, or hitting a 95 mph pitch in baseball -- would it be easier with silence? Probably. But silence isn't part of (those) sports.
Posted by: Joanne | Apr 22, 2008 10:06:11 AM
Well it seems everybody pretty much agrees to be silent during the shot. The bigger question is how to make it a better TV experience, after all most of the viewers are watching on TV. Some fun there will be very welcome, currently the telecast is so boring! What do geniuses propose to make it interesting on TV?
Posted by: alba | Apr 22, 2008 10:03:55 AM
To make golf more interesting, change the formats from the boring stroke play events every week. Give us some match-play, fourball, alternate shot, captain's choice, etc. Make the players use equipment from the 70s; or play courses in the condition the average joe has to play them (patchy greens, tees, etc). That would make it entertaining for the fans. Hoop and holler, leave that for the other sports. I could care less about having to listen to some drunk scream, who can't even spell "golf".
Posted by: kramton | Apr 22, 2008 10:00:36 AM
Do not disturb the golfers when they are trying to hit a shot. Other than that you can have a circus out there, nobody gives a rat's a**.
Posted by: Matt | Apr 22, 2008 9:12:46 AM
I don't think it would be a bad idea to allow pom poms, towels, flags at golf tournaments just like at college football or basketball but there shouldn't be noise while players are trying to hit a shot.
Posted by: Mark | Apr 22, 2008 8:35:22 AM
More match play tournaments would be wonderful. I'm tired of seeing too much conservative golf! The concept of course management is fine to produce good scores, but what happens when your opponent puts up three birdies in a row? And while we're at it, make these guys play two matches in a day, like it once was. If a professional athlete cannot walk 36 holes in a day, that athlete needs to do a bit more training for his sport.
As for making noise on the course--take a look at the first section of the Rules of Golf--read it, know it, live it.
Posted by: Longboarder | Apr 22, 2008 8:30:51 AM
I'm okay with noise as long as it's not some idiot yelling "get in the hole".
Posted by: Dave Maze | Apr 21, 2008 11:51:54 PM
For every fan who "wants to be a fan" (in the sense of basketball or football) on the golf course, I would bet there are at least two others who prefer the quiet.
If rowdy fan noise is meant to somehow make the game more exciting for the home viewer. . . I dunno, that seems debatable at best. Does hearing/seeing a rowdy hole - and it would only be a par 3 right, since there is no par 4 on tour short enough to be a 'stadium' scene - make it that much more exciting? Hmmm. . . maybe for a nineteen year old after a few beers, but for the rest of us. . .
However, the Match Play idea is excellent. An intense match rivalry would make for good sports drama as well as provide opportunities for guys who might normally get little attention. Look how much personality, and consequently attention, Boo gets. Its just cool to know his personality and then watch him play golf. There might be other guys on tour who are 'characters' like that, of one sort or another, and matching their personalities up on a tough and interesting regional course - maybe something outside the usual suspects - I think would make for compelling sports television.
Posted by: Walrus | Apr 21, 2008 10:11:38 PM
Either way, I am the walrus.
Posted by: ModRog | Apr 21, 2008 9:29:51 PM
Wow -what a Mensa meeting ...
what is wrong with quiet during a swing? Those of you that think that noise during a swing is a good idea have NO CLUE how precise these guys are - how talented - how narrow the edge is between a quality shot and just a shot - how fine the line is between winning and losing. Pros play week to week for their paycheck -consider the guy trying to break-in, win his first tournament - you want to yell during their swing so YOU and the hackers watching on TV can get a "rush?" Just stop. And you idiots that yell "you da man" or "get in the hole" are TOTAL MORONS ...
Posted by: hawkster | Apr 21, 2008 6:05:51 PM
If you like bullshit then watch "The Big Break Crap" and yell and scream all you want!!!! For those of us who enjoy golf and not the "Fluff" leave us alone with our "boring game" that I like just the way it is
Posted by: peter | Apr 21, 2008 6:05:31 PM
It's because of these tight "gentlemen" that golf is not so popular with masses. Again, get off the high horse and please take that ball out from where the sun doent shine.
Posted by: Chris | Apr 21, 2008 5:58:28 PM
NCGOLFER is an A-HOLE!
Posted by: Chris | Apr 21, 2008 5:56:51 PM
amateur sports are for the athlete, pro sports are for the FANS.... fans are what makes everything happen for these guys.. so whether or not they want to voice their opinions after paying hard earned dollars shouldn't be anyone's business.
and what is all this "golf is a gentlemen's sport" nonsense? EVERY sport is a gentlemen's sport... the nuances and the nature of the games are different, but they should all be played with sportsmanship...
you folks gotta drop this elitist, tight-assed approach to golf...
gotta drop this elitist
Posted by: Adam | Apr 21, 2008 5:47:09 PM
Prior to beginning the work of learning to play the game of golf, I rarely had interest in watching golf tournaments on TV. It just didn't appeal to me until I actually started to play the game, and analyze my swing in all of its subtle nuances and complexities. Once it mattered to me, I began watching the tournaments merely to see if I could glean more understanding of what I could to to improve, regardless of the names of the professionals participating in a given tournament.
For me, golf is not a sport, but an art, and thusly, the idiot yelling "GET IN THE HOLE!!!" may as well be at a gallery shouting "INSPIRE THE MASSES!!!" to the paintings.
Posted by: boohoo | Apr 21, 2008 5:43:39 PM
Please save us from Jim Nantz!!!
Give us more of David Feherty and Gary McCord.
Posted by: bubba | Apr 21, 2008 5:41:05 PM
On the course it should be a gentlemen's game with proper etiquette required from all. But it should be spiced up on TV to make it fun to watch, that way more people will become interested in the game, at the same time will learn to behave properly at the course.
Everybody happy!
Posted by: NCGOLFER | Apr 21, 2008 5:09:36 PM
Golf is a gentleman's game, not some loud rucus basketball or football game. If you want to scream and yell, then watch the tournament on TV. But if you are on the course at a tournament, respect the game and shut up. If any of you guys can make it to the tour, then you can have an opinion. Until then, keep taking your mulligans and hacking your way around the golf course.
Posted by: Tom Blondi | Apr 21, 2008 5:04:21 PM
If attracting a TV audience is the issue then attract them to something they can actually relate to. How many of the typical TV viewers can afford to play golf? Until golf can relate to the masses it will never be a giant TV draw. Basketball and Football continue to draw well because the majority of the TV viewers can relate. They can have a pickup game in their yard, the school or an alley. Tried that with golf lately? Or baseball for that matter. I don't think making noise has anything to do with it but frankly if there were constant noise alll the time ala basketball, football and baseball there would be no need for total silence when a golfer's ready to hit. It's only distracting because it is so quiet the rest of the time. Go to a public driving range and see how quiet that is. Do the pros demand such absolute silence on the practice range?
Posted by: Martin | Apr 21, 2008 4:46:04 PM
Although this is just a bad idea coming from a teen( surprised ?) Just imagine how charged up the players will be when they step up to a shot with fans chanting their name! I sure would love to see something like this :)
Posted by: Jerry Smead | Apr 21, 2008 4:33:19 PM
While absolute silence may not be necessary, you should remember that just prior to making a shot, this game requires an intensity of focus unlike just about any other game to achieve the desired results. It is a much more mental game than many seem to think it is and the slightest distraction can have disastrous results. Professional players work very, very hard and for a very long time to get where they are and they are playing for really important money in a game where a one stroke difference can make a difference of many thousands of dollars to them. Surely it cannot be all that hard on a fan to hold themselves in while someone tries to make a shot or a putt. It is part of the grand tradition of golf and one of the things that makes it a game for gentlemen and ladies and a pleasure to watch. If a fan just must express themselves during play then at least hold it until after the shot or switch to another game to watch and leave my game alone.
Posted by: griprip | Apr 21, 2008 4:26:41 PM
This is just an excuse these guys need to blame their bad shot on..."Ohhh someone took a breath during my backswing and now my tee shot which was going to be O.B. right is now O.B. left" C'mon guys keep it real! Admit that you suck at golf and stop acting like a prickly snotty country club snob.
Posted by: Bob2 | Apr 21, 2008 4:19:31 PM
These Pros definitely need get off the high horse. Tiger's tantrums with backswing silence is a tad too much. Whatever happened to the tough mental training his dad gave him where he would throw in a surprise during Tiger's backswing.
Posted by: ron | Apr 21, 2008 4:13:07 PM
Essentially what's being suggested is turning pro golf into 'Caddyshack'. With all due respect, the first person that pulls stunts like that while I'm teeing off will get my club wrapped around his head--and I will gladly pay the few hundred $ to replace the club for the next idiot. Speaking of the phrase "Get in the hole"--how many idiots shout that when the ball is NOWHERE NEAR the hole? Jeesh...some folks have to get a clue...
Posted by: Bob | Apr 21, 2008 4:05:22 PM
These recommendations certainly are provocative. I heartily endorse the idea of more match play. This format is so much more interesting to watch because a bad hole doesn't have to be the end of the world. The idea of a little more fan participation is intriguing also. Requiring absolute silence before hitting the ball borders on the absurd, although this is certainly not a licence for the boorish behavior seen in other sports. Loosen up a little, and golf will be more enjoyable to more people.
Posted by: Dan | Apr 21, 2008 2:35:47 PM
Absolutely fans should be able to make noise. A putt to win a tournament is no different that trying to make a free throw to win a championship and you have 20k fans screaming and yelling. Same goes for most sports. Pros need to get off the high horse and lighten up a little bit.
Posted by: James B | Apr 21, 2008 1:28:42 PM
Here is thing: In the pin drop silence even the slightest of noise can disturb your focus and concentration. But on the other hand if there is big noise, all the sounds cancel each other and create a white noise kind of scenario, which provides much better chances of concentration and provides a better option for golfer.Case in point- Mark Maguire story below.
Posted by: JRD | Apr 21, 2008 10:52:09 AM
I have played many sports in my day. Basketball, baseball, football, etc. and none require as much concentration,focus and practice as golf. Everything has to remain consistent when playing this game. Put one finger in the wrong location on the club, or make the wrong first move in your backswing and you may end up wet, in a bush or even worst...lost. We cant afford to allow people to talk in your backswing(or snap photos). I have a hard time believing this is even a topic for discussion. I was playing this past saturday and I was off to a great start. We get to a par 3 and a few of my friends felt it was good to dig in their bags for tees while I was teeing off. In the middle of my backswing I hear the rustling of the tees and immediately lose my focus and dribble the ball off the tee. My friends were courteous enough to apologize for the commotion and allow for another shot. I stuck the ball 3 feet from the flag!!! These are things that serious golfers cannot afford at any cost. I consider myself a serious golfer although this is only my 4th season. I practice 5 days a week and broke 90 for the first time this past weekend. Can you imagine playing in a tourney for $$$ and you have some drunk fool acting like a jerk while your trying to focus. Hahahah, yeah right. Like Tiger once said,"I may have to wrap a club around someones head if that happens again." Seriously, this would never be allowed so I probably wasted 20 minutes of my life.
Also, golf is an individual sport. There is no teammate to hit the winning shot if you put yours in the water. They turn this game into a bunch of freaks on the sidelines acting a fool and we have lost everything that we have loved about this game.
Posted by: Stu Crown | Apr 21, 2008 10:30:32 AM
Absoultey! That's a great idea. Tournament golf and especially the televised content is so boring that the TV stations complain of declining viewership everytime there is no player named TW in the field. EDS Byron Nelson is in danger of extinction for the lack of marquee players. They need to project the other players also as stars in order to attract crowds.
Posted by: A K | Apr 21, 2008 10:21:17 AM
Well, everybody seems to miss the point here. The idea is to make the game interesting for the crowds, just see the example of FBR open 16th hole. With so much noise in the background, players will be able to concentrate better and Tiger won't have the excuse of camera clicking during his backswing.
Posted by: James | Apr 20, 2008 8:28:57 PM
What ails golf? - nothing! Why would professional golfers want to be like "professionals" in the other sports: uneducated, drug addicts, either foul mouthed or unable to compete a sentance, cheat whenever possible, etc.
Posted by: JERRY MACINTYRE | Apr 20, 2008 4:22:43 PM
What next. The game of golf is already going downhill,no need to give it a push.Watch the crowds at the British Open ,the Canadian Open and most venues on the PGA tour if you don,t get the beauty of this wonderful game then I suggest you watch roller derby or the WWE.
Posted by: Mikey14 | Apr 20, 2008 6:37:20 AM
And another thing...
I couldn't care less if Kyle Betts and others decide to stop watching golf on TV because they consider it boring. I also don't think that TV revenues or tournament purses are truly measures of the health of the game.
I'll still play and love golf whether or not I see it on TV, and I think the same is true of almost any golfer.
The game is meant to be played, not watched!
Posted by: Mikey14 | Apr 20, 2008 6:05:40 AM
From the Rules of Golf, Section I, Etiquette: "All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf."
This is the spirit of the game of golf. Sorry if seems stodgy, but I believe the fans should conduct themselves as the players ought to.
In pretty much any other sport, heckling and interference are integral or widely accepted parts of the game.
Not so for golf. If a sports fan wants to try to influence the outcome of the contest there are plenty of other opportunities to do so. Let's play golf - and watch it - by the rules.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 20, 2008 4:35:46 AM
Yes, golf should step up to the modern era. In all other sports, players must play with crowd noise usually to their betterment when you are being cheered. Several years ago Mark McGuire played in the Skills Challenge. He came to the final tee with a 120 yd shot over water to a slopping green. The PGA pros were harassing him and he said go ahead make noise. They did all kinds of noise and he hit the ball 3' from the hole. He won the skills challenge. He said did'nt understand why golfers had to be quiet as a pro player he stands in the batter box and not only must he contend with crowd noise but must hit a 90mph moving baseball while the golf ball is stationary on the ground. If you know there would be noise then you would train your concentration like all other athletics do and compete successfully.
Posted by: bruce hull | Apr 20, 2008 2:35:48 AM
in order for golf to really start appealing to the masses, it needs more crowd involvement, i disagree that allowing more beer drinking, sunburnt fools out to a tournament is a ideal solution. perhaps we need to involve the audience with more interaction between the participants. Greg Norman suggested miking himself and or his caddy. get people involved with how the intracies of the game occur at the time. golf suffers because the action happens only on each shot. the drama only comes with the score. How more interesting would it be to hear a caddy suggest a club to a player a then beware of the outcome based on that perspective.this might be a lot more interesting to hear rather that " get in the hole" shouted on every shot. i`ve tried that and the ball doesn`t listen.
Posted by: Hackamatic | Apr 19, 2008 8:02:26 PM
Golf being out of step with the 21st century is perhaps the nicest compliment anyone can bestow on the grand game. Please, the beer-swilling, woohoo-yelling, 25-, 35- and 45-year-old infants with their baseball caps on backwards already have plenty of places to make asses of themselves: football, basketball, pro wrestling, full-contact cribbage, reality TV, presidential politics. All we ask is that this one tiny oasis of intelligent civility be left alone (and that all tournament volunteers be armed with tasers so they can take down every moron who yells "get in the hole!").
Posted by: Floyd Martinez | Apr 19, 2008 5:02:23 PM
Although an intruiguing idea for how to evolve the game of golf it is simply that, an idea. I have had plenty of ridiculous ideas on how to make money but the fact of the matter is i still live in a 1 bedroom loft apartment and work at a city golf course to pay for new clubs each month. To say that golf is boring is simply the uninformed opinion of someone who doesn't understand just how incredibly difficult the game of golf really is. It has always been my belief that if it doesn't interest you then you shouldn't watch. So if it takes not having some 27 year old bearded gentleman with the letter T painted on his belly, yelling at the U.S. Open "Get in the HOLE" to get ratings then maybe it's ok that we don't evolve. Some things are better left the way they are
Posted by: Paul Kelsch | Apr 19, 2008 3:22:58 PM
Just what we need ...one of the last places where people remember their manners....and of course our crude and rude society wants to put it's footprint all over it....why not play full contact golf...imagine your lining up to chip out of the bunker and here comes the walrus with a blind side rush from the weak side????
Posted by: Wayne | Apr 19, 2008 2:44:32 PM
STUPID ADOLESCENT IDEA!
Posted by: Jeff | Apr 18, 2008 10:48:56 PM
I disagree that golf isn't hip enough for fans of the 21st century. The fact is, if you're a fan of the game of golf you don't find watching tournaments boring. I never used to watch until I became addicted to golf. That said, can there not be one sport where people don't yell like idiots? It's bad enough Tiger can't play anywhere without one person yelling 'You da man!' Golf has it's unique venues where people get to yell and we all embrace them. Let's keep them unique.