Should golf fans be banned for bad behavior? You honestly will not believe what happened at Bay Hill this weekend. Things got a bit wild yet again, and it is raising some massive questions about the future of the crowds we see week in and week out.
Golf has always been known for its quiet respect, but lately that is changing fast. Even at Arnold Palmer’s tournament, a place built on class and tradition, fans completely towed the line.
Chants were flying, which is fine. We love the energy. But these chants were definitely not to cheer their favorite players. They were explicitly meant to distract Daniel Berger, and let us be real, they probably got posted on social media accounts right after just for cheap views and attention.
It is worth noting that nobody actually interrupted a swing this time. As a coach, I am telling you the timing of the noise is only part of the problem. The real issue is the intent. If you’re out there heckling to sabotage, discourage, or distract a player as they prep for a shot, you should be kicked out. Period.
We Can’t Trust the Crowd to Self-Govern
The tour needs to crack down on this immediately before it has a major effect on the outcome of a professional tournament. We clearly cannot trust people to govern themselves anymore. As the game grows, we are unfortunately seeing less educated and less respectful fans attending these events.
I know exactly what some people will argue in the comments. People will say that football or soccer athletes deal with worse environments.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Sure, other sports have rowdy fans. We should not apologize for holding golf to a higher standard. This is not just about the crowds though. It is about a wider erosion of respect for the game itself.
We see the traditions slipping everywhere. We see it in the dress code with backwards hats and untucked shirts becoming commonplace. We see it on the course itself. Golfers are losing basic courtesy, like standing on a player’s extended target line or refusing to tend the flagstick for their partners.
Even simple acts like shaking hands at the end of the round are being omitted too often. We must return to the standard marks of respect, like removing your hat and sunglasses to thank your playing partners for their company despite the outcome of the match.
Too many golfers are looking to cut corners on etiquette just to play faster. Others are more worried about capturing footage for their social media followers than respecting the peace of those around them. We are better than this.
Do we really want golf to turn into another noisy, chaotic circus? We need to get back to the basics that made this game great. You can find a complete guide to the rules of golf etiquette here if you need a refresher on how to conduct yourself properly.
What would you do to keep golf classy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Clint is PGA-certified and was a Head Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf academies. He was also featured on Canada's National Golf TV program, "Score Golf Canada," twice. He graduated with a degree in Golf Management from the College of the Desert in California and studied under Callaway's co-founder, Tony Manzoni. He has a handicap index of 6.2 and spends the winters near Oaxaca, Mexico, where he plays twice a month at the Club de Golf Vista Hermosa. He's written over 100 articles at GolfSpan since 2021. You can connect with Clint at LinkedIn, FB, his website, or Clintcpga@gmail.com.
