Hmmm...OK my two cents on the previous 9 pages.
The shouting out is fine, as long as it is done after the ball is hit, is not derogatory or rude or obnoxious. Anything witty should be encouraged. However, Golf unfortunately is becoming a stadium sport for the boozed-up frat pack (17th at TPC Scottsdale, anyone), so your average 21 year-old dropkick who can't handle a beer let alone some Mad Dog 20/20 is going to get a bit too excited. I've heard things from both Americans and Europeans and just thought "you moron". At the Masters a couple of years ago, there was a whole section of guys shouting 'Go Rachel' at Tiger, which I admit at the time was pretty funny at the time. I dislike the cheering of misses, the booing of players on tee's (I got a call from a friend who is there, this actually happened yesterday) and the calling out mid swing. I think those people should be removed or punched out. At the Belfry many years ago, I can remember an American with too much Guinness inside him screaming at Faldo on the 17th tee when he was in mid-swing, something like ''Swallow an Apple!!'' He got removed from the course, but by then, Faldo had been put off enough to put his tee shot into the right-hand rough. Stuff like that...just gets visited onto the American team the next time around.
We also have to remind ourselves this is being played in Chicago: they've not had much sporting success up there for some time (probably not since Jordan and Ditka) so they are going to kick off a bit at any chance of a win. That said, I've turned the sound down because of their braying.
On American's arrogance - I like America and Americans and the further away from a major city you get, the nicer the people are. It would be good to see you guys travel a bit more maybe, but generally when I ask people over there why they don't travel, it's because they don't see the need to own a passport. But that's a minor gripe. A word of advice though - if you ever you do get a passport and do end up sat in a British pub and start with the ''we saved your asses in the 40's'', best you drink up and get out. The Brits know their history - they know America could have stepped in at any time to put down the Nazi's but waited until large parts of Britain were a smoking ruin and that mainland Europe was a Nazi stronghold. When you did deign us with your presence, you were greatly assisted by Hitler attacking Russia and opening up fronts in Italy and the Middle East. We appreciate the loss of lives here, but you entered the war not to save us, but because the thought of either a Russian or Nazi empire was not good business. You didn't give us weapons or medical aid or manpower or anything that we did not pay back to you either. We didn't get anything for free. And frankly, had you not had two nuclear bombs, there'a good chance you would be speaking Japanese or German. Them's the breaks.
And let's not talk about the wars after that - Korea, Vietnam, Iraq (done well there, it's still in flames), Afghanistan (looks like the next humiliation as the body bags are piling up). You've currently got three aircraft carriers in the Arabian Gulf and there's an election looming - over here, we've all bought the popcorn and are waiting for the Iran war that Israel will start for you. Now that will be a doosie, because those guys will come at you just like the Viets did -them's some proud mofo's, as you say.
All best
MtD
