Euros Complain U.S. Fans Too Boozed Up

[TreyWingbat]

I don't know how the officials can prove someone yelled something, without videotape evidence, and there's already enough cameras focused on the players, so forget focusing on the crowd.

A couple years ago I was at the US Open, and I heard someone yelling right near me, and I knew who it was, and the official came over and pointed him out, but he denied it, and of course, no one wanted to point him out either, and he was allowed to stay.  So it is tough to police, unless they have irrefutable evidence such as video (and audio).

Maybe drones will police things one day?

[ScouseJohnny]

I think our view is based on comments we have read from Europeans here about having to pass tests and have handicap cards to just to be able to play, which here in the states we would regard as barriers to playing.  Perhaps those things were overstated?

I can't recall the comments, so I don't know if they were overstated, but it sounds like it might be the case.

Having played a great deal in England as a young man, (these days I play in the U.S. as an, erm....less young man)...

I find golf very accessible in the U.K., even to people of modest means. I played a lot on municipal courses when I was a student (of course, I appreciate the U.S. has a lot of municipals too). In my experience, the British municipals were probably kept in slightly better condition - but that's just anecdotal, of course. There are probably great municipal courses and also awful municipal sheep pastures on both sides of the pond. I grew up playing this course, actually, as a teenager: http://www.arroweparkgolfclub.co.uk/ According to the website, a round is still only £10. Of course, there are discounts for seniors, juniors, etc.

As regards "tests." I did belong to a private course in a different part of the U.K. for a while. They did like incoming members to have a handicap of 18 or less, but they were also willing to accept serious beginners (i.e. people who booked lessons with the Pro and were sponsored by a club member). I fulfilled the handicap requirement, but the "test," such as it was, was 9 holes with an Assistant Pro one morning. It was just a pleasant few holes, really. He was only checking, I think, that I knew how to behave on a golf course, wasn't a total duffer, and that my game was in roughly the same time zone as my stated handicap. No big deal. Golf in the U.K. is very accessible, I can't speak for the rest of Europe.

Re: booze on the course. I haven't been a spectator at enough events (on either side of the Atlantic) to really comment. In terms of playing, I think drinking beer whilst playing is far, far more prevalent in the U.S. than the U.K., where drinking is largely confined to the club house bar after a round. I have very simple theory about that: it's easier to drive beer around a golf course than it is to carry it!

[turtleback]

I can't recall the comments, so I don't know if they were overstated, but it sounds like it might be the case.

Having played a great deal in England as a young man, (these days I play in the U.S. as an, erm....less young man)...

I find golf very accessible in the U.K., even to people of modest means. I played a lot on municipal courses when I was a student (of course, I appreciate the U.S. has a lot of municipals too). In my experience, the British municipals were probably kept in slightly better condition - but that's just anecdotal, of course. There are probably great municipal courses and also awful municipal sheep pastures on both sides of the pond. I grew up playing this course, actually, as a teenager: http://www.arroweparkgolfclub.co.uk/ According to the website, a round is still only £10. Of course, there are discounts for seniors, juniors, etc.

As regards "tests." I did belong to a private course in a different part of the U.K. for a while. They did like incoming members to have a handicap of 18 or less, but they were also willing to accept serious beginners (i.e. people who booked lessons with the Pro and were sponsored by a club member). I fulfilled the handicap requirement, but the "test," such as it was, was 9 holes with an Assistant Pro one morning. It was just a pleasant few holes, really. He was only checking, I think, that I knew how to behave on a golf course, wasn't a total duffer, and that my game was in roughly the same time zone as my stated handicap. No big deal. Golf in the U.K. is very accessible, I can't speak for the rest of Europe.

Re: booze on the course. I haven't been a spectator at enough events (on either side of the Atlantic) to really comment. In terms of playing, I think drinking beer whilst playing is far, far more prevalent in the U.S. than the U.K., where drinking is largely confined to the club house bar after a round. I have very simple theory about that: it's easier to drive beer around a golf course than it is to carry it!

Good points.  I was really talking more about continental Europe, as it is folks from there that have told those test stories.  I've always had the impression that golf was pretty accessible in Britain and I'm glad you confirm that.  Going to and playing in Britain is one of the very few traveling goals I still have.  Wouldn't mind catching a Liverpool game at Anfield if I ever get there.

[imsys0042]

Just from stories I've heard over the years, or in golf books, I get the sense that other people in attendance aren't as tolerant of bad behavior as in the US.   Not to say that there is a big difference between people in various parts of the world, but I feel that people in the UK/Europe would not brush it off as fans being fans.

Tennis seems to have a better etiquette in the US than golf, based on a few people who have to act up.   I'm sure there are people who  act badly, but sitting in bleachers in a fixed place with officials nearby probably keeps people better in line.   It's a logistical problem as well that golf is so spread out and it's impractical to put up bleachers everywhere that it's harder to police.

[DutchGolf]

Just from stories I've heard over the years, or in golf books, I get the sense that other people in attendance aren't as tolerant of bad behavior as in the US.   Not to say that there is a big difference between people in various parts of the world, but I feel that people in the UK/Europe would not brush it off as fans being fans.

Tennis seems to have a better etiquette in the US than golf, based on a few people who have to act up.   I'm sure there are people who  act badly, but sitting in bleachers in a fixed place with officials nearby probably keeps people better in line.   It's a logistical problem as well that golf is so spread out and it's impractical to put up bleachers everywhere that it's harder to police.

I can't compare with the US as i never been to a golf tournament there, but my experience in Europe is that spectators are really strict in letting someone know it when they do something which is not appropriate, such as yelling or making other noises before the shot. Also never saw drunk people at the course, only some in the bar way past the finishing of the round. I think the argument that golf is a more exclusive sport in Europe can be true, here in the Netherlands it is quite a complex system you have to pass before you can play on your own, you have to do a rule test and you have to walk the course with a pro to check if you can hit a ball and especially if you take safety and etiquette into account.

[Rick Martin]

I've gone to a ton of Euro events in Germany (Munich, Cologne, St Leon/Rot).... and the spectators don't have a clue who the players are much less how to play the game.  The game in Germany is for the wealthy and that's who goes to the tournaments there. Of course, their players (Langer, Kaymer, Siem) get the bigger crowds - well not Siem maybe, but the other guys do----then Tiger when he played over here in the early 2000s.  But they really don't know the intricacies of the sport, imo.

[Mac62]

I've gone to a ton of Euro events in Germany (Munich, Cologne, St Leon/Rot).... and the spectators don't have a clue who the players are much less how to play the game.  The game in Germany is for the wealthy and that's who goes to the tournaments there. Of course, their players (Langer, Kaymer, Siem) get the bigger crowds - well not Siem maybe, but the other guys do----then Tiger when he played over here in the early 2000s.  But they really don't know the intricacies of the sport, imo.

That's okay...I don't know/care much about football (soccer) and don't really understand Cricket either, so who am I to throw stones?

[imsys0042]

I can't compare with the US as i never been to a golf tournament there, but my experience in Europe is that spectators are really strict in letting someone know it when they do something which is not appropriate, such as yelling or making other noises before the shot. Also never saw drunk people at the course, only some in the bar way past the finishing of the round. I think the argument that golf is a more exclusive sport in Europe can be true, here in the Netherlands it is quite a complex system you have to pass before you can play on your own, you have to do a rule test and you have to walk the course with a pro to check if you can hit a ball and especially if you take safety and etiquette into account.

I've done a fair amount of traveling and I can say that Americans are less likely to be engaged with people around them than many other parts of the world. People here are less likely to speak with, or help people with rules/etiquette, than I've seen in other countries. I've heard that before about learning to play golf in the Netherlands. Very interesting way to introduce people to the game. I can appreciate a system like that.

[turtleback]

I can't compare with the US as i never been to a golf tournament there, but my experience in Europe is that spectators are really strict in letting someone know it when they do something which is not appropriate, such as yelling or making other noises before the shot. Also never saw drunk people at the course, only some in the bar way past the finishing of the round. I think the argument that golf is a more exclusive sport in Europe can be true, here in the Netherlands it is quite a complex system you have to pass before you can play on your own, you have to do a rule test and you have to walk the course with a pro to check if you can hit a ball and especially if you take safety and etiquette into account.

Yeah, this is what I was talking about in my exchange with @ScouseJohnny .

[harry hooker]

I did notice a few get in the holes creeping in at wentworth.....

[Gunther]

I did notice a few get in the holes creeping in at wentworth.....

Yup, and I noticed quite a few pros backing off their shots followed by caddies shouting "Quiet, please!" So, not just a US phenomenon.

[harry hooker]

Yup, and I noticed quite a few pros backing off their shots followed by caddies shouting "Quiet, please!" So, not just a US phenomenon.

yeah i remember maj on the first day getting the hump more than once.Goes with the territory i guess if you are one of the players that attracts large galleries.

[DutchGolf]

Well another very bad example, with some guy shouting right at the top of Justin Rose his backswing in the bunker. They really should throw these people out of the golfcourses and never let them back in.