Fan Proximity

[fishgolf]

It's amazes sometimes just how close fans choose to stand and officials and/or players allow them to do so.  This past weekend, watching Rory take a full swat off less than a favorable lie with what appears to be a very long, narrow hallway of fans, I was holding my breath .  I'm particularly talking about those off the fairway, scramble shots where the open windows are anything but what most of us would attempt.  Every year, fans get hit and some injuries are pretty nasty (see attached article).  Yes, you accept that risk as part of your ticket, but should the PGA (and LPGA) do more to reduce the chance of serious injury? 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/fore-beware-the-wayward-golf-ball-pros-hitting-spectators

[upndown21]

I would follow Phil and hope he hits me so he gives me a wad of cash...

http://www.travelgolf.com/blogs/chris.baldwin/2006/03/05/difference_between_phil_mickelson_aamp_m

Edited April 12, 2018 by upndown21
Missing link

[krupa]

I don't think they are and there is a level of personal responsibility involved.  If we're talking about lining fairways, then I think they're fine (where else would they go anyway?) and they take the same (probably less) risk as people sitting behind a dugout at a baseball game. As for the tiny corridors fans give players after errant shots... maybe it's too tight but they have 3-4 tournament "officials" (volunteers, mostly I'm guessing) and they can only do so much.  It's again on the fans to think about how much room they want to give a player who just hit a wild shot.

[mdl]

I feel like it's less a question of risk – if you wanna stand close and risk getting hit, fair enough – than it is of competition.  Like one of those recovery shots tiger tried from the pine straw where if the spectators hadn't been standing too close the ball probably would've bent and then rolled down way closer to the hole.  But because he hit it a bit right of what he wanted, instead it hit a fan and stopped way short.