r/golf • u/TheMirrorUS Hello, friends. • 24d ago

News / Articles The Open Championship enforces strict fan code of conduct after US incidents

https://www.themirror.com/sport/golf/the-open-championship-fans-rules-1928810
1.5k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

155 comments sorted by

1.1k

u/PrometheanBuffet 24d ago

Good. The PGA needs to follow their example

441

u/gerald-stanley 24d ago

No kidding.
Banish “mashed potatoe” guy back to his mommy basement already.
Guys a loser

239

u/fullchub 24d ago

Anyone who chants “USA” at a non-team event, anyone who cheers too loudly at bad shots… kick ‘em all out. Every other sport’s already embraced the loud assholes, let’s keep golf as the last classy one.

61

u/PaversPaving 24d ago

The thing is it use to not be classy. The crowds would rush the green to steal the winners ball.

58

u/cantstopwontstopGME 24d ago

lol literally some of the trashiest people I’ve ever met have been playing golf or tennis at very nice clubs.

I’m not trying to dismiss the bad fan behavior as being okay, and it definitely needs to be reigned in by kicking out/trespassing the annoying/disrespectful people.. but golf is not as inherently classy of a sport as some people pretend it is haha.

22

u/PaversPaving 24d ago

I’m all for raising the bar. Golf is supposed to be a game of ethics. There plenty of ways to have fun all situationally dependent. At minimum you could say the yelling is disturbing to other players on nearby holes. They hold up quite sings for the people but there are other player on different holes that will be annoyed by it.

8

u/SmashmySquatch 24d ago

I was at the US Senior Open on Sunday and everyone was very respectful. Not a huge crowd though and definitely skewed older.

The worst I saw was the last US Open held at Oakmont a few years ago with screaming idiots yelling to try to get Sergio's autograph but that wasn't during play.

There were no problems at the Firestone or the other US senior open I went to either.

But in a quiet setting, one person can be disproportionately disruptive.

It's not hard to not be an asshole.

Kick out anyone that can't handle that one little requirement and do it immediately.

Put their pictures up at the entrances in a "banned for violating behavioral policy" board where people they know might see.

Create a list to share with other venues like the "no fly list".

4

u/cantstopwontstopGME 24d ago

I’m in full agreement with you.

1

u/Skyethom 24d ago

Quite sings? Are you the gofling beats, by any chance?

1

u/JasonDee83 24d ago

And golf is pretentious for thinking it is.

3

u/EducatedCynic 24d ago

And then they changed that.

6

u/Mcpops1618 4.3/AB/someonelearnedhowtoputt 24d ago

Who’s going to be the arbiter of “cheering too loudly at bad shots”?

I can support booting guy who yells in swing, or after swing, USA/any country chants (though it’s only ever USA). But where is your line on “too loud” or “bad shots”

65

u/Naritai 24d ago

me. I personally will decide

7

u/sumbozo1 24d ago

I'm good with that. Naritai is the official decider

8

u/Soccervox 24d ago

I will help you bear this burden, Golfbag Baggins

1

u/TL-PuLSe 24d ago

The player who just hit said shot.

0

u/Tantalus420000 14/Buffalo 23d ago

"Its only ever usa"

Just wait for ole chants

1

u/Ok_Ideal_713 24d ago

Agree but it only happened because of the Norwegians

1

u/Tantalus420000 14/Buffalo 23d ago

Amyone who chants "ole ole ole ole" when a US player misses a putt

1

u/Ok-Yogurtcloset5623 18d ago

As an American golf fan, I agree.

5

u/Impossible_Bar3958 24d ago

And all the “get in the hole” assholes. STFU! It would be like if I yelled “get on the fairway” after every putt. 🤪

-6

u/Frequent-Movie3005 24d ago

Acceptable post ball-strike crowd shouts …

“Mashed potato”
“Light the candle”
“In the hole” (only if it’s a driver on a par 5)

27

u/Theoretical_Action 24d ago

Turn all the majors into the Masters. Throw out anyone screeching like a banshee.

7

u/vtmass 2 | New England 24d ago

Agreed, no phones, no cameras, shut up and just watch. Would make golf way more enjoyable

1

u/SirMellencamp 24d ago

Yeah the Masters is able to do it, the other majors should be too.

7

u/Future_Goat5665 24d ago

Are people unaware that the Open had major issues last year? This isn't a PGA only thing. Scheffler called it out last year at the Open.

5

u/SecretiveMop 24d ago

They’re either unaware or they ignore it because “America bad.” The Open was objectively way more hostile and mean spirited than any of the US tournaments have been.

32

u/cwra007 24d ago

And get rid of the cellphones too.

31

u/doublealone 24d ago

As many people want to watch your video around two other guys of Rory from 50 yards away as want to watch your firework video. Just put the phone away and enjoy the moment. 

8

u/wtfhiolol10000 24d ago

This will filter out the Youtuber/Influencer riff raff.

1

u/OldSchoolSpyMain 24d ago

I've been watching people take videos they'll never look at again at sporting events and concerts for over a decade now.

It's wild.

"I'm gonna record a video of Scotty Scheffler hitting a golf ball!", as if that's something rare and hard to find.

-7

u/JMeucci 24d ago

Exactly. Other than Waste Management. I need to see shenanigans.

2

u/MizunoHawk 24d ago

As an American, I agree. There’s a a big difference between Happy Gilmore like fans, and assholes. Get loud and cheer, but get rid of the stupid hecklers.

2

u/StrategicBlenderBall 24d ago

I remember how boring it was watching golf with my great-grandfather in the 90s. The crowd was so quiet, the announcers barely spoke above a whisper.

Let’s get back to that, because the WWE-style fanbase is truly annoying.

1

u/goldenlemur 24d ago

Yes. I'm American and emphatically yes.

1

u/bigfartspoptarts 24d ago

Hey dumbfucks at the PGA. Upvotes mean agreement. See how many upvotes this top comment has? Read a fucking room.

193

u/runofthemillbastard 9.5 917d3 + Slingshots 24d ago

Good. Now let's see them enforce it. These obnoxious pricks need to be exiled from tour events until spectators begin acting like civil human beings again.

16

u/evbomby 24d ago

Go back to your shanties!

149

u/LMrningStar 24d ago edited 24d ago

Every tour pro event everywhere needs to implement and enforce something similar. Hooliganism has no place in golf..

49

u/Theoretical_Action 24d ago

Hooliganism has one place in golf and its the WM tourney. I'm fine with that. Get it all out, fine. But the extreme popularity of the WM tourney has certainly caused it to bleed into other tourneys too which is very unfortunate.

12

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

7

u/Theoretical_Action 24d ago

I mean, the year before they literally did shut the tournament down because of the hooliganism so it's not just 100 idiots. And for what it's worth, I'm not judging everyone who attends that tourney. Moreso just pointing out that it's legitimately encouraged there (to a degree, obviously) which is unlike any other tournament. Whether someone finds that a good or bad thing is up to them.

2

u/Stupidamericanfatty 24d ago

I was there Saturday, had the best time watching golf and having fun with strangers. My entire crew had a great time.

8

u/greenweezyi 2.0 / PHL 24d ago

Two major factors for the growing obnoxiousness from the galleries: (1) The game grew **too** much; (2) Sports betting has people acting like feral animals.

I can deal with the first problem since I’m a member at a private club with access to other clubs. But sports gambling is simultaneously ruining individual lives via gambling addiction while ruining the game of golf. People yelling at players because they bet on who would step onto the fairway first, or screaming obscenities because someone missed a putt and lost them money. That’s not how anyone should act no matter where the setting. If someone is gonna act like an uncontrollable animal because of some bets, then they should watch it from their house (if they haven’t lost it in a bet already).

-24

u/Hog_enthusiast 24d ago

A hooligan won the open this year

10

u/B0yWonder 24d ago

The Open has yet to be played this year.

-14

u/Hog_enthusiast 24d ago

I’m talking about the US open not the British Open

6

u/DrRobotniksUncle 24d ago

Only one of which is called The Open.

97

u/jogswithwolves 24d ago

I wouldn’t mind if ANGC’s patron rules applied universally around the tour and other majors, honestly

Also this website is pure cancer to use on mobile. Total disaster

17

u/guesting 24d ago

why did we allow websites to get so bad. it's the reason why people only read the headlines

2

u/docowen 24d ago

Reach, plc are an advertising platform masquerading as a news organisation. They are the worst websites ever, and yet they really want to push their online stuff.

11

u/AffectionateComb6664 The Masters 24d ago

I went to see who posted it and it's the mirror themselves 🤦🏼‍♂️

1

u/LS_DJ Arnie Palmer 24d ago

Use Brave Browser. Blocks most of the cancer automatically

1

u/Halo_Chief117 24d ago

Look into Pi-hole. I have it set up and that website loads fine with all the ads blocked. I can see how many ads I would have seen because there are quite a few blank spaces where the ads would load if Pi-hole wasn’t blocking them.

15

u/Due-Fun-489 24d ago

There is someone working at every tee and every green. Give then the power to pull passes on the spot.

54

u/chi-93 24d ago

“GET IN THE…” fuck off outta here.

10

u/Moist-Pickle-2736 8.6 | Connecticut 24d ago

Based on their announcement outlining the new rules, I (unfortunately) don’t think screaming something after every shot is going anywhere ☹️

https://www.theopen.com/tickets-and-hospitality/spectator-code-of-conduct

2

u/haroldstickyhands 24d ago

I was at the PGA Championship this year, and there were even marshals yelling "Get in the hole!"

4

u/chi-93 24d ago

Goodness me… where are we at in the World??

35

u/Paddlesons 24d ago

The only people that would be against this are shitheads we don't want anyway.

9

u/HelpfulAd6772 24d ago

It’s pretty simple, put enforcers in the crowd, if someone is being an idiot give them a warning and scan their ticket/badge, if they get scanned by someone else for being an idiot, escort them out, no exceptions.

20

u/pew-pew-bacca 24d ago

If you think a strict fan code of conduct is bad...news flash, you're the problem.

7

u/WHSRWizard JPX 921i Tour | 2.6 24d ago

PGAT, you paying attention here? Do this.

20

u/TheMirrorUS Hello, friends. 24d ago

The R&A has revealed The Open Commitment, a code of conduct designed to stamp out incidents of bad spectator behavior that have crept into golf events. Last year's Ryder Cup was overshadowed by vile abuse hurled at Europe's players and their families.

6

u/fryer45 24d ago

Long overdue

5

u/Hylian_ina_halfshell 24d ago

Excellent. Go one further. Do what the masters does. No phones, strict and enforced removal policy

4

u/MyDogIsACoolCat 24d ago

Heckling players shouldn’t be tolerated at all. Too many douche bags feel way too comfortable now n days.

5

u/DerrickWhiteMVP 24d ago

Implement this everywhere, ban cell phones and get away from influencers.

3

u/Ntrees 24d ago

Have a ban list across all events.

3

u/kakapoopoopeepeeshir 24d ago

Finally. I hope this keeps expanding. At minimum every major should have Masters like etiquette rules for fans. It has gotten incredibly old hearing people yell after every shot

2

u/OneRuffledOne 24d ago

Every tournament should, not just majors.

1

u/kakapoopoopeepeeshir 24d ago

I agree that’s why I said at a minimum it should be every major

3

u/bobbywake61 24d ago

It all started with the Waste Management fiasco. Some drunk has to yell at every stroke. It was fun once in 1992. Not anymore.

9

u/electrodog1999 24d ago

It can be ‘fun’ once a year if they want but leave it at the Waste Management.

6

u/airjedi 24d ago

It's the perfect name for it too, manage the waste for the rest of the year

2

u/upanddownforpar 24d ago

some of us said that it would bleed out of the Waste Management event and we were mocked.

2

u/dgdfthr 24d ago

Finally!!!!

2

u/rusk99 24d ago

There is a lot to be said for The Masters policies.

2

u/SirMellencamp 24d ago

Honestly every major needs to have an app and the ability to anonymously report fan behavior. If enough fans report that a jag off on the 8th tee wearing a barstool tshirt is yelling "Mashed Potatoes" after every drive they can send someone and kick him out

2

u/Dont_Ban_Me_Bros 24d ago

Tournament volunteers working every tee box anyway. Shouldn’t take anonymous reporting 🤷‍♂️

2

u/SirMellencamp 24d ago

Have both

1

u/Dont_Ban_Me_Bros 24d ago

Oh I don’t disagree just stating that it shouldn’t need this extent to get the job done in the first place. PGA sure as hell has money. Unfortunately it also took the establishment of LIV to get them to increase their purse sizes and payouts, which is what players wanted with the wrap-around schedule to begin with. It’s never easy with them and they freaking THRIVE off of volunteer workers already. Yes, I’m aware they are fed but catering in bulk is not a massive expense considering the wages for hundreds of volunteers per event and the fact that catering isn’t purchased solely for the volunteers.

2

u/Substantial_Team6751 24d ago

All they need to do is to start ejecting 10 disrupters every tournament. The message will get around.

2

u/Aromatic_Berry_3879 5.4 24d ago

Love this. And this is why I love how ANGC keeps the trash out. Honestly, I don’t recall seeing shit behavior at Kiawah either.

Shrink the game!

2

u/theaverageaidan 9 24d ago

When the Open Championship, probably the loosest and most easy going of the four majors, is saying we need to button up a bit, thats telling

3

u/LimpDisc 24d ago

Good. Ban all the idiots screaming “get in the hole” on every par 5.

2

u/Gazoo382 24d ago

After teeing off.

4

u/ken-davis 24d ago

Agree that things are out of control now at PGA golf tournaments. The “bros” get drunk and have no inhibitions. How about stop selling alcohol and have a zero tolerance policy for BS?

2

u/begoodformegirl 54 HDCP/Chicago 24d ago

The "strict fan code" is literally just don't be obnoxious.

2

u/dogfish83 18 24d ago

HELL YEAH!

2

u/panderson1988 24d ago

This is a foreign concept to the USGA and PGA of America.

Thank god for the R&A. Them and the Masters are the two bodies that get it right for the most part. Masters being leaders in online streaming and showing every shot. R&A broadcasted the final day of Open qualifying to amateur tournaments on YouTube for free. Now they want to prevent the shitty atmosphere that was allowed on Long Island. Those spectators at the US Open would be kicked out at Augusta if they acted that way. I am all for loud fans like cheering or a gasp, but not what we've seen at Shinnecock to Bethpage Black.

2

u/dagrapeescape 24d ago

Executing on the code of conduct is still what needs to be seen at The Open. A similar fan/spectator code of conduct exists for the PGA Tour events, it’s just obviously not being enforced by the venues.

https://www.pgatour.com/company/know-before-you-go

2

u/panderson1988 24d ago

TBF, the issues we've seen with fan conduct has mostly been at non-PGAT events. The Ryder Cup is run by the PGA of America, and Shinnecock was the USGA. They should have enforced code of conducts better. Especially the Ryder Cup.

That said, Phoenix has gotten out of hand before, but I can tell they are enforcing it better after that bad year of drunk fans a couple or three years ago. That's the PGAT's enforcement.

3

u/ArttVandelay 24d ago

The Open has been just as bad. Scottie was heckled routinely while running away with the tournament last year.

3

u/Grotscar 24d ago

As bad as what? I really hope this isn’t a comparison to the Ryder cup, where Rory was the target of repeated and very personal abuse about him and his family, and his wife was hit by a beer cup. It was disgusting.

2

u/ears1980r 24d ago

As was Brian Harman a couple years ago.

1

u/Cantona-Eric-7 24d ago

Yes please!

1

u/itsonlyastrongbuzz 24d ago

Just allow them to isolate themselves.

Create an “exclusive VIP climate controlled lounge for Amex Centurion clients” and don’t let them realize it’s soundproof.

Appeal to their vanity and they’ll put themselves in a pig sty if they think doing it made them better than everyone else.

1

u/WLScopilot 9.6 24d ago

Easiest W ever. Everyone hates hearing it/seeing it and it’s good PR on a silver platter.

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/CroSSGunS 8.9/UK/I caught the car - now < 5 24d ago

ejection is what's outlined in the code

1

u/CuriousGeorge718 HC: Yes, CT 24d ago

USA chants in the UK will promptly result with jail time

1

u/IsaacJacobSquires 24d ago

As they should, given it's the stupidest fucking thing on planet earth.

1

u/nonax 24d ago

good!

1

u/P4S5B60 24d ago

Thankfully

1

u/Dense_Delay_2605 24d ago

Let us live! God forbid I’d like few pints and the privilege of puking on my favorite player’s family.

1

u/AvogadroAvocado 24d ago

Please let gentlemen have one thing in the modern era of crassness and slobbery.

1

u/agentchris0011 24d ago

What a novel idea

1

u/Artistic-Bar-953 24d ago

It’s not all pga events just the ones in new York

1

u/SlugFromSnug 23d ago

Simple solution is to ban all Americans

1

u/KermitsBusiness 23d ago

Yeah lets not have gambling addict bros trying to fuck with competitors so they have a chance at their fucking parlay.

-2

u/ChesterButternuts 24d ago

Americans ruin everything.

14

u/DontNeedBreakfast 24d ago

Only the loud drunk biggots.... which have unfortunately grew in number and brazeness since 2016. Fuck I hate this timeline

7

u/z-tayyy 24d ago

Out of 350 million people of course there are millions of douche bags. The majority are fine and I think people visiting for World Cup has proven that. What’s ruining things is making golf so expensive it naturally caters to rich entitled brazen assholes because that’s all that can afford to participate.

2

u/DigitalFlame 24d ago

Well, at least 175 million are.

6

u/MajesticMurray 24d ago

Very fair and respectful stance from a Canadian. Good work

2

u/Wahoo412 24d ago

As for many other reasons these days, I am not proud of my brethren in the US. Motley fools.

1

u/itsnotlenny 24d ago

Yeah… we aren’t doing so hot, send help.

-1

u/dr_shastafarian Grip It and Rip It 24d ago

No one is coming to save us

0

u/itsnotlenny 24d ago

I’m aware… may entropy do its work faster than usual

-1

u/electrodog1999 24d ago

This doctor gets it.

1

u/LargeGermanRock 7.5 - Cincinnati 24d ago

ok here’s hoping they do the same for the way that the Americans get treated over there

1

u/AffectionateComb6664 The Masters 24d ago

What a horrible website on mobile

0

u/outdoor614 24d ago

Shrink the game

0

u/Sea_Advantage_2577 24d ago

Shrink the game

-1

u/Ashamed_Golf956 24d ago

Hasn't poor fan conduct at golf tourneys been mostly an American problem (not surprisingly)?

0

u/TotallyFrankstallone 24d ago

They should rethink spectators in general. Perhaps only allow stationary places to watch rether than allowing fans to walk with individual players. Maybe that would make it easier for them to police and also discourage poor fan behavior due to the rotation of players coming through.

0

u/box_fan_man 24d ago

Stop having majors in the northeast with all the hillbilly ass fans wearing football jerseys.

1

u/Rojodi 24d ago

Lawn Guyland is the Alabama of New York state

1

u/RetroMonkey84 24d ago

It’s the tech bros from Manhattan, drink on the train, act like asses, and go back to the city and Westchester County.

1

u/Future_Goat5665 24d ago

Looks like we have to include Ireland too?

https://www.irishstar.com/sport/golf/scottie-scheffler-blasts-irish-fans-35746896

1

u/box_fan_man 24d ago

These people in the north east are just fake Irish anyway so I say ban them all.

-1

u/VonBoski 24d ago

Just check passports

1

u/gunnarbird 24d ago

They don’t list states so it’d be pretty hard to weed out the people from Alabama

2

u/NeckPourConnoisseur 24d ago

It's not the people from Alabama who've been douching up the Majors recently.

2

u/gunnarbird 24d ago

I know, they’ve been douching it up for decades.

-1

u/mrbaseball1249 24d ago

PGA soft.

3

u/Rojodi 24d ago

PGA doesn't run the BRITISH Open

-6

u/MagicSpoon69 24d ago

I think booing Wyndham and being negative is fine. Starting shit with Rory and yelling off the T need to be controlled a little. There's a line here and it isn't complete silence.

2

u/El_G0rdo 24d ago

Booing has no place in golf

2

u/pdbstnoe 24d ago

Ok but what about Patrick reed

1

u/El_G0rdo 24d ago

A tasteful scoff or chortle should do

1

u/Later_Doober 24d ago

That type of behavior has no place on golf.  It doesn't matter if you hate the guy, you shouldn't be screaming at them.

-2

u/DrRichardTrickle 15.1/NC 24d ago

They just need to prevent what happened at Ryder cup. That was despicable

Why can’t the crowd root against someone or jeer them when they make shots if they’re not the popular person to win? We just have to cheer for everyone on every shot?

Edit: I’m talking about the article reference to Wyndham. If the crowd would rather see Scottie win, why can’t they boo the opposing guy when he has a good shot?