Golf’s New Fan Crackdown Draws a Line on Rowdy Spectators

It wasn’t that long ago that professional golf wanted more noise.Tournament organizers celebrated the raucous atmosphere surrounding the par-3 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where thousands of fans transformed one hole into a college-style stadium. The Ryder Cup became synonymous with patriotic chants and partisan crowds. Golf embraced sports betting partnerships that encouraged fans to become even more emotionally invested in every shot.Now, the sport is trying to calm things down.The 154th Open Championship, which begins Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, will enforce a spectator code of conduct known as “The Open Commitment.” Developed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the policy acknowledges that golf’s effort to attract a younger, louder audience has also produced behavior many players believe has crossed the line.Tommy Fleetwood, who grew up not far from Royal Birkdale and should receive plenty of support, understands the complicated dynamic. “You want the fans to behave in the best way possible and to give everybody the equal opportunity, but it is very difficult wanting all that to go together,” he told reporters.More than 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the year’s final major championship, a record for The Open. They will be greeted by signs reminding them to “Respect the Players,” “Respect the Links,” “Respect Each Other,” “Be Aware,” and “Enjoy Responsibly.” Those who repeatedly violate the code can be ejected from the grounds without a refund.The new policy is the latest attempt by golf’s governing bodies to regain control after several high-profile incidents involving abusive fans over the past year.The tipping point may have come at last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island, where European players endured relentless heckling throughout the competition. More recently, reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark was subjected to repeated taunts during this year’s championship, while England’s Matt Fitzpatrick encountered jeering crowds at The Players Championship.For six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo, simply removing disruptive spectators is no longer enough. “Absolutely disgusting,” Mr. Faldo said of the behavior at Bethpage Black. “They wanted it to put Europe off. Those players were worn out having to deal with that.”Mr. Faldo believes golf should adopt far stiffer penalties.“I think it should be in black and white, bold block capital letters that if you are ejected, you will be fined $5,000 or something,” he said. “Make it a serious number where they go, ‘Hang on, I don’t want to get thrown out, and it cost me five grand.'”Players generally support the R&A’s new initiative, though many acknowledge the challenge of balancing civility with creating an energetic atmosphere.“I think it’s a good idea within reason,” former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose of England said. “We do want crowds to turn up in force. We want our game to be supported in the best possible way. We want people to come out and have a good time.”Mr. Rose said players understand they are entertainers as well as competitors, but major championships should ultimately be decided by golf – not outside distractions. “You want the best player to come out of it,” he said. “Not other moments and other factors that become heated down the stretch.”He also worries that social media has normalized poor behavior. “Everything becomes a viral clip,” Mr. Rose said. “People feel like they’re a lot more part of the moment and can influence the moment.”Mr. Fleetwood offered a similar perspective. The Southport native understands both the importance of passionate fans and the difficulty of asking hundreds of thousands of people to behave exactly as organizers hope.“The crowds are a huge part of golf,” he said. “It’s difficult to ask everyone to behave in a manner that you would want while wanting the atmosphere to be as big as possible.”Mr. Fleetwood said he has often enjoyed competing before partisan crowds. “I’ve had support on my side 99 percent of the time, but I’ve also had it against me the odd time,” he said. “Sometimes those have been my most enjoyable atmospheres because it gives you that little bit extra.”Another growing concern is gambling.Sports wagering has become deeply intertwined with professional golf, and several players believe bettors are fueling much of the abuse. “I would say every golfer that’s played a professional tournament has had a message of abuse from someone related to gambling,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “You type in a player’s name who maybe isn’t playing well, and you’ll just see abuse after abuse after abuse.”Unlike many sports, golf presents unique opportunities for interference.“It’s very easy to influence a bet,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “Shouting on someone’s backswing or putting stroke—it’s really easy. It is definitely an issue.”The R&A’s initiative extends beyond spectators.Earlier this year, golf introduced a formal player code of conduct at major championships. LIV Golf star Joaquin Niemann became the first player penalized under the policy when he received a two-shot penalty at the U.S. Open after throwing a club in frustration.Tournament officials are hoping the behavior of fans and players won’t overshadow the on-course storylines. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler attempts to defend the Claret Jug after an unusually disappointing outing at the Scottish Open last week where he missed the cut and saw his streak of 78 consecutive made cuts on the PGA Tour come to an end.Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau is hoping simply to survive until the weekend. The two-time U.S. Open champion has missed the cut at all three major championships this season—the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open—and is attempting to avoid becoming one of the few elite players to go an entire major season without playing a weekend.

Golf’s New Fan Crackdown Draws a Line on Rowdy Spectators

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