Wyndham Clark and the U.S. Open deserved better than they got from a portion of the spectators who spread across Shinnecock Hills recently, many of them not just cheering against the eventual champion but doing their best to make themselves a part of the proceedings.
While they may fuel the profit margins of high-end, far-flung golf destinations, the increasingly obnoxious behavior of packs of golf bros – it was easy to imagine them at Shinnecock as entitled, Sun Cruiser-fueled crypto guys whose parents have summer homes in the Hamptons – needs to be corralled.
Here’s an idea for future U.S. Opens:
Follow the Masters’ lead and do not allow cell phones on the tournament grounds during competition. It’s the U.S. Open, after all, and if fans need a selfie that desperately, they can snap one during the practice rounds then leave their phones outside once Thursday dawns.
Sure, it would be inconvenient and disorienting but only for a few hours and it would mean the many would pay the price for a misbehaving few but it’s a worthwhile trade. We don’t need any more social media posts of guys guffawing at their own alcohol-emboldened actions. If you want to act like a fan at a UFC event, well, that’s what the White House lawn is apparently for, not Shinnecock Hills or Pebble Beach next year.
The quest for a viral moment, the preponderance of online betting and plenty of available cocktails don’t mix well. Again, the sins of a few often reflect on the many.
Some have pointed the finger directly at Long Island, citing the boorish behavior at the Ryder Cup last year and what happened at the U.S. Open this year. Let’s not forget how the Bethpage crowd turned on Brooks Koepka when his lead began to dwindle at the 2018 PGA Championship he won there.
Maybe it is a Long Island thing. Philadelphia crowds are famous for their intolerance and no one was barking at Aaron Rai when he won the PGA Championship at Aronimink.
Matt Fitzpatrick got heckled by a few fans when he won the RBC Heritage in April but it sounded more like a solo compared to the chorus aimed at Clark.
This isn’t a plea to limit fans to golf claps and diet sodas. Have a beer or two. Cheer for whomever you choose. Get your money’s worth. But the idea is to appreciate the golf, not act like you’re in the upper deck at a Jets game (though there may not be as many fans around you there).
Hopefully, it will be different at Pebble Beach next year and not just because of the different sensibilities between the east and west coasts.
What happened at Shinnecock wasn’t a good look for anyone, especially the ones who most wanted to be seen and heard.
Ron Green Jr.
Top: Fans drink beer from their shoes in hospitality boxes on the 16th hole during the final round of WM Phoenix Open.
Ben Jared, PGA TOUR via Getty