Anyone signing up for the Ryder Cup?

[BIWI]

Luke Donald is really ramping up how the European team is going to cope with anticipated ‘hate’ from American spectators!

Always a fantastic competition. Back in the day, before Sky etc, there was one year when we had to follow it via Radio 4 and Teletext!

Ive literally never bothered or paid the slightest interest in golf before, but DH had the Ryder cup on most of the weekend and I got invested for the first time. It was so stressful (despite not fully understanding the whole thing) that I dont think I could cope with it again! 🤣

I think the fact that the fans can get way closer to the players than in virtually any other sport seemed a lot more intimidating and stressful for them.

To be fair I think at least half of them live in or around Jupiter in Florida.

i had no idea this abuse of Erica Stoll was happening. The organisers need to take responsibility for this behaviour.

“At the Ryder Cup over the weekend, Stoll was subjected to the following: had a beerthrown at her head, was taunted with barbs about her brief 2024 split from her husband, and had to listen to fans chantthe name of a woman who, some fans online claim without proof, had a relationship with McIlroy at some point around their breakup.”

https://www.glamour.com/story/the-misogynistic-abuse-towards-rory-mcilroys-wife-at-the-ryder-cup-is-deeper-than-golf

Well, Tom Watson thought it was awful but he’s very old school

https://x.com/TomWatsonPGA/status/1972670995224834528

Well said Tom Watson.
I don’t doubt plenty of players were appalled.

Throwing beer at players family members just seems like a huge escalation from standard barracking.

Yep, it’s not a good look for golf at all. That sort of thing would not happen at football these days (mainly cos you can’t have alcohol at your seat).
I hope TW speaking out rams the point home to the American fans. He’s highly respected so if they don’t listen to him, there is no hope. I noticed by the end on Sunday, there were a lot of police around near the players and families.

@ButterPiesAreGreat Lots of people I’ve heard talking on the radio have compared it to football - I think it was far worse. We go to Prem matches and don’t hear this crude language aimed at players. Occasionally at opposing fans but football fans have cameras aimed at them. They will be banned if behaviour oversteps the mark. We feel there’s some chanting but it’s not escalating to throwing beer over a player's wife. The stands are enormous at football grounds and there’s clear separation from the playing area which is patrolled. I felt the golf fans were too close to the players - but the PGA must have known this would happen and didn’t take swift action. Cameras all round and immediate removal is the only way to stop it.

They did get rid of the women announcer who was riled up the fans about Rory M with her chant full of expletives! Remarkably unprofessional. Unbelievable!

@OhDear111yep she was abhorrent.
I go to football a lot (Championship rather than Prem, we’ve never got there). They are very tight on any form of abuse now. Club got fined a couple of yrs ago for some chants at Chelsea in the cup. I often sit not far from the away end and there’s always one or two who want to wind them up. (And it’s the same people every time). But no worse than a few expletives. Every team has a text reporting service for abuse etc.
Better than 25 years ago when I heard “white shirts for white players” sung by a very small number at an away match 🫣😡.
And I still hate it when certain clubs visit; I am glad that DS (20) sits on the opposite side from the away fans when some are in town.
I’ve never once been scared at a football match but I don’t think last weekend would have been a pleasant spectator experience. Agree they need more separation on the edge of greens but sure some of that is a commercial decision.

The worst I’ve seen was some hotheads getting very vociferous with equally noisy away fans at a European match. However the Ryder cup is golf! It’s only like this for this competition and it’s far worse in the USA. I’ve no doubt some Americans are ashamed but they need much firmer action much more quickly.

The thing is, at any major golf tournament, it’s not just the stands - people are free to walk the course and line the fairways, as well as any space they find around/near the greens. So it’s much harder to ‘police’ as it’s a constantly moving mass of people.

I’m going to the Dunhill Links golf this weekend. Thankfully it will be a very different atmosphere. A few of the Ryder cup team are playing, I’m sure they’ll get a very different reception, even though there will be a tiny fraction of the number of spectators. DH is a marshal, I don’t think he’ll have much trouble with the crowd.

@BIWI Yes it’s more difficult but not impossible. You need ropes and Marshall’s further back but shouting out is difficult to control.

I’m sure the Dunhill will be great!

I love the Dunhill, been coming with family and friends for 10+ years. Stay at the hotel on the course at Carnoustie. Our room directly overlooks the First Tee. Loved watching Tommy, Matt, Bob and Tyrell tee off this morning ........lots of cheering and applause. Great to see them happily interacting with the crowds after coming off the 18th, signing so many autographs and posing for photos.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/articles/czrpxglden7o

Good. It’s about time someone official apologised for how the European team (especially RM) were treated.

An email is a bit underwhelming though. Feels a bit impersonal given the scale of the abuse.

A phone call or a face to face apology would convey more contrition I feel.

True.