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Former PGA Tour pro Chris DiMarco has said that deploying undercover officers at tournaments would be the perfect solution to kicking out disorderly golf fans.
Golf fans have been welcomed back to the PGA Tour in their thousands over recent months after almost a year of being forced to watch on from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the majority of players have enjoyed hearing some noise back in the galleries, several incidents have once again raised the issue of how to deal with rowdy fans.
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Paul Casey took a noisy fan to task at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March, while Brooks Koepka said that he was “dinged” in the knee by spectators as they flocked onto the course at the final hole of PGA Championship.
However, three-time PGA Tour winner Chris DiMarco believes his solution would put an end to the yelling, screaming and general rowdiness of the PGA Tour galleries.
“I think a lot of fans seem to think that the rope that separates us is soundproof,” DiMarco told bunkered.co.uk. “They say some stupid things and when you are there to compete at the highest level, in what is meant to be a gentlemen’s game, it’s not what you want.
“It’s such a small percentage of people that it would only take a few undercover officers to solve. The first person that yells something crude, they’re out. You throw ten people out and then everyone is gong to get the message. It’s got to be done.
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“It’s like Augusta, if you do something that you shouldn’t, they throw you out, take your badge and then you’re never allowed back in. People watch what they say there because they don’t want to ever lose the right to attend Augusta.”
DiMarco, who infamously finished runner-up in three major championships three years on the spin from 2004 to 2006, went on to reveal that players can be easily affected by the noise from the galleries.
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“Golfers hear everything but it’s just within our best interests to not let the people know we hear them,” added the 52-year-old. “Etiquette is something which matters and some of these idiot fans just want you to hit a bad shot. Give players a chance to at least hit the shot. Just give them the respect.”
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