There’s a reason why a round of deliberately quiet applause is called a “golf clap.” Gaze upon just about any group of spectators at any given tournament and you’ll see just that. Getting rowdy at a golf tournament usually means reaching out to snap an unfocused cellphone photo of a player. (You’ll quickly get chastised.)
But there’s one exception to the stereotypical golf setting, and that’s the 16th hole of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. (And yes, that’s the official name of the yearly tournament).
Surrounded by bleachers that can hold around 15, 000 fans, the 16th hole of the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale looks more akin to fans watching a soccer or football game than a golf tournament. People lose all expected decorum and shout, whistle and chant at the players as they pass through the course. For example, the crowd collectively lost its mind in 1997 when Tiger Woods, who will enter this year’s tournament for the first time since 2001, hit a hole-in-one on the 16th.
Besides shrieks so loud they rival preteens at a One Direction concert, the 16th hole also features two other traditions, or rather, featured two other traditions. Notice the past tense.
— Jon Albanese (@Jon_Albanese)
“At this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, for fan safety reasons, players and caddies are prohibited from throwing, kicking or otherwise propelling items into the crowd on the 16th hole, ” reads a notice posted in the locker room at Waialae on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
In response, someone wrote “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” above it.
The answer, sadly, is no.
“If a player is going by handing (memorabilia) out or flipping them to someone in the first row, that’s fine, ” Andy Pazder, the tour’s chief of operations, told the AP. “But not going by throwing things like a Frisbee.”
Pazder isn’t going to let players say they were unaware of the rule change either. He told the AP that the notice would be posted all around the tournament including on the 16th hole’s electronic scoreboard.
“A fan in public seating in a mad scramble to get a hat is going to hurt himself, or land on top of another person, ” Pazder said. “I would say to the players, ‘Think about the liability.’”
Fans who value fun over safety, however, are not golf clapping. There’s been quite a bit of pushback on social media since the announcement was made on Tuesday.
— Tyler Emerick (@TylerEmerick)
So now at 16th hole, players can’t throw swag and caddies can’t race. Only solution? Caddies throw swag and players race. Problem solved.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC)
Honestly can not believe how dumb the PGA is with this whole mess at the 16th hole in Phoenix.
— HaWWWWWWWWWks Fan (@TheBravesWay)
Pga tour craps themselves with 16th hole Phoenix open decision. Lord knows in times of elitist athletes golf wouldn’t want good fan rapport
