LAMM AT LARGE: Rowdy Golf Fans Part of Growing Pains

Twenty years or so ago, then PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem was determined to make golf a major league sport in the same room with pro football, baseball and basketball.

First, the Tour kept raising purses and creating bonuses so the top golfers were making incomes in the neighborhood of other top athletes. Golf statistics were created so you knew who really drove it the best, putted the best, etc. Then, led by Tiger Woods, golfers worked on their bodies to look more like athletes than sportswriters. A playoff was created.

It worked, Golfers aren’t accused of not being athletes. TV numbers skyrocketed as the Tour created dozens of outstanding young players who are all over social media. Gambling is a big deal.

Now, the bad. New golf fans think they are supposed to yell and in general raise hell. Most understand silence while players are actually hitting the ball is expected. Its part of the game, so accept it.

But between shots, fans have to right to shout good and bad things as long as they aren’t vulgar or threatening.

The players need to accept that.