Ian Poulter, among others, is tired of hearing spectators scream nonsense just after players swing at PGA Tour events.
He's fed up with that vocal minority of fans who are out there every week but who seemed particularly loud after players hit shots during the PGA Championship — "Mashed potatoes," "Baba Booey," "Chewbacca" and the long-standing staple "Get in the Hole" being among their favorites.
IAN POULTER: Use a taser on the loudmouths
He took to Twitter to express his frustration Sunday, following up Tuesday with a statement of confidence that the PGA Tour will handle it.
But PGA Tour communications chief Ty Votaw told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday he's not sure what can be done.
"I don't know if it is any more of a concern than it has been, and I'm not sure it has been that much of a concern. As long as they don't do it during a player's swing, it's difficult to police," Votaw said. "We clearly want people to have a good time when they come, but we also want them to be respectful, to not only the players but to their fellow spectators.
"It might be worse in certain places. But we'll keep looking into it."
Poulter fired off a series of tweets following the PGA Championship on Sunday, including this one: "We should be allowed to take 10,000 volt tazers onto the course and tazer every muppet who shouts out something stupid. I would laugh then."
Poulter was not alone. Other players, including Jim Furyk, turned back to stare intently at the gallery after outbursts. CBS analyst Nick Faldo spoke on the air about how annoying it was, to players and everyone else.
The problem is just what Votaw noted — what can be done? Undercover marshals warning and then ejecting an overly loud fan? Spectators policing themselves and perhaps shaming loud fans to stop yelling? Turning off the course microphones?
And what sayings would deem ejection? Is it OK to scream "Go, Tiger" but not "Spaghetti and meatballs"?
Jason Dufner, who won the PGA Championship by two shots, appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, in large part because Poulter got into a Twitter tussle with the King of All Media. "Baba Booey" is the nickname of the Stern show's producer, Gary Dell'Abate, and Stern corrected Poulter's spelling of the nickname in a tweet. To which Poulter replied to point out that he has more followers on Twitter than Stern does.
So there Dufner was fielding questions from Stern, who even suggested that Dufner, in next week's The Barclays tournament in New Jersey, should hit a drive and then yell "Baba Booey." And Stern said he thinks Poulter will hear a load of "Baba Booeys" if he plays in the tournament.
"It doesn't bother me — it happens after the swing," Dufner said. "Sometimes the stuff's pretty funny that they say."
He's fed up with that vocal minority of fans who are out there every week but who seemed particularly loud after players hit shots during the PGA Championship — "Mashed potatoes," "Baba Booey," "Chewbacca" and the long-standing staple "Get in the Hole" being among their favorites.
IAN POULTER: Use a taser on the loudmouths
He took to Twitter to express his frustration Sunday, following up Tuesday with a statement of confidence that the PGA Tour will handle it.
But PGA Tour communications chief Ty Votaw told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday he's not sure what can be done.
"I don't know if it is any more of a concern than it has been, and I'm not sure it has been that much of a concern. As long as they don't do it during a player's swing, it's difficult to police," Votaw said. "We clearly want people to have a good time when they come, but we also want them to be respectful, to not only the players but to their fellow spectators.
"It might be worse in certain places. But we'll keep looking into it."
Poulter fired off a series of tweets following the PGA Championship on Sunday, including this one: "We should be allowed to take 10,000 volt tazers onto the course and tazer every muppet who shouts out something stupid. I would laugh then."
Poulter was not alone. Other players, including Jim Furyk, turned back to stare intently at the gallery after outbursts. CBS analyst Nick Faldo spoke on the air about how annoying it was, to players and everyone else.
The problem is just what Votaw noted — what can be done? Undercover marshals warning and then ejecting an overly loud fan? Spectators policing themselves and perhaps shaming loud fans to stop yelling? Turning off the course microphones?
And what sayings would deem ejection? Is it OK to scream "Go, Tiger" but not "Spaghetti and meatballs"?
Jason Dufner, who won the PGA Championship by two shots, appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, in large part because Poulter got into a Twitter tussle with the King of All Media. "Baba Booey" is the nickname of the Stern show's producer, Gary Dell'Abate, and Stern corrected Poulter's spelling of the nickname in a tweet. To which Poulter replied to point out that he has more followers on Twitter than Stern does.
So there Dufner was fielding questions from Stern, who even suggested that Dufner, in next week's The Barclays tournament in New Jersey, should hit a drive and then yell "Baba Booey." And Stern said he thinks Poulter will hear a load of "Baba Booeys" if he plays in the tournament.
"It doesn't bother me — it happens after the swing," Dufner said. "Sometimes the stuff's pretty funny that they say."
