Sir Nick Faldo believes golf still has a long way to go in dealing with abusive spectators, arguing ahead of The Open Championship that the scenes witnessed at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black showed removing unruly fans from tournaments is not enough.

Faldo spoke to Today's Golfer on July 10 in a phone call from Turnberry, where he was spending time before heading to Royal Birkdale for The Open. The R&A unveiled The Open Commitment, a five-point spectator code of conduct that it will enforce at the 154th Open Championship starting on July 16, prompting Faldo's comments.

He directed his strongest criticism at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where sections of the crowd repeatedly shouted verbal abuse at European players.

He placed the blame squarely on the PGA of America. "Absolutely disgusting," Faldo said. "They wanted it to put Europe off. Those players were worn out having to deal with that. But, hey, that's what losers do, isn't it? If you're a loser, you scream at somebody who's successful because you're never going to be successful."

He didn't hold back on what he thinks the governing bodies need to do.

"I think it should be in black and white, bold, block capital letters that if you are ejected, you will be fined 'X' amount, five thousand dollars or something," Faldo told Today's Golfer. "Make it a serious number where they go, 'Hang on, I don't want to get thrown out, and it cost me five grand.'"

The R&A's new fan rules ask spectators to respect the players, the golf course, other fans, and the championship. The R&A can remove fans from Royal Birkdale without a refund if they seriously or repeatedly break the rules.

Faldo believes punishment alone will not solve the issue, which has extended beyond the Ryder Cup, with Matt Fitzpatrick heckled at the Players Championship in March and Wyndham Clark facing hostile crowds during last month's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Both incidents helped the R&A decide to introduce new spectator rules before The Open.

What the R&A is actually doing about it

The Open Commitment has five main rules according to the R&A website. Respect the players, respect the course, respect other fans, be aware of those around you, and enjoy the event responsibly.

The R&A also requires responsible drinking, banning drinks in grandstands, while reserving the right to remove spectators without a refund for violating the code of conduct.

Spectators can also report bad behavior, with the R&A promoting the new rules through ticket emails, digital channels, and signage around Royal Birkdale as part of a broader push for accountability across the sport. Earlier this year, golf's major championships also introduced an official code of conduct for players.

Joaquin Niemann became the first player penalized under it, receiving a two-shot penalty at the U.S. Open for throwing his club, turning a nine into an 11 on his scorecard.

The Open Championship begins at Royal Birkdale on July 16, where both the new spectator code and the player conduct rules will be in effect for the first time at the same major.

What do you think about the R&A's tougher stance on spectator behavior? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav