The FBR golf tournament is under way in Scottsdale Arizona this weekend. I had a chance to watch part of the 3rd round on TV this afternoon. Attendance during this 4 day period exceeds attendance at any other PGA event, including the 4 majors. According to Jim Nantz, one of the commentators, they anticipated a crowd of over 200,000 today alone.

Formerly called the Phoenix Open, the FBR has been transformed into the Thunderdome of golf events. Attracting large, rowdy, and very loud gallery’s, particularly those crowded around the famous 16th hole at the TPC Golf Course. There are 153 corporate sponsored bleacher boxes constructed in a horseshoe shape around the back of the tee box and down each side of the fairway, creating an atmosphere that resembles a college football stadium on Saturday afternoon in November.

At one point today the estimated crowd at the 16th hole exceeded 79,000 people. Players are vociferously booed if they hit an errant shot from the tee at this 170 yard par 3 hole. Golfers on the tee are heckled with chants from the enormous crowd during their shots. If the golfer backs off from the ball to setup again he is booed even louder. After holing out, if a golfer birdies the hole the crowd will begin to chant “throw your ball”, throw your ball”. If the golfer refuses to throw his ball into the crowd he is booed. If he throws it, he is cheered. Woe is me for the golfer who bogey’s or makes a bad chip shot near the green. The crowd will chant “keep your ball”, keep your ball” as he is sent to the next tee box with a chorus of boos.

This hole began taking on a life of it’s own several years ago when ASU students would gather there to cheer on Alumni participating in Pro-Am or PGA events. Fans learned from that experience to put some thought into their chants and jibes. Subject matter has included everything from Aaron Baddeley’s dog Brutus, to school fight songs and chants about players fiance’s. Stewart Cink has some advice for newbies playing the 16th for the first time in this tournament. “Do not, I repeat, do not engage them. You do not want to provoke them”. This isn’t your grand daddy’s golf etiquette.

A separate economy has been spurred around the pop culture of this hole. There is a merchandise tent with nothing but products designed to promote the hole. The 153 corporate sponsor bleacher boxes cost $25,000 each to rent for the 4 days. Total revenue of $6.9 million dollars for tournament coffers.
I was thoroughly entertained watching the party atmosphere at the 16th. This is the PGA Tours version of slap stick comedy. All that’s missing is a little nyuk, nyuk, nyuk, and a wooble wooble wooble.

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