I wish golfers and golf fans, on the whole, weren’t so steeped in manners and ingrained with the tenets of polite society.

To each their own, I suppose. But I wish these really were the signs that marshals and volunteers used: they’re the most accurate reflection of my feelings.

I wish that once in a while they would allow themselves to be given over to notions of herd hierarchy or lynch mob justice, where the members of the herd mercilessly keep the other members in line with the dual threats of physical and social ostracization.

However, Dear Readers, the responses to the October Poll Question indicate that almost all of you adhere to the ancient principles of common decency and common sense.

As noted in my Lessons from the Ryder Cup column for the #GolfChat Authors, I believe that fan behavior at the Ryder Cup is approaching a tipping point, wherein the experience will no longer resemble a golf tournament, instead conjuring notions of gladiators in the coliseum or an Eagles game in the old Veterans Stadium.

Fortunately, it appears that the idiots yelling out the most cringe-worthy, ridiculous exhalations are the exception rather than the rule.  They may even be golfers, but I doubt it.

Of note from the poll results, one honest soul, under the “Other” poll option, admitted that he had once been “that guy” at a golf tournament many years ago, but that he was ashamed now of what he had done then.

I assume that he has suffered his 30 lashes or performed his 300 sit-ups and all has been forgiven.

Again, I’m not an advocate for returning to shirts and ties for the gentleman with no more crowd involvement than a polite golf clap.  There’s nothing wrong for rooting for and encouraging your favorite golfer(s) to perform well or to celebrate an amazing shot.

But just to yell something so that maybe you elicit an angry stare from a golfer or to draw attention to yourself, well…that’s just rude and dumb.

Keep it clean, folks.  And keep it polite.  Kids, specifically my Kid, may be watching and listening.