• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Spitting

T

TJ Hooker

New member
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
13
Visit site
Why aren't pros given warnings about their behaviour on the course when it comes to spitting. Or informed spitting isn't acceptable before they play and if observed shot deductions will come. They are privileged to be there. Kids are also watching. I wouldn't dream of gobbing on any golf course regardless of what level. To see TV footage of players gobbing all over the hallowed turf really gets me mad. It's time something was done about it.
 
Last edited:
TJ Hooker said:
Why aren't pros given warnings about their behaviour on the course when it comes to spitting. Or informed spitting isn't acceptable before they play and if observed shot deductions will come. They are privileged to be there. Kids are also watching. I wouldn't dream of gobbing on any golf course regardless of what level. To see TV footage of players gobbing all over the hallowed tough really gets me mad. It's time something was done about it.
Click to expand...
Not worth the effort. If I need to spit....I'm going to spit (I rarely do, but...). The golf course is literally covered in bird crap and other "bad" things.....why would spitting be the thing that drives you nuts? It's just a golf course.....it's not hallowed ground.
 
It's about respect...Sergio Gacrcia gobbed in the cup a few years ago. So you're OK me doing a lovely thick greeny into the cup with you following up behind...Sergio Garcia style ?
 
TJ Hooker said:
It's about respect...Sergio Gacrcia gobbed in the cup a few years ago. So you're OK me doing a lovely thick greeny into the cup with you following up behind...Sergio Garcia style ?
Click to expand...
Now you are being silly. Of course I don't want you to spit into the cup....nor do I want a bird or other animal to crap in the cup or near it....but they seem to do it all of the time. Let's take it the other way a bit.....if a bug flies into my mouth (which does happen) I can't spit it out? So in a tourney some pro gets a bug in the mouth....spits it out....and you want to penalize them? Or do you want an official to run over and inspect their spit to make sure they had a "good reason" to spit? It's just not worth crying about. I'd much rather have someone occasionally spit on the ground than all the cig butts covering the course. Your golf ball is always covered in all kinds of icky things.....it's nature.... the chemicals, bird poo, etc etc.

Am I allowed to take a pee somewhere on the course? It's not disrespectful....I just needed to pee. If I need to spit....I'm going to spit. It's not meant to be disrespectful.....I just needed to spit. Is farting ok? Burping?
 
Mandofred said:
Now you are being silly. Of course I don't want you to spit into the cup....nor do I want a bird or other animal to crap in the cup or near it....but they seem to do it all of the time. Let's take it the other way a bit.....if a bug flies into my mouth (which does happen) I can't spit it out? So in a tourney some pro gets a bug in the mouth....spits it out....and you want to penalize them? Or do you want an official to run over and inspect their spit to make sure they had a "good reason" to spit? It's just not worth crying about. I'd much rather have someone occasionally spit on the ground than all the cig butts covering the course. Your golf ball is always covered in all kinds of icky things.....it's nature.... the chemicals, bird poo, etc etc.

Am I allowed to take a pee somewhere on the course? It's not disrespectful....I just needed to pee. If I need to spit....I'm going to spit. It's not meant to be disrespectful.....I just needed to spit. Is farting ok? Burping?
Click to expand...
Other than something like an insect going into your mouth, what other legitimate reasons are there for spitting? It's not something that I do, or have ever done, even with the insect example I would try and find a tissue to dispose of the insect into and then the bin. There is no reason to do it. It simply is disgusting and potentially unhealthy for others. Farting and burping are different, build up of pressure in an involuntary way, there are courteous ways to alleviate the pressure and a vulgar ways.
 
If someone has a genuine reason to spit then go for it, maybe just be discreet about it.
 
YandaB said:
Other than something like an insect going into your mouth, what other legitimate reasons are there for spitting? It's not something that I do, or have ever done, even with the insect example I would try and find a tissue to dispose of the insect into and then the bin. There is no reason to do it. It simply is disgusting and potentially unhealthy for others. Farting and burping are different, build up of pressure in an involuntary way, there are courteous ways to alleviate the pressure and a vulgar ways.
Click to expand...
Build up of thick phlegm....not from disease in my case. I occasionally just get a build up of mucus that can cause me to start coughing.....getting rid of it makes it go away. And no.....I don't carry tissues etc with me just in case I start coughing....happens rarely. I really used to have a problem when younger and running races....I can still remember my coach telling me to wipe my face occasionally after races because it would be so thick I couldn't get rid of it all the way and it covered my face. You want more details?......or are there just no exceptions for the purity of the golf course?
 
I didn't watch the clip....heading to the golf course in a minute and hoping for no rain....

My wife doesn't like it when I occasionally spit while out for a walk......but she doesn't mind being kissed. It's the same slobber. Hmmmmm
 
I don’t understand why golfers feel the need to spit.
If they get something in their mouth then have a drink it’s not like they don’t have the time to stop for it (like some other sports)or there isn’t one handy.
You don’t see snooker or darts players for example doing it.
They are only walking and I’m sure if you saw someone walking down the road spitting you would think it bizarre and disgusting
The players know they have cameras on them permanently so if they really feel they need to or something they want to do then why not be a bit more discreet or carry a hanky?
 
Like a lot of things it’s the why that affects my opinion, case by case really

Inadvertently cough up phlegm and no hanky etc then pop to the closest patch of rough and have at… Habitual spitting just because its your norm, then nah mate you’re not on
I’ve never seen it happen on LPGA etc so I think there’s a fair ratio on mens tours that’s habitual & unnecessary/impolite
 
irip said:
I don’t understand why golfers feel the need to spit.
If they get something in their mouth then have a drink it’s not like they don’t have the time to stop for it (like some other sports)or there isn’t one handy.
You don’t see snooker or darts players for example doing it.
They are only walking and I’m sure if you saw someone walking down the road spitting you would think it bizarre and disgusting
The players know they have cameras on them permanently so if they really feel they need to or something they want to do then why not be a bit more discreet or carry a hanky?
Click to expand...
Would be pretty weird to see someone spitting indoors on the carpet.

With golf you are outside with nature. Sometimes you get a bug in your mouth or your hayfever is causing crap to run down the back of your throat etc. I don't see anything wrong with just taking a detour through the long rough, trees etc to clear your mouth out. On the greens or in the cup? No chance.

I see guys disappearing all the time into the rough/trees to do a pee, is that not worse than spitting?
 
Springveldt said:
Would be pretty weird to see someone spitting indoors on the carpet.

With golf you are outside with nature. Sometimes you get a bug in your mouth or your hayfever is causing crap to run down the back of your throat etc. I don't see anything wrong with just taking a detour through the long rough, trees etc to clear your mouth out. On the greens or in the cup? No chance.

I see guys disappearing all the time into the rough/trees to do a pee, is that not worse than spitting?
Click to expand...
I don’t think anyone is upset by people spitting/clearing their throat it’s more a case of where they are doing it.
If it’s done with an attempt to do it privately then it’s fine.
When it’s done in public it is not a nice thing.
The comparison with going for a pee is interesting, as you say you see people going in the trees all the time, if they just started doing it on the green I would imagine it would be frowned upon 😂
 
Im afraid my opinion is that if you need to spit out that green grolly you have just coughed up then walking over to the rough and expelling it is fine, just not on the green or fairway. Having a wee in the bushes or against a tree discreetly, that nature we all need to wee.
What I find so much more disgusting is football players blowing out their nose contents onto the pitch.
 
Slab said:
Like a lot of things it’s the why that affects my opinion, case by case really

Inadvertently cough up phlegm and no hanky etc then pop to the closest patch of rough and have at… Habitual spitting just because its your norm, then nah mate you’re not on
I’ve never seen it happen on LPGA etc so I think there’s a fair ratio on mens tours that’s habitual & unnecessary/impolite
Click to expand...
For many - and it mainly seems to be US sports people it just seems a habit - Dustin Johnson does it all the time and Scheffler seemed to do it every time he walked off the green

I am having to carry some tissues at the moment because hayfever is bad and the new drug I’m on is creating a lot of spital so I’m spitting into tissues and then binning it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

John_Findlay
If any one round has convinced me it's all about scrambling...
2
Replies
24
Views
5K
John_Findlay
John_Findlay
londonlewis
European Tour vs PGA Tour
2 3
Replies
51
Views
6K
HomerJSimpson
HomerJSimpson
Atticus_Finch
Primary School Football Rules!
Replies
1
Views
2K
Region3
Region3
Top