Spectators not allowed to use cell phones during the US Open
The use of cell phones will not be allowed at the US Open, at the Olympic Club, as the USGA, unlike PGA Tour, has not yet permitted their use for the men’s major championships.
Last year, the PGA Tour announced the decision to allow the spectators to use their cell phones in designated areas during different tournaments.
However, Phil Mickelson did not look happy with the decision last month, when he announced his withdrawal from the Memorial Tournament.
According to sources, Mickelson sent a text message from his own cell phone to the PGA Tour Commissioner, Tim Finchem, stating that he was distracted by the sound of cameras while he was playing on the course.
According to the policy, the use of cell-phone camera is prohibited during the tournaments. However, it is really difficult to enforce the rule, as there are sometimes hundreds and thousands of spectators present in the galleries.
That was not the only reason that Mickelson sited for his withdrawal from the event, he blamed mental fatigue as the major cause of his end to the tournament.
The USGA Executive Director Mike Davis, while watching Tiger Woods playing the practice round at the Olympic Club, told that he was not against the use of cell phones during the tournament.
In fact, he believes that it is time for the technology to be allowed on the course with the assurance that it will not cause any disturbance to the players.
"We're going to allow them for the [U.S.] Women's Open, so we're not opposed to it," Davis said. "You've been to enough big sporting events to know, when you start to congregate 40, 50, 60,000 people, all of a sudden nobody's cell phones work".
“We need to get more comfortable from a technology side,” he added. “It's one thing to do it at the Women's Open when you don't have near the crowds”.
“We didn't want a scenario where we're promoting it, people bring them, and all of a sudden they don't work. This is something that will correct itself in time”.
Davis also told that he wants to give the spectators every facility and the USGA is working towards it. He believes that the future will witness some good experiences related to the use of technology on the golf courses.
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