Further proof that golfers are complete wusses

Australian Robert Allenby has a problem. Drunk fans like heckling him. When you combine that with the fact that Australians are constantly drunk, then we've got a serious problem. And at this past weekend's Australian Masters, he got the business (my new favorite term) from a few sauced up guys.

So how did he respond? By, uh, refusing to play in future events. Yeah, that'll teach those obnoxious fans.

"If I have another experience like I did on Saturday, I don't think I'll be coming back."

The reason this is a big deal - I mean, it's not a big deal here, but I guess it is in Australia - is because of what the organizers of December’s Australian Open are planning. They want a carnival like atmosphere on the 11th hole which is not far from a bar.

Should be awesome.

Truthfully though, I've never understood why we can't heckle golfers. I guess golfing purists will tell you it messes with the player's concentration, but I'm not buying that. We have countless sports where heckling isn't just a distraction, it's a given.

Pro basketball and baseball players usually get the worst of it, since they're typically the closest to fans. And anyone who's going to tell me that it's much harder to hit a golf ball than it is to hit a 92-mph slider while some fat guy in row three is yelling about what he did to my mom last night - forget it.

Despite what you may think of Barry Bonds, I'm still amazed by his sheer concentration and ability to produce despite constant heckling. Nothing can get to that guy. But snap one photo of Tiger Woods during his backswing, and he has a damn hissy-fit and sics his caddy on you.

Besides, just think of how interesting a US Open final round would be with some guy riding Woods about how he missed his daughter's baptism to play in a charity golf tournament.

That'd get me watching. For like a minute or two.

-WCK