Music Does Not Belong on Golf Courses

In this edition of Bad Takes Week, Gabrielle Herzig makes a case for turning off all music (including you, LIV Golf) in order to reconnect with the game's authentic soundtrack.

Welcome to SI Golf’s Inaugural Bad Takes Week, where our writers and editors have been asked to offer their worst ideas and defend them. These are columns on takes they believe in, even if they made the rest of the room groan during the pitch meetings. Keep an eye out for more bad takes throughout the week.

Before you jump to any conclusions about me being a closeted, easily-irritated boomer trapped in a 24-year-old ex-college golfer’s body, let me explain myself. I love music. I am a passionate fan and frequent concertgoer. There are several artists and albums that genuinely shape my everyday life.

On a golf course, however, my carefully curated and cherished playlists are always on pause.

Golf simply does not need music. And music does not need golf.

You’ve already heard the very logical argument that if a golfer wants to listen to some tunes on the course, they should make sure not to burden other players. Whether it's using wireless headphones or reducing the volume on the portable speaker, I sincerely hope you all obey that pre-existing unwritten rule already.

But it’s time to take things one step further. Music should have no place in the sport of golf. Here’s why.

Quiet, please! :: Stephen Skalocky/Sports Illustrated

Golf is defined by its sounds. They should not be drowned out by the echo of Nickelback blasting from a nearby cart. I want to hear every decibel of my 7-iron interacting with the turf after a perfectly flushed approach shot (they’re rare these days after all). I want the thud of my 60-degree wedge against the packed-down bunker sand to reverberate. I want to know if my wayward tee shot bangs off a tree trunk, so I can physically find my golf ball. Then you’ve got chirping birds, the rustle of a fall breeze, maybe even the crash of an ocean wave if you’re lucky—golf forces you into nature. Enjoy it.

Mostly, I yearn to hear my Titleist Pro V1 striking the bottom of the cup. In fact, here’s a fun mental trick my grandpa taught me as a kid: When you’re standing over a 4-foot putt, imagine the “last sound,” aka, that plastic-meets-plastic plunking sound of your ball hitting the bottom of the hole. This exercise convinces your brain to believe you’re going to make the putt before you even make your stroke. How in the world am I supposed to do that when there’s a steady drum of electronic dance music thumping through my inner ear canal?

Golf already has an inherent rhythm. There’s a sort of dance one goes through before hitting a shot. One smooth practice swing, a half step towards the ball, two looks at the target. The process all leads up to your unique move, which of course has a tempo of its own. Why would anyone want to disrupt such a beautiful thing? Doing so not only takes away from your own ability (in my opinion), but it distracts from one of the more sacred aspects of the game. Cheesy, I know. But just think about it. We listen to music on our commutes to work, at the gym, or at a party because it supplies a pulse that wasn’t already there.

Here’s where I’ll make a disclaimer: Yes, I grew up playing golf competitively. Every round I played as a junior and college golfer, I tried to play my best. Blasting music naturally didn’t lend to that goal. I wasn’t allowed to have my AirPods in during tournament rounds, so music didn’t exactly simulate a competitive environment.

But now that I have made the transition to true recreational golf, I still can’t get behind the phenomenon of background tunes, because there’s an element of the game that I have a newfound appreciation for: socialization. Playing golf is not just about your round. It’s about the rounds of each of your playing partners, the group in front of you and the ground behind you. Save the music for the drive to and from the course. Chat with your playing partners in between shots. Catch up on life. Throw around a little trash talk if you’re playing a light-hearted match. If you’re alone—fine. I get it. A podcast or a radio station can provide some wanted company, but I’d suggest trying out a solo round in silence. It will surprise you.

Don’t get me started on music at professional golf tournaments. LIV Golf, I’m looking at you. “Golf But Louder” is just not for me. Dua Lipa’s hit singles are brilliant, but I don’t need to hear them when I’m trying to watch Phil Mickelson hit a flop shot. Take the WM Phoenix Open for example. I’ve attended the marquee PGA Tour event for the past two years, and yes, you’ll hear club music pulsating from the various hospitality events during practice rounds. But once the tournament starts, the fans provide the atmosphere. Let the sounds of golf come from them.

I’m hesitant to include this overused phrase, but I want to “grow the game” just as much as anybody. You might not believe me after reading this article, but seriously: If we want to get people into golf, let them experience it in all of its glory. To truly do that, you have to put the speaker away. 

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