Day two of the Ryder Cup is well underway, after a Friday that featured the plucky underdog American team of multi-millionaires in matching polos taking a sizable early lead over Europe’s group of more stylish, but equally wealthy, ball-whackers.

And what an electric atmosphere it was. Middle aged white guys from all over the country have descended upon Louisville’s Valhalla Golf Club to rock the house, going as far as nearly creating actual excitement. Which, of course, rankled the Euros, who apparently believe the sport should remain a solemn exercise in tedium. C’mon guys, politely and respectfully bomb those chaps back to the stone age! U-S-A! U-S-A!

In a REUTERS story that highlighted the American crowds chants of “Booooo” (that’s a good thing in this case, Auburn) when Boo Weekley hit a good shot, Lee Westwood cried that the whole thing was quite unsporting:

“You walk a fine line when you start doing that sort of thing — using the crowd to your advantage when you’re at home,” said the Briton, playing in his sixth Ryder Cup.

You mean, like in every other freaking sport on the face of the planet, Lee? This is why golf sucks as a live spectator sport.

Things got off to a contentious start when U.S. captain Paul Azinger told the crowd at a downtown Lousiville pep rally on Friday night (yes, a golf pep rally) that it would be OK for the fans to cheer when the European team misses putts. Uh oh. You can bet some stuffy Scottish golf writer took that the wrong way. Take it away, Mike Aitken of the SCOTSMEN:

Although applauding the opposition’s mistakes has become ever more common at the Ryder Cup, it’s still very much a breach of golfing etiquette which should not be endorsed by the participants on either side.

When asked about the comment, Azinger admitted he’d made the remark but claimed all he was trying to do was establish a level playing field. According to the American captain, the nasty Euros always cheer when the US miss putts while good-natured Americans prefer to clap politely.

CBS SPORTSLINE’s Gregg Doyel occupies the unfamiliar role of the voice of reason on all this, and says it’s time for the American fans to act like they’re at a real sporting event:

Decorum doesn’t belong in this Ryder Cup. Real fans of golf, whoever they are, would say otherwise. They also would use that annoying golf clap and that irritating golf whisper as they walk the course in their checked Polo shorts and collared Izods. Real fans of golf bug me.

Kentucky, I was certain, wasn’t going to be a real golf crowd. I was expecting a real sports crowd, and that’s an entirely different animal. A sports crowd celebrates the highs of its team and the lows of the other team. A sports crowd tries to intimidate the opposition. A sports crowd isn’t content to watch the action. A sports crowd wants to influence the action. 

Hopefully we’re putting all of this crowd behavior nonsense behind us so we can focus on what really matters today — like what the players’ wives and girlfriends are wearing.