Do you remember the aggression and intensity we saw at Bethpage Black last year when Team USA and Team Europe faced off for the 2025 Ryder Cup? The Solheim Cup is often called the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup. It is supposed to deliver that same intensity, passion, and drama that always make team golf compelling. But a few aspects of the opening day, one in particular, have left some fans unimpressed.

The biennial event’s hosts at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, North Brabant, Netherlands, have added loud music that is played across the golf course. It’s likely management’s attempt to liven up the atmosphere. But the plan clearly backfired and has sparked a wave of criticism online.

The backlash gained momentum after golf writer Gabby Herzig took to X with a blunt complaint about what she was hearing at Bernardus Golf.

“Not to be this person but they NEED to turn this music off at Solheim,” Herzig wrote in the X post.

She then added a comment to her own post and said, “Imagine trying to make a super consequential putt and you just hear a horrendous Dua Lipa cover blaring in the background😭😭.”

The Solheim Cup has brought a noticeably different atmosphere to the women’s team event. It all began right at the first tee, which the management set up as a major focal point. It featured a 3,000-seat horseshoe grandstand, music, smoke, and crowd participation—a party-style setting.

A few large screens switched to “quiet please” prompts as players prepared to hit their shots. But it was not enough to manage the crowd, which got into the party mood right from the presentation, which was another complaint by many fans. Organizers also used a specially edited version of “Hey Jude” to encourage the crowd to respond at key moments. This clearly hints at an attempt to blend golf’s traditional demands with a more entertainment-focused atmosphere, something that LIV Golf tried to achieve, too.

While fans, especially those watching from home, were clearly upset, several golfers leaned toward this party-like environment. Megan Khang, for instance, encouraged spectators to make more noise before teeing off. Similarly, Maja Stark and Linn Grant were engaging with the music on the first tee.

This setting itself is something many fans had problems with. Bernardus Golf is hosting the event in the Netherlands for the first time. Organizers aimed for a strong turnout throughout the week, but it appears that the management went a little too far.

Fans criticize Solheim Cup management for loud music

“This is the worst Solheim Cup I’ve watched. Crowds are tiny for this event – why host it in Netherlands? Not a golfing country. Annoying music at 18. It’s not LIV FFS. Annoying American commentators on our UK feed. Golf been poor from what I’ve seen. V disappointing so far,” one user wrote bluntly, covering all the negative aspects of the biennial event.

This is the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup, but the Netherlands is hosting it for the first time. The KLM Open is the only top-tier professional golf event held annually in the Netherlands. Apart from that, the country hosts no other well-known golf events.

Therefore, some fans appeared unconvinced that the new location delivered the atmosphere associated with the event because they lacked experience. Organizers, on the other hand, are very positive about it and are targeting around 80,000 spectators across the week. They expect many fans to arrive by bike or on shuttle buses operating around the venue.

The comparison with LIV Golf was another recurring theme. One fan said, “The music at the Solheim Cup is an absolute disgrace. Completely devalues a wonderful tournament. You would never ever hear it about the Ryder Cup. It’s not fair on the players. #SolheimCup.”

That reaction reflects a wider concern among traditionalists. From the start, LIV Golf has tried to bring this environment to professional golf. It succeeded in a few locations, such as Australia and South Africa, where fans turned out in the thousands this year. But it has failed miserably elsewhere. This entertainment-heavy presentation at the Solheim Cup is taking it away from the atmosphere fans expect from elite team golf.

Some fans agreed with the issue and highlighted the problem it was causing. “Agree. Hope they realise tomorrow that’s it’s horrible and off putting,” said one fan, while another wrote, “Agree….far too loud & distracting, not just on 1st tee. Same for early evening in the village…wait until play is over, or turn it down..please!!”

These comments go beyond just highlighting the off-putting music for fans. They are more focused on its impact on golfers. Fans close to the ropes can distract golfers by shouting or talking loudly with friends. For a sport that requires such a high level of focus, loud music can significantly affect the outcome of the game.

Another response echoed that concern. “Yeah that’s so obnoxious,” a fan wrote. The fan urged organizers to turn down the volume or wait until play had ended before playing the music.

Together, these comments show a section of the audience pushing back strongly against the Solheim Cup’s louder presentation. Complaints range from the music and perceived distractions to the venue, crowds, and broadcast style.