The Solheim Cup’s attempt to enforce a Masters-style phone ban is backfiring with fans on Day 2. The irony was impossible to miss: a sign in the gallery banning cameras and mobile phones was itself photographed and shared online, undercutting the very rule it was meant to enforce.
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“Officials @TheSolheimCup [want] fans to be fully engaged with the action rather than trying to capture every moment on their phones…,” Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott wrote on X alongside an image from Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
The image showed a sign in the gallery reading, “No Cameras or Mobiles,” asking fans not to use cameras to take pictures or record videos. It also reminded spectators to keep their phones on silent. The irony was hard to miss: someone, or Abbott himself, had apparently taken a picture of the very sign intended to prevent spectators from doing exactly that during the tournament.
The gallery appeared to be empty, however, so it is possible the photograph was taken before spectators arrived. In any case, according to the tournament’s website, cameras and camcorders are prohibited, except during practice rounds, when they may be used for personal photography without their cases. There’s no mention of mobile phones on their website.
With modern smartphones capable of capturing high-resolution photos and videos, enforcing such a policy could prove challenging for organizers. Meanwhile, the Masters has an even stricter policy. Cell phones and cameras are completely prohibited during the tournament, and violating the phone policy can result in immediate removal from the course and the permanent loss of ticket privileges.
At the Masters, patrons check their phones at designated areas near the entrances, and free landline phones are set up around the course for anyone who needs to make a call. The idea is to keep the traditional atmosphere intact, cut down on distractions, and preserve the event’s exclusivity.
However, it’s also worth noting that loud music is played throughout the Solheim Cup, creating another potential distraction for both players and spectators. Gabby Herzig from The Athletic had made a similar complaint during Friday’s opener on X. Regardless, the Solheim Cup has not gone nearly as far as the Masters, but even the suggestion of a Masters-style approach does not appear to have sat well with fans.
“Then put up screens at the event for fans to actually follow it,” one fan commented. Large video screens are set up in central gathering spaces like the Fan Zone and main spectator lawns so crowds can follow live broadcast feeds away from the holes.
Someone else compared it to the Masters. “Interesting. This rule is great at the Masters, but maybe it should just be left at the Masters,” wrote the user.
The next user had a similar point. “THIS is a MISS. Full stop. This is not the Masters. This is an event filled with characters in the stands and high-level passion. Having a phone helped fans capture that (once every 2 years) enthusiasm. Try again, Solheim officials,” the user remarked.
Meanwhile, this user felt the rule was hypocritical. “And then one of the players walks out on the 1st tee with her phone live streaming 🤔,” the user claimed. The user is referring to U.S. rookie Lindy Duncan, who took a video with her cell phone to capture the intense, party-like atmosphere of the first tee grandstand during the opening morning of the 2026 Solheim Cup.
Another user started talking about the law. “In France, an organizer has the right to establish rules specific to their tournament. But the European Union preserves individual freedoms, including those of taking photos and videos for private use, as well as the right to information. It’s unfair,” wrote the user.
Officials seem to have misjudged this one. The Masters can get away with a hushed, phones-away crowd, but the Solheim Cup draws fans specifically for the noise and chaos, so the same rule doesn’t fit. If it’s not clarified or dropped soon, the banned-camera-getting-photographed moment might end up being what people remember most about this Solheim Cup.