Opinion & Analysis
What’s the point of getting so angry on the course?
I’ve seen a lot of crazy things happen on a golf course, and I’ve witnessed some shocking behavior. I’ve heard expletives, indeed I’ve learned some new ones. I’ve seen clubs broken, damaged and flung into bushes and ponds. I’ve seen hot heads snap shafts over knees, bury wedges into the ground and tomahawk putters at golf bags. Golf balls have been thrown into ponds, shoes removed and kicked, caddies verbally abused and goodness knows how many locker doors smashed. I’ve experienced stand up members of my community transform into snarling and twisted demons, even viewed a bit of fisticuffs from time to time, a la Happy Gilmore v. Bob Barker.
What is it about this pleasant and relaxing game that turns golfers into savages? The simple nature of hitting a little white round pellet into a hole for fun can lead some golfers to unsurpassed levels of anguish, frustration and irrational behavior with a poor shot. While some can simply laugh it off, shrug, smile and get on with their lives, with others it can lead to psychotic transformations that make the Hulk look tame. These guys miss a 2-foot putt and something clicks. All their anguish is channelled into a terrible rage better suited to the Hammer House of Horrors.
There has been a lot of recent coverage of some Tour professionals “losing the plot” on the course, with temper tantrums that fit in more at a Day Care center than a golf course. We’ve seen Victor Dubuisson’s meltdown at the Honda. It wasn’t just one thing with our mercurial Frenchman; he spent a few minutes totally erupting in full view of the world. We’ve seen Tiger, Sergio, Henrik and Shane Lowry all “see red” with outbursts of petulance. John Daly has helicoptered a few clubs in his time, as has the former world No. 1 Rory, who sent a beautifully arced 3-iron into the lake on 18th at the Doral in Miami last year.
These guys are faced with some of the most difficult courses and setups in golf. The Bear Trap, The Snake Pit, Amen Corner and our usual U.S. Open “pain cauldron” will test the patience of a saint. There’s a fine line between being competitive, determined and steely faced, versus completely boiling over into a frustrated Tazmanian Devil. And when the mercury does rise and golfers take out their anger in front of millions of golf fans, it can turn into quite a show.
But temper tantrums are not a new thing in professional golf. There are lots of stories of pros from previous golden eras losing it, too. One of my favorite characters was Lefty Stackhouse, who was prone to displays of emotion way off the spectrum. In fact, he would do himself bodily harm after a poor shot. The diminutive, but popular Texan played on the U.S. Tour in the 1930s and 1940s and lived with an insatiable thirst and a raging temper. He would cause himself physical pain, as if to punish himself for poor efforts. Once after hooking his tee shot out of bounds on hole No. 18 in a final round, he was so incensed he swiped his hand back and forth through a thorny rosebush near the tee until it bled. Seeing his other hand had escaped injury he shouted, “Don’t think you are going to get away from it either!” With that, he whipped the hand through the bushes until both hands were bleeding profusely. Lefty was a prolific gambler, and one story tells of a money match he was losing. He got so incensed he started beating his head against some rocks. He stopped momentarily and reached in his back pocket and took out his wallet. He threw the wallet on the ground and told his playing partners to take out what he owed in case he killed himself, and then carried on pounding his head against the rock.
On another occasion, after a particularly horrible display of putting during a tournament, Stackhouse figured he would teach his putter a lesson by dragging it behind his car all the way to the next tournament. Once while standing four-under par after seven holes in a tournament, he hit his ball into a lake. Stackhouse grabbed his bag from his caddie and threw it into the lake, too. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes and socks, rolled up his trousers and walked barefoot back to the clubhouse through a field of bull nettles.
Another golfer from yesteryear who had a legendary temper was Tommy Bolt. He was notorious for his hot temper, one that led to fines and even suspensions. He became known as “Terrible Tempered Tommy” and “Thunder” Bolt. Legendary tales grew from the storm that followed him around. There was the time he asked for a club recommendation during a particularly frustrating round, and his caddie suggested a 2-iron, far too much for the 120 yard distance required, because it was the only iron left in the bag.
“Here’s irony for you,” he once said in an interview. “The driver goes the shortest distance when you throw it. The putter flies farthest, followed by the sand wedge.”
Related: The Art of Club Throwing
Golf can be a deeply frustrating game that tests every nerve and sinew, body and mind. We all know the culprits in our groups, that Semtex personality who erupts at any moment. I, for one, am not immune to its curses and have been known to drop the odd F-bomb after a poor shot, and in my younger days I’ve slung a club or two. But I’m not a professional athlete in the public spotlight with a microphone and camera within yards of my every move. Yes, professionals are under pressure, with millions of dollars at stake week in week out. But none of these guys are going to starve. Who isn’t under pressure these days as we try and hold down jobs, pay mortgages and get on with our own lives? I guess for the majority of us, golf does not represent our livelihood.
So lighten up, people! Laugh at the lip-out, chuckle at the chunk, snicker at the snap hook, titter at the topped drive, hoot at the hosel rocket and giggle at this goofy game.
Golf is fun, enjoy it!
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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Josh
May 8, 2016 at 3:44 pm
I used to get really angry on the golf course, and cringe when I look back at it now. I would imagine it negatively impacted my playing partners games, and I would say that is unacceptable! I still get annoyed now, but within reason and it very rarely carries over from one shot to the next.
Billy
May 8, 2016 at 4:07 am
haha I enjoyed this. Thanx!
Mad-Mex
May 7, 2016 at 7:02 pm
Honestly, I don’t know which is worse:
The guy who is half smashed by the first 9, hitting on cart girl with same lame jokes, talking loud and walking in front of you as you line up your shot and thinking he is far better that he is, telling you 50 year old jokes and laughing like it is the best, asking to use your putter or driver, then telling you how to improve your swing. Or:
The guy described here, who Only plays tour issued equipment and lets you know he only plays XX-Stiff shafts tipped 3 inches and changes his Pro-V1 every hole, describing EVERY shot and throwing clubs because it is never his fault while telling you how you can gain 3 more yards if you change your clubs so you can reduce your rpms by 50.
8thehardway
May 6, 2016 at 7:11 pm
The odd thing about tossing clubs is the driver goes the shortest distance; the putter goes the farthest, followed by the sand wedge.
Scott
May 6, 2016 at 4:30 pm
If one puts in a ton of time, effort and money into doing something, and things go bad, sure you are going to get mad. And you should! Just don’t let it ruin your life or enjoyment of the game.
Derspatero
May 6, 2016 at 4:23 pm
I often accuse one of my regular playing partners of being a rage-a-holic. I have pictures of broken wedges and a 9-iron stuck in a tree to prove it. Last year he invited me to play golf with his elderly father and uncle – it seemed weird that I got invited to play a family event but by hole 2 it was apparent that I was invited to witness his dad’s temper – anything but a perfect shot triggered a tourettes attack of f-bombs. My favourite was when he pointed at my friend and said “this is your MOM’s FAULT! Make me stop smoking after 50 years! How am i supposed to play golf without a F*ing cigarette?!??!” Each time my friend would look at me as if saying “see, i’m not so bad”. But the good shots also triggered intense celebration (including hugging his son after a great approach shot and yelling “see!! THAT is why I play this game!!!”) I saw more emotion in the 4 hours I spent with them then I have from my dad in my whole life. So maybe its a good thing? If the lows are low, the highs will be that much higher.
Bob Jones
May 6, 2016 at 11:55 am
There are things in this life truly worth getting angry about. A bad golf shot is not one of them.
Crispy
May 5, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Reminds me of Arnold Palmer’s great quote. “You’re not good enough to get mad.”
Burn
JBH
May 5, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Last year during the club championship I played so horribly in the first round I earned myself a nick name with “Helicopter” in it. A few of my sticks got the old toss that day and I was so disheartened I didn’t even show up for the second round. The entire year was a giant step backward for me and I really stopped enjoying the game altogether due to my outbursts and poor play. This year I haven’t joined a club, I haven’t even been to the range or played a round yet. It really bothered me that I got so bent out of shape about my golf game I figured why frustrate myself any more and decided to take some time off, at least until I can eliminate any expectation and just go out and enjoy the game for what it is. I have a tee time booked this Sunday, will be the first time I have touched my clubs since September of last year and I have no expectations. Just going to play with a guy from work and yuck it up like when I first picked up golf. Pretty much have given up on game improvement or any aspirations of maintaining a handicap or playing competitively anymore for that matter. When it stops being fun and your a raging lunatic on the golf course it’s time to put things back into perspective. I don’t care what I shoot Sunday and it will have no bearing on my golf future as I’m retiring to a casual status. Hopefully I will learn to enjoy golf for the environment, the company and camaraderie, not the statistics.
Leon
May 5, 2016 at 5:28 pm
Winner smiles and loser angers
Steve
May 5, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Winners aren’t winning because they smile – they are smiling because they are winning. Losers aren’t losing because they are angry – they are angry because they are losing.
There’s nothing wrong with getting angry on the course as long as you can collect yourself and move on before the next shot.
Mikee
May 5, 2016 at 4:46 pm
One member in each foursome is having the most fun out there……..that one may as well be you!
Milo
May 5, 2016 at 3:01 pm
I expected more from that video.
Clemson Sucks
May 5, 2016 at 2:42 pm
When the round goes bad, light a cigar and grab a six pack at the turn. Works every time.
Snickers
May 5, 2016 at 3:16 pm
in turning you into an a-hole?
Clemson Sucks
May 5, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Rather be an a-hole than a whole-a like you
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I think the frustration comes down to one really simple fact: Our expectations don’t match what we are doing…but why is that? 9 out of 10 times it is for the simple reason that we can’t see our swing. If we knew how were swinging, and knew the things we were doing wrong, our expectations would match what we are doing and therefore we wouldn’t get mad. We’ve all played with the guy who “doesn’t play much so never gets angry”—easy example of how this golfer’s expectations on performance match actual performance.
Alex
May 5, 2016 at 1:41 pm
I sometimes go mad out of frustration on the course. It’s been like that for all my golfing life (30 years). I still can’t control my impulses sometimes. It’s a sad story. A friend who took up the game with me as a kid is exactly the opposite. He doesn’t care a damn if he plays bad. We’re both single digits, but you can guess who’s the better player, by far. My worst enemy´s not par but myself.