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The 17th green at my home course has a tricky hole location we call “the flag-punching pin.” This dates to the time the best player in our group was so enraged after four-putting, he walked up to the flag and punched it.
If you’re wondering, yes, this looked as ridiculous as it sounds—flagsticks don’t provide much resistance, so he almost dislocated his shoulder. My friend then proceeded to fungo his ball 200 yards into the water with his putter, at least showcasing more athleticism, but still the same absence of emotional restraint.
I’m not one to judge. One time after pulling a drive into the trees, I helicoptered my driver behind me, where it left a dent into the adjacent green–all in full view of the greens committee member who was my partner. Just last week, I was so frustrated by a bad shot, I kicked my bag over with enough force to convert a 40-yard field goal.
On the long list of irrational golfer behaviors, outbursts like these belong at the top. Most golf we play is highly inconsequential, yet we can react as if careers and bodily limbs are at stake. The time I threw my driver wasn’t even a tournament, but the difference between a 42 and a 44 on the front. The only thing worse than acting like an ass would be trying to argue there was a good reason.
Most golfers can admit these assorted acts of club-throwing and flag-punching reflect misplaced priorities, if not terrible etiquette. When my boys were younger, I told them I’d yank them off the golf course if they couldn’t compose themselves, but neglected to issue myself the same warning. But it’s one thing to recognize these tantrums as regrettable, quite another to wonder if they ever actually help. This is where it gets complicated.
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