The worst shot seen on tour/televised coverage

[Fraser]

OK, hold up you Jean van de Velde-ers

I think it was Curtis Cup that was being broadcast on the BBC several years ago and one of the players topped the ball like a 36 handicapper. That made me wince and left the commentators a little lost for words!

[tonyy]

I actually saw Tiger shank a ball before. He was actually calling fore! There's a vid on YouTube.

Just search "tiger shanks" and you'll see it.

[Fraser]

I actually saw Tiger shank a ball before. He was actually calling fore! There's a vid on YouTube.

That's still a pretty good shank, as shanks go

I'm trying to figure out who this tour player is...(youtube link but embedding was not available using the TST way) Yeah, I know it isn't a tour player but it was linked and I couldn't resist

[Ben]

I remember seeing an event where Ray Floyd was hitting a tee shot on a par 3 that cleared the water, but was pushed so bad it was headed for the gallery. It hit some dude square on the head and ricocheted about 20 feet in the air and about 30 feet back into the lake. By good fortune, my buddy was actually taping the event so we got countless laughs out of replaying that a few times.

[Dub]

Worst I've ever seen on television was the various charity tourneys that Charles Barkley plays in. You'll see footage of him hitting great shots on the range and then he'll go to the course and the "hitch" rears it's ugly head.

Poor guy struggles like nobody I've ever seen. It's amazing to see him humbled by this affliction. Golf can fell mighty giants.

[geezer]

Scott Strange, he won an event this year in Europe, can't remember which one. But he had a big lead and on the tee of one of the back nine holes he topped his drive and it went like 15 yards into the left rough. Thats the worst shot I can remember seeing on tour.

[beisenhauer]

The worst I've seen was a tee shot by Henrik Stenson in this year's WGC match play event. He was hitting a fairway wood, and it looked on the replays like he actually hit the ball off the hosel. It just went low and left into the brush. He won the match anyway.

[Grogger31]

I saw Justin Leonard hit the worst chili-dipping duck hook off the tee about 5 years ago. They only showed the replay once, but I couldn't believe how bad a shot it was (for a pro of course). I hit about every 3rd drive that badly.

[michaeljames92]

Scott Strange, he won an event this year in Europe, can't remember which one. But he had a big lead and on the tee of one of the back nine holes he topped his drive and it went like 15 yards into the left rough. Thats the worst shot I can remember seeing on tour.

Welsh Open at Celtic Manor

[geezer]

Welsh Open at Celtic Manor

Thats the one! Cheers!

[AlCzervik]

Camilo Villegas duffed one out of the rough a week or two on tv.

[FortAsel]

I think it was at winged foot when padraig harrington tryed to hit a fw wood out of the 18th rough on the right hand side. He played it so quickly that his stance even moved (he's front foot came of the ground completely) and he topped it. The ball roled 20 yards onto the fairway

[$2 Nassau]

Darren Clark has hit multiple shanks.

I saw Justin Rose shank a wedge from about 100 yards out this summer at the Travelers Championship here in CT. Missed the green about 25 yards to the right. Horribly ugly shot. Got up and down for par though from a tough spot.

[Big Lex]

One candidate has to be Lorena Ochoa's drive on the 72nd hole at the US Open at Cherry Hills a couple of years ago. Drop kicked it about 6 inches behind the ball, and about 80 yards into the lake. Given the stature of both the player and the event (AND she was in the lead at the time I think) makes this one pretty awful.

[Elevation]

A few Ryder Cups ago Jay Haas was in a close singles match when off the tee at the 18th he hits a pop-up left into the trees. Maybe went 180 yards at best. Cost him the match and possibly the Ryder Cup as well.
An announcer remarked (Johnny Miller?) something like "you know it's a bad day when even your pop-ups are crooked.

[Smallville]

The worst shot I ever saw on TV actually turned out to be one of the best/luckiest I ever saw anywhere. This was in the late '70's on the PGA Tour, I don't remember who, was on a par 3 and hit it very low and far right to where it reached the gallery that was sitting around the hill, it hit someone's shoe and bounced across the green into the hole. The first and only hole in one I saw as it happened.

[Naterater]

That's still a pretty good shank, as shanks go

I hate to admit it, but I did that exact same thing about 12 years ago when I was living in Hawaii.

[geezer]

I think it was at winged foot when padraig harrington tryed to hit a fw wood out of the 18th rough on the right hand side. He played it so quickly that his stance even moved (he's front foot came of the ground completely) and he topped it. The ball roled 20 yards onto the fairway

Did Mickelson do something similar at the US Open (except his ball went about 10 yeard and stayed in the rough!)? Or am I just imagining it?