Some people take golf a bit too seriously.

[Shanks A Million]

I haven't done THAT before, but when I have two or three bad shots in a row I don't get angry. I just don't care anymore for that hole. It is usually the next shot that is my best of the round...like a round I played in December.

Actually, that's true. Next hole was the #1 handicap hole, a long, long par 4, and hard as hell. It's only 400 yards, but it feels like 550. This was back when I was like a 15 handicap, it was a hard hole back then. Drive over water with water left, fairway is like a shoestring at 235 yards, so you have to hit it like 220 max. That leaves about 180 to the green, over water, palm trees (which are

always in play), and onto a tiny green, with bunkers in front. Hit the 5 iron or so, landed on the green about 20 feet away, 2 putt par.

[chilly]

I'm in my first year of golf and believe there are lessons that are learned. I admit, once I started playing where I could break 100, I had a few meltdowns because somehow I expected a good shot on every swing. I admit, snapped a club over my knee once, and I'd toss a wedge back to my bag with a little extra oomph. I'm not proud of it, but I did it. Then something clicked and I realized that the game is just too hard, you're going to make mistakes, and that's just golf.....I also realized what an ass I was making of myself. I've discovered that when I didn't take it so seriously, I recovered more quickly and my scores came down.

[Tiger Spuds]

I've never done or seen anything that bad.It's easy to get frustrated though, especially when you know you can do better.You think you're doing exactly what you were doing at the range previously and yet you keep topping, chunking, slicing, hooking.And there doesn't seem to be any answer as to why.On occasion, after slicing a drive, the red mist takes over and I'll take another ball and just thrash at it in anger, usually hitting it well out of bounds.I've often done this 4 or 5 times on one tee, just to get the frustration out of my system(Quite a waste of balls).I'd never do it when playing with people I don't know obviously.Some people aren't too worried about embarrasing themselves in front of strangers.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

Club throwing is silly. But from time to time, a lot people do it. I haven't thrown a club in years, nor do I ever expect to do it again, but sometimes in the past my hands have gotten slippery on the follow-through and.... you know how it goes.

My new favorite tantrum is hitting my bag with the butt end of my club in the area that would break his knees, if my bag had knees to break. Like a cheap shot in hockey or something. I'm good for that about once every two/three rounds I would say.

But for the other 30 or so bad shots per round its usually just a smile and a self-deprecating remark and move on. That's really all you can do.

[alf174]

Older friend says "I/you are not good enough to get mad". He's got a point.

[Wet Doggg]

Back in high school and in college I used to get mad. Not to the extent of some of the stories here. After I knew I was not going to play this game for a living I gave it up for 10 years. Just getting back to it this summer as I am much more mature and looking forward to seeing the game as "fun" and not a job. I look back and regret some of the things I did and am embarrassed about how I acted. Plus I know it ruined a few decent rounds I am sure. Luckily I have learned from my experiences and will teach my boys not to act like.

The most memorable moment I have about a guy freaking out...not me. I was playing in a matchplay tournament when I was 21. I was up three holes on this guy going into 15. Sort par 4 with a pond in the middle of the fairway. He proceeds to chunk 3 second shots into this pond. After the third one, he freaks out, walks up to the pond and throws his entire bag in. Mind you the pond had a bank of over 20' almost straight down. He never concedes the match. So i finish out the hole as this AH is walking back to the clubhouse. I track him down and he finally concedes. He is walking to his car and freaks out again as he realizes his car key, wallet, watch and phone are in the golf back now 20' down a bank and in about 15' of water. He did end up fishing out the bag and clubs later that day.

[Fatphil]

I was playing golf yesterday and I was playing with a person I knew.

Maybe he's a leprechaun getting ready for St Patricks day.

[kfowler]

When I see people throw their clubs or go into a rage I always wonder if they beat their wives. Seriously.

Dropping the occasional swear doesn't bother me the least bit. I can understand that. Anything more than that is absurd. I will say that I'm fortunate enough that most of my golf buddies are pretty level headed.

[Rezgolf]

When I first started playing golf, I had some of these "blowouts" I even went as far as breaking a club over my knee as well, (it was a cheap club). Thankfully, I came to realize that this sort of reaction is not only an embarrassment to myself and playing partners, but severely affected my golf game. As we all know the mental game is a big part of playing well. I am glad to say that I take golf seriously enough to practice a lot and put expectations on myself, but no longer do I let my downfalls in the game bother me on the course or anywhere else.

[tm22721]

In Fred Shoemaker's Extraordinary Golf I read that throwing a club will teach you the swing dynamics of a tour pro. Too bad it doesn't work with a ball.

[aca247]

Today i was playing and i chunked a shot and got mud on my club so out of habit i beat it on the botom of my cleat to get the mud off and a guy says that i need to chill out. i will admit i was mad but the worst thing i have ever done is say crap

[lhshurdl3r]

"Here comes the putter throw... WAIT.. he's restrained himself."

(i know he's on the tee... couldn't find anger on the green lol)

[B Keller]

Today i was playing and i chunked a shot and got mud on my club so out of habit i beat it on the botom of my cleat to get the mud off and a guy says that i need to chill out. i will admit i was mad but the worst thing i have ever done is say crap

I duffed a chip yesterday and the entire face was covered with mud. I wasn't mad, but trying to get the mud off I started swinging the club by casting it kinda like a fishing pole. The mud didn't come off and I wondered what people would think if they had seen me doing it.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Sure, ive blown up like that. Not to the point of gouging out greens, but i do throw mini trantrums from time to time. It happens. We're not robots.

[James_Black]

Sure, ive blown up like that. Not to the point of gouging out greens, but i do throw mini trantrums from time to time. It happens. We're not robots.

you've thrown your driver into the trees???

Wouldn't want to play with you....

[cougar978]

you've thrown your driver into the trees???

At least he's straight-up about it - I respect that. I'd play with you, DFB.

By the way I had a mega-blowup on Sunday (not playing with anyone). I had an 11 on a par 5 on the way to shooting a 91 (with three triples to go along with the 11). During the 11, I picked up four penalty strokes for digging my wedge twice into a bunker after the I left the ball in the trap (I guess that counts as grounding the club - I gave myself four penalty strokes - maybe it should have only been two - who gives a shit at that point?).

[tmccaughey1]

I was in Phoenix a few years ago to visit my brother for a week of golf. One of the afternoons we're paired up with this guy who keeps talking about shooting par here, and his 73 he shot there. Well we started off and this guy looks like he can't break 100. Every shot he's having a melt down. It was really making a great day into a totally lame afternoon. Finally around the sixth hole he starts into his routine and my brother looks over at me and we start laughing. And then its like when you're a kid and you just can't stop. Pretty soon we're practically falling on the ground. We're just howling. The tells us to F**** off and hauls his clubs out of cart and takes off, leaves his partner sitting there. All in all it was a GREAT day. Lots of fun!

[jhawker23]

Its painful to be paired up with those "meltdown" players. I haven't had anyone chuck a $300 club though. Of course there are times where I can get frustrated in my head with a poor decision but its nowhere near the frustration I get from playing with an average to bad player that goes through the same thing after every shot... "Ugghhh... what the h#ll... I can't believe that... etc. etc." And of course the next thing after the comment is that standard slow-motion self-assessment of the their swing like that shot had been some rare "glitch".

That can virtually ruin a round for me. I can handle a lot but when someone expects to shoot par and play 6 times a year I need Xanax to make it through the round. I'm getting frustrated just describing this.

Last summer I played a scramble with a guy who actually asked me to analyze EVERY swing. "Was I a little shallow there? Did you see if I broke my wrists? Was I set up that direction?" The beer simply couldn't flow fast enough for me. Why do so many people live this dream in their head that they're scratch golfers???????

I can't see myself ever throwing a club but I could probably snap their freaking "9 iron hybrid" across their back. And I wouldn't need someone behind me to tell me if I let my wrists break down.