Is this on course behaviour acceptable?
When in full flow the worlds best golfers are awesome and provide the viewing public to some wonderful golf and memories.
However when things go ‘off kilter’ we see another side to the mega rich and pampered golfers and whether they should be role models for young golfers or if they are just people earning a living is a debate held in many a clubhouse bar.
Although the problem appeared to start with Tiger Woods the continual sight of the worlds best golfers SPITTING their way around a golf course is something I personally don’t want to see.
Last week in a world championship event in the USA we saw the sight of Rory McIlroy throwing his club into the water on the final hole in temper and in the final round almost did the same thing again after hitting the ‘aqua’ twice on the final hole.
Now I know that a frogman went into the water and retrieved the club which will now be auctioned for worthy cause raising much need money BUT we should not have seen this attitude on the golf course?
You will recall that Rory McIlroy ‘lost his game’ previously when on the verge of marriage to a tennis player and now appears to have done the same again following an legal ‘off course’ battle with a former manager.
Who says that golf psychologists are not needed to keep golfers focused on the right things mentally and to avoid them bringing off course issues onto the course with them.
Back to the subject of how to behave on the course the new generation of golfers would be advised to take a leaf from the Jack Nicklaus book of good behaviour who despite being ridiculed as a ‘fat kid’ when joining the tour when challenging public favourite Arnold Palmer for golfing titles put all this to one side to become not only the best golfer ever to play the game but also a true and modest gentleman on the course.