The 3 Funniest Golfing Meltdowns

Let's face it - as long as they're not happening to you, temper tantrums in any sport are both entertaining and hilarious in equal measure. The fact that the words "thus far" had to be included in the title of this article should be enough to give you some sort of indication as to how often these meltdowns occur and when they do, anyone within a 20 foot radius is likely to be at risk of receiving a 9-iron to the cranium.

With that being said, below is a quick look at our favourite three golfing meltdowns and a quick explanation as to why we love them so much.

Sergio Garcia - 2008 USPGA Championship

Garcia permanently wedged his way into our hearts after claiming his maiden major back in 2017 on what would have been his friend Seve Ballesteros' 60th birthday. However, it's not always been all smiles for the Spaniard and back in 2008 at the Oakland Hills South Course, Garcia made us laugh and cringe in equal measure by doing a "Happy Gilmore" and smashing the inside of a bunker after fluffing his lines - as a point of reference, you can pick a DVD up of the Adam Sandler classic for as little as £1.59 on eBay. Bargain. You can't help but empathise with Sergio in this instance as we've all struggled to get out of the sand but at the same time, we don't condone cruelty to bunkers in any way, shape or form.

Thomas Pieters - 2016 Open Championship

Despite missing out on this year's Ryder Cup to the aforementioned Garcia, Pieters has proved that he's a fine player and is also known as one of the nicest guys on tour. However, the Belgian is earning a bit of a reputation for snapping his clubs during rounds - just recently, he snapped his putter over his knee at the Omega European Masters. However, the first cut is the deepest as they always say and back in 2016, Pieters once again snapped his club and threw it into the bushes despite reaching the green from the light rough. Pieters certainly has the ability to land a major title and is 80/1 as of 11th September with Betway to make amends in the 2019 Open Championship and take home the trophy. That has to be worth an each-way bet, right?

Woody Austin - 1997 Verizon Heritage

Austin was infamous for his outbursts on the golf course over the years but his tantrum back in 1997 is definitely the most hilarious. After hitting a wayward putt, Austin proceeded to bend the shaft of his putter by repeatedly smacking it against the side of his head. Now, as a golf professional, you can probably get away with obliterating any other club in your armoury but in order to risk permanently damaging your putter, you must be in a bad place. Whilst the clip has given us a good laugh over the years, we can't help but think that this has harmed Austin's chances of a new long-term sponsorship deal with Ping or Titleist.

The Heart On The Sleeve Approach Is Entertaining

No matter what your ability or temperament, everyone is prone to a golfing meltdown every now and again - not only does it show that you care but it can often help you let off the necessary steam needed in order to refocus your energy in a positive way. In addition to this, seeing players break their clubs or hurl them into the shrubbery also makes for fantastic television and whilst we admire the steely, "give nothing away" approaches of players such as Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, there's nothing better than watching somebody lose the plot.

At the end of the day, some of the shots that these golfers make defy logic and belief and it's nice to be reminded that they're more than just well-oiled sporting machines - they're human beings and prone to tantrums just as much as you and your next door neighbour. So, the next time you see someone losing it on the golf course, be they professional or otherwise, stand back, enjoy and applaud because it could well be you in ten minutes' time.

Related:

Bookmakers Make USA Favourites For 2018 Ryder Cup