Bob Rotella’s book Golf is Not a Game of Perfect hits the nail on the head – there’s very little that’s perfect in golf. While players may hit the occasional perfect shot, no one can hit every shot perfectly. In contrast, other sports offer moments of true perfection. In bowling, a 300 is a perfect game. In baseball, a perfect game means no batter reaches first base. And in football, perfection might be a defense that doesn’t allow a single first down throughout an entire game.
In golf, however, perfection is elusive, and that’s part of what makes it so unique and challenging.
In my opinion, a perfect game in golf would be 18 under par, a birdie on every hole. No player has ever achieved that. Jim Furyk holds the record for the lowest score with a 58, which is 12 under par on a course with a par of 70. That’s remarkable, but scores of 59 on par-72 courses, which are 13 under par, might be even more impressive.
The point is that no one (from PGA Tour professionals to weekend golfers) is perfect. So why get mad on the golf course? Whether it’s frustration after a poor shot or a group getting into a brawl over pace of play, it stems from unrealistic expectations. Is the rush to finish a round because you have somewhere else to be? Or is it the belief that you’re so good, you shouldn’t make bad swings? Getting upset with yourself is one thing, but tossing clubs or endangering others with reckless behavior is unacceptable. To borrow a phrase: “You aren’t good enough to be mad!”
Unfortunately, I’ve come across tragic stories of players who took their frustration too far. One teenager in New York, angry over a bad shot, slammed his club against a bench. The club snapped, and a piece of it pierced his heart, leading to his death. Another player struck the roof of a golf cart with his club, and the broken shaft severed an artery in his groin and he bled out before help arrived. In one shocking incident, a fight broke out between a golfer searching for his lost ball and a group behind him, upset about the delay. A kick to the chest caused a fatal injury.
Each year, an estimated 40,000 golfers seek emergency treatment for injuries from errant golf balls or flying clubs. While accidents happen, causing them out of anger is preventable. Imagine hitting a playing partner and injuring, or worse killing them. What used to be rare news is now happening almost weekly, and it doesn’t help that we see this behavior on the PGA and other tours, where players throw clubs or snap drivers after a bad shot.
What has happened to the traditions and etiquette of golf? The game is about courtesy, respect, and composure and not rushing through a round or getting into altercations over pace of play. There’s no trophy for finishing first. While slow play can be frustrating, it’s never a reason to resort to fighting. If you know a course has slow play issues, avoid it rather than lose your temper. And remember, a bad shot is never the club’s fault.
Arnold Palmer once threw a club in frustration during a junior event at Oakmont, but he went on to win. On the ride home, his father didn’t congratulate him, didn’t say a word. When they got home, Mr. Palmer got toe to toe with Arnie, pointed his finger, and said, “If you throw another club, you’ll never play again.” Arnie never did.
I once heard this analogy, and I wish I could credit the source: “Be a water bottle, not a soda can.” Life will shake you up, but when a soda is opened, it explodes; when you open a water bottle, nothing happens. Stay calm and don’t let things bother you. One of the first things I learned in the military was never to make decisions while emotional. Get to a calm place, and then make a thoughtful decision. As Bruce Lee once said, “Being able to stay calm is a superpower.” Just don’t tell your wife or girlfriend to “calm down”!
