Is Tour Player Petulance On The Rise?

Watching golf on TV it seems that roughly every three minutes one of the commentators is obliged to say, “Apologies if you picked up some bad language there. Clearly the frustrations of the day are boiling over!” Or something along those lines. To be honest, I don’t need them to apologise to me, but that’s by the by.

Tyrrell Hatton is a player known for wearing his heart on his sleeve and he’s been caught out by the cameras several times expressing his dissatisfaction on the fairways.

Jon Rahm is another who is prone to the odd display of petulance. Those two are certainly not the only golfers to let out their frustrations in a demonstrable fashion, they just have a high profile, and we get to hear more from them.

It's important to note here that both are seen as nice, fun characters and are widely liked within the game.

There have always been players with short tempers. There have always been people with short tempers. Genghis Khan had a bit of a temper on him I would reckon.

But have we seen a rise in the number of sour faces and outbursts of bad language at the top levels of professional golf? I was asked the question by a colleague, and I thought I would try and answer the question.

Is it a problem?

Firstly, is an outpouring of emotion a bad thing? Surely it demonstrates how much effort a player is putting in. We want to see passion and a dedication to the game.

I think, unless it goes too far – like Happy Gilmore vs Bob Barker too far – the odd display of anger adds to the theatre and appeal.

I’d rather see a player lose their cool and then celebrate the good stuff than watch the bland, emotionless robotic types who are also prevalent in the modern game – players who have been coached to remain emotionless whether they win or lose. They deliver rather boring viewing.

In answer to a different question, are there more players showing no emotion in top level golf? I would definitely say yes.

But back to our question… are there more top players displaying petulance? I would say no.

I used the examples of Hatton and Rahm above. They are under the highest levels of scrutiny, more so than players of past generations. TV cameras and microphones are on them all the time on the course, and fairly often when they’re off the course.

Players can be caught out by journalists, content creators and even the general public. If they let a bad word slip or bang a club down in frustration, someone will catch it on camera.

Do they behave more petulantly than players who have gone before? Not particularly, it’s just they never get away with it in this social-media-ridden world.

Hasn't It Always Been Thus?

Let’s look back through history. Were the past greats of the game always angelic in terms of behaviour? Hardly…

A hundred years ago, Bobby Jones was emerging as the talent of a generation. The great amateur latterly earned a reputation as one of the most respected men in golf. But in his younger years he had a fair temper!

Alexa Stirling, a hugely talented youngster he grew up playing with, described Jones breaking clubs over his knee and “letting out a string of very adult oaths!”

A great story comes from the 1916 US Amateur. Jones was playing Eben Byers in the first round who also had a temper. Apparently, the match behind thought they were watching a juggling display up ahead because there was so much club throwing.

At one point Byers threw a club out of bounds and lost it. Jones later said that he won that match because Byers ran out of clubs first.

Tommy Bolt was famed for his temper. In fact, he recognised it as entertainment for the crowds. I always think Tyrrell does that a bit. The fans likes seeing someone lose their cool. They can relate to it.

Bolt was known for his club throwing and fiery outbursts. He once tied a putter to the back of his car and dragged it for 200 miles to punish it for poor behaviour.

John Daly was perhaps the standout for rogue behaviour in the 90s and beyond. Smashing balls in a “Tin Cup” style into the water, throwing clubs into the water, storming off courses, not signing cards, drinking, smoking, using choice language… He has a fairly long rap sheet.

Sergio Garcia is another who has been prone to the odd bit of petulance. Well, more than the odd bit really. The worst was probably when he damaged five greens at the Saudi International of 2019.

But also bad were when he (revoltingly) spat into a cup at Doral, when he chucked a club into a lake in Thailand in 2011, when he chucked a driver into a ravine in Texas or when he chucked his shoe that time way back in 1999.

Others have had petulant moments over the years. Justin Thomas was caught on camera using a homophobic slur, Phil Mickelson ran after (and hit) a moving ball at the 2018 US Open, Ben Crenshaw snapped a putter in the 1987 Ryder Cup, Hennie Otto angrily took six putts at the 2005 Nashua Masters… the list could go on and on, and on.

Golf is unbelievably frustrating and there will always be players, from grass roots up to the highest level, who will let their emotions get the better of them.

People in the public eye are under so much more scrutiny today than they were 50, 20, even 10 years ago. Every time a top golfer today displays their anger, it will be captured and regurgitated by any media source or individual who gets their hands on it and is looking for easy clicks.

Golf tour player petulance has always existed and is not on the rise, but the capturing and sharing of tour player petulance most certainly is!

Quiz - How well do you know Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen?