Golf will always present plenty of opportunity to embarrass ourselves. It's a hard enough sport on its own before you factor in other people watching and some nerves getting in the way.
We've shortlisted some of our favourites from our online community as we bare our soul and relive some dark moments...
Back around 2015/16 a mate and I had a spell playing 18 somewhere different every Sunday afternoon for a few months. We rock up at Pontypridd GC about 25 minutes away. First hole is a par 3 and playing second I play a couple of practice swings to loosen up right at the back of the tee box. The last of which I graze the ground causing a 'divot' of sand and mud to launch into the air away from me. As this divot propels into the air, a member comes around the corner of a nearby building and in what felt like slow-motion the divot ends up looping perfectly into his mouth, just as he is about to say hello causing him to cough and splutter.
I apologise a number of times to which he replies 'no problem, it happens all the time!' I should have left at that point as it set the tone for an absolutely horrendous round. babylonsinger
I was playing an open at Moray Old when I first started. I had played the course before and had played well and went into the comp full of confidence. I watched a few groups off and was chatting with the starter about the fact lots were using driver off the tee and how that wasn't a good choice as the trouble left and right were only in range with the driver. I was introduced to the other two competitors who were both nervous, not me I was ready to shoot the lights out. I got on the tee to hit my 3-iron, my most consistent club at the time. I topped it off the tee and into a big clump of marram grass that was on the front of the tee at the time and had to take a drop out all in front of about 30 waiting around. Racked up a nine, have kept my mouth shut ever since. patricks148
Related post: Read the thread in full here
Playing in a foursomes event at Woodhall Spa with a partner who I had not previously met. I had the honour and did a fresh air shot on a par 3. Playing partner had to step on to the tee and play our next shot with my ball still teed up! Bad enough doing the fresh air shot in front of mates in a social knock, but to do it partnering a stranger in a comp was just a nightmare. dronfield
It has to be my worst bout of the Tom Hanks I ever got, three years ago or so. It was in a club match, away at Thorney Park - fourball betterball Stableford. Front nine I had played really well, my partner had only been mediocre but I was taking the fight to our opponents - individually I had (-checks notes-) 21 points on the front nine. Teed it up on the 10th, a fairly long par 3, and shanked it with my 5 iron, over the trees and far away. 11th hole, middle of fairway, shanked it again. Proceeded to shank the next four or five iron shots in a row. Eventually I was just hitting little punch shots with a hybrid from 150, 140 yards even, it was so silly. I only managed nine points individually for the back nine, and my partner hadn't quite managed to pick up the slack, so we lost of course. It's actually made me feel sick just thinking about now. Orikoru
On the subject of the Barclays, it was the day of Princess Di's funeral. There was a medal at the club but the majority didn't play it, in fact there were just two of us. On the 11th hole I managed five in a row with a 7-iron - all OB onto an adjoining hole and all within 10 feet of each other. Promptly gave up playing and just walked to mark the card of the winner, have never had a bout like that since. Imurg
Twenty five years ago I had just got Cat 1 status for the first time. My first medal competition with this new handicap and I was paired with two 28 handicap senior members that I had never met before. I said to myself, “Right, I’m going to show this pair of muppets how golf should be played”. I can’t remember the circumstances or the shots, but I know that I didn’t lose a ball or go OOB. The two seniors walked off the 1st with a par 4 each whilst I was writing down a 10 on the card. srixon 1
Society weekend at Belton Woods, playing in the last group and around a 150-yard shot over the water left. Rest of the group watching from the back of the green. Decided I didn't want to dunk in the pond so thought let's give this one a bit extra and thinned it. It went like an exocet, hit the green and carried on through the patio into the pro shop. Had a good line back to the flag but guys in the shop wouldn't let me attempt it, probably in fear of the automatic sliding doors. spongebob59
Almost missing the ball with my tee shot on the 1st of the Old Course, it trickled off the front of the tee. In mitigation it was between Christmas and New Year, and blowing a gale...and I'd been consuming rather nice malt whisky to about 2am...no excuse...just feeble mitigation for my ...oops! SwingsitlikeHogan
I played in a corporate event at The Grove, the day after Tiger won the WGC in 2006. Nick Faldo was there as a pro host and played one hole with each group, a par-3 on the back nine of about 140 up a hill. I was playing decently, came to the hole with some confidence and in front of Faldo, hit a text-book shank with a 9 iron. Ethan
Playing at a hotel course in Cornwall, closing hole was a short par 3. Accidentally, picked up a 6-iron instead of a 9-iron, hit a cracking shot and watched the ball sail over the green, hit a path and go straight through a window leading into the swimming pool. HampshireHog
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