Dealing with frustration is as much a part of the game of golf as it is getting the ball in the hole. Unfortunately, if you’re a professional, not only are you supposed to act like one, but your meltdowns are magnified on national TV, especially the ones involving broken clubs.
So here’s a roundup of 10 angry Tour pro club breaks, snaps and bends over the years.
Smylie Kaufman
We get this angry Tour pro listed started with this Bo Jackson style club snap. At this point, it’s fair to say Smylie Kaufman wasn’t smiling so much after this tee shot that he dunked in the water at the 2016 Honda Classic.
The world-renowned Bear Trap at PGA National begins with a difficult tee shot on the par-3 15th to a green guarded by water. Kaufman failed to carry the pond and then gave his club the full treatment by snapping it over his knee. It’s amazing how effortless a professional golfer can make such a violent move look.
Henrik Stenson
Henrik Stenson, aka the Stensonator, is no stranger to snapping clubs. Here he is at the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional giving this one the full treatment and injuring his hand in the process. The music in this clip certainly adds to the dramatics.
Charl Schwartzel
Charl Schwartzel was none too pleased with this shot during the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield. His six iron took the brunt of it when he whipped it into the ground and it snapped in two. The fact you don’t see it happen at first but can only hear it makes it that much better.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy took the weight of his frustration out on this club during the 2013 U.S. Open contested at Merion. After rinsing his second shot on the same hole, he let his emotions get the best of him. The club didn’t make it. At least he tried bending it back.
Thomas Pieters
Thomas Pieters played the back nine at the HNA French Open without a driver and still came home in 3-under 32 en route to a round of 67. While it would be nice to say it was a strategy, it most certainly was not. Pieters effectively, and literally, took his own driver out of his hands when he snapped it in frustration after his tee shot found the water on the ninth hole.
Tom Lewis
During the 2015 True Thailand Classic, European Tour pro Tom Lewis was disgusted with his second shot on the par-5 finishing hole. He slammed his club into the ground and almost slashed his leg in the process.
Henrik Stenson
Henrik Stenson sent another club to the junkyard at the 2013 Open Championship. This time it was his driver and he showed no mercy when he slammed ferociously into the ground.
Woody Austin
This classic comes from Woody Austin at the 1997 Verizon Heritage. After not getting his initial putt up and over a ridge, the always animated Austin bent his putter over his head in a fit of rage.
Rory McIlroy
Rory graces our list again with this broken fairway metal at the 2016 Open Championship. Obviously disgusted after this shot, he recoiled the club straight into the ground cause the head to snap clean off.
Thomas Pieters
Thomas Pieters went full-on Bo Jackson at the 2016 Open Championship after hitting his seventh shot from behind the gorse. Not a bad outcome considering the aftermath. Guess that’s why they call him the ‘Muscles from Brussels.’
