First, the serious part. The hurling of clubs mid-round cannot be encouraged, nor should it become a regular component of the amateur or professional game. Basic manners aside, you would be edging towards the territory of health and safety hazards if the opposite were true. It clearly is not a reasonable message to send to children, that on-course temper tantrums are all part of the game.
Still, it is always amusing when experts slip into po-faced indignation mode when episodes such as Rory McIlroy’s epic club fling during the WGC-Cadillac Championship on Friday occur. This is a sport that tolerated – and in some cases actively pursued – discrimination on grounds of gender or skin colour for years. The displaying of basic, understandable human frustration? Tutting at the back: “Oh no, chaps, we cannot have that.”
In this specific instance, the lack of criticism from high-profile figures towards McIlroy was notable. It is explained by two factors. There is a widespread understanding that McIlroy’s character and attitude is massively beneficial to the sport. His public relations are excellent and he has displayed a regular line in self-deprecation; so he will always be forgiven the odd indiscretion. This is worth comparing and contrasting with the methods of Tiger Woods and those around him over the years.
“I can understand Rory throwing a club; this is the most frustrating game ever,” said Adam Scott. “We have all done it, whether you’re a pro or just playing at your local club on a weekend. This is a brutal game. Tell me who hasn’t thrown a club? I threw one back home in Australia about four years ago just playing a social round and I wasn’t even playing in a match. But then, I have to say it felt good.”
Cue shock and horror. The legendary writer Henry Longhurst had produced such sentiment long before Scott was even born. “The most exquisitely satisfying act in the world of golf is that of throwing a club,” he said. “The full backswing, the delayed wrist action, the flowing follow-through, followed by that unique whirring sound, reminiscent only of a passing flock of starlings, are without parallel in sport.”
The other pertinent factor relates to the specifics of this tournament over the redesigned Blue Monster course. Being blunt, it took McIlroy and his red mist to breathe a bit of excitement into the event. The entire venue looks immaculate but there are sufficient snapshots within competitor comment to infer this is far from the most enjoyable test of the year. “The margins are very slim on quite a few of the shots,” said Henrik Stenson. “You can hit a shot that most other weeks would be a good birdie chance but instead it takes a bit of a hop, goes in the water, then you have to scramble for par or bogey. The line is very thin here and on a few holes that is pushed a little bit.
“The way this course is designed now promotes defensive play in a lot of areas, which can be a bit boring. But if the cost of doing something good is going to be too high, in my mind, I would try and avoid it. There are a few holes where there isn’t a shot to stop the ball near the hole.”
In endorsing Stenson’s point, JB Holmes insisted he hit a “perfect” approach to the 1st on Friday that ended up in the water. Even that did not happen in a particularly strong wind.
McIlroy’s splash arrived from a club and, to be fair to him, he did not cite course set-up for his attitude set-up at all. He was bashful, if not entirely regretful. This game can trigger such emotion in even the finest players; it need not be a crime to demonstrate it now and again.
