Whether you’re a touring professional golfer, an avid amateur or weekend hacker, every player has hit a bad shot out on the golf course and felt the urge to wind up and throw his or her club.
Exhibit A: Matt Jones on Saturday after making par on the 11th hole at Bay Hill during the third round of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.
“Matt a little frustrated there,” announcer Steve Sands said on the broadcast. “Did you hear what he said? He said, ‘I’m done, I’ve had enough of it.’”
So that got us thinking: What are some of golf’s greatest club tosses? From Rory McIlroy to Judge Smails, here are a few of the best.
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More: Drone shots of all 18 holes at Bay Hill
Rory McIlroy dunks one at Doral
McIlroy rinsed his approach on the par-5 8th hole during the second round of the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship, then proceeded to rinse his iron. Not only does McIlroy have a beautiful swing, but even his club throw looks cool.
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John Daly tosses a club in Lake Michigan
After Lake Michigan swallowed up three of Daly’s shots on the par-3 7th hole at Whistling Straits during the 2015 PGA Championship, Big John did Big John things and whipped his club in the water, too. If only he had thrown those pants in with it.
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Tyrrell Hatton at a few places
As far as on-course blow-ups go, nobody self-deprecates better than Tyrrell Hatton. It’s an art form. Two years ago he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational after giving the bird to the pond on Bay Hill’s 11th and then doubling down by pretend shooting it with his club. At the Open last year, he flipped off a fan, then snapped an iron. He also did the following:
Angry Golfers: Have a laugh courtesy of the European Tour
Hatton: CJ Cup at Shadow Creek
Hatton: Back-to-back days at the WGC-Match Play
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Charley Hoffman after three-putting at The Players
Architects Pete and Alice Dye have been the cause of quite a few temper tantrums on the course with their challenging layouts, especially at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, home of the upcoming Players Championship.
Hoffman three-jacked on No. 13 at the 2008 Players and took his frustration out on his putter (that he casually almost threw across the pond).
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Brooke Henderson loses her cool at Women’s PGA
During the final round of the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, a poor chip finally set Henderson off.
“That one club turned into two pieces pretty quickly there,” noted the broadcast. As Henderson slammed her club on her bag next to her sister and caddie, it snapped in two. Potentially dangerous situation avoided there.
Jordan Spieth after holing-out to win the Travelers
Who said a club throw has to be negative? For instance, remember when Jordan Spieth holed-out from the bunker to win the 2017 Travelers Championship?
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Matt Every’s perfect club throw technique
“Growing up, playing baseball … not tooting my horn, but I was always above average in every sport I played,” said Matt Every at the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson.
That much was apparent with his picture-perfect club throw.
Matt Every’s 2019 club throw at the AT&T Byron Nelson would eventually spark an idea for a clothing line … and its logo. Michael Reaves, Getty Image
Judge Smails
Danny Noonan didn’t get enough credit for covering for Judge Smails after his epic putter throw. That line about the grips being worn and immediately taking the blame? Genius caddie work.
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