WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Golf was once known as a gentleman’s game — built on silence, sportsmanship, and self-control. But lately, things have gotten messy.
A viral video out of Canada shows a fight between two golfers ending with one man — a former NHL player who once suited up for the Florida Panthers — allegedly throwing another into a pond.
The clip, circulating all over social media, exploded online under the hashtag #GolfRage, adding fuel to a growing trend of “fairway freakouts.”
From club tosses to shouting matches, videos of golfers losing their cool are racking up millions of views on social media.
While most meltdowns aren’t happening on local greens, course managers say the cultural shift is noticeable — even in Palm Beach County, home to more than 150 golf courses and several major tour events.
“It was funny for the moment, but in context, out of context yeah, it was unfortunate,” said Brian Conley, general manager of The Park in West Palm Beach. “If it gives the game a bad name, those of us in the industry get a little upset about it.”
Conley hasn’t seen any full-blown fights at his course, but says tempers flare more often than people realize — especially when alcohol is involved.
“I’ve seen some pretty classic club tosses. I’ve actually even broken a club myself,” he said. “We all can have a moment where we lose composure. But golf is a game where your personality — your character — it’s all on full display.”
Staff at The Park say part of managing that pressure is setting expectations before players ever tee off.
“We kind of set the precedent when you start here: don’t take it too seriously. Don’t take yourself too seriously,” Conley said. “Otherwise, it can escalate to where you saw it and where it can happen sometimes.”
Clay Myers, the head golf professional at The Park, says the biggest trigger he sees is pace of play — the same issue that reportedly sparked the pondside brawl.
“The number one thing is pace of play. From that viral clip, that’s what it looked like to me,” he said. “Out here, we try to catch slow groups early. We try to mitigate that before it becomes an issue.”
Myers says the goal isn’t perfection — it’s pace, patience, and perspective.
“You’re still going to come back and play again. It’s not life or death. It’s just a game. So I just try to have fun every time,” said Myers.
Even professionals say the frustration is real. Brody Harbinson, an Australian touring pro based in Florida, says he’s had his moments too.
“I have absolutely thrown clubs, and I’ve learned my fair share,” Harbinson told CBS12 News reporter Katie Bente. “But we’ve always got people watching us. As much as the game frustrates us, you have to be respectful to an extent.”
Harbinson says tour players face fines and penalties for behavior — even slow play — and are expected to uphold a code of conduct.
“If you’re caught swearing, that’s against the code of conduct,” he said. “Even slow play can affect the rest of the field. So there are so many regulations in place to keep the respect in the game — not just for the game, but for other players too.”
And in the era of viral content, the lines between authenticity and performance can blur.
“There’s so much out there, you don’t know what’s real and what’s fake,” Harbinson said.
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So is “golf rage” ruining the game?
Course staff say no — but they’re keeping a close eye on how culture is shifting. For them, the end goal is simple: keep the game fun.
“The goal isn’t what you write on the scorecard,” Conley said. “If you had fun, I think you definitely win.”
So the next time you slice one into the water, take a breath — because in golf, the only thing you should be breaking is par.