I honestly never thought of golf as being an aggressive or violent sport, with all the greenery and gentle putting looking rather serene.
However, I’ve admittedly only tried my hand at drunken rounds of crazy golf and have never upped my game to actual, chino-wearing competitive levels.
And perhaps that’s just as well, as it seems there’s as much drama going on at golf clubs as there is in football stadiums…
Footage has gone viral showing two golfers in a heated altercation, which reportedly occurred during a club championship at Lake Club Benoni, South Africa.
The disagreement took place in the clubhouse, kicking off after one of the men shouts:
You’re a thief, man. You’re a cheat!
Apparently infuriated, the other man proceeded to headbutt his accuser through a window, before hitting him repeatedly.
Lake Club Benoni have since posted the following statement on Facebook, addressing their members:
Dear members
On behalf of Lake Club we duly apologise for the unfortunate situation that happened during our Club championship prize giving yesterday.
Please note that we do not accept nor condone any such behaviour as we have obligation to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all our members and guests. It is very unfortunate that the video has gone Viral as this is a once off incident and is not indicative of the fellowship we have at our club.
Urgent meetings to discuss the way forward have already taken place and we can assure you that the situation will be dealt with both fairly and promptly. We request your patience in the meanwhile. We will ensure that a communication will follow once the relevant Sanctions have been imposed.
Kind regards
EXCO
Many club members commented on the post to criticize the lack of sportsmanship shown by the two golfers, and to praise the way the club responded.
One person commented:
Should ban the attacker immediately. Assault is a criminal offence.
Another said:
I have so many happy memories of this beautiful Club and the camaraderie of its members! Don’t let one ‘situation’ ever change that guys!
Hopefully it will be a quieter one at the clubhouse this weekend…
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.