Beware of Golfing Masochism

by Dr. Richard C. Myers

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A person who derives a perverse pleasure from self-injury is called a masochist. Some players tend to be golfing masochists. Some break golf clubs. Others will deliberately cost themselves additional strokes.

A very fine golfer hit his second shot into water in front of the green on a par 5. Instead of moving up to the water's edge and lobbing the next shot to the hole, he perversely hit several more balls into the water from a range of about 250 yards. By a marrow margin he failed to place among the leader and this cost him an invitation to appear in the Masters the following year.

Another form of self-destructiveness sometimes operates among those who seem to lose their touch in they find themselves leading their group. Their attitude may change in a number of ways but it all winds up with the same result-defeat. An overconfident person may take foolish chances or become careless. Another may feel free to experiment, A shy person may wonder, "What am I doing here?" I know a very nice person that does this all the time.

Strange as it seems, just as there are golfer who are completely determined to win, there are others who subconsciously prefer to lose. These are sometimes the ones who appear to be blowing up. Others appear to be perennially unlucky because of a perverted desire for self-punishment. Some just quit, and some treasure the reputation of being good losers.

To play any shot in such a way that all one's ability is not used is self-destructive. Be on guard against such golfing masochism. It is not enough, however, to be forewarned against possible golfing masochism. We need to know what to do about it. As Socrates pointed out 2.000 years ago, no one knowingly injures himself. On the surface, he may appear to be doing so, but inside he thinks that everything he does is really to his best interest.