View From The Fairway - Spotlight on Mental Wellbeing of Elite Golfers

Golfshake's Derek Clements addresses the latest headlines in golf, including the Olympic Games.

THE subject of mental wellbeing hit the headlines again when Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast in the world, withdrew from events at the Olympic Games. She is not the first athlete to suffer. Tennis star Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open and Wimbledon, Ben Stokes has just announced that he is stepping away from cricket and American golfers Lexi Thompson and Christina Kim have both battled with their inner demons, as has the enigmatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson. And Andrew “Beef” Johnston’s troubles are well-documented. As recently as last year he withdrew from a tournament, telling the world that lockdown had had a massive impact on his mental health. We should in no way underestimate the pressure that world-class sportsmen and women feel with the eyes of the world focused on every move they make. The real wonder is that so many golfers have been able to pick up the pieces of their careers since lockdown ended. They have had to exist in bubbles, stuck in hotel rooms with only their caddies for companies, playing in golf tournaments that have largely been played out in utter silence.

SO EVERYBODY, did you enjoy the BBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games men's golf tournament? The corporation has received a grest deal of criticism over its coverage of the Games. Speaking as a fervent golf fan, I cannot say that I am too surprised. If only Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood were gymnasts, rowers, taekwondo players, female boxers or swimmers. In short, the Beeb’s coverage of the golf was a disgrace.

SPEAKING of pressure, South Korean golfer Sungjae Im teed it up in Japan knowing that he had to win a medal if he was to have any chance of avoiding having to put his glittering PGA Tour career on hold for 18 months to serve compulsory military service for his country. A medal of any colour would have done. The man who seems to play on the PGA Tour every single week even gave The Open Championship a miss in order to better prepare for the Olympic golf tournament. Sadly, he failed to win a medal. He is 26 years old and has to report for duty before his 28th birthday. His status on tour will be protected, meaning that when he has done his time he will be able to return. But there are no guarantees that he will be able to pick up his game where he left off. He still has a number of chances to avoid military service - but only if he can win a major before he is 28.

YOU really do have to tip your hat to the likes of Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. Just a couple of weeks ago they were all playing in The Open Championship at Royal St George’s. They then flew to Tokyo, where they had to isolate before taking part in the Olympic golf tournament. And this week they are back in the United States playing in the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational. These boys sure rack up the air miles, don’t they?

RORY McILROY didn’t wear a cap during the Olympic Games. He also never wears any headgear when taking part in the Ryder Cup. According to the player it is because Nike, who normally supply his caps and clothing, have been unable to provide one to fit him. Call me an old cynic if you like, but if they are able to provide custom-fitted caps for the rest of the year then why on earth are they unable to do so at the Olympics and Ryder Cup? It wouldn’t have anything to do with rights issues would it? Perish the thought.

CAMERON SMITH has been raising eyebrows all years through a combination of his golf and his mullet hairstyle. The Australian emerged from the first lockdown with collar-length hair and has persisted with it ever since despite his peers endlessly poking fun at him. So you can only imagine the jibes that came his way when he turned up for the Olympic Games with the letters “AUS” shaved into the side of his head. He admitted that his mother was horrified when she saw what he had done. He said: "It's the Olympics. It doesn't happen too often. I thought I would give Australia a shoutout on the side of the melon. I thought about it for a few weeks beforehand and then I just said stuff it, I'm going to do it, and it's been received pretty good. Mum called me up. She called me all sorts of names, but she loved it and she loves that it brings a lot of, I guess, joy to, it puts a smile on people's faces."