Should golfers be punished like this for bad behaviour?

If you are a regular reader of my missives, you will know that I hate foul language and childish behaviour in the professional game.

I simply do not understand why so many world-class golfers feel the need to use the f-word. Even foreign golfers such as Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia seem to have mastered the art, even though it is not their first language. In my view, there is no excuse for it.

There are those who will justify it as being part of these players’ competitive spirit and fire. Rubbish! Utter rubbish!

There are times when I watch the antics of individuals such as Tyrrell Hatton and it just makes me cringe. I feel embarrassed for them.

As somebody who has played golf for many years, I fully understand and appreciate how incredibly frustrating a game it can be, I admit that I have behaved poorly on the course in the past, but I do not perform in front of TV cameras and I do not have microphones picking up my every utterance.

And I have never smashed my driver (or any other club) into a tee marker or broken my driver in temper. I know how much it cost, so why would I wilfully destroy it?

I have already recorded my disgust at the behaviour of both Robert MacIntyre and Garcia at The Masters in April. MacIntyre’s language was disgraceful - and giving the 15th hole the finger was even worse. Garcia destroy a tee marker, hit his club against a water cooler and then deliberately broke the shaft of his driver. Had it been down to me, both would either have been disqualified or hit with two-shot penalties.

I have had enough of it - and, thankfully, it would appear that I am not the only one.

Golfers Could Be Penalised For Misconduct at The Open

Finally, the R&A have decided that the time has come for some proper, punitive action. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon says that players guilty of on-course misconduct could receive a two shot penalty at The Open in July.

This follows the reprimand for Garcia at Augusta. MacIntyre was also warned by Masters officials after microphones caught him swearing and gesturing angrily during a ruinous first-round 80 at the year's opening major. Garcia at least had the decency to apologise but MacIntyre left many onlookers open-mouthed by refusing to do so.

Crucially, both incidents brought player behaviour into sharp focus in a season where the four majors have agreed to implement a new code of conduct.

The leading professional tours are expected to follow suit, but unlike the majors, their policies have yet to be formalised. This remains a source of mystery to me. It is the same with slow play penalties - they exist but are almost never imposed. It’s like they are scared of the players.

There has always been scope for a player to be disqualified for a serious breach, as serial offender Garcia was for damaging a green in a DP World Tour event in Saudi Arabia in 2019.

But now referees are to be given the power to impose shot penalties for players who seriously breach the etiquette of the game. 

"I think first and foremost, you want passion," Darbon told BBC Sport. "You want passion from players, you want passion from spectators, but there's a fine line, and one of the amazing things about this sport are the values and integrity that underpin it.

"So we will watch that line very closely. We, like many of the other major events, are looking to implement a new code of conduct policy that will be in place this summer here at Royal Birkdale. And it will give us another measure by which to help influence and control that behaviour."

Asked how this might impact competitors at the 154th Open, Darbon said: "It will depend on the circumstance and a determination of what their actions may lead to, but you could well see a two-shot penalty, for example, being deployed. We will clarify all of those details in the build-up to the championship."

Clearly, the players will be made aware of all of the above. The thing that matters next is that these penalties are actually imposed. It needs to be more than a hollow threat. Trust me - if players are given one- or two-shot penalties for foul-mouthed outbursts it will end the problem at a stroke.