Mental Health In The Game Of Golf

Over the last few years, mental health in the game of golf and in other sports has become a larger and larger topic.

It wasn’t that long ago that Simone Biles dropped out of competitions because of the stress and strain.  Champion tennis player Naomi Osaka famously skipped tournaments.

There have been numerous stories over the last few years.  It kind of all came to a head a couple of weeks ago when professional golfer Grayson Murray took his own life after years of struggles with alcohol and depression.  Murray won on the PGA Tour earlier this year in Hawaii and won over $1,000,000.  His struggles were public and well documented and seemed to have created a community of friends and family who were there to protect him.  But they couldn’t.  After withdrawing late in the second round of a golf tournament a few weeks ago, he went home and ended the struggle.

Just last week, before the US Women’s Open, LPGA tour player, and multiple winner Lexi Thompson announced that she would be scaling back her play, retiring as it were.  When questioned about it, Lexi too talked about the loneliness of being out on tour.  Tournament after tournament, city after city, hotel after hotel.  How tough it had been.  She’s 29 but had been playing at an elite level for close to 20 years.

It's a real thing, it’s a real issue.  Money and fame don’t solve any of those problems and it’s quite possible they contribute to the issues.

Dr. Bob Jones IV is a clinical and sports psychologist.  He practices in the Atlanta area.  He is also the grandson of Bobby Jones, who at times in his career struggled with the success that he achieved.

Bob is on the Augusta Golf Show this week sharing his insights into these issues and more. 

You can hear our conversation below.

Through two rounds, there aren't a lot of surprises when it comes to the hardest holes of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.

Some of the usual suspects have given golfers trouble. And it's not at all a surprise that the Par 4 holes caused the most trouble.

The worst offender has been the 11th hole It's given up just seven birdies so far, and has 15 double bogeys (or worse!) this week.

On the easy side of things, the Par 5 holes are right where you'd expect them to be. That's about the only place a golfer can chase numbers at Augusta National.

The 570-yard, par 5 8th hole is the easiest hole so far, with four eagles, 73 birdies, 89 pars, and just 12 bogeys.

Right behind 8 is the newly-extended 585-yard Par 5 second hole. It's playing a 4.6742 average, with two eagles, 71 birdies and 92 pars.

Let's dive in and look at the hardest holes of the 2024 Masters Tournament - so far anyway.