In an era of instant news from multiple social media platforms, the task of avoiding becoming the victim of an elaborate April Fool’s joke is more perilous than ever.
Like many other people, key figures in the golf world are more than happy to play a harmless prank on fans innocently scrolling for updates, and there have been some beauties this year.
But were you rightly skeptical when the following April Fool’s jokes popped up on your news feeds, or did you fall for them hook, line and sinker?
Justin Rose Takes Up A Soccer Career
With almost a million followers on X alone, it’s unlikely 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose’s announcement of a career change didn’t trick a good number of people on April Fools’ Day.
The former World No.1 appeared on his platform’s account looking delighted in an image holding an Aldershot Town soccer club shirt.
The town is in the same county, Hampshire, where Rose moved to as a youngster, and he has posted messages in support of the non-league club in the past. However, it’s doubtful anybody expected to find him announcing he had put pen to paper for the club.
That’s what he revealed, though, writing: “Proud to announce I have signed for @Vanarama side @OfficialShots till the end of season.”
Proud to announce I have signed for @Vanarama side @OfficialShots till the end of season. Looking forward to helping them push for promotion these last few games of the season. See you all down the EBB today against @DorkingWDRS pic.twitter.com/ILMsr7J1biApril 1, 2024
That’s quite the departure for a player who still has plenty of miles in the tank as a PGA Tour player, as shown by his victory at last year’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Golf fans can rest assured, though - he’ll still be in the field for next week’s Masters, after all.
Louis Oosthuizen Quits Golf For Farming
LIV Golf’s Louis Oosthuizen wasn’t the only one apparently opting for a career change, with the Stinger GC captain pictured on social media in a tractor, and his team revealing: “Louis Oosthuizen retires from professional golf to pursue his real passion, farming.”
It’s true that farming is a huge love of the South African’s, and he even bought a ranch in Florida three years ago, telling AP’s Doug Ferguson at the time: “I thought this time in my career I’d probably be more wanting to farm. But I sort of got that second push in the game… When it’s time and I feel I can’t compete, I’ll hang it up and enjoy life.”
While that day may yet come, it shouldn’t be anytime soon, with his T2 at March’s LIV Golf Jeddah proving that, yes, he can still compete at the top level.
Cameron Smith Loses The Mullet
Perhaps even more shocking than news of Rose and Oosthuizen’s career changes is the notion that LIV Golf’s Cameron Smith would ever get rid of his famous mullet!
After all, in 2021 the Australian even broke a promise to his then girlfriend Jordan Ontiveros to have it cut if he won a PGA Tour event.
After winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, he said afterwards: “I would have to apologize to my girlfriend, it’s not going away. I mean, I feel like it’s part of me now.”
That appeared to no longer be the case with an image of Smith sporting a dramatically shorter hairstyle on his team Ripper GC’s social media platforms.
Reassurance later came via an update declaring: “We’ve had a bit of fun on April Fool’s Day, but no need to worry because the Cam Smith mullet is still very much alive and well.”
Comedy wig makers the world over breathed sighs of relief.
A Close Shave For The Majesticks GC Team
If the sight of Smith without his trademark mullet was striking, images depicting the Majesticks GC team without a hair on their heads would have had fans spitting out their morning coffee.
Thankfully, the promise by the team’s Instagram account that Ian Poulter, Lee Westood, Henrik Stenson and Sam Horsfield would shave their heads if the post got 1,000 likes is another lighthearted attempt to hoodwink golf fans – or at least we hope so…
Intruders Vandalize A Golf Club
It wasn’t just players having fun at the expense of fans – Sunningdale Heath Golf Club in the UK also took advantage of the occasion with some worrying-looking footage of three men heading towards the clubhouse at night before entering and appearing to graffiti the walls.
Three men broke into the club last night and sprayed graffiti on the walls. Anyone with any information should contact the club immediately. pic.twitter.com/sHGCAbCusvApril 1, 2024
But did they? No, thankfully. Instead, the club later announced that it had joined forces with some street artists to provide artwork for the clubhouse – and the footage was all part of the big reveal.
Patriotic Greens At The Belfry
The Betfred British Masters will be held at The Belfry for the fourth successive year in August, and, for a while, it seemed as though the edition would have a patriotic twist in the form of each green being mowed with a Union Jack.
The event’s official Instagram account even posted images apparently showing some of the greens looking resplendent with the distinctive design.
That won the approval from some in the replies, but the timing of the announcement seemed more than a little suspect, and several others quickly pointed out the joke.
A Golf Shoe With A Difference
Golf apparel brand G/Fore appeared to have opted for a radical departure with its latest release - a spiked stiletto golf shoe!
Thankfully, the world’s greenkeepers need not fear as it was, of course, an April Fool’s joke. Still, it didn’t stop some offering their appreciation for the idea, with one fan writing: “I know this is April fools but I would 100% buy these if they dropped,” and another responding: “I got SO excited for a second."
