"The only way to enjoy golf is to be a masochist. Go out and beat yourself to death"
About this Quote
The choice of “masochist” is doing extra work. It suggests consent and compulsion at once: nobody forces you onto the course, yet people return as if chasing a bruise they can interpret as character. “Go out and beat yourself to death” turns a frustrating slice or missed putt into melodrama, the way actors understand instinctively: push it to the edge and the truth shows. Golf, unlike most sports, offers endless quiet time to narrate your own failure. It’s you, your thoughts, and a ball that refuses to cooperate. That makes it uniquely good at turning perfectionism into entertainment.
Context matters: Keel comes from a mid-century culture where golf signaled status, networking, and a certain masculine self-control. His punchline punctures that social sheen. Under the civility is a game built to humble you, then sell you the fantasy that buying better clubs, taking one more lesson, or playing one more round will finally make you worthy. That’s not relaxation. That’s a ritualized beatdown with a dress code.
Quote Details
| Topic | Sarcastic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Keel, Howard. (2026, January 15). The only way to enjoy golf is to be a masochist. Go out and beat yourself to death. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-only-way-to-enjoy-golf-is-to-be-a-masochist-136692/
Chicago Style
Keel, Howard. "The only way to enjoy golf is to be a masochist. Go out and beat yourself to death." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-only-way-to-enjoy-golf-is-to-be-a-masochist-136692/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The only way to enjoy golf is to be a masochist. Go out and beat yourself to death." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-only-way-to-enjoy-golf-is-to-be-a-masochist-136692/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.


