Scottie Scheffler might carry the reputation of being calm and collected on the course, but according to his longtime coach, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, as a young golfer, his temper sometimes flared so intensely that it nearly landed him in the hospital. Randy Smith, who has guided Scheffler since childhood, revealed that behind the World No. 1’s composed exterior lies a fiery competitiveness that once boiled over in surprising ways.

“It might not seem like it today with all the talk about Scottie being ‘boring,'” his longtime coach Randy Smith revealed in a stunning admission. “Nobody wants to play better more than Scottie, and as a younger player, his temper would get the better of him, not where you would necessarily see it—and not directed at another competitor or any other person—but you wouldn’t want to be a locker or the carpet in front of it because he’d scorch it.”

Smith has watched Scheffler since he arrived at Royal Oaks Country Club as a six-year-old in 2002. The member of the Golf Digest Legend of Instruction has guided the World No. 1 through more than 20 years of development. He’s witnessed the competitive fire burning beneath that composed exterior from day one.

“What separates Scottie is his fire,” Smith explained. “It’s not just competitiveness—though he has more of that than anyone I’ve ever coached. It’s the pure love of practicing and experimenting and learning things on your own. It’s determination.”

That determination often boiled over into pure rage. During his high school years, Scheffler would unleash his frustrations in private moments. Lockers bore the brunt of his anger after disappointing rounds. Carpets suffered scorching attacks from his clubs when practice sessions went wrong.

The pattern continued into college, where the stakes grew higher. During one memorable incident, Scheffler swatted at a mesquite bush during a temper tantrum. The bush fought back. A thorn buried itself deep in his thumb, reaching the bone. Doctors recommended surgery to remove it. Scheffler refused. He played through the pain instead, accepting bags of ice from trainers while continuing to hit brilliant shots.

Smith worked to channel that explosive energy into productive fuel, which later bore fruit for the Drama Slayer. “He learned to channel that into the desire to work on whatever it was that let him down,” the coach revealed. “It became positive fuel. Instead of being humiliated by losing, he wanted to show what he could do the next time.”

This approach transformed Scheffler’s career trajectory. He channeled his competitive fury into becoming the world’s most dominant player. However, the mounting pressures of maintaining that position have tested even his improved emotional control.

Scottie Scheffler’s fury breaks into public view in 2025

The weight of being World No. 1 has amplified every frustration this season. What once happened behind closed doors now unfolds on golf’s biggest stages. February’s WM Phoenix Open brought the first shock when Scheffler struck his golf bag with his club at the 15th hole, knocking it over completely. Social media erupted immediately. “That’s not very professional,” fans wrote across platforms.

The pattern escalated through spring and summer. April’s RBC Heritage saw him smash his club into the turf after a bunker shot. The U.S. Open at Oakmont pushed him to his breaking point when he exclaimed, “Gosh dang it” and slammed his club into the turf, creating a visible divot. “Unlike Hatton or Spieth, Scheffler rarely looks flustered—this was shocking,” commentators noted. August’s FedEx St. Jude Championship brought multiple wedge strikes into the sand after missed shots in the Memphis heat.

The Tour Championship provided the season’s most dramatic moment during his title defense. In the second round at the par-4 14th hole, Scheffler’s bunker shot landed 10 feet from the pin. His disbelief was both audible and visible as he slammed his club into the bunker sand, creating visible damage to East Lake’s pristine surface. Analysts highlighted how his emotional volatility sparked widespread debate about professional golf’s standards. “Lot of bitchy energy from Scottie,” the No Laying Up Podcast observed.

Smith’s revelation puts everything in perspective. This behavior represents the same competitive fire that’s always defined Scheffler’s approach to the game. The difference? Now millions watch every emotional reaction unfold in real time. The pressure of perfection continues mounting, but understanding Scheffler’s history reveals these outbursts aren’t character flaws—they’re glimpses of the relentless drive that created a champion.