I broke 2 clubs in the space of 2 rounds (the first time I've broken a club through anger so in 30+ years of serious play) last year. I hit a bad shot and threw the club, ax like, into the ground burying the head in the turf, on both occasions, the shaft snapped about halfway up as the energy was going through it in probably exactly the opposite way it was designed to.
Before anyone rags me (not that I don't deserve it for being such a petulant tit, I'm 42 FFS), both times it was in the second cut of rough so not quite as bad as doing it on the short mowed, at least I had the presence of mind not to damage the manicured surfaces. I've seen young players take chunks out of greens within inches of the hole before, at least I've never done anything quite that stupid.
I don't usually mind when pro's do things like this as I know myself and plenty people I've played with over the years have done similar. I do agree that there is an element of sensationalism when this stuff is reported though.