text: how does trash affect athletes or sports?   you speaking of actual trash, or did you mean trash talk??  trash talk works by pissing off the opposing player...yo mama jokes, etc.  as for trash itself, i can tell you that nothing bothers me more when im out playing golf than to have to pick up some a*sholes beer cans...so yes, trash on the course affects my game. it makes me seeth with anger. i pay alot of money to play on a nice course, and expect to not have to pick up someone else trash while out walking through a beautifully manicured fairway.