Question:
It seems to me I heard somewhere that Dan Fries wrote in article Back in the war years(early 40s)the cubs had a one armed outfielder named Pete Gray.He didnt hit 300 but he played every day. Dan
And Monte Stratton came back to pitch in MLB again after losing a leg. More or less in the same era as Pete Gray, IIRC.
[...] Has Jim Abbott diminished the achievements of Sandy Kofax or Cy Young? He would have never been able to play professional baseball without the designated hitter. Actually, had Abbott been an excellent pitcher during the non-DH days, he probably would have still pitched. He would likely have done only slightly less well than the typical .100 & change pitcher’s batting average hitting one-handed. Note that Jim didn’t need a cart or designated fielder to assist him in his efforts to compete in the Bigs despite a disability.
[...] — Don
Response:
Back in the war years(early 40s)the cubs had a one armed outfielder named Pete Gray.He didnt hit 300 but he played every day. Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a fat guy like Craig Stadler can play? [No offense to Mr. Stadler intended] What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a drunk like John Daly can play? [No offense to Mr. Daly intended] Tournament PGA golf IS hard. Only about 10% of the PROs are capable of competing with touring PROs even occasionally. The amatuers capable of that are in the fractional percentage range approaching nil. I suspect that Stadler & Daly could have done even better with better training & living habits but getting to touring level and staying there is tough. Has Jim Abbott diminished the achievements of Sandy Kofax or Cy Young? He would have never been able to play professional baseball without the designated hitter. Actually, had Abbott been an excellent pitcher during the non-DH days, he probably would have still pitched. He would likely have done only slightly less well than the typical .100 & change pitcher’s batting average hitting one-handed. Note that Jim didn’t need a cart or designated fielder to assist him in his efforts to compete in the Bigs despite a disability.
Response:
What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a fat guy like Craig Stadler can play? [No offense to Mr. Stadler intended] What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a drunk like John Daly can play? [No offense to Mr. Daly intended]
Tournament PGA golf IS hard. Only about 10% of the PROs are capable of competing with touring PROs even occasionally. The amatuers capable of that are in the fractional percentage range approaching nil. I suspect that Stadler & Daly could have done even better with better training & living habits but getting to touring level and staying there is tough. Has Jim Abbott diminished the achievements of Sandy Kofax or Cy Young? He would have never been able to play professional baseball without the designated hitter.
Actually, had Abbott been an excellent pitcher during the non-DH days, he probably would have still pitched. He would likely have done only slightly less well than the typical .100 & change pitcher’s batting average hitting one-handed. Note that Jim didn’t need a cart or designated fielder to assist him in his efforts to compete in the Bigs despite a disability.
Response:
Has Jim Abbott diminished the achievements of Sandy Kofax or Cy Young? He would have never been able to play professional baseball without the designated hitter. Now there’s an analogy.
And a good one. I had thought about Abbott but forgot why he’s a perfect comparison. Gary
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– Matt Kanning Houston, TX 1. Is riding a cart an advantage or disadvantage? I believe Pros would tell you walking keeps them loose and focussed and helps them to play better. Most would, yes. Some wouldn’t. The issue isn’t whether one or the other is an advantage. The issue is they’re not the same, and that sports is about all players playing the same game under the same conditions. No sport in history has applied different rules to different players.
I thought the NFL has rules in the degree you can "tackle" a quarterback versus everyone else. Matt Kanning
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Great post, Randy. Couldn’t agree more. You can count the number of pros who are not in top physical condition on one hand. But if you think that stamina and endurance doesn’t play a role in top-level competition, why would Tom Lehman, ranked #1 in the world for a time in ‘97, work to lose 30 pounds in the off-season?
To this I would add the case of David Duval. For two years, it was obvious he had the game to be a big star, but something was lacking. He had nothing but runner-up finishes and top 10s. No victories. People questioned his resolve. … shit, even I said he just didn’t have what it takes on this very newsgroup. Then in ‘97 he drops something like 30 pounds. Boom — at the end of the year, he wins three straight times and is now considered one of players that are the future of golf. I think Duval started winning because, after 72 holes, he was tired on Sundays. It wasn’t because he lacked the mental toughness, the experience or things were going unlucky for him. It was just by Sunday, he lacked the little bit extra in the gas tank to push himself over the top. Similarily, or along the same lines, look at Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie — two men who must be mentioned when talking about the very best 10 players or so in the world. Both have a little extra padding in the paunch. Monty’s dropped a tremendous amount of weight over the last year or so and Mickelson is looking particularly svelte this year … But who are those two players? The two best players in the world who have yet to win a major.
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Furthermore, what does it say about the masterful accomplishments of the heroes of the game–the Bob Joneses, the Ben Hogans, the Arnold Palmers, the Jack Nickauses–what does it say of their achievements when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even cripples can play? The bar has been lowered. Randy
What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a fat guy like Craig Stadler can play? [No offense to Mr. Stadler intended] What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a drunk like John Daly can play? [No offense to Mr. Daly intended] What does it say about "their" acheivements, when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even a guy like [pick one] can play with a cigarette or a big honkin’ cigar hangin’ out of his mouth? Has Jim Abbott diminished the achievements of Sandy Kofax or Cy Young? He would have never been able to play professional baseball without the designated hitter. Now there’s an analogy. JIM — *** Jim Preston ** *** *** ALCATEL NETWORK SYSTEMS ** THIS SPACE AVAILABLE *** *** (919)850-6594 ** call the number on your *** *** ** *** *** <insert standard disclaimer here… and stand back! ***
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The REAL athleticism of golf is HITTING the ball! Somebody once said that the single most difficult feat in athletics is hitting a baseball. And so many baseball hitters love golf, and struggle for years, trying to learn how to perfectly strike that little white, stationary ball, never perfecting the skill.
Sam Snead’s response to that was that in golf, you have to hit your foul balls. I almost fell out of my chair when I read this. The "imminent danger of golf carts" argument? The PGA would surely have won the case if they had presented that one (or did they?). Good thing you were "very careful not to run someone over." Many golf cart accidents occur every year (usually associated with alcohol or reckless driving on slopes where they are not supposed to be driven), but are you now honestly worried that the pros (caddies, I mean) are going to be crashing into people into galleries on a regular basis? Please.
Martin rode his cart in the first two Nike events without any mishaps. I guess he was lucky. I don’t think there is any danger of an accident, unless, of course, you notice a cooler on Martin’s cart.(G) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Casey’s fault, right? If a person professes loves a sport, and he knows petitioning to play will polarize the sports community = damaging "the game he CLAIMS to love. [i.e. he must not love the game]". Furthermore, what does it say about the masterful accomplishments of the heroes of the game–the Bob Joneses, the Ben Hogans, the Arnold Palmers, the Jack Nickauses–what does it say of their achievements when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even cripples can play? The bar has been lowered. Randy I never completely understood where you were coming from, but now I do. You have finally identified what it is about this ruling that sticks in your craw. You feel it will somehow "diminish" the accomplishments of these great athletes, if a "cripple", this less than whole human being, can play with them. Why does this diminish ANYTHING? Why would this bother you so much? What separates Jack Nicklaus from this "cripple"? Nothing if they can get the same score on a course.
Perhaps you have nailed the problem exactly. Perhaps those who complain the most about Martin are concerned about the image. That’s why we see a term like cripple when talking about Martin, something of poor taste.
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If no evidence was presented, then you have no basis for making any conclusion about Martin’s heart rate, blood pressure, or other physiological parameters. His disability is a circulation problem which would affect each of these to some extent. You are making unsupported statements.
Actually, there was an expert witness testifying at the trial. He was a professor from the University of Oregon. I don’t recall exactly what he said, but he testified in support of Martin. Gary
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Which of your own arguments do you believe? 1. Is riding a cart an advantage or disadvantage? I believe Pros would tell you walking keeps them loose and focussed and helps them to play better. Most would, yes. Some wouldn’t. The issue isn’t whether one or the other is an advantage. The issue is they’re not the same, and that sports is about all players playing the same game under the same conditions. No sport in history has applied different rules to different players.
WHAT???? Most would, huh? I’d assume most pros would know what’s an advantage vs disadvantage to them. You have REPEATEDLY stated in this and many posts that riding in the cart is an advantage (physiologic changes, blah blah, PGA should’ve presented medical evidence, more blah, blah), yet you state here that most Pros feel that walking "keeps them loose and focused and helps them to play better." I’d like to pin this issue down right here. WHAT do you personally believe? Do you believe that using a cart would be an advantage, OR not? I’m starting to get the impression that you’re arguing two contradictory viewpoints to win an argument. << lots snipped I’ve said all along that the fairest way to accomodate Casey is to put everyone on a cart. Not give everyone the option to ride, but require it. That way, everyone’s tested under the same conditions, and Casey gets his accomodation. (Of course, some would say the Casey’s still at a disadvantage so he should get more, or everyone else should get less. But THAT would be about giving someone a head start in the race, and that’s BS.) The problem is, if everyone rides, where does that leave the sport? What little athleticism is involved has then been legislated out of the sport.
"What little athleticism is involved has then been legislated out of the sport?" What the heck are you saying now? WHO is the person with no respect for golf as an athletic endeavor? Sounds like YOU. The REAL athleticism of golf is HITTING the ball! Somebody once said that the single most difficult feat in athletics is hitting a baseball. And so many baseball hitters love golf, and struggle for years, trying to learn how to perfectly strike that little white, stationary ball, never perfecting the skill. << lots snipped A wheel chair on a basketball court would be dangerious, a golf cart on a golf course is not. When you have to drive it through galleries of 100,000 people, it most certainly would be dangerous. I drive carts on Fridays every week at TOUR events, and every time I do, I have to be very careful not to run someone over. We’ve had numerous near-mishaps. Thank God no accidents yet.
I almost fell out of my chair when I read this. The "imminent danger of golf carts" argument? The PGA would surely have won the case if they had presented that one (or did they?). Good thing you were "very careful not to run someone over." Many golf cart accidents occur every year (usually associated with alcohol or reckless driving on slopes where they are not supposed to be driven), but are you now honestly worried that the pros (caddies, I mean) are going to be crashing into people into galleries on a regular basis? Please. 6. This is a fairness issue. Would it be fair to deny a job to someone because their wheel chair can’t make it between the desks or through a doorway? No. Move the desks and widen the doorway. Again, I agree with this premise. But the width of the doorway in the workplace (or the height of the commode, or the ramp at the front door, etc.) does not effect how people perform their jobs. More to the point, it doesn’t give your business a competitive advantage over your competitors across town.
(see item 1.) You WROTE most pros wouldn’t use the carts because they play better without them. What advantage are you talking about?<< lots snipped 7. I know this is not a black and white topic. It has many shades of gray and is polarizing the golf community. Which is another indication of how Casey has damaged the game he claims to love.
Casey’s fault, right? If a person professes loves a sport, and he knows petitioning to play will polarize the sports community = damaging "the game he CLAIMS to love. [i.e. he must not love the game]". Jackie Robinson professed to love baseball, and he knew trying to play would polarize the baseball community = damaging "the game he CLAIMS to love. [i.e. he must not love the game]". Am I twisting your words here? If so, what subtle nuance did I miss? << lots snipped Furthermore, what does it say about the masterful accomplishments of the heroes of the game–the Bob Joneses, the Ben Hogans, the Arnold Palmers, the Jack Nickauses–what does it say of their achievements when the truth of the matter is, hell, how hard can tournament golf at the highest level be if even cripples can play? The bar has been lowered. Randy
I never completely understood where you were coming from, but now I do. You have finally identified what it is about this ruling that sticks in your craw. You feel it will somehow "diminish" the accomplishments of these great athletes, if a "cripple", this less than whole human being, can play with them. Why does this diminish ANYTHING? Why would this bother you so much? What separates Jack Nicklaus from this "cripple"? Nothing if they can get the same score on a course. I LEAVE YOU WITH A HYPOTHETICAL: If Casey Martin could hit 500 yard drives, and put the ball within 3 feet of the cup with his tee-shot every time, would you say: "He’s not the best golfer in the world. He can’t even f***ing walk…" If he needs assistance to get to the green, then he’s not the best. Hell, he’s not even as good as I am, because I can walk! (I’m an "ath-uh-leet"). He’s a "cuh-rip-pul." ? Would you consider him the greatest golfer in the world? OR a long driving freak "cripple" who should never make the pros? Please answer honestly. -Duk
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But to suggest that Casey’s level of heart rate, breathing, etc. would be the same as a player who just climbed a 50-foot hill on the 9th hole at Westchester is simply wrong. Unfortunately, no evidence was presented to prove it. If no evidence was presented, then you have no basis for making any conclusion about Martin’s heart rate, blood pressure, or other physiological parameters.
I forgot. Mr. Martin, the bionic man, has no heart, therefore his heart rate would not increase through physical exertion as it does with the rest of us. How silly of me to have overlooked the obvious. Randy
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That’s not quite true. The judge didn’t say that walking was not essential to competition, which is why he said the rest of the field must walk. All he said was that Casey’s level of fatigue would be no less than the other players. Since the TOUR’s legal strategy was to not make Casey an issue in the case, stating "this isn’t about Casey Martin, it’s about principle," they didn’t offer any evidence to suggest that *he* would have an advantage riding. The strategy backfired. But to suggest that Casey’s level of heart rate, breathing, etc. would be the same as a player who just climbed a 50-foot hill on the 9th hole at Westchester is simply wrong. Unfortunately, no evidence was presented to prove it.
If no evidence was presented, then you have no basis for making any conclusion about Martin’s heart rate, blood pressure, or other physiological parameters. His disability is a circulation problem which would affect each of these to some extent. You are making unsupported statements. B. Martin
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1. Is riding a cart an advantage or disadvantage? I believe Pros would tell you walking keeps them loose and focussed and helps them to play better.
Most would, yes. Some wouldn’t. The issue isn’t whether one or the other is an advantage. The issue is they’re not the same, and that sports is about all players playing the same game under the same conditions. No sport in history has applied different rules to different players. 2. Would any Pro trade a good leg for Casey’s so he could ride in tournaments? No.
Of course not. 3. Is walking and stamina really an essential part of the game? This is the main issue the judge ruled on. He ruled the act of walking between shots and holes is not essential to competition. I agree with him.
That’s not quite true. The judge didn’t say that walking was not essential to competition, which is why he said the rest of the field must walk. All he said was that Casey’s level of fatigue would be no less than the other players. Since the TOUR’s legal strategy was to not make Casey an issue in the case, stating "this isn’t about Casey Martin, it’s about principle," they didn’t offer any evidence to suggest that *he* would have an advantage riding. The strategy backfired. But to suggest that Casey’s level of heart rate, breathing, etc. would be the same as a player who just climbed a 50-foot hill on the 9th hole at Westchester is simply wrong. Unfortunately, no evidence was presented to prove it. At the US Open in Oakmont (high 90’s and humid) I saw a Pro drop out after less than 9 holes because he was fat, and out of shape.
You can count the number of pros who are not in top physical condition on one hand. But if you think that stamina and endurance doesn’t play a role in top-level competition, why would Tom Lehman, ranked #1 in the world for a time in ‘97, work to lose 30 pounds in the off-season? IV. Yes, walking can be a factor, but not always and not enough to win the case for the PGA.
Given that they presented no medical evidence to support their theory, I’d have to agree. But to suggest that medical evidence doesn’t exist to prove that such factors as heart rate, breathing, etc. don’t effect performance is ignorant. It does. And the fact that one player will have less cariovascular stress than the rest of the field gives him an advantage. The TOUR could have presented evidence to support that notion, and inexplicably, they opted not to. Instead they counted on testimony by Ken Venturi and others to assert that walking takes its toll. They’re right, but had The TOUR presented medical evidence, the argument would have been stronger. (Would it have been enough to win the case? Maybe not, but we’ll never know.) 4. Do some players on the Tour get special treatment? Think about it. The fact Greg Norman can take his helocopter from the clubhouse directly to his home without having to put up with congested highways is an advantage. The fact Tiger, Palmer, ChiChi, and many others can take private jets to and from tournaments without the strain of "commercial" air traffic is an advantage. The fact certain top golfers get endorsement money that guarantees them a great living is an advantage. The special treatment some golfers get from manufacturers is an advantage. The special perks at tournaments top golfers get is an advantage.
The difference is that none of these examples pertains to activities ON THE FIELD OF PLAY DURING COMPETITION. And I suppose, in many ways, the arguments both pro- and con- Casey riding, fall into two catagories: those who feel SPORTS should be fair by applying the same rules to all contestants, and those who feel LIFE should be fair by giving some people a hand to allow them to compete. Since we all know LIFE ISN’T FAIR, some are trying to impose their would-be values on sport. Having a top caddy on your bag is an advantage.
And they all have a price. You want to hire Tony Martinez from Greg Norman? Make him an offer he can’t refuse. Having top coaches, physical trainers, and sports shrinks on your staff is an advantage.
And none of them are exclusive to one player. You want David Ledbetter as your coach? He’s available for a price. 5. IMHO the game of golf comes down to how many times you strike the regulation ball with regulations clubs following the USGA regulations.
Sorry, but the PGA TOUR is not a USGA event. The Rules of Golf only apply insofar as the actual advancing of the ball. The Rules of Golf were written for amateur golf. That it is used as a guideline in professional golf simply means that pro leagues can alter them however they wish. Did you complain when the goal posts were narrower in the NFL than they were in NCAA? It’s the same exact thing. Pro sports don’t play by the same rules as amateur sports. Never have, never will. And on the pro golf circuit, they walk. If Casey Martin had never been born and the pros had started riding carts, would you feel as if they had raised the bar, lowered the bar, or left the bar where it was? If a player can compete at the top level but due to an undeniable physical disability needs assistance to get between the shots he should be given that assistance.
As I said before, the essence of our difference of opinion is that most pro-Casey advocates believe that pro sports is a "right," and that all who possess the raw talent should be allowed to perform on the stage. Those of us on the other side believe that the core value of sport is that all competitors are tested under the same rules and condititions, regardless of their ability or disability. The way a golfer gets from shot to shot is not essential.
If you believe that, I challenge you to an experiment: Take your putter and putt to a spot (maybe use a drinking glass as a "hole," or just a mark on the wall) on the linoleum floor of your kitchen. Practice a few times until you get the hang of it. That’s very close to the speed of some of the greens used on the PGA TOUR. Now, walk up and down the stairs of your house or outside your apartment a few times to approximate the effort extended in walking up a 50-foot slope. Now, give yourself a minute to catch your breath and try the putt in your kitchen again. You’ll find that your hands aren’t quite as steady. You may be in great shape and there’ll be very little difference, but ANY difference which could make you miss on that demanding putting surface can mean the difference of a couple hundred thousand dollars THIS WEEK. Or could mean the difference between making the cut and missing the cut. Fair’s fair, but only when what’s fair for one is fair for all. I’ve said all along that the fairest way to accomodate Casey is to put everyone on a cart. Not give everyone the option to ride, but require it. That way, everyone’s tested under the same conditions, and Casey gets his accomodation. (Of course, some would say the Casey’s still at a disadvantage so he should get more, or everyone else should get less. But THAT would be about giving someone a head start in the race, and that’s BS.) The problem is, if everyone rides, where does that leave the sport? What little athleticism is involved has then been legislated out of the sport. The ability to run the bases is essential to the game of baseball. The ability to run up and down the court is essential to the game of basketball. The ability to walk from tee to tee shot is not essential.
The SIZE of a football is not essential to how the game of football is played. If a young man has extraordinarily small hands and can’t grip a regulation-size football, but can throw and run and read defenses, should he have the right ro require the NFL to "accomodate" him by allowing him to use a smaller ball? (Though I don’t possess the skills of a Dan Marino, this is actually true of me. I have very small hands and have difficulty gripping a regulation-size football. But give me one of those "junior-size" footballs, and I can lay it in with the best of ‘em.) His golf cart on cart paths or in fairways will not affect how his competitors play their game.
It will if players are forced to take a drop out of a tire track. (And if it happens more than a time or two, it’ll slow play down to a crawl, which will affect everyone’s pace of play.) A wheel chair on a basketball court would be dangerious, a golf cart on a golf course is not.
When you have to drive it through galleries of 100,000 people, it most certainly would be dangerous. I drive carts on Fridays every week at TOUR events, and every time I do, I have to be very careful not to run someone over. We’ve had numerous near-mishaps. Thank God no accidents yet. 6. This is a fairness issue. Would it be fair to deny a job to someone because their wheel chair can’t make it between the desks or through a doorway? No. Move the desks and widen the doorway.
Again, I agree with this premise. But the width of the doorway in the workplace (or the height of the commode, or the ramp at the front door, etc.) does not effect how people perform their jobs. More to the point, it doesn’t give your business a competitive advantage over your competitors across town. In sports, there’s a difference. Everyone is playing the same game, by the same rules, under the same conditions. They were until now. If a person is qualified and can compete, make resonable concessions and give them a chance.
Once you’ve started down this road, where does it lead? What about my "small hands" argument? A "disability" doesn’t have to be crippling. It is merely a condition which prevents someone from doing what others do. What about blind people being officials at football games? That wouldn’t prevent them from doing the same job as everyone else! (That was a joke. I couldn’t help myself.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 7. I
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1. Is riding a cart an advantage or disadvantage? I believe Pros would tell you walking keeps them loose and focussed and helps them to play better…….
Many good points. I guess that I have about $0.02 left on this, despite the fact that it is a very important issue. 1. This is not about Casey Martin, it is about carts. I, like many posters to this group HATE carts. Golfing was far more enjoyable before the convoys of drunks driving carts up your ass made golfing into some sort of time trial. One old guy said it best, "If you’re in a hurry, you should’nt be on a golf course". I especially hate the fact that drunks in carts won’t let you play through while they take 3-4 mulligans per shot and spend several minute each, each shot, looking for lost balls in the middle of the fairway, following 120 yard "drives". 2. The PGA and PGA tour through their management of their courses do more to promote cart use than anyone else. The tour especially has no credibility on the issue. 3. Some of my colleagues are always telling my students what they can and cannot due based on some assesment of their abilities. I HATE this. We live in a society that has enormous opportunity, but enormous competition. Young people especially need to be encouraged to TRY, and Casey Martin is one of the best examples of "you can’t succeed if you don’t try, you can only succeed if you do try". Most people are losers because they don’t play the game for fear of losing, which is the essence of stupidity! Such losers are always taking shots at people who do try and succeed to sooth themselves for not only failing, but failing to try…." I could have made the effort, but…….and look what happened to him/her", or "he/she didn’t really succeed through their own effort, he/she was given the success via some connection or special consideration, which I don’t have, and that’s why I didn’t try." When I hear any aspect of this type of rhetoric, I know I am talking to a LOSER. 4. The success of the PGA tour is based on the response of the public to it, not the rules. Martin was an excellent opportunity for the tour to make a substantial positive impact in a highly competitive sports entertainment market. If you disagree, consider the following: if some terrorist nuked the US open and killed all the best golfers in the world, but the fan base remained loyal to the tour, the tour would survive. However if you lost the fan base (due to idiotic PR like that of Finchem) but had the greatest tournaments in history, 5 or 6 golfers head to head birdie after birdie all the way, the tour would die. No fan base, no tour. The bigger the fan base, the bigger the tour. It is a business, and the business is sports entertainment, not golf. 5. The judicial system arbitrates disputes between individuals in a free and peaceful society, SOme people don’t like this, indicating they don’t like freedom AND peace. If we dictate "rules", who does the dictating? If you want wide open "freedom, go to Russia, where the judicial system is too weak to either arbitrate or enforce decisions. The tour, and many golfers, including me, have a burr up their ass about carts. However, to take this out on Casey Martin is idiotic. Cart use is fully sanctioned and often ENFORCED by the PGA tour. Carts are a part of the game of golf, period. For the PGA tour to split hairs and attack someone like Casey Martin the way they have is absolutely unacceptable. I, if only one, will not watch a PGA tour event on television while Finchem and his hypocritical, irresponsible, elitist rednecks are running the show. I would rather be golfing! Well, I guess I got about $2.00 in, but I always overspend when it comes to golf! (My wife HAS complained!)
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1. Is riding a cart an advantage or disadvantage? I believe Pros would tell you walking keeps them loose and focussed and helps them to play better. 2. Would any Pro trade a good leg for Casey’s so he could ride in tournaments? No. 3. Is walking and stamina really an essential part of the game? This is the main issue the judge ruled on. He ruled the act of walking between shots and holes is not essential to competition. I agree with him. I also acknowledge at time walking and stamina can be a factor. At the US Open in Oakmont (high 90’s and humid) I saw a Pro drop out after less than 9 holes because he was fat, and out of shape. I saw Monty play the first round nearly in heat exhaustion and have to go to the medical trailer afterwards to get fluids by IV. Yes, walking can be a factor, but not always and not enough to win the case for the PGA. 4. Do some players on the Tour get special treatment? Think about it. The fact Greg Norman can take his helocopter from the clubhouse directly to his home without having to put up with congested highways is an advantage. The fact Tiger, Palmer, ChiChi, and many others can take private jets to and from tournaments without the strain of "commercial" air traffic is an advantage. The fact certain top golfers get endorsement money that guarantees them a great living is an advantage. The special treatment some golfers get from manufacturers is an advantage. The special perks at tournaments top golfers get is an advantage. Having a top caddy on your bag is an advantage. Having top coaches, physical trainers, and sports shrinks on your staff is an advantage. 5. IMHO the game of golf comes down to how many times you strike the regulation ball with regulations clubs following the USGA regulations. If a player can compete at the top level but due to an undeniable physical disability needs assistance to get between the shots he should be given that assistance. The way a golfer gets from shot to shot is not essential. The ability to run the bases is essential to the game of baseball. The ability to run up and down the court is essential to the game of basketball. The ability to walk from tee to tee shot is not essential. His golf cart on cart paths or in fairways will not affect how his competitors play their game. A wheel chair on a basketball court would be dangerious, a golf cart on a golf course is not. 6. This is a fairness issue. Would it be fair to deny a job to someone because their wheel chair can’t make it between the desks or through a doorway? No. Move the desks and widen the doorway. If a person is qualified and can compete, make resonable concessions and give them a chance. 7. I know this is not a black and white topic. It has many shades of gray and is polarizing the golf community. Isn’t it wonderful however that the only hot topic within our sport doesn’t deal with a player choking a coach, testing positive for drugs, getting arrested for rape or spousal abuse. The hot topic du jour (and I’m glad it’s no longer Tiger) is whether a crippled man who with a short time will probably have one of his legs amputated should be allowed to pursue his dream of competing on the PGA Tour. I believe the only thing that should determine whether Casey should be able to compete on the Tour is the number of times he strikes the ball in tournament competition.