Casey Martin Goes to the Supreme Court

I'd like to know how many people who say "let him have the cart" have played enough golf to have a handicap.

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stop posting my damn signature

 

Why don't they ALL just use a freakin' cart? Golf is the most boring sport on the planet and the only way its ratings on TV have kept from falling to a point slightly lower than the curb is Tiger Woods. No one watches Tiger for his stunning walking. No one could give a crap if he went 16 under or 50 under. They just want to see him kick ass.

By the same token, does anyone here honestly believe that scores would see a dramatic drop if everyone drove a cart? Most athletes get every single advantage possible when they are playing. Golfers should be no different.

I could see if he wanted better clubs or shorter tees or whatever. And, of course walking is difficult, but it isn't like power walking. Just give everybody a damn cart and let it go.

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I am very very sleepy.

 

I'll concede that. However, aren't there some tournaments where the players have to walk the course and carry their own bags to boot?

Regardless, golfing still sucks.

 

The carts take away from the "aesthetic" look of golf. That's what the PGA would say. I would tend to agree with them.

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humble, but hungry.

 

Pole, I've heard pro golfers say over and over that they'd rather walk that use a cart.

 

No that's not what I am saying. My response is to Pole's thought of "If you haven't play enough golf, you shouldn't be commenting on the 'walking part'." So, if I have not shot as many FT's as Shaq, should I not be allowed to comment on his FT's?

Pole, would that be a golfer's ass?

I don't believe Martin should get an unfair advantage (if that is what it is). Like I suggested before, let him do other things while riding on the cart (with no top) so that he will get the same amount (not type, because that's not possible) of "excercise" and exposure to the elements as others do. If he doesn't like that, then fine, don't let him play.

If PGA don't want to change their "Golden Rules", say that, don't use excuses such as "oh, he is getting an unfair advantage!". I have no problem with that, they are a private institution. But if their only problem is with the "advantage" thing, I believe there are ways to overcome that.

 

Tim Finchem and the PGA were complete idiots, when it came to this issue. They could have come out looking like a compassionate and truly modern/forward thinking organization, by just letting him ride and NEVER making an issue out of this. They would have received great PR by accommodating Casey, it would have been a great story.

But nope, they come out with the typical hard-line, old, white, cigar smoking, good ole boy stance against ANY sort of change to the “traditions” that leads to the stereotype that most people have of golf an the PGA tour.

They ain’t going to win this case, and Casey has a deteriorating calf muscle, he most likely will not play golf for an extended period of time anyway, at least at the highest level.

This battle definitely wasn’t worth fighting and the PGA has a dinosaur size EGG on their face for doing so.


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I heard a news report similar to what you did, Ty, and they added that there is a good chance he will loose his leg and never be able to play again. They said he intended to press the case regardless, to help others who might be in this situation.

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Stay Cool...

 

Ty,

I read that enough justices (including Scalia) appeared to side with the PGA that Casey's case appeared threatened.

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Cohen

 

So... fans that have never made the high school basketball team have no rights to complain about Shaq's FT shooting?

 

who's ass did you pull that analogy out of, moonbus?



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stop posting my damn signature

 

This is an extremely poor comparison. If you were to suggest that shaq's FT shooting had no effect on the game and was unimportant, and that the rules should be changed to reflet this fact, then you might be on to something. I don't believe anyone was saying that you can't critique an athlete's performance, however.

I do think the PGA should let him ride a cart. I do not think that the Supreme Court should force a private athletic organization to change their rules, however. If the PGA sets the rules, Martin can either start his own league (doubtful) or try to gather enough public support to force the PGA's hand where it really hurts: the pocketbook.

dylan

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The difference is, in baseball, base running is considered an essential part of the sport, and is done in every league at every level. This is further emphasized by the fact players are allowed into the PGA based on their golfing skill -- hitting the ball toward the hole -- and is the only real consideration.

I understand the concerns about making everyone "play by the same rules," and without the ADA I might agree. But the spirit and letter of the ADA are pretty clear -- you have to make allowances (not discriminate) when they don't affect the essential elements of a job. The only question really is whether walking from hole to hole is an essential part of the game, and I think they'll have a tough time making this case.

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Stay Cool...

 

The court can further use the ADA and look at the "rulebook" of the higher institutions of sports. If you bother to look at the Royal Academy's (Scotland) set of rules it never mentions having to use a golf-cart and neither does the head golf insitution for america--i forget their name. Some events on the professionaly golf tour, the PGA, do require carts, but according to the ADA they have to make exceptions.

Also, I dont know the exact details of Casey's leg problem, but I have heard descriptions and it is much more than just a leg that cant have much pressure on it, etc. He has some serious problems there and for him even just riding a course would easily be 3 times as strenous as everyone else walking the course.

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