Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Is There A Pro Golfer With An Ounce Of Class?

The Supreme Court will hear the PGA's case to prevent Casey Martin from using a cart on the tour. Casey had previously sued under the Americans With Disabilities Act to be able to use a cart due to a degenerative condition in legs/hips. I have to think Martin will lose the case. I may be misreading the law, but it seems like the PGA is more a private club as described in section 307 than an employer with regard to golfers on tour. Personally, I'd like to see the PGA grant Martin an exception due to the nature of his condition. I don't think allowing him to use a cart gives him an unsportsmanlike advantage over the other golfers. Martin will, if his condition does not put him in a wheelchair, be able to play on the Senior tour where the golfers are allowed to use carts. It's not like an adverse ruling would necessarily keep him out of golf forever. I think it would be a classy thing for a guy like Tiger, Els, or Duval to speak up for Martin though. I remember seeing Martin at the GHO in Cromwell this summer and I really felt for him. It was obviously causing him a great deal of pain just to walk the short distance from the cart path to the tee box. I find it hard to believe the guys who play on tour with him feel like he has an unfair advantage over them. If they do, they're a bunch of wusses.
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