PGA has right to establish standard rules of play

Wednesday, February 11, 1998

PGA has right to establish standard rules of play

Giving special privileges is not sport’s obligation

By Matthew Gever

One of the rules of the Professional Golf Association (PGA) is
that players are required to walk the course while participating in
a tournament. However, there is one person who believes that the
standards set by the PGA do not apply to him. This man, Casey
Martin, is currently suing the PGA for the right to use a cart
while playing in a tournament, in spite of the existing rules that
do not allow the use of one.

Martin is suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act. He
has a rare blood disorder in his right leg that makes walking
extremely painful. Because of this, Martin believes that he has the
right to use a cart while playing in a PGA tournament. The PGA
responds to this by saying that walking is an essential part of the
game, and that giving one person a cart while requiring everyone
else to walk would give Martin an unfair advantage. Traversing a
golf course could easily total five miles, with much of it being
uphill. This expense of energy takes its toll on a player and
affects his or her game. Exempting an individual player from this
test of endurance would give that player an advantage over everyone
else.

What this comes down to is an organization’s ability to set its
own standards. The PGA is saying, "If you want to play on our tour
and win our money, you must live up to our standards." Why must any
organization be forced to compromise its standards in order to
accommodate those who cannot meet them? If the court rules in favor
of Martin, a serious blow will be dealt to the right of assembly.
The right to assemble also encompasses the right to exclude. If
Martin wants to join the PGA, he must live up to the standards it
has set, and not go crying to the courts to force the organization
to change its procedures just for him.

Martin’s handicap does not entitle him to be exempt from any
rules. Jim Abbott pitched in the Major Leagues for nine years
despite having only one hand. He was never granted any exemptions,
nor did he ever ask for any. Having a handicap does not mean that
one cannot pursue his or her dreams. It just means that one must
work harder. This is what Martin has to realize. Standards must not
be lowered for those who cannot meet them.

Overall, the PGA is perfectly justified in not allowing Casey
Martin to use a cart during its tournaments. The organization has
specific standards that a player must reach if he or she wants to
participate. Martin must realize this and attempt to meet these
standards if he wishes to play golf professionally, and not force
any group to rotate its existence around him.Gever is a member of
the Bruin Libertarians.