Casey Martin: Cart or Not?

[VMAN]

It's not a slippery slope at all, it all came down about 11 years ago.  He sued the PGA and won in 2001 and the pga in their infinite wisdom would give him the crappiest cart possible and make him drive it in the weirdest places.  His caddy could not use the cart, not even to put a towel on or rest his water.

Now the USGA could have decided something different, but they didn't and especially not in San Francisco.

But it's crystal clear as to what the precedent is for someone that qualifies for a tour card.  If you have a disability and can maintain your skill level you can play on the tour.  But those who care about carts on the tour shouldn't be worried, only one person has been able to do it and he couldn't keep it up for very long.  In my mind this was mainly a singular exception for a great kid with a bad break, they knew where it would end.

[Bullitt5339]

I voted Yes simply for the fact that a guy with his particular disability who has achieved the level of talent that he has should be in public view as an inspiration to others who are disabled and can't compete in more athletic sports.

In order to excel in golf, he either had to work much harder than everyone else, or was born with a level of talent far above the average professional golfer.

[iacas]

27-6 currently.

[GaijinGolfer]

I say yes because he has a physical disability which makes it difficult for him to get around the course.

[neophytea]

I guess women should be able to play the PGA tour from closer T's.

[David in FL]

as a golfer with a bad back I can somewhat relate ... I voted yes, he should be able to compete w ith a cart as his disability is a legit legal disability,

Heaven help us if they start granting exceptions based on "legally" defined disabilities.....

[Jwat381]

My view is this (hard to be unbiased because I am a lifelong Duck fan.) : His disability doesn't prevent him from playing the game - meaning hitting the golf ball - just navigating the course. I think that if he's willing to hobble to each shot from a cart and hit shots, then more power to him. The cart isn't giving him an advantage; just allowing him to get to his ball, seeing as he can hardly walk. In the local paper he said, by the last holes of his qualifier, he was extremely tired. I'd imagine he gets more fatigued hobbling from the cart than an able bodied person does walking the course. Either way, I'm rooting for him, and it's a fun and interesting story, as well. I just think the reason him being allowed to use a cart is perfectly okay is because he would undoubtedly walk all 18 holes - if he could.

[Phil McGleno]

Like hell it's not an advantage. Its obviously an undeniable advantage for him personally since without it he wouldn't even be able to play golf. And if you dont think that riding a cart around instead of having to walk 18 (72) holes is an advantage over other guys then you havent played tournament golf or certainly haven't done it in the heat. Look at the boys in Memphis or wherever they are this week sweating their balls off. Look at Jason Dufner being tired after his stretch and not being able to close out Johnson. I get that hes a nice guy but this is a competition and now its unfair as one guy gets to do something nobody else does because LIFE isnt fair and gave him those legs but sports are supposed to be as fair as possible, and we dont let shorter people tee off from closer to the hole because they're shorter. [quote name="Jwat381" url="/t/58810/casey-martin-cart-or-not/36#post_722469"]My view is this (hard to be unbiased because I am a lifelong Duck fan.) : His disability doesn't prevent him from playing the game - meaning hitting the golf ball - just navigating the course. I think that if he's willing to hobble to each shot from a cart and hit shots, then more power to him. The cart isn't giving him an advantage; just allowing him to get to his ball, seeing as he can hardly walk. In the local paper he said, by the last holes of his qualifier, he was extremely tired. I'd imagine he gets more fatigued hobbling from the cart than an able bodied person does walking the course. Either way, I'm rooting for him, and it's a fun and interesting story, as well. I just think the reason him being allowed to use a cart is perfectly okay is because he would undoubtedly walk all 18 holes - if he could. [/quote]

[xxsoultonesxx]

Give the man a cart. He qualified for the us open with an honest disability for crying out loud. Shouldn't golfs governing bodies send a positive message every now and then? Even if he won, it wouldn't be because he got to ride in a cart. He already has the odds stacked against him.

[newtogolf]

I voted yes, but that was a vote with my heart not my head.  I think we're all decent people and we feel compassion for people like Martin.  Whether we like him or not we typically cheer for people like him and hope to see them overcome the bad hand they were dealt.

While I think Phil McGleno is a bit insensitive to Martins condition he's approaching it from the head, and it's hard to dispute his concerns and the potential fallout of such decisions.  It's more difficult to support his position because the exception was originally granted in 1998 and to date I'm not aware of anyone else that's tried to use a cart during a PGA Tour Tournament, but that doesn't mean they won't in the future.  Walking in 90+ degree temps in the blazing sun does cause fatigue and stamina is integral to the game.  Hogan retired partially because his injured legs could no longer withstand walking the 18 - 36 holes tournament play required.

When you make such a ruling you have to be aware of the potential for misuse and abuse.  Others have made valid points as well in questioning how far the USGA should be expected to go to accomodate a player who due to no fault of his own requires special accomodations in order to compete at that level.

[Hoganwoods]

For a normal person using a cart would be an advantage, but for Casey it will level the playing field for him.  He's not gaining an advantage with the cart.  From what I've read he'll probably be in worst shape after his round with the cart than other pros without a cart.

[zipazoid]

^^ That.

He has a birth defect. A disability. And yes, I understand how someone can say 'sucks to be you' & if you can't walk you can't play. But riding a cart for Martin isn't an advantage. It's equalizing a dis advantage.

[colin007]

Give him a cart, it's not like this really masters, I mean, it's just golf right?

[Jwat381]

Like I already said, him hobbling to and from the cart isn't easy for him. It's strenuous and tiring, just the same as the guys walking 18. [quote name="Phil McGleno" url="/t/58810/casey-martin-cart-or-not/36#post_722479"]Like hell it's not an advantage. Its obviously an undeniable advantage for him personally since without it he wouldn't even be able to play golf. And if you dont think that riding a cart around instead of having to walk 18 (72) holes is an advantage over other guys then you havent played tournament golf or certainly haven't done it in the heat. Look at the boys in Memphis or wherever they are this week sweating their balls off. Look at Jason Dufner being tired after his stretch and not being able to close out Johnson. I get that hes a nice guy but this is a competition and now its unfair as one guy gets to do something nobody else does because LIFE isnt fair and gave him those legs but sports are supposed to be as fair as possible, and we dont let shorter people tee off from closer to the hole because they're shorter. [/quote]

[Phil McGleno]

Tough shit. Again everyone says hes a nice guy but its fundamental to sport that the playing field actually BE equal not that we somehow contrive things to make it equal and thats all the cart ruling does. Or again should we let some guy with some disability tee off from 2000 yards because that levels the playing field? Sports are not democratic and they are not fair the people who are physically more gifted are supposed to win. Their advantages ARE THAT THEY ARE MORE PHYSICALLY GIFTED. Tough shit for Casey Martin and bummer that he isnt but the fact is he is not physically more gifted, and any attempts to level the playing field diminish from the sport. Or maybe if Tom Brady tears his ACL we should him play so long as we dont tackle him. Maybe all of the games with him in them can be flag football and if you touch his knees its an automatic TD for him. Cuz that just levels the playing field right? [quote name="Hoganwoods" url="/t/58810/casey-martin-cart-or-not/36#post_722496"]For a normal person using a cart would be an advantage, but for Casey it will level the playing field for him.  He's not gaining an advantage with the cart.  From what I've read he'll probably be in worst shape after his round with the cart than other pros without a cart. [/quote]

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I voted yes, but that was a vote with my heart not my head.  I think we're all decent people and we feel compassion for people like Martin.  Whether we like him or not we typically cheer for people like him and hope to see them overcome the bad hand they were dealt.

While I think Phil McGleno is a bit insensitive to Martins condition he's approaching it from the head, and it's hard to dispute his concerns and the potential fallout of such decisions.  It's more difficult to support his position because the exception was originally granted in 1998 and to date I'm not aware of anyone else that's tried to use a cart during a PGA Tour Tournament, but that doesn't mean they won't in the future.  Walking in 90+ degree temps in the blazing sun does cause fatigue and stamina is integral to the game.  Hogan retired partially because his injured legs could no longer withstand walking the 18 - 36 holes tournament play required.

When you make such a ruling you have to be aware of the potential for misuse and abuse.  Others have made valid points as well in questioning how far the USGA should be expected to go to accomodate a player who due to no fault of his own requires special accomodations in order to compete at that level.

Good post.  I probably would have voted yes if I went off my gut reaction to the thread title.  2-3 pages later, and I'm still not entirely sure how to formulate a concrete opinion on this as I have more questions than answers to those questions (and hypotheticals).

Originally Posted by Hoganwoods

For a normal person using a cart would be an advantage, but for Casey it will level the playing field for him.  He's not gaining an advantage with the cart.

Cancelling out disadvantages is not something the Tour should be in the habit of controlling from my perspective.  Each golfer has advantages/disadvantages and strengths/weaknesses in their own games.  The idea behind competition in any balanced sport is that there is more than one way to win at said competition by accentuating your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses relative to your peers.  In the end the "best" is supposed to win.  "Best" is supposed to be an absolute term.  We ought not start grading on a curve by allowing people who have problems to compensate for those problems to make things more "fair" for them.

Somebody brought up contact lenses before, which is an interesting comparison.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around the distinction I would make there.  Traversing the course is a part of playing the game whereas vision is not exclusive to playing a round of golf.  Also, better vision doesn't improve ones chances of playing golf, whereas physical shape and conditioning does.  The more I think about this, the more I think walking is integral to the sport, especially when the case is clearly being made that walking in particular cases would harm their game.  The proof appears to be in the argument for the other side of the argument.

Brandon

[Infamous 273]

the dude is a pro athlete.  any pro athlete is an alpha male imo.  my point is, he probably feels like a douche for having to ride in a cart, and i'm sure it kills his pride to do so.  i guarantee if he could walk 18 (with the only side effect being pain) without the risk of losing his life (throwing a blood clot) or limb, he'd do it.  give the dude a break.

[zipazoid]

Ya know, the contact lens example is a good one. If Martin can't use something to compensate for his disability, then why can golfers compensate for bad eyesight with an artificial device?

Answer that one, Phil McGleno. By your reasoning, golfers with poor eyesight are just SOL. Take away Tom Kite's 1992 US Open win when he wore glasses. Hell, take away Kite's whole career - he used an artificial device to compensate for a disability - poor eyesight.

And before you say it's a ridiculous example, so's your attempt to moral equivilantize (don't know if that's a word) Martin using a cart to Tom Brady having special rules if he's hurt or MS players playing a 2,000y course.