No Room for Cheaters in Golf

By Brad Ewart, Real Golf eNewsletter Editor

Golf is one of the few games where you are your own referee.

Golfers are the only sportsmen who call infractions on themselves when no one else would have known. If you know you've done something wrong and are prepared to play with that guilt, then good luck to you.

Calling a penalty on yourself or calling out another player for a rule infraction is a player's obligation to the rest of the field. The players will respect the individual for following procedure and it allows the golfer to play without a guilty conscience.

In the mind of the cheater, they have justified their reason for cheating and don't let it bother them. For others, the insidious cheating worm unravels in their brain, and within a few holes, disaster will strike.

Some players are afraid to call out another player for breaking a rule simply because they aren't sure there was an infraction. A poll of 50 caddies, published in the January issue of Golf Magazine, revealed 54 per cent witnessed a player cheating during a tour event.

"There is no room in the game for someone who is cheating," said former Masters champion Craig Stadler. "If I see someone do it, I'll call him. Absolutely!

"Golf is a gentleman's sport and an honest game where you shouldn't have to worry about the other players. It is a tough enough game, especially under tournament conditions, where you have to concentrate on your own situation."

Cheating comes in many different forms. The most blatant form is a player writing down a score lower than what they really shot. Another cheater is the creative ball marker who can remark a ball position two or three times and get closer to the hole on each occasion.

If you see someone break the rules or you make a mistake yourself, then call a penalty. Cheaters should never prosper!