Handicapped Golfers on the PGA Tour

Most handicapped golf players cannot achieve their dreams of wining a PGA tournament simply because they cannot endure 72 holes of golf, the standard number of holes for a PGA tournament. The entire field usually competes in two 18-hole rounds on Thursday and Friday. Those who survive the cut compete on Saturday and Sunday and receive prizes and awards for their combined scores for all four rounds. For example, Casey Martin, a former PGA player diagnosed with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome, was using a golf cart during the tournament. Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome is a circulatory disease that has

The counter argument to this is that officials feel Casey Martin, and other handicapped players, are no different from everyone else. The PGA’s argument, and as stated in the PGA rulebook, is that they are not a corporation and they were not responsible for aiding the disabled. PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem said that despite the courts ruling, the PGA plans to keep the walking requirement in its rulebook for other golfers. He also said the PGA will use the language in the decision to create a "framework" for handling future requests for rule exemptions from disabled golfers (CNN Online News Article. U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in disabled golfer case ). PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem spoke in his State of the Tour Message: "This is an issue first and foremost about whether or not the courts should make the rules for the game or the governing body of the game should make those rules. We feel very strongly that those people who have dedicated their lives to making this the great game that is it and invested enormous amounts of time and energy in shepherding the rules and regulations of our game. And I am speaking now, in the broader context of Royal and Ancient, United States Golf Association, PGA of America, not just the PGA TOUR, but those are the individuals in their own areas that should be the final determinator of the rules of the game." (CNN Online News Article. U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in disabled golfer case ). Players on the tour are not employees so they don’t get any benefits from the PGA. PGA officials feel that rules are rules a

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