Should personal integrity trump a loophole in the rules?

[mdboatbum]

Not sure if there are any golf fans here, but this is really bugging me. In the 2nd round of the Masters, Tiger Woods inadvertently broke a rule resulting in his gaining a clear advantage over what the situation would have been had he played within the rules. In a post round interview, he stated (while still unaware of the infraction) his intention was to place the ball in a more advantageous spot for the length of the shot required. Overnight the infraction was discovered by the rules committee (and pointed out by thousands of fans who saw it on TV) and Tiger was called in to meet with the rules committee and the club chairman.

The result was a 2 shot penalty. This was in lieu of what could have been an automatic disqualification due to the fact that he signed an incorrect scorecard following yesterdays round. It was incorrect because it did not indicate the 2 stroke penalty, which, by rule, players are required to impose on themselves even if a rules official is not present to witness the infraction. In other words, the spirit of the rule dictates you police your own actions and uphold the rules, NO MATTER WHAT.

Now here's the tricky part. Last year (or the year before) a new rule was implemented to protect players from what has become known as the HDTV phenomenon. The rule states that a penalty of disqualification can be waived in exceptional circumstances if the rules committee deems it appropriate. This whole thing came about after several incidents where members of the television audience noticed infractions (such as miniscule ball movements that would normally result in a penalty stroke) via high definition TV coverage THAT WERE UNNOTICED, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY UNABLE TO BE NOTICED BY THE PLAYER. However, as the wording of the rule is somewhat vague, the rules committee were able to invoke it to save Tiger Woods from disqualification. In this case, it was not that the infraction was unnoticeable, but that the player in question was ignorant of, or confused by the pertinent rule. So, long story short, Tiger dodged a bullet due to a soft call by the rules committee. Many are speculating that the call was made to keep him in the tournament thereby boosting TV ratings.

Now, here's the even trickier part. Tiger Woods is capable (within the rules) of imposing the penalty on himself retroactively, rendering the scorecard incorrect and requiring his immediate disqualification from the tournament, despite the ruling that he's safe from disqualification. In other words, he can be the bigger man and bow out in favor of the true spirit of the game. 

What would you do?

 

[cliffcarter]

Small tempest in a smaller teapot IMHO. Sports talk radio and ESPN will keep it alive until the NFL draft, most likely.

 

[Bearcarver]

Not sure if there are any golf fans here, but this is really bugging me. In the 2nd round of the Masters, Tiger Woods inadvertently broke a rule resulting in his gaining a clear advantage over what the situation would have been had he played within the rules. In a post round interview, he stated (while still unaware of the infraction) his intention was to place the ball in a more advantageous spot for the length of the shot required. Overnight the infraction was discovered by the rules committee (and pointed out by thousands of fans who saw it on TV) and Tiger was called in to meet with the rules committee and the club chairman.

The result was a 2 shot penalty. This was in lieu of what could have been an automatic disqualification due to the fact that he signed an incorrect scorecard following yesterdays round. It was incorrect because it did not indicate the 2 stroke penalty, which, by rule, players are required to impose on themselves even if a rules official is not present to witness the infraction. In other words, the spirit of the rule dictates you police your own actions and uphold the rules, NO MATTER WHAT.

Now here's the tricky part. Last year (or the year before) a new rule was implemented to protect players from what has become known as the HDTV phenomenon. The rule states that a penalty of disqualification can be waived in exceptional circumstances if the rules committee deems it appropriate. This whole thing came about after several incidents where members of the television audience noticed infractions (such as miniscule ball movements that would normally result in a penalty stroke) via high definition TV coverage THAT WERE UNNOTICED, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY UNABLE TO BE NOTICED BY THE PLAYER. However, as the wording of the rule is somewhat vague, the rules committee were able to invoke it to save Tiger Woods from disqualification. In this case, it was not that the infraction was unnoticeable, but that the player in question was ignorant of, or confused by the pertinent rule. So, long story short, Tiger dodged a bullet due to a soft call by the rules committee. Many are speculating that the call was made to keep him in the tournament thereby boosting TV ratings.

Now, here's the even trickier part. Tiger Woods is capable (within the rules) of imposing the penalty on himself retroactively, rendering the scorecard incorrect and requiring his immediate disqualification from the tournament, despite the ruling that he's safe from disqualification. In other words, he can be the bigger man and bow out in favor of the true spirit of the game. 

What would you do?

I'm not a golfer, but I've been either playing or coaching Football & Baseball all of my life.

Maybe it's different because they are team sports, but many times players get more than favorable calls from Umps & Refs, and it is customary for them to keep their mouths shut.

Such as:

Baseball:

A trapped ball ruled as a catch

Missed a bag ruled as Bag touched

Missed a tag ruled "Out"

Football:

Trapped ball ruled as completed pass

Face-masking not seen by Refs

Many other things not seen by refs.

Like I said, Golf could be different, because it's supposed to be a "Gentleman's Game", but since I'm not a golfer, I'll leave that call to others.

Bear

 

[mdboatbum]

Cliff, in all due respect I believe you have totally missed my point. This has very little to do with sports. I was hoping for insight on people's views on personal responsibility versus the ever increasing "everybody gets a trophy" mentality weaving its way through society.

In my view, he screwed up and should put on his big boy pants and accept the consequences, even if he's granted a pass by the powers that be.

 

[mdboatbum]

I'm not a golfer, but I've been either playing or coaching Football & Baseball all of my life.

Maybe it's different because they are team sports, but many times players get more than favorable calls from Umps & Refs, and it is customary for them to keep their mouths shut.

Such as:

Baseball:

A trapped ball ruled as a catch

Missed a bag ruled as Bag touched

Missed a tag ruled "Out"

Football:

Trapped ball ruled as completed pass

Face-masking not seen by Refs

Many other things not seen by refs.

Like I said, Golf could be different, because it's supposed to be a "Gentleman's Game", but since I'm not a golfer, I'll leave that call to others.

Bear

Bear, I think you've hot the nail on the head. Golf is different, whether you refer to it as a Gentleman's game or simply due to the fact that it's incumbent on the player to apply the rules to himself. There is an expression that has been used in advertising for the PGA that goes something like "integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching". In this case, in one of the most widely televised and followed media events of the year, I really feel it's an opportunity for one player to stand up for personal responsibility and put his own gain second to the good of the game.

 

[smokeamotive]

Yeah, It's the Masters. Yes, Tigers game has been improving lately. But........Man up and play by the rules!!!!

 

[daveomak]

No one messes with Tiger..... He is worth too much money to the PGA and television and Nike and ...........

About his integrity..... I love watching him play but.........  I don't think I can comment on that.....  

There are many infractons.... This is one I remember watching.... 

Craig Stadler, 1987 Andy Williams Open

The situation: While playing a shot from his knees in dewy grass on the 14th hole in the third round, Stadler placed a towel beneath him to avoid getting his pants wet.

The penalty: Rule 13-3/2 seems to have been built for this specific violation: "Q. A player's ball was under a tree in such a position that he found it expedient to play his next stroke while on his knees. Because the ground was wet, the player placed a towel on the ground at the spot where his knees would be situated so that the knees of his trousers would not get wet. He then knelt on the towel and played his stroke. Was the player subject to penalty under Rule 13-3 for building a stance? A. Yes."

The result: Stadler completed the rest of his third round and the entire final round, ostensibly finishing in second place before being informed that he had been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard after not giving himself a penalty the previous day.

 

[Bearcarver]

LOL---A penalty for putting a towel under your knee in wet grass. Another good reason to not golf !!!

Bear

 

[mdboatbum]

I couldn't agree more Dave. Stadler was DQ'd under the very same rule. Tiger got a pass due to a recent revision of the rules that has nothing to do with the situation at hand. Given Tiger's recent personal struggles and ensuing climb back to a somewhat respectable reputation, I think he'd fare far better in the long run if he disqualified himself. Not to mention the message he'd be sending to the world, and more importantly, young fans, that doing the right thing is the right thing to do.

 

[daveomak]

I agree about him DQ'ing himself.....  But I'll bet there is some language in his contracts either PGA or Nike or whoever else, that his disappearance from the game would cost him dearly....  As if it would be a problem.....  On the tube yesterday, it was noted he made 84 million last year... 

 

[cliffcarter]

Cliff, in all due respect I believe you have totally missed my point. This has very little to do with sports. I was hoping for insight on people's views on personal responsibility versus the ever increasing "everybody gets a trophy" mentality weaving its way through society.

In my view, he screwed up and should put on his big boy pants and accept the consequences, even if he's granted a pass by the powers that be.

Small tempest in a smaller teapot IMHO. Sports talk radio and ESPN will keep it alive until the NFL draft, most likely.

Sorry, I didn't miss your point, I ignored it.

Personally speaking, if I make a mistake I own up to it. If Tiger Woods wants to hide in the rules, so be it, he has to live with it and frankly, he has done worse IMHO.

My point is that this national discussion has less to do with personal morality or integrity and more to do with how we entertain and amuse ourselves, which may be a more revealing debate.

 

[supercenterchef]

I don't know anything about golf--but as a comment on personal responsibility...

I think, if he was truly "ignorant of, or confused by the pertinent rule" then the penalty is appropriate and he cannot be expected to police himself when the rules seem so silly (to us non golfers--I'm thinking of the towel incident)

As for the "everyone gets a trophy mentality"--that's altogether different.  I think there should be one tropy...and the plaque for runners up can be found in the ladies room...

...no offense ladies :D

 

[seenred]

Perhaps this question has a bit more meaning to those of us who play and love the game of golf. (I don't want to diminish the opinions of those who don't play, so please don't take offense)  The game was founded on the ideals of integrity and of taking personal responsibility.  For as long as people have played the game, the players have been the custodians and protectors of the rules.  In no other sport is a player known to, and even expected to, call a penalty on him- or herself.  There are numerous examples of players who have let their integrity and sportsmanship cost them tournament championships by invoking penalties on themselves.  And yes, I would agree there are some rules in the game that I deem as silly or archaic.  But what I feel makes golf a special game is that it has, to some degree, avoided this modern philosophy of "winning at any cost".  While it is acceptable in football or baseball to benefit from a poorly officiated play, and rich and famous pro athletes have knowingly bent and broken rules to gain an advantage as a matter of course, this is something that golf, and largely the people who play it, have always attempted to rise above. 

I fear this is a dying attitude, however, as I see more and more intentional rules infractions on the golf course now than ever before (sadly, this is more true of younger players).  I can't help but fear that the lesson that many younger viewers and casual golf fans may take from this "loophole" incident is that golf is becoming more like other big business sports, and that finding a way to win, even at the expense of integrity, is more important than playing fairly and honestly.

Sorry for rambling about this...I guess all I'm saying is that I think Tiger Woods, the biggest and most influential name in golf, and one of the most famous faces in all of sports, has missed a golden opportunity to rewrite his recent legacy.  I know that I would have gained a new level of respect for him that I have never had, if he had DQ'ed himself from the biggest golf tournament of the year the moment he realized he had signed an incorrect score card.

 

[bhawkins]

I am not a golf fan. After seeing the movie " The Greatest Game" I did gain a respect for it. I am, however, a bit of a M*A*S*H fan. In one episode Colonel Potter told a patient " When you get right down to it our morales are the only thing we have that we can really call our own. When you lose them, you have nothing" (or something along those lines).I do also have to agree with SuperCenterChef on the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality. If you are not playing to why are you playing?? When I say that I do also mean playing within the rules. I can see where fast tempo, high adrenaline games such as Football, or Hockey a player may foul in some way and not even realize they did, not get caught, and keep their mouth shut, however if golf was built on this integrity, then you are letting down the sport, it's fans, and yourself by not adhering to it. MO

 

[navyjeremy]

My thoughts are this....Tiger has been playing golf since he was what like ten years old.  He should know that when you take a drop you need to take it nearest to your previous shot and not take a drop to give your self some advantage.  He stated in the interview that he dropped further back because he wanted to take two yards off his shot.  That is trying to gain an advantage.

That being said I believe that he was allowed to continue because he is Tiger Woods.  Even if he would not have received the two stroke penalty he still would have finished 7 under and not in contention to win.