The TV Viewer Rules Official and the Jr Golfer

Controversy swirls every time a TV viewer calls in from home to report a rules infraction during a PGA Tour event. As an avid golfer, I'm of a mixed mind about this. There seems to be an inherent unfairness about disqualifying a golfer long after signing an incorrect scorecard, one he did not know was incorrect.

On the other hand, an infraction is an infraction. The rules can seem complicated, but they do make pretty clear what is disallowed. More significantly, the rules put the responsibility of knowing whether an infraction has been committed squarely on the player's shoulders.

As a golf fan, the thought of 'tattle-tales' existing out there, glued to the TV and looking to score by involving themselves in the event is disquieting.

But as the parent of a budding young golf star, I welcome this stuff when it happens.

Because each instance provides an opportunity to have a brief chat with Sean about not only the rules, about how to react when he finds himself in the situation where he or a a fellow competitor has made a mistake, and about the big picture ideas of responsibility and integrity.

If Sean's experience is any guide, a junior will find himself in the position of having to call out a fellow competitor on the course or in the scoring tent a handful of times each season. These must be pretty uncomfortable moments for the kids. Especially when a marker insists the player has committed a violation, and the player is unaware or denies it.

These conflicts occur, and the kids need to not only come to a resolution but also learn how to deal with the emotion of the situation.

In this regard, the professional golfers almost invariable prove to be good role models for the juniors. They swallow the poison. They defer to the rules. They sometimes indicate their displeasure about how it came about, but in the end they show they have no choice but to abide by the rules. And by teeing up the next week, they also prove the world didn't come to an end.

And in accepting calls from TV viewers, what the PGA Tour officials are doing is making it clear that the championships will be played according to the rules.

For a junior in the scoring tent after a long round on a hot day who finds himself in a situation where the facts are in dispute, at least he the rules of golf in his corner. Which are some powerful ammunition.

He called a penalty on himself

I did want to mention one more thing. In a tournament this past weekend, Sean had a ball move on him after addressing it for a green side chip, and replaced it with a one stroke penalty. I wasn't out there watching him, and from the sounds of it neither of the players in his group saw it either.

I had told him some time earlier that the first time I hear he did something like that would be a proud day, indeed. That no shot was more important than preserving his integrity and that of the competition.

What was remarkable is how little fanfare was involved. He mentioned it as if in passing, and I congratulated him, but really didn't make a big deal out of it either.

Still, it was early in the 2nd round, which he started only 3 shots off the lead. For all he knew at the time, it might have cost him a win. As it turned out, he finished 3rd, 6 strokes off the lead.