I saw this story on ESPN about a golfer who called a penalty on himself. In doing so, he cost himself his PGA Tour Card. This is significant because that’s how he makes his living. Getting the card is hard. Hard enough without policing yourself.
But that’s why I love golf. It’s about honor and playing against yourself. The truth is, I am ok if my opponent beats me, but not ok if I lose to myself. When I see people cheat, even if it is the smallest thing, it bugs me. Too often, we only hear about the dark side of sports - the violence, the misbehavior, the steroids... And that's why when I see a guy like J.P. Hayes doing the right thing, I love it.
What blew me away was the ESPN poll that reported 50% of the audience wouldn’t have called the penalty in that situation. Wow! What does that say about our culture?
For me, sport is about the personal challenge. It is about pushing yourself to the next milestone. Like running a business, it is about getting up every day and figuring out what you can do better than the day before. That's what keeps me going and I applaud J.P. Hayes for doing the same.
I totally agree that sports (golf in this scenario) is a great test of one's desire to push him or herself to the limit and to see what they can personally achieve. There is nothing more satisfying then sitting down at the end of the day knowing you gave 100% effort and that you competed legitimately. I don't know how an athlete could feel good about their performance at the end of the day if they cheated
Posted by: Brent McClain | November 25, 2008 at 10:08 AM