Welcome to the third part of our “Confidential Caddy” Serieswith monthly perspectives from dozens of Tour caddies on rotating golf topics. On the agenda this month: cheating on the PGA Tour. Is this a problem? According to the caddies we interviewed – who remained anonymous – this happens more often than people think.
The great Bobby Jones once said, “When you cheat at golf, the only person you’re cheating is yourself.” »
While the meaning of this quote undoubtedly makes sense, it is not necessarily true in professional golf. Make no mistake: a person who cheats is most likely cheating themselves. But they also cheat the rest of the field and essentially rob players of tons of money – or even status – given how high the stakes are today.
Golf has been a game of honor since the beginning. There is no other sport in which players monitor themselves like golf.
Everyone associated with the game wants to believe that it is always pure, and while rule violations do occur, they are not always done with bad intentions.
But according to the dozens of PGA Tour caddies we interviewed, cheating happens more often than people think.
“Even though I think it’s an extremely small percentage, it does happen, and that’s a problem in itself,” one cadet told us.
“Ninety-nine percent of players are honest and have integrity. The remaining 1 percent try to apply the rules to their advantage in certain situations like falls,” said another cadet.
So, is cheating a problem on the PGA Tour? Here are the results of the shopping carts we surveyed:
Why, or why not, is cheating a problem on the PGA Tour?
Check out this selection of shopping cart responses:
Twitter asks this question.
Interpretation is different from a blatant violation.
There can be very isolated problems, which usually seem to be related to where the ball crosses the penalty area.
The players let it happen and the Tour is worried about their image.
This is very rare in my opinion.
Ninety-nine percent of players do not cheat.
This happens more than people think.
It hurts the game. Officials need to do a better job of interpreting and enforcing the rules as they are read.
I think the punishment for cheating should be very severe. I think cheating is a slow game.
There is too much at stake for these players to cheat. Too many eyes are on you, even if you try to cheat. Will some try to use the rules to their advantage? Absolutely. And I don’t think it’s “cheating”. So, is “cheating” a problem? No.
It is rare for someone to attempt to gain an unfair advantage.
Because not all human beings are the same. Therefore, an honor game, which emphasizes that each participant is responsible for playing the game honorably and following all rules and procedures, is not possible. There will always be an outlier who will try to cheat.
There have been a few cases recently that have already been discussed in the golf media. One of my main concerns is the policymakers who cover this behavior.
This is a gentleman’s game based on honesty and integrity. I don’t think any Tour player deliberately cheats. If there is any doubt about a rule, rules officials are there to ensure the integrity of the game and protect the field.
There are cases of cheating. It always has been. You are dealing with humans. It’s isolated and it’s usually fixed.
Players have learned the rules since they started playing. If they cheat, karma will eliminate them!
It’s very limited.
I haven’t seen anyone cheat.
Both cases have recently been amplified. The lateral water hazard, now the penalty area, is the most extensive rule in the game
The guys have fun from time to time. They’ll get caught if they continue like this. The cameras are more and better.
It’s only a problem if someone gets caught.
Camera technology makes many crimes appear worse than they are. Most of the rules are outdated and not up to date.
Not in my experience. The event is rare, but it exists.
In general, no. Too many people (other players, caddies, etc.) and cameras constantly monitoring 99% of the game. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
Guys, do it.
Cheating is not widespread on the Tour, but it is a problem when it occurs occasionally. Anyone who cheats affects the final outcome of the event if they manage to qualify. This could make the difference if someone made or missed a cut, playoffs, retained status, etc.
It happens. Whether it’s mismarking your ball on the green or questionable falls from the penalty areas…it happens.
Want to hear more from our March 2021 episode of Caddy Confidential? Be sure to check What Pro Loopers Say About the Rule Tour Players Are Most Likely to “Fake”as well as how many pros cheat and how to crack down on it.
You can consult all the results of our entire Confidential Caddy by clicking here.
