For as long as we’ve watched sports, we’ve complained about the officiating - bad calls, no calls, untimely calls.  But we’ve never had an outlet to express our frustration, other than booing or sports radio talk shows. However, the sport of golf has had an outlet for years.  All you had to do was call the PGA Tour (if you can find the right number), or email them.  And for the most part, they will look into your claim, scour the videotape and issue a ruling.


 How Do you Feel About This Rule?

 

After what happened to Lexi Thompson at the ANA Inspiration, golf has to change that practice. Now, I agree, too little too late for Lexi. Golf fans, sitting on their Barcalounger at home and not too far from the liquor cabinet, should not be allowed to affect the scoring in a golf tournament, other than to cheer for their favorite golfer if they’re just outside the ropes.

I know how irritated I’ve been over the last several years when a TV viewer called in a rules violation.  I can imagine how the players feel.  If a violation can’t be detected at the event, at the time it happened and not 24 hours later like in Lexi’s case, then it shouldn’t be allowed. Golfers are famous for calling their own fouls, one of the best practices in sports.  But there are alternatives if for some reason, a golfer doesn’t believe he or she broke a rule.

There are the other golfers in their group.  They can call out their opponent if they truly believe an error was made.  You haven’t seen other golfers do that too often, have you. There are also the thousands of golf patrons who attend these tournaments.  Although I don’t condone a fan start screaming when he sees a golfer ground a club in the hazard, there has to be a way to alert an official if that patron sees something.

And that brings me to the rules officials. There are several at every tournament. There needs to be more, maybe one with every group.  Yes, that would be an added expense for the PGA Tour, but I think they can afford it. Golf will change its rules beginning in the 2019 season.  Maybe they should add another change, about reporting a rules violation. Anything to avoid that overserved fan at home, from affecting the outcome of a tournament.

Remember, The Masters is this week.  Imagine if this happened again, during the tradition like no other? What do you think?

(To read more from Dave Wirth head to our Sports Page)