Let it ride

Decision to let Martin use golf cart on par for fair access to game

Golf on, Casey Martin.

After a recent ruling by a federal judge, the controversy surrounding Martin's need to use a cart in the in tournament play has come to an end. The judge ruled that the PGA must allow Martin to ride a cart during the course of tournament play. Martin is scheduled to ride his cart during the Nike Tour event in March. The PGA Tour plans to appeal the ruling, but the appeal could take years.

If Martin has the ability to compete in professional golf, he should be allowed to do so, even with a cart. Golfers opposed Martin's request to use a cart because they said it would damage the integrity and tradition of the game. Preserving tradition is not a valid reason for denying Martin a chance to compete.

"If Martin has the ability to compete in professional golf, he should be allowed to do so, even with a cart."

Many things are traditions, but that does not mean we should discriminate in order to preserve them. Golf was a traditionally white-male game, but that tradition is very slowly crumbling.

Golfers against Martin competing also have said using a cart gives Martin an unfair advantage over other golfers. Walking the course tires golfers as they move between holes, they claim, and this strains the athletes and affects their performance.

Because Martin can ride around the course, the golfers said he will not have this strain affecting him. But Martin will have a physically draining task, just standing there to hit the ball.

Martin's leg is deteriorating and may eventually prevent him from walking at all. Standing puts an amount of stress on him equal to the stress that a golfer walking the course faces.

Some people have expressed concern that this ruling may affect other sports, such as basketball, and that people who use wheelchairs will one day be requesting to play in the NBA.

But having a person who uses a wheelchair participate in the NBA is a different situation. A wheelchair would disrupt the game and make it difficult for other players to move around the court. It would affect others' abilities to play the game. Martin's use of a cart does not impact upon another player's ability to perform.

Martin is a great athlete to accept as a role model, and not just for people who have disabilities. He is someone who, despite difficulties, is doing what he wants to, and he is doing it well.

Now he has the chance to prove if he can roll over the competition or not.