DQ? Ya right.

[Big Johnny69]

I agree with you guys that rules are rules and they should be followed. But what I am saying is that a judgement call was made, correct or not, and I believe if that no one brings it to the attention of the tourney commitee then the point is dead. If no one in Wie's group had a problem with how she proceeded then once the round is over the discussion is as well. If this guy hadn't brought this to light no one would have known any better and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Wie would have finnished tied for 3rd or 4th and she would have gone on life thinking she did the right thing. I'm pretty sure after watching some club events this year that some decisons or actions have been incorrect but all within the playing group agreed and that's how they played. I just don't feel outside agencies should be allowed to regulate play. If FCs, rules officials or tourney officials don't spot something within the allowed time frame then forget about it.

And by the way, I watch almost every golf tournament televised and I have never heard any mention of a score tampering incident with Vijay.

[larry]

The whole thing smells a bit. If this guy had imediately gone to Wie or one of the officials and informed them of what he thought had happened and it had been dealt with at that time, fine. But the fact that nothing was done until after Wie had finished the next day is not right. One of the reporters on one of the US TV stations (Detroit I think) wondered out loud if maybe the tournament officials decided to wait for the sake of the TV ratings. No Wie and the number of people watching drops big time. I know that the story is the S.I. goof didn't tell the tournament officials until mid way through Sundays round but it really makes me wonder.

[el tigre]

I agree with you guys that rules are rules and they should be followed. But what I am saying is that a judgement call was made, correct or not, and I believe if that no one brings it to the attention of the tourney commitee then the point is dead.

This is not what I would refer to as a "judgement call". It is a question of FACT whether the ball is closer to the hole or not, and this fact can be determined by a simple measurement. With 20/20 hindsight, Michelle realizes that she should have been more careful. It's a tough way to learn this lesson, but c'est la vie.

If no one in Wie's group had a problem with how she proceeded then once the round is over the discussion is as well. If this guy hadn't brought this to light no one would have known any better and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Wie would have finnished tied for 3rd or 4th and she would have gone on life thinking she did the right thing. I'm pretty sure after watching some club events this year that some decisons or actions have been incorrect but all within the playing group agreed and that's how they played.

In a stroke-play tournament, the ENTIRE FIELD has to be protected - not just the other players in your group.

I just don't feel outside agencies should be allowed to regulate play. If FCs, rules officials or tourney officials don't spot something within the allowed time frame then forget about it.

There is a difference between bringing something to the attention of rules officials and "regulating play". The rules officials have a responsibility to investigate possible infractions in order to protect the field.

In the end, Michelle incriminated herself by pointing out where she dropped the ball in relation to its original position. In other sports players might have lied or cheated to avoid the penalty, because that sport's culture is such that a rules infraction isn't a penalty unless it is caught by the referee. But golf isn't like that, and I hope it stays that way. For a 16-year-old kid, she did good.

[Big Johnny69]

Terry I don't dispute anything you are saying. But you mention that the ball was closer to the hole and fact is fact. Well anything short of actually measuring at the time of the incident is where I say a judgement call was made. Wie I'm sure at the time thought she was doing the right thing. And nobody at the time disputed this. And I don't blame her. If her club had hit the ground and rolled right maybe this whole thing never comes to life. But that is were I am saying a judgement was made, regardless if it is closer to the hole or not. We have all had to drop a ball due to a penalty before have we not? And how do you go about this? I discuss with my FCs and once we are all in agreement we proceed to play. We don't get out a ruler to make sure it is no nearer the hole. We eyeball it and accept it. Do you want tour players to start measuring their drops to make sure their ball doesn't move an inch closer to the hole? I applaud Wie's reaction to the incident. Most other teenagers probably would have broken down and cried.

[Big Johnny69]

I think I'm just more upset by the fact that a reporter who had nothing to do with this tourney had such an impact. I just can't stand outside agencies factoring into the outcome. For instance, I can't remember if it was this season or last, but that viewer who called in to mention that Duffy Waldorf fixed a divot in his line of sight. Sure, once again rules are rules but Duffy walked up to his ball, noticed someone didn't fix their divot and patted it down with his club. Yes he could have waited until after his shot to fix it but he didn't. Did it really affect the outcome of his shot. No, and that is probably why no one said anything at the time. But someone at home with nothing better to do, calls into CBS to mention this. I think it cost Duffy a top five finish.

Sorry, another rant.

[el tigre]

From the TGC site, an article on what PGA pros think about viewer call-ins of rules violations:

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...0&select=17863

To summarize, it seems the majority of tour players agree with viewer call-ins, but didn't like the reporter's timing. I thought the Stewart Cink quote at the end was pretty good:

“The difference between our sport and other sports that are televised is that the referees govern them and the rules govern us,” Cink said. “Whether there’s somebody there to call a rules violation or not, the rules are still in effect.”

[EDSGOLF]

“The difference between our sport and other sports that are televised is that the referees govern them and the rules govern us,” Cink said. “Whether there’s somebody there to call a rules violation or not, the rules are still in effect.”

There are still rules in other sports, but I've yet to see a basketball player call a travelling violation or 3 seconds in the key on themsleves if the referree missed it. "Hey ref, stop the game, I travelled, please give this ball to the other team", could you imagine

[LobWedge]

Cink hit it right on the head. Golf is a self-governing sport. Players are expected to apply the rules themselves. You can play a regulation game of golf without having a rules official present. 99% of the time they are only brought in for clarification anyway. You can't do that in sports like hockey, baseball, basketball or football. No officials, no "official" game.

[sharkhark]

My letter to the editor of SI:

My subject is Michelle Wie and the role that your reporter played, I am sure you are receiving many comments.
I do not disagree with anyone coming forward with an opinion that a rule in golf has been broken.
What I disagree with is doing so after the round of play.
It is not like the 'drop incident' occurred on the last hole of the day, this reporter had several holes with which to come to someone, michelle, her caddy an official, anyone??? But did not.
On the golf channel he was interviewed and said "I didn't feel it appropriate to come to michelle at the time of the drop as I don't know her, it would be inappropriate? huh? better to wait until she no longer has a chance to correct her scorecard, better to disqualify her a day later?
What if she Annika had faltered and she came storming back on sunday to win the event, only to have your reporter say "uh excuse me, bad drop, oops, your disqualified and lose the tournament"
I am not a subscriber, I buy a few issues a year from newstands, the swimsuit issue notwithstanding, and will never in my life give any more of my income to your magazine due to your scummy news standards and ethics.
p.s. not a wie fan, but the point & feedback had to be made.

[Golfpeasant]

My letter to the editor of SI:

My subject is Michelle Wie and the role that your reporter played, I am sure you are receiving many comments.
I do not disagree with anyone coming forward with an opinion that a rule in golf has been broken.
What I disagree with is doing so after the round of play.
It is not like the 'drop incident' occurred on the last hole of the day, this reporter had several holes with which to come to someone, michelle, her caddy an official, anyone??? But did not.
On the golf channel he was interviewed and said "I didn't feel it appropriate to come to michelle at the time of the drop as I don't know her, it would be inappropriate? huh? better to wait until she no longer has a chance to correct her scorecard, better to disqualify her a day later?
What if she Annika had faltered and she came storming back on sunday to win the event, only to have your reporter say "uh excuse me, bad drop, oops, your disqualified and lose the tournament"
I am not a subscriber, I buy a few issues a year from newstands, the swimsuit issue notwithstanding, and will never in my life give any more of my income to your magazine due to your scummy news standards and ethics.
p.s. not a wie fan, but the point & feedback had to be made.

Good, I wrote a similar one. His timing lacked scrupples, period.

[LobWedge]

This is where the thread should have gone in the first place.

Rule broken? Yes.
Penalty appropriate to the time the infracion was reported? Yes.
Questionable timing on the part of the reporter? Absolutely!

If he used to be a caddie, then he should have at least been able to approach her caddie with his concerns at the time, as a former member of the fraternity.

[spackler]

I think a pretty good summation by a different writer at SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...son/index.html

Pretty lame of Bamberger to say it didn't occur to him to mention it to Wie or her caddie. Great counterpoint by Stanger in saying in the same situation, he'd said something and saved a player from a dq.

[sharkhark]

I think a pretty good summation by a different writer at SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...son/index.html

Pretty lame of Bamberger to say it didn't occur to him to mention it to Wie or her caddie. Great counterpoint by Stanger in saying in the same situation, he'd said something and saved a player from a dq.

Great comments by you and lobwedge. I think anyone that plays the game agrees there should be guiding rules, it is simply the timing. I didn't think about it until the post by lobwedge about the SI guy being a former caddy.
That alone should be prompting enough to expect the courtesy of helping him out and preventing a DQ.

Anyhow, from different forums to online comments it is not too favourable on this guy.

Funny thing is that wie is the new tiger woods. I wonder how many times he has made their cover? How many times will they run her? How many interviews will she do with them now?

[Golfpeasant]

I think a pretty good summation by a different writer at SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...son/index.html

Pretty lame of Bamberger to say it didn't occur to him to mention it to Wie or her caddie. Great counterpoint by Stanger in saying in the same situation, he'd said something and saved a player from a dq.

Nice comments, except for one minor thing. I think (correct me please) that the issue between Michelle Wie and Danielle Ammaccapane wasn't walking in the line, it was the THROUGH line, most ridiculous concept ever.