More Evidence Of Why Golf Is Different

Here’s why golf is a different kind of sport: Unsure of whether he had brushed a leaf in a bunker, Blayne Barber disqualified himself from Q-School, passing on the opportunity to earn a PGA Tour card.

The incident occurred in the first stage of the PGA Tour Q-School, from which Barber would have easily moved on to the second round. At the time, thinking that he might possibly have moved the leaf, Barber penalized himself a shot. His caddie/brother, however, insisted that the leaf had not moved.

Still unsure whether the leaf had actually moved, Barber later learned that the penalty was two shots, not one. With the issue weighing on his mind, Barber called the Tour six days after the tournament and disqualified himself for signing an incorrect scorecard.

I am certain that he would not want to be congratulated for his honesty. In a similar situation, Bobby Jones had said that you “might as well praise a man for not robbing a bank.” Still, in this world of lie, cheat and steal your way to the top, it’s refreshing to think that there are people for whom doing the right thing is more important.

2 thoughts on “More Evidence Of Why Golf Is Different”

  1. Yes golfers in the vast majority are a different breed of sportsman. How many times have we seen in the last 10 years where players call themselves out on penalties.

    Refreshing to see this sort of honesty in world sport.

    Well done to Blayne Barber. Hopefully he will get his opportunity again … he deserves it.

    Reply
  2. It’s great that Blayne did the right thing but it sounds like he could have avoided the whole thing by knowing the rules. He didn’t disqualify himself for brushing a leaf and not penalizing himself. He disqualified himself for taking a one stroke penalty instead of the correct two stroke penalty.

    Reply

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