| div align="center"> | | | | todayâs tournament pros from shooting |
| | | | twelve. Yet we still cling to outmoded, primitive |
| Is anyone else as troubled as I am by some of | | | | methods of keeping score. Itâs difficult enough |
| golfâs incredibly arcane rules? Having played | | | | to swing a golf club correctly and play the game well |
| the game all my adult life, Iâm familiar with the | | | | without having to worry about signing a paper |
| rules and even agree with most of them. But there are | | | | scorecard in the age of the Blackberry. |
| others that are frustrating, if not infuriating. Now, bear in | | | | Iâll always remember the tragic incident that |
| mind that Iâm talking about the professional or | | | | cost Roberto DiVicenzo the 1968 Masters |
| top-level amateur game here. For what should be | | | | Tournament. As you know, players keep each |
| obvious reasons, normal amateur events are a | | | | otherâs scores in a tournament. |
| different animal altogether. | | | | Robertoâs fellow competitor that day, Tommy |
| Chief among the above-mentioned frustrations, I think, | | | | Aaron, had incorrectly marked down a four at the |
| is the scoring scenario. As we all know, if a player | | | | seventeenth hole, when Roberto had actually shot |
| signs an incorrect score card he or she is disqualified | | | | three. Because Roberto signed that card, he had to |
| from the competition. It makes no difference if half the | | | | accept the higher score. As a result, he missed getting |
| western world knows what a playerâs score | | | | into a playoff with Bob Goalby the next day and |
| is. It makes no difference if a national television | | | | Goalby walked off with the green jacket. |
| audience has just watched in rapt attention as Tiger | | | | It never should have happened. That kind of |
| drilled a thirty-footer for a three. If he inadvertently | | | | circumstance isnât satisfying or rewarding to |
| signs for a four, thatâs what he gets. | | | | any player involved. Goalby couldnât be justly |
| With todayâs technology, there is no longer | | | | proud of his accomplishment, having backed into it |
| any need to rely on backward conventions to score a | | | | through a clerical error on the part of someone else. |
| golf tournament. I know all the arguments. The players | | | | And DeVicenzo was understandably devastated by |
| police themselves, itâs part of the game, | | | | the loss. |
| itâs an integral ingredient of the integrity of the | | | | Surely the golfing powers can do better. Surely, the |
| game, yada, yada, yada. | | | | rules for important tournaments can be brought into |
| Listen, how can those arguments hold any water | | | | the twenty-first century. Tournament golf audiences |
| when weâve allowed technological advances | | | | know instantly which player is doing what all over the |
| in golf equipment to trample the gameâs | | | | golf course. For reality to be ignored because of a |
| foundations and fundamentally change the nature of | | | | glitch in scoring by hand is intolerable in |
| the sport? | | | | todayâs sporting world. We need to bring |
| Today, the golf swing has become a lethal weapon. | | | | things up to date and we need to do it quickly, before |
| Players are hitting the ball practically into orbit and golf | | | | another DeVincenzo type of tragedy mars the sport |
| courses have to be about six miles long to keep | | | | again. |