COLUMN: Martin could drive away golf's negative reputation

From Mike Silver's, "Master of My Domain," Fall '98 From Mike Silver's, "Master of My Domain," Fall '98 Golf is still having a hard time overcoming its "old-boy network" reputation. Images of golf are still not easily divorced from scenes of crusty old men wearing plaid knickers and smoking cigars. And despite the sport's recent commercial success, discrimination and racism abound. Recently, the PGA Tour -- the governing body that oversees most of the major golf tournaments in America -- came within reach of a golden opportunity to break the perception that golf is elitist and discriminatory. But in golf terms, they fired their shot straight into the water. By battling against a handicapped man with enough talent to make it professionally, the PGA Tour turned a potential heartwarming success story into a veritable tragedy. Casey Martin, a talented pro prospect, gained nationwide notoriety last month for winning the unprecedented right in court to ride a golf cart on the Nike Tour -- a minor league arm of the PGA tour. Why the special exception? Martin suffers from a rare circulation disorder known as Klippel-Trenaunay-Webber Syndrome and must endure constant pain whenever he walks, on or off a golf course. Since the disorder is degenerative, his right leg may have to be amputated within five to 10 years. In Martin's view, any competitive advantage gained from a cart is negated by his preexisting condition, and his situation is so unique that it must be considered on its own terms. In court, PGA Tour representatives argued that letting Martin ride a cart would be a twofold detriment to the sport. First, it would eliminate the stamina factor and thus render Martin a competitive advantage over his fellow players. Physical endurance -- not just pure swing mechanics -- often determines the outcome of a tournament, they claimed. Second, it would set a dangerous precedent, opening the door for any injured golfer to request special accommodation. Although the court ruled in Martin's favor, giving him the right to ride a cart on the Nike Tour for at least two years (until appeals are finalized), certain aspects of the case remain unresolved. If Martin wins two more tournaments on the Nike Tour this year, he will automatically graduate to the PGA Tour, which will now allow him to use a cart. But the most prestigious major tournaments -- the U.S. Open and the Masters -- are not sponsored by the PGA Tour and adhere to their own rules. Thus Martin may have to go to court yet again in order to play in those tournaments. Throughout this ordeal, Martin has successfully endeared himself to the American public. Powerful Capital Hill allies like Bob Dole and Senator Tom Harkin have supported his cause. And Nike made him the centerpiece of their new "I Can" advertising campaign. Martin further legitimized his case by winning his first-ever Nike Tour event last month. Now, as sports marketing executive Ryan Schinman puts it, "Stop someone on the street and ask them to name three golfers and they will say Nicklaus, Tiger and Casey Martin." By contrast, the PGA Tour came out looking insensitive and selfish after the first round of this battle. Instead of embracing Martin from the start and using him as a model of courage and talent, tour representatives took a hard line solely to protect "tradition." In doing so, they lost badly -- both legally and in the court of public opinion. Now, they must redeem themselves, and the spin doctors have already been at work. After the verdict was rendered, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem announced that Martin and his golf cart will be welcomed onto the tour with open arms. The next step should be to convince the organizers of the Masters and U.S. Open to let Martin use a cart -- in order to avoid any future litigation and ensuing negative press. This is not a cut and dry issue. Discussing the matter on legalistic terms would only degenerate into arguments about minutiae. And voting with our hearts would be too easy. Martin is a talented golfer and an excellent role model for people with or without a disability. Clearly, arguments about endurance and bad precedence have some validity here. Yet when one considers the sport's reputation, one must have the foresight to see the negative implications of maintaining a stubborn position. Without question, golf has reaped the benefits of Woods' success. Twenty-five million Americans now play the sport, and TV ratings have skyrocketed. As the National Basketball Association did with Michael Jordan, the PGA Tour is skillfully using Woods's popularity to make golf accessible to minorities, youth and the underprivileged. But despite these great strides in recent years, Woods alone can't change long-standing popular stereotypes about golf. The sport still carries a lot of baggage. Its governing organizations should make a commitment to do everything in their power to change people's negative perceptions. Ironically, if the powers that be play their cards right, the reluctantly-accepted Martin could help them turn the tide.